The Skinny Northwest January 2015 by The Skinny

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KING CREOSOTE

NAZARETH

GUS G

TUESDAY 27TH JANUARY

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ORPHAN BOY

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SATURDAY 12TH DECEMBER

JANUARY Aaron Carter Wednesday 14th Alex Goot Saturday 17th Empire Signal + Tom Walker + No Sunlight + Ink Friday 19th Tove Lo Friday 23rd Amon Amarth Sunday 25th King Creosote Tuesday 27th Nazareth Friday 30th Kosheen Saturday 31st Joe + 112 + Ginuwine Saturday 31st Burgaboy + King Burga Saturday 31st

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FEBRUARY Neck Deep + Knuckle Puck + Trophy Eyes + Seaway Sunday 1st Dillon Francis Friday 6th Crown The Empire + Set It Off + Dangerkids + Alive Like Me Friday 6th Hudson Taylor Saturday 7th The Dunwells Saturday 7th Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox Sunday 8th Freddie McGregor + Johnny Osbourne + Christopher Martin + Romain Virgo + Terry Linen Friday 13th Gruff Rhys Friday 13th Kerrang Tour 2015 with Don Broco & We Are The In Crowd + Bury Tomorrow + Beartooth Saturday 14th Chelsea Grin/ Veil of Maya Saturday 14th The Used Saturday 14th Saint Raymond Sunday 15th The Decemberists Tuesday 17th Arrested Development â&#x20AC;&#x201C; U.K. Tour 2015 Tuesday 17th Black Label Society Thursday 19th Jack Savoretti Friday 20th Darlia Friday 20th Gus G + Arthemis + Skarlett Riot Saturday 21st Before You Exit and Christina Grimmie + Hannah Trigwell Sunday 22nd Marmozets Monday 23rd Fightstar Thursday 26th Benjamin Booker Friday 27th Attila Saturday 28th

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January 2015

I N D E P E N D E N T

C U LT U R A L

J O U R N A L I S M

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Editorial Northwest Editor Film & Deputy Editor Events Editor Music Editor Art Editor Books Editor Clubs Editor Comedy Editor Deviance Editor Fashion Editor Food Editor Tech Editor Theatre Editor Travel Editor

Lauren Strain Jamie Dunn Simon Jay Catling Dave Kerr Sacha Waldron Holly Rimmer-Tagoe Daniel Jones John Stansfield Tasha Lee Alexandra Fiddes Jamie Faulkner Cathleen O’Grady Alecia Marshall Paul Mitchell

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Amy Minto Thom Isom Kristian Doyle

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Contents

THE SKINNY

Contents Up Front 06 Chat & Opinion: Play a game of Spot the

Fashion: From plantlife to jellyfishfilled aquaria: menswear designer Kelly McGrath aka KellyDawn Riot finds inspiration in nature.

08 Heads Up: So, you’re either a) hungover

Travel: The pains and pleasures of solo travel.

Deviance: One of our writers ponders life after lesbianism while another asks, is marriage equal?

Difference; allow BALLS. to predict your horrifying January; gaze upon our Shot of the Month, etceteraetceteraaa. from Christmas and New Year or b) still drunk. Don’t worry, we’ve taken the liberty of planning your entire cultural month for you with this handy calendar.

Food and Drink Survey 2015: You voted, we counted, now here are all your favourite scran and bevvy haunts across Liverpool and Manchester. Experimental magpie Noah Lennox aka Panda Bear taunts the reaper on his dub-inspired fifth solo LP and ponders the future for Animal Collective.

We sit down to breakfast with (almost all of) Belle and Sebastian to discuss their new, disco tinged album, Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance. Do bargain basement teen movies like EuroTrip and Idle Hands deserve to be discussed with the kind of reverence reserved for Citizen Kane? Charlie Lyne certainly thinks so: he celebrates the teen movie sub-genre with his new documentary Beyond Clueless.

Our Art editor looks forward to the best exhibitions coming up in 2015.

We like hip-hop and we like standup comedy. But which is better? There’s only one way to settle it: fight! We enter the world of Comedy Rap Battles (or Crapbattles for short).

Does Kit Harington really know nothing? We find out by speaking to him about new wartime drama Testament of Youth. We also chat to Damien Chazelle, the writer-director of Oscars dark horse Whiplash.

Were you just too busy to keep up with fringe theatre in 2014? Re:play Festival comes to the rescue with its selection of the best local drama from the past 12 months.

French Touch pioneer Gregory Darsa tells us about resurrecting his alter ego Point G and gives the lowdown on his new record Live Season 1.

Our intrepid reporter heads to Gothenburg Book Fair and finds that there’s a lot more on offer than Nordic Noir.

Lifestyle

30 Showcase: Helen Wheeler’s blown glass

Competitions: We’ve a pass for two to FutureEverything to give away, plus one lucky reader could win free tickets to gigs at Manchester Academy for a whole month. Clubs: Yer Highlights for an un-dry January; plus Rotterdam’s Ranie Ribeiro Fortes lets us in on what sounds informed his new EP for R&S. Comedy: Last year, sketch group Gein's Family Giftshop came of age with a series of hilarious shows and a best newcomer nomination at the Fringe. They have a punt on which of their peers are going to have a similarly successful 2015. Games: Long live the list! We thought we’d save our fave games of 2014 for January, to give you something to do with yourself all long, cold, sober, sad month. And also because we’re insouciant, rule-burning RADICALS.

Film: As award season approaches the cinema calendar gets choked with quality from the likes of Paul Thomas Anderson (Inherent Vice), Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher) and documentary master Frederick Wiseman (National Gallery).

DVD/Art: In DVD we’ve something for the kids – ace stop motion animation Boxtrolls – and something very much for the adults – David Cronenberg’s killer armpit chiller Rabid, while Art takes in Tate Liverpool’s must-attend Andy Warhol retrospective.

Books: A quartet of reviews, with new books from Chris Killen, S. J. Naudé, Cecila Ekbäck and Harri Nykänen.

Theatre: Theatre company Imitating the Dog discuss their spooky adaptation of The Mist in the Mirror. Plus previews of East Is East at Manchester Opera House and Edward Scissorhands at Liverpool Empire.

Listings: Has two weeks of sitting in your pants watching Christmas movies and Only Fools and Horses reruns left you thirsty for some culture? This lot should sort you out.

Out back: Comedian Will Franken pays tribute to his friend and kindred spirit, the late, great Robin Williams.

29 Inspired by Liverpool University’s up-

coming tribute to their incredible works, we've got a look at the feminist legacy of the Brontë sisters for ya.

Music: New records from Sleater-Kinney, Pond and Disappears; Alvvays are our New Blood; and we look forward to a standout gig from the Trouble in Mind label in Liverpool.

26 The last few years have left Philadelphian troubadour and former boxer BC Camplight battered, bruised and up against the ropes. But he’s still on his feet, and his spell living in Manchester has inspired his brilliant new record.

Review

JANUARY

30 THE PAPERHEAD

THE SHIPPING FORECAST

FEBRUARY

01 RAE MORRIS THE KAZIMIER

W/ MELLOWTONE AND CEREMONY

FEBRUARY

16 THE WAR ON DRUGS 02 ACADEMY

W/ LIVERPOOL MUSIC WEEK 2014 RECSHEDULED FROM

MARCH

06 TUNE-YARDS

LIVERPOOL ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL

11 BC CAMPLIGHT LEAF

20 THE HANDSOME FAMILY LEAF

MAY

01 CALEXICO

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL

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TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE: SEETICKETS / EVENTIM / TICKETLINE IN PERSON: PROBE RECORDS (SCHOOL LN) & THE BRINK (PARR ST) FOLLOW ON TWITTER: @HARVEST_SUN @LPOOLPSYCHFEST

works take their lead from the sublime, health and science, among other influences.

January 2015

Contents

Editorial

Eyes to the website

Food and Drink editor has converted your voting forms into actual stories, spanning what your nominated local brewers are expecting from the craft beer scene in 2015 to a reminiscence of a romantic encounter at one of your top places for a first date. Keeping it retro(spective), In Film, director Charlie Lyne celebrates the legacy of the teen movie with his paean to the oft-undervalued genre, Beyond Clueless; in Clubs, Gregory Darsa aka Point G recalls the unique feel of French Touch; in Music, indie originals Belle and Sebastian look back on a two-decade career (but, with a new disco sheen, seem keen to shimmy into the future); and over in Books, the 160th anniversary of the death of Charlotte Brontë – to be marked by Liverpool University in a course of events starting this month – inspired a look at the feminist legacy of the Jane Eyre author and her two remarkable sisters, Anne and Emily. Finally, American comedian Will Franken offers a lightly sketched remembrance of Robin Williams, describing, in brief vignettes, how the sadly missed comic actor left a contrastingly indelible mark on his life – and on his perception of their shared profession. There’s too much else to list besides, and really all that’s left for you to know at this point before just diving right on in is that we interviewed Jon Snow. Jon Snow! You know, Jon Snooerrh. (OK: Kit Harington.) And he knows not nothing, but some things about his upcoming film, the First World War love story and London Film Festival success Testament of Youth. Lovely. Chin chin, hip hip, three cheers, santé. [Lauren Strain]

Hanoi Bike Shop

The Hanging Bat

Books catch up with Jenni Fagan in the pause between the 2013 publication of her outstanding and controversial debut novel, The Panopticon, and the release of its film adaptation. www.theskinny.co.uk/books Mikhael Subotzky and Patrick Waterhouse speak to Art about how they directly address the architecture of apartheid and its appropriation in their Deutsche Börse Prize nominated exhibition, Ponte City. www.theskinny.co.uk/art

Caroline Dowsett is an illustrator who works with small brushes, ink, gouache and a sprinkling of digital. She works from her shared studio at Islington Mill. She is influenced by life's simple pleasures and mid-century children's books.

Chat

Theatre sits down with Laurie Sansom, artistic director of the National Theatre of Scotland, to discuss the 2015 season Belong. www.theskinny.co.uk/theatre And of course, all the results and analysis of the voting in our Scottish sister paper’s Food and Drink Survey – if you’re planning a trip up north come the new year, use their recommendations as your guide to some top scran and bevvies – and generally just nice places to hang out – in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Spot the Difference

www.carolinedowsett.co.uk @carolinedowsett

www.jockmooney.com

o here we are, in 2015, except it’s not, it’s the 18th of December and I’m filing this before we shut up shop for the holidays and do nothing but get wonky on that mulled Old Rosie the pub’s been doing and chain-read Knausgaard. Let’s not shatter the illusion, though, eh? It’s a freshminted and indeed minty fresh new annum, and this issue engages in more than a bit of baseless speculation— ehhh, sorry, 100% accurate crystal ball-gazing to acknowledge it: e.g. in Comedy, last year’s runaway champs, sketch troupe Gein’s Family Giftshop, delightedly step into the shoes of god and select the acts they predict – or at least, hope – will do well in 2015, while in Art, our section editor surveys the upcoming season’s programme, highlighting shows you’d be a dilly to miss. (Hell, we even have some predictions as to the hottest new trends in Scandinavian fiction! Apparently Nordic noir is out and it’s all about the feelgood factor this year. Hmmm, perhaps I’ll reconsider my Christmas literary itinerary...) But in all seriousness, as Sacha’s exhibition preview evidences, it is genuinely set to be a pretty big few months for arts and culture in the Northwest, with not one but two major organisations either reopening (the Whitworth) or being reborn entirely (HOME). The prelude to the latter – the coming-together of the Library Theatre Company and Cornerhouse in a new multimillion dolla development housing five cinemas and three theatre spaces – manifests itself in Re:play Festival, where the best of regional fringe theatre over the past 12 months is given a new lease of life (and audiences a second chance to see it). Before the eight-show strong portfolio pitches up at Number One First Street, our Theatre ed chatted to some of those whose productions may now enjoy both a bigger stage and acclaim as a result of being included. All that being said, elsewhere we’re in a reflective mood: taking the cover are the results of our second annual Food and Drink Survey, offering a view of where your favourite places to grab a bite, have a tipple (before the aforementioned hot spicy cider took over) and woo your potential other halves over the past year were. Turn to p10 and marvel at how your friendly local

Online Only

These two dragons look very similar. But there are some subtle differences between them – can you spot them? If you think you know the answer and fancy a chance at winning a copy of The Peanuts Guide to Love Charles Schulz, courtesy of our good friends at Canongate, head along to

theskinny.co.uk/about/competitions and let us know. Competition closes midnight Sun 1 Feb. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Full Ts&Cs can be found at theskinny.co.uk/about/terms

THE SKINNY

Threshold Festival comes back to Liverpool in 2015, returning to the Baltic Triangle to host its main programming at Constellations, alongside a number of other venues. The festival will also bid a fond farewell to 12 piece Afrobeat troupe Nubiyan Twist, who headline the opening night of the three-day festival as part of their final tour. Threshold runs between 27-29 March. For more details visit thresholdfestival.co.uk Brighton-based SICK! Festival, which seeks to debate our most urgent physical, mental and social challenges through mixed mediums, is expanding northwards to venues around Manchester between 2-25 March. Among the highlights of a programme spread across dance, literature, film, installations and debate, is multi-award-winning playwright and director YaĂŤl Farberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s moving play Nirbhaya. Head to sickfestival.com for further details.

Koreless at FutureEverything 2014

Ă&#x201C;lafur Arnalds

January heralds the launch of a new clubnight in Liverpool, with Kolours promising the freshest in Afro-house and tropitronica. Three events are scheduled between January and May, with live acts and DJs to be announced, alongside a live sound system, AV treats and a host of residents. Get your first taste on 22 Jan at the Kazimierâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rat Alley. ÂŁ3 entry from 9pm.

Billed as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Manchester's first live nonfiction night,â&#x20AC;? The Real Story brings together five writers to perform readings at Gullivers, Manchester on 20 Jan. Their inaugural headliner is Guardian writer and novelist Laura Barton, who won a Betty Trask prize in 2010 for her debut novel Twenty-One Locks. Doors are at 7.30pm, for more information visit therealstory.org.

BALLS. with Mystic Mark ARIES dog does a giant turd in the park. Your Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so big that people walk over to comment on it, joggers stop to take photos on their phones. It is, without question, the most exciting thing that will ever happen in your life.

TAURUS The one thing that makes life worth living is knowing that someone out there cares about you. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d love that, just once. GEMINI In many ways youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like an egg. You make a mess when thrown from a window. CANCER What do you get the person who has everything? Shelves.

LEO Spiritually, the proper way to love another being is to lightly run your finger over the personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s soul until you find their crack, then jam your thumb in it.

Shot of the Month Panda Bear, by Tom Cockram

January 2015

VIRGO Despite the doctors only giving you a month to live you shock and disappoint everybody by surviving much longer.

LIBRA Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like a precious flower; you attract wasps.

SCORPIO in the afterlife is rather like Believing smashing your computer to bits and imagining itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still doing spreadsheets in another realm.

SAGITTARIUS Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got locked-in syndrome. You can never find your keys.

ICORN This month Nuts magazine gives you the award for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Most Fuckable Human Body.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

AQUARIUS The foetus in your womb never stops growing and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come out, eventually growing so large its hands fit inside your arms like gloves, and it wears your legs like a pair of trousers, walking you around like an ill-fitting suit and shitting inside your arse like a flesh-nappy.

PISCES Men only feel the need to use things like Ball-Sac Anti-Aging Cream because they are bombarded with unrealistic images of the perfect ball-sac everyday on TV and in magazines. The shiny, creaseless, digitally retouched ball-sacs we see plastered all over the media tell men that their shrivelled, walnutlike sacs are hideous and should be hidden from sight behind a thick layer of jeans.

@themysticmark facebook.com/themysticmark

Chat

Photo: Gary Brown and Manox Media

Forward-thinking music and arts festival FutureEverything have revealed details of their lineup for 2015â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event, taking place between 26-28 Feb at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Graphic novelist Warren Ellis and Data Artist Jer Thorp are among those appearing, with a collaboration between producer Koreless and light installation artist Emmanuel Biard the highlight of the new live announcements joining headliners Olafur Arnalds and Ariel Pink. Full details at futureeverything.org.

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra present a Disney classic, performing works from both the 1940 and 2000 versions of Fantasia. Expect The Sorcerer's Apprentice and Beethoven's fifth as footage of a wizard-hat clad Mickey Mouse struggling against a tonne of brooms plays out behind them. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 2.30pm, from £17

The Snow Queen

Thu 8 Jan

Fri 9 Jan

The Burgess Foundation and Manchester's new music ensemble Psappha present the first of six performances in which music takes inspiration from words. The opening night features György Kurtág's Scenes from a Novel, with visuals projected onto the venue walls. International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester, times vary, £10 (£8)

It's no surprise that quick-witted, Atlanta-born comedian Louis Ramey is already back on the road in 2015: one of the hardest working American comics of the last few years, he's popped up everywhere from ABC's The View and Comedy Central Presents, to entertaining US troops and touring the Far East extensively. Comedy Store, Manchester, 8pm, £14

Celebrating Czech chamber music from the 18th century to the present day, the 2015 RNCM Chamber Music Festival features works from composers such as Dvorák, Smetana, Janácek and Martinu, plus performances by the Talich Quartet, Guarneri Trio Prague and the Pavel Haas Quartet. Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester, 9-11 Jan, times and prices vary

Scenes from a Novel

Photo: Tim Williams

Wed 7 Jan

Fantasia

Talich Quartet

Louis Ramey

Thu 15 Jan

Fri 16 Jan

Hotly tipped authors Paula Hawkins and Tess Gerritsen drop in to Waterstones for a Q&A. Additionally, Hawkins will be reading extracts from her acclaimed novel debut, thriller The Girl on the Train, while Gerritsen will be chatting about her upcoming book, Die Again. Waterstones Deansgate, Manchester, 6.30pm, £5

Arthur Miller's classic tale set on the New York docks, A View from the Bridge is adapted by the Octagon, addressing the playwright's typical focus on tragedy among the working class, with docker Eddie struggling with an obsession for his orphaned niece. Octagon Theatre, Bolton, 15 Jan-14 Feb, times vary, from £10

A regular nominee for the annual Chortle Awards and an Edinburgh Fringe favourite, Canadian-born comedian Phil Nichol's standup is an often wild, fast-paced experience as he flips between themes with no mind for a harsh gear change. Did you know he writes and acts too? No end to the man's talents. The Slaughterhouse, Liverpool, 7.15pm, £15

A View from the Bridge

Tess Gerritsen

Photo: Michael Shelford

Wed 14 Jan

Phil Nichol

Wed 21 Jan

Thu 22 Jan

Fri 23 Jan

There isn't a month goes by without some sort of vast booze-'em-up in Manchester these days – not that we're complaining! Manchester Beer & Cider Festival is set to offer new levels of drunkenn– sorry, quality ales, beers and ciders to conservatively test and discuss. Over 500 of them, apparently. Lord. Velodrome, Manchester, 21-24 Jan, from £3

Like many countries in the aftermath of World War II, the sense of disequilibrium in Japan produced a surge of creativity in a time of turbulence. Metamorphosis of Japan after the War is an exhibition of 123 black-andwhite photographs by 11 renowned photographers including Ihee Kimura and Eikoh Hosoe. Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool, 22 Jan26 Apr, times vary, Free

From hero to zero and back again, BC Camplight completes his remarkable career turnaround from homelessness in Philadelphia, to playing his biggest headlining date yet in his adopted home of Manchester. The New Jersey-born songwriter is celebrating his new LP How to Die in the North, out this month on Bella Union. Gorilla, Manchester, 7pm, £8

Shigeichi Nagano - Completing management training at a stock brokerage firm. Ikebukuro, Tokyo (1961)

Manchester Beer & Cider Festival

BC Camplight

Wed 28 Jan

Thu 29 Jan

Fri 30 Jan

Now almost a decade old, choreographer Matthew Bourne's lavish re-telling of the Tim Burton classic Edward Scissorhands is still a focal point in any theatre season. The production returns to the Empire, following the plight of poor Edward, an unfinished creation whose hands are sharper than your average mitts. Empire Theatre, Liverpool, 27-31 Jan, from £10

That's Amore is a lighthearted choreograped piece that attempts to explore the culture of romantic love through fast-paced, passionate action. From chance encounters to hidden desires, and emotional extremes to the science of romance, the focus is on what makes the heart beat faster. Unity Theatre, Liverpool, 28-31 Jan, £12 (£10)

With a firm reputation for discussing and challenging racial issues through theatre, 20 Stories High present their new piece Black, which focuses on a young teenager's conflict of values when her dad takes a dislike to the Zimbabwaean family who've moved into her estate. Playhouse, Liverpool, 28-31 Jan, £12 (£10)

Championed by Gilles Peterson among others, Clap! Clap!'s debut LP on Black Acre conceptually sketched out a fantasy island, with samples drawn from African and eastern folk and placed alongside house, footwork and juke. Sometimes compared to Flying Lotus, the producer makes his Liverpool debut. Constellations, Liverpool, 9.30pm, £6

Chat

Photo: Johan Persson

Tue 27 Jan

Edward Scissorhands

That's Amore

Black

Photo: Bernard Martinez

Welcome to 2015! If the rest of the year is as civilised as January then it looks like we’re in for a refined old time of it indeed, as classical music (RNCM Chamber Music Festival), literature (Dystopias) and wine tasting (Wine Unearthed) ease us into the new calendar.

The Snow Queen is arguably the bleakest of the traditional festive plays, as the young Gerda seeks to save her friend Kai from the icy abomination that is the Snow Queen. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra present their stunning take on the classic, with original music from James Atherton accompanying the chilling tale. Lantern Theatre, Liverpool, 2-4 Jan, £10.50 (£8.50)

Clap! Clap!

THE SKINNY

Photo: Lucy Ridges

Compiled by: Simon Jay Catling

Sat 3 Jan

Photo: Drew Baumohl

Heads Up

Fri 2 Jan

Perennial comedy favourites XS Malarkey aren't wasting any time in getting their wares together for 2015. Their first night of the new year offers up a worthy headliner in James Dowdeswell, who's perhaps best known for playing Count Fuckula in Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's Extras. The Pub/Zoo, Manchester, 7.30pm, £5 (£3)

Johann Strauss Gala

The Nutcracker

James Dowdeswell

Sun 11 Jan

Mon 12 Jan

Tue 13 Jan

If you somehow weren't sozzled enough over Christmas and still feel flush, then Wine Unearthed's wine tasting day at The Midland Hotel, featuring 14 wines from around the world, could be for you. Attendees will be taught everything from food matching to the skill of spotting a corked bottle. The Midland, Manchester, 10.30am, £69

Expect all of the classics at This is Supermarionation's afternoon dedicated to the works of sci-fi puppet masters Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. From Captain Scarlet and Stingray to Joe 90, at the very least you'll remember that Thunderbirds used to go on for 50 minutes! How did we have the patience for that as kids?! Gorilla, Manchester, noon, £15

Now in its ninth year, Re:play Festival celebrates new theatre from Salford and Manchester, this year taking over an office block to present First World War-set War Stories and a new version of Pinter's The Dumb Waiter, among others – as well as an emerging comedian programme. Number One First Street, Manchester, 12-24 Jan, times and prices vary

Stars' substantial artful pop abilities are often submerged under their long-standing association with the more widely known Canadian collective Broken Social Scene, but the group's seventh LP No One Is Lost is a solid addition to their canon. Expect more warmly inviting synthplay from the Toronto five-piece. Sound Control, Manchester, 7pm, £10

This is Supermarionation

The Dumb Waiter

Wine Unearthed

Photo: Shay Rowan

Sat 10 Jan

Stars Greg Wilson

Tue 20 Jan

Sure to be among the standout shows of the forthcoming Re:play Festival, Colder than Here is stepping up from an initial run at the King's Arms. Written by Olivier Award nominee Laura Wade, it's a heavy tale of family and coping with impending loss. Number One First Street, Manchester, 17-20 Jan, times vary, £10 (£8)

Part of the Play-4-Free Festival, Peaceful centres itself around an old woman, Ethel, who's convinced that spirits lurk in her labyrinthine mansion. Requesting a seance to make peace before she joins them, Ethel reveals the secrets that the house has been holding all along... The King's Arms, Salford, 18-19 Jan, Free

The son of Steve Earle turned Americana mainstay in his own right, Justin Townes Earle gets out early in 2015 for a European tour in support of seventh album and first for Vagrant Records, Single Mothers, which sees new levels of lyrical openness amid a more mature sound. Band on the Wall, Manchester, 7.30pm, £15

Professor of Political History at Nottingham University, Steven Fielding presents Dystopias, a talk on the evolution of dystopian visions. Using 1984 as a starting point, Fielding ends with an examination of populist conspiracies such as V for Vendetta and asks: how does such fiction reflect our politics? International Anthony Burgess Foundation, Manchester, 6.30pm, Free

Colder than Here

Peaceful

Justin Townes Earle

Sun 25 Jan

Mon 26 Jan

Hayward Touring exhibition Listening pitches up at the Bluecoat, with curator Sam Belinfante's aim to create a show that 'interrogates the act of listening itself, rather than merely its aural objects' re-interpreted across a range of mediums by several contemporary artists. The Bluecoat, Liverpool, 24 Jan-29 Mar, times vary, Free

Last month, Heads Up claimed Ross Noble as the UK's funniest Geordie – but Carl Hutchinson may well run a close second. An old man in a young man's body, Hutchinson's tales are frequently characterised by an ability to get easily irritated at seemingly the most mundane things. The Lowry Studio, Salford, 8pm, £12

Their live band may well feature members of Hookworms, Pulled Apart by Horses and Sky Larkin, but Ryan Needham and Liza Violet – the songwriting arm of grunge pop group Menace Beach – are set to deservedly pick up plaudits all of their own with the imminent release of their debut LP, Ratworld. The Castle, Manchester, 7.30pm, £7

Laurie Anderson - The Handphone Table (1978)

Photo: Blaise Adilon

Sat 24 Jan

Photo: Joshua Black Wilkins

Mon 19 Jan

Photo: Natasha Vassiliou

Sun 18 Jan

Photo: Phil Benbow

Sat 17 Jan

Dystopias

Carl Hutchinson

Menace Beach

Sun 1 Feb

Mon 2 Feb

Famous among the world's climbing community, Banff Film Festival comes to Stockport with a showcase of short films reaching the peak of some of the world's most imposing highlands. Highlights last year included High Tension, which saw Everest climbers Ueli Steck and Simone Moro scuffle with angry Sherpas on a hike in 2013. The Plaza, Stockport, 7.30pm, from £12.25

The second day of The Ruby Lounge's unofficial waking-up-from-winter event RIFFFEST I looks set to melt faces aplenty, with cult London prog overlords The Fierce and The Dead joined by tech-rock duo Cleft and local guitar wizards (not literal wizards) Cyril Snear. Horns up! The Ruby Lounge, Manchester, 6.30pm, £6 (£8 weekend)

The People's History Museum open up another section of their vast, 95,000-strong catalogue of photographs, with Snapshot on LGBT presenting a selection of images that document the culture of the LGBT community and also their struggles in fighting to gain parity for equal rights and acceptance. People's History Museum, Manchester, 12.30pm, £Donations

January 2015

Louise Falls - Banff National Park

Photo: Kennan Harvey

Sat 31 Jan

Cyril Snear

Snapshot on LGBT

Chat

Photo: Belgravia Studios 2014

The 5th marks the last chance to see the Russian State Ballet & Orchestra of Siberia bring to life festive classic The Nutcracker. For those who like their winter's entertainment epic, the ballet pulls out all of the aural and visual acrobatics you could hope for, as the Nutcracker Prince defends his throne. Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, 7.30pm, from £27.50

Photo: Shervin Lainez

A night of music, laughter and dance sees musical comedian Rainer Hersch lead musicians and dancers through the Johann Strauss Gala, an array of classic waltzes and polkas, from The Blue Danube Waltz and Radetzky March to the Thunder & Lightning Polka and the Laughing Song. Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, 2.30pm, from £17

Image: Rafael Andres

Tue 6 Jan

Photo: Sam Huddleston

Mon 5 Jan

Photo: People's History Musuem

Sun 4 Jan

The Skinny Food and Drink Survey 2015

Steel your stomachs and girder your... groins? It’s time for the results of your voting in our sophomore survey of the local food scene Editor: Jamie Faulkner Illustrations: Caroline Dowsett

ing, ding, ding: it’s round two! Someone fetch me a rag to wipe the guac and BBQ sauce from my beard, a spit bucket for my barrel-aged IPA – and take this gumshield out so I can chew these falafel properly, FFS. Yes, it appears I have been possessed by the spirits of Rocky, Jay Rayner, and an irritating abbreviator – a mere contrivance, rest assured – as we prepare for the results of our second annual Food and Drink Survey. This time around there’s not as much to explain, really: we asked you lot what you like about the food scene in the Northwest, whether that was where you grab a bite to eat when you’re in a rush, or your go-to date place, and then we used the power of Excel and narrative (cool, right?) to convert your responses into something more interesting than, well, a spreadsheet.

Twelve months on since the last one and there haven’t been any truly monumental shifts in the region’s culinary landscape – but there have some big announcements for 2015 (Hawksmoor, anybody?), even more street food trading, and a whole lot of new businesses for us to try. Both cities had their breakthrough acts: it seems Liverpool went wild for the burritos of Evil Eye and Maray’s falafel, while Manchester had Superstore and the Mexican El Capo. A bit of housekeeping: if you’re doing a Dryathlon in January, then you might want to skip our boozy foray into the best local beers and pubs, below, lest you be tempted to stray from the path of sobriety. Other than that, enjoy: the full list of results is at the end for those who like spoilers, and we hope to see you here next year. Until then, happy eating!

Brewed Awakening Presenting your Favourite Local Beer and Best Pubs: in which we’re all becoming craft ale connoisseurs, and what constitutes a boozer is apparently in the eye of the beholder Interview: Jamie Faulkner The Marble Arch

irstly: is anyone bored of craft beer yet? The answer would seem to be an emphatic and obvious no! We asked you to let us know who brews the best beers in your respective cities – and fewer votes for the mainstream breweries would seem to indicate that the kind of beers you find at Indy Man Beer Con are gradually winning hearts, minds and tongues. Since the average reader probably knows more about craft beer than ever before, we won’t waffle on about it. Instead, we asked a couple of your favourite brewers what the 2015 beer scene will look like and what they’re looking forward to. Mad Hatter Brewing’s Sue Starling, who runs the Baltic Triangle-based brewery together with husband Gaz Matthews, looked further afield than Liverpool to happenings in Europe and their after-effects: “I think we’ll see more sour and barrel-aged beers,” she says. “Lots of breweries have been barrel-aging for a couple of years now, so we should start to see the results soon. I’m looking forward to: Stone opening a brewery in Germany, and what this will mean for German craft brewing; whether they’ll take on some of the American brewing techniques popularised by Stone. And, more widely, what this will mean for European IPAs: will they pale in comparison with Stone’s IPAs?” Mancunian stalwarts Marble, who were bound to make an appearance, owe their continued success to a welcome combination of age, clever branding and a good core range boosted

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by some great specials. Their head brewer, Matthew Howgate, was keen to highlight that, as well as these factors, they would include the need to maintain high standards: “The brewery will be focusing on quality and consistency for 2015,” he says. “We feel if we can maintain these steps we will carry on being recognised as one of the top small brewers in the country.” Their project manager, Joseph Mountain, added: “We want to focus more on our keg products. We are even getting a new tank at the start of next year in order to brew our first lager permanently; on top of this we are going to be doing a couple of collaborations with good people and are planning something special for brew 900. After a difficult year in 2013 it has been great for the company to get focused and see everybody enjoying our beers so much again.” For our part, we’re most looking forward to the opening of Cloudwater Brew Co, a project that brings together former Marble man James Campbell, Summer Wine’s William France and beer aficionado/entrepreneur Paul Hige; and here’s to (fingers crossed!) the continued refinement of the existing offerings in the Northwest. (Also making it onto your list were First Chop, Privateer and Liverpool Organic Brewery: for the full results, flip to page 16.) Secondly, ‘Is anyone bored of pubs yet?’ wins the award for stupidest question of the year. Even if, for whatever reason, you abstain from drinking and shun boozers altogether, you’d be hard pushed to deny the cultural and sociological

importance of the pub. But it seems that, for In a different vein, Fallow Cafe, which took some, the idea of what constitutes a public house over the Trof Fallowfield site at the tail-end of is open to slight interpretation. 2013, doesn’t strike us as, y’know, a ‘pub’ pub but they’ve followed in their predecessor’s footsteps by offering live music, a crowd-pleasing menu and keenly priced cocktails. And, who knows, maybe this is what students think a pub is these days. Whatever the case, the beer list is far from shabby but your friendly Food and Drink section reckons nearby The Font trumps it. In Liverpool, votes for Evil Eye Beer and Burrito Shack seem to suggest that ‘pub’ is a word in flux. We’d say it’s more a restaurant that serves beer but you guys are, collectively, the boss so we ain’t arguing! The beer menu reads simply ‘mmm hops’ but there is actual beer, like Mahou, Sierra Nevada, Anchor Steam and Sam Adams. Nothing groundbreaking but undeniably good enough to see off a burrito with. Joseph Mountain The Grapes on Roscoe Street was your other pub of choice in Merseyside. Now we’re back Two city centre establishments in to familiar territory, though the weekly Sunday Manchester always seem to crop up, as they did jazz night and the huge rum selection arguably last year, in these kinds of things: The Marble lift it above the realm of your average city-centre Arch and The Castle Hotel. The former used to boozer – it’s also welcoming and cosmopolitan, house the original Marble Brewery and in many as all good pubs should be. ways pioneered craft beer in these parts. It’s Rarely do you see a new pub open, but if also, in a lot of folks’ minds, the quintessential bars and pubs are now interchangeable we’re pub: well-kept ale, tiles, and hearty grub. The sure that our third Survey will see this category latter, while its offerings might be scoffed at by more hotly contested than ever. more adventurous beer drinkers, has all the fixtures and fittings you’d expect, amplified by cosy dimensions and pickled eggs.

“After a difficult year in 2013 it has been great to see everybody enjoying our beers so much again”

FOOD AND DRINK SURVEY

THE SKINNY

The Food of Love In which we put our Food and Drink ed’s romantic prowess to the test and ask him to relive that fateful night of four years ago – this time in the more salubrious surrounds of Mr Cooper’s House & Garden, one of your faves in Best Place for a First Date

he first date with my girlfriend of four years was at the now defunct Casa Tapas in East Didsbury. Don’t ask me why: it was a spontaneous joint decision, rather than a calculated attempt to impress on my part. One too many drinks and the blue neon lights of the sign were, like a flytrap, too enticing for our addled minds. And, like a flytrap, they led only to misery and regret. Well, only where the food was concerned. So what if, just what if, we could relive our first date at somewhere a little more refined? Somewhere our lovely voters had chosen as one of the best date spots? Well, that’s just what we did – at Mr Cooper’s House & Garden in Manchester, the more affordable, less formal partner to Simon Rogan’s The French. First thought: hotel restaurant for a first date? Bit presumptuous maybe. Sending out the wrong signals perhaps. Or simply ‘wink wink,’ according to a note I typed in my phone. (Though ordering oysters as a starter could be classed as an even more subtle come-on. Oops.) Second thought: I’m not very good at roleplaying. I try to go for the “so have you been here before?” line but that only elicits laughter... because we have. (At least my penchant for terrible jokes hasn’t diminished over the years.) We quickly slip into familiar subjects: work, the Manchester food scene, and why my other half seems permanently attached to her phone. Not all that different to the real first date, then, bar the omnipresent iPhone. The main topic,

however, is a sweet but hilariously uptight waiter who we are convinced might really be a cyborg. We contemplate prodding him with a fork to see if he flinches. He looks genuinely scared when the paper plane from my cocktail gets blown off its glass en route to the table.

“First thought: hotel restaurant for a first date? Bit presumptuous maybe; or simply ‘wink wink,’ according to a note I typed into my phone” Anyway, we finally get around to the subject of why Mr Cooper’s is such a good place for a date. Is it the price point? It’s just expensive enough to suggest you’re making an effort but

Mr Cooper’s House and Garden

not so much so that you’ll be left smarting if you fork out for the whole meal. Or the menu? The food is interesting enough to be a conversationstarter but not so avant-garde as to deter fussy eaters. Or the waiting-on? The service is actually pretty seamless and friendly, particularly when the head server is involved, allowing for few distractions if you’re becoming engrossed in one another (where’s that room key?). The place is almost uniquely full of couples too, which at least corroborates the voting – and tables are a good distance apart, so you don’t end up eavesdropping rather than concentrating on your date’s (hopefully) scintillating repartee. But hey, let’s talk about the food! Starters, mains and desserts all have ten options so if your date can’t find something they like then it’s a sign that eating out in the future will be a nightmare. Given the attention to detail, complaints are unlikely to sideline your meal whatever you have. If you need recommendations: the crab kataifi with sweetcorn salsa is all well-balanced, delicate flavours and textural contrast; the butter-poached hake

Photo: Paul Adams

Words: Jamie Faulkner

with smoked eel risotto has an intoxicating, mouth-filling richness. Don’t shell out (ba-dum tsssh!) on the buttermilk-fried oysters: the portion size, which looks like one oyster divided into three, is somewhat miserly for the price; have the tequila and chili-laced Paper Plane to Mexico if you need a pick-me-up. All this contributes to a distinctly relaxed atmosphere, surely the key to any date place. We realise that we would probably have concentrated more on each other, as opposed to the workings of the restaurant, if this had truly been our first date – but we also acknowledge that it was the interests closest to us (i.e. food) that brought us together in the first place. Our scathing, whispered criticism of Casa Tapas all that time ago was enough to create that first real bonding experience. A restaurant review and some trite relationship advice for you all in one? I think I’ll start an agony aunt column in 2015. Not. Full results on p16

Starting a food business? It seemed everyone was at it in 2014. We asked some of the winners in the Best Newcomer category what advice they’d give to any entrepreneurial readers who might be dreaming of their own little piece of the market Interview: Jamie Faulkner

Maray

he statistics about failing startups have been repeated often enough that you’d think it’d put anyone off setting up a new business. But us human beings love a good challenge and there have been more than a handful of great success stories in the last year for both Liverpool and Manchester – judging by the voting – even if the owners themselves would surely agree that the hard work is far from, if ever, over. Evil Eye Beer and Burrito Shack on Smithdown Road appear to have got Liverpudlians all hot and bothered; perhaps it’s their “ow burny hot” salsas. From where we’re standing, it helps that they’re good on social media and have impressive menu artwork but here’s what co-owner Andy Scott had to say about what it takes to run a food business: “Just do the basics well, don’t over-stretch the menu; pick something and make it as tasty as possible, with the best ingredients you can get! We source as much of our food locally as we can, using a local greengrocers, locally farmed meat,

January 2015

and the cheese even comes from the Liverpool Cheese Company. We also try and make the menu as vegetarian friendly as it is meaty, with just as many options available for each. “Also, be prepared to work your balls off every single day.” Dammit, we thought that might be the case. The Splendid Sausage Company, who will be re-branding to the Splendid Kitchen in 2015, also came up trumps in the voting. It’s the superior dogs that no doubt won people over but we suspect those decadent Eggs Benedict fries might have swayed a few, as chip toppings so often do. Proprietor Mike Edge takes a non-dogmatic approach (yes, we know, that’s a very clever pun) and told us the key is to know when to compromise, listen to feedback and make changes if something’s not working: “The biggest tip I can give as a new business in the city centre is to be adaptable and willing to grow with the market. We launched with a very limited hot dog-only menu but learned

very quickly we were alienating a large portion of the market; some people wouldn’t even come through the door due to their – often outdated – perception of hot dogs, sausages and what goes in them. We were losing group bookings as one person in ten or more didn’t like sausage.

“Be prepared to work your balls off every single day” Andy Scott

“As well as letting people know in every way we could about the quality of the sausages (and all ingredients), we added burgers to the menu in the summer and for 2015 are adding Big Plates along with starters to the menu (something that

FOOD AND DRINK SURVEY

has led to the name change to Splendid Kitchen). Two big changes, but along the way there have been innumerable tweaks and changes as we’ve grown and learned – something that will never stop.” Elsewhere in the polls, Maray showed that everyone still loves falafel and cocktails; and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon, so there’s one more tip. One of their directors, James Bates, had some to-the-point advice: “Be dynamic. Don’t get too attached to ideas. Be willing to change. Start with a small, manageable menu. It’s much easier to add items in time than to downsize a menu because it’s unmanageable. Research, research, research. What is your USP? Put yourself in your potential customers’ shoes.” Like our other best newcomers, opening in an already busy spot (Bold Street) evidently helps: El Capo and Superstore both proved that the Northern Quarter can happily handle more eateries, showing that location is still, as they say, everything.

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Photo: The Indepentent Map Company

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THE SKINNY

A Far from Fallow Year We speak to one of your Best Cafes – the Fallowfield hangout that’s bringing its student-heavy clientele more than just cheap shots and stacked burgers Interview: Jamie Faulkner

n our Best Cafes category, Fallow Cafe stood out among the survey regulars (can we say that already?) of Leaf, Bold Street Coffee and Aubergine. Though it opened in 2013, after taking over the old Trof site in Fallowfield, Fallow feels like a relative newbie. We talked to general manager Mark Henderson about consistency, gigs and how to not patronise students.

The Skinny: Fallow is from the guys behind The Ruby Lounge: how’s it been running a business in Fallowfield over the last year? A big adjustment? Mark Henderson: The biggest adjustment was accepting that, being in an area with a large student populace, the business would be so ‘seasonal’; manically busy in term time then long ‘fallow’ periods (sorry!). We try to counter that by being consistent enough to draw from a wider area and realising that south Manchester is made up of a far more diverse demographic than just students. Obviously our readers think you’re great: have you had a lot of positive feedback in general since opening? Lots! There were some doubters at the outset as we took over a site that was already well established and well loved. We kept our heads down, worked hard, reinvested and held ourselves to high standards. That seems to have done the trick and is definitely getting paid back in kind words and repeat custom from the (obviously very smart) folk who come in.

“Our chef used to be in a reggae band back in Italy... we’ve not scrimped on the talent” Mark Henderson

Fallow Cafe

Cafes tend to have a reputation for either doing average food or being quite tame spots: you seem to have blown that idea out of the water with gigs and a cracking food menu. It was simple: we all love music... even our chef used to be in a reggae band back in Italy. Our chefs are all pros and have worked in ‘proper’ restaurants – we’ve not scrimped on the talent. With the live music, obviously we had a headstart with our diary from The Ruby Lounge and lots of our favourite people have put their hand on the tiller to bring us some cracking bands. Matt from Interstellar Overdrive, Jo from The Travelling Band, Scott from Guerilla Eats, Jay Taylor from Classic Slum/Ruby Lounge and SJM concerts have contributed to a phenomenal first year and a bit. Darlia, Circa Waves, Fat White Family and scores of others in our tiny upstairs room have blown us away. Family Tree are our

promoters to watch for the new year. Fresh over from Sheffield and Bradford they sold out their first three shows for us in Manchester with some amazing lineups. What’s it like catering mostly for students? Do you think your average student is more discerning these days or are they still looking for a comfy, cheap place? Nothing wrong with a comfy cheap place; it’s not just students looking for that, is it? I’ve never understood grouping students together and aiming low with your food, drink and musical offerings. You’re talking about not only the most connected, informed and mobile generation in history but also about the future doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, (and some bankers, politicians and estate agents, but oh well). We’d

be pretty daft to patronise or underestimate them, right? Just piling up cheap shots, out-ofdate bottled lager and pre-made paninis doesn’t fit with a group who have made it through school, A levels, have supportive, motivated parents and are on their way to bright futures. Any big plans for 2015? Yes. More bands that you might not have heard of but within months will be kicking yourselves that you didn’t go and see for a couple of quid; upping the ante on the food menu (while avoiding an arms-race to build the tallest, sloppiest, most cumbersome burger in the world); and also Fletch, our remarkable manager, has asked for a day off. Not sure about that one… Full results on p16

Retail Recipes Your Favourite Food Shops inspired us to get cooking... Words: Jamie Faulkner

e asked you to tell us which food shop best caters to your culinary whims. Thankfully, the big three supermarkets didn’t make the cut and good old independent, ethnic and vegan businesses seemed the order of the day. Well done you cosmopolitan, ethical lot, you!

Unicorn Unless you live in Chorlton, you’ve probably not ventured to this mecca of vegan supermarkets. You should. Where Unicorn’s appeal lies – for me anyway – is in picking through the bags of mudcrusted potatoes, rooting through the stacks of greens, and working out just what to do with the glorious seasonal produce, from the sweet Isle of Wight tomatoes in the summer to the hearty cavolo nero come winter. Braise the latter (no need to remove the tough stems) with sautéed anchovies, garlic and chili flakes for a good 45 minutes to make a rustic side dish. Matta’s International Food Whenever I find myself dawdling along Bold

January 2015

Unicorn

Street, I can’t resist ducking into Matta’s, which never seems any less busy than the thoroughfare outside. The broad range brings together a heady of mix Middle Eastern, Asian, Indian and South American produce that appeals to the adventurous and experimental chefs among us. Their range of spices is impressive: make your own garam masala by grinding 1 tbsp of cardamom seeds with 1 tsp each of black peppercorns, black cumin seeds and cloves, plus a third of a nutmeg and a medium-sized cinnamon stick. Aldi The thing about Aldi is: pretty much all of us live near one. And given the supermarket chain’s pledge to open 500 more stores in the next seven

years – and, evidently, your votes – resistance to the Anglo-Germanic hybrid is futile. Look out for the super six deal for cheap fruit and veg: if you can get hold of Maris Piper, make a silky pommes purees by cooking the potatoes with milk and butter, rather than in water. Rice or pass the cooked spuds through a sieve into the warm milk and butter and whisk together. 8th Day Co-Op 8th Day is Manchester city centre’s answer to Unicorn, meaning it feels a bit more upmarket and is slightly pricier as a result. But if you live and/or work in town, convenience outweighs all that. Whether you need nut butters or seafood, gluten-free items or whole foods, you’ll find it

FOOD AND DRINK SURVEY

here. Pick up some firm tofu, then cube it and marinate briefly in lime juice, fresh chilli and garlic. Add to skewers with pepper and red onion and griddle until cooked for an easy vegan kebab. Epicerie Ludo Another Chorlton-based business, Epiecerie Ludo is a refined delicatessen, worthy of its suburban locale. Not to play down the rest of their produce – it ranges from fine wines and pies, to macrons and chutneys – but our recipe tip is simple: aim to get there when the baguettes are fresh, then grab some French cheese, maybe a little comte, and one of their saucisson. Et voila. No need to overcomplicate things.

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Ready, Steady, Eat: Round Two We defeated the object of you nominating your Best Place on-the-go by taking an entire four hours to visit them all, and going nowhere else. That’s just how we roll Words: Jamie Faulkner

Aubergine

ast year we combined everyone’s favourite search engine and your favourite places to snaffle summat when you’re in a hurry to create a sort of Tour de Food – using various forms of transport. Call it laziness or a tribute, but we thought we’d just do the same again this year. So tough. We start by dropping our little yellow Street View person, or Pegman (who’s had a makeover it seems since we last saw him), from a not inconsiderable height onto Stevenson Square. Set your stop watches now. We spy the mustard- and maroon-striped awning of our first winner: Slice Pizza & Bread Bar, or just Slice to you and me. This is Romestyle Italian pizza by the slice (al taglio) so don’t expect blistered pillowy crusts; rather, rich, crispy bases and generous toppings. We get a broccoli, sausage and chili and a smoked mozzarella with mushrooms: two minutes warming up

in the oven, two minutes eating. Next stop: Viet Shack in the Arndale Market. We steal a bike from a hipster (calm down, it’s not real!) and cycle there in three minutes flat but it takes us a couple more to push through the lunchtime rush. The queue is unfortunately rather large as they’ve not been open long when we pay our imaginary visit: seven and a half minutes. We get a Bahn Mi (it’d be rude not to) from the most preened staff this food court has seen, and a side of summer rolls. Eating time: six minutes. From here it’s quite a trek to the next place: Fallow Cafe. We ditch our wheels and walk to the bus stop (five minutes) and then hop on the 142 down to Fallowfield. Another 33 minutes. Thankfully, many of the regulars are out of sync with our mealtimes – as are our tummies, frankly – so we grab a table and soak up the ambience. The budget’s a bit tight now so we take advantage of the fact that brunch is served until 4pm and

order beans on toast, then stare at the menu, wishing we could afford that rack of ribs and the fish finger butty.

“Never, ever again...” After this, we’ve a big decision to make: how best to get to Liverpool from South Manchester? Oh, wait, Google Maps will tell us! Two buses and a train later (one hour, 42 mins) and we are stood on Smithdown Road looking at the moody stylings of Evil Eye Beer and Burrito Shack. Thankfully, the journey has refreshed our appetite otherwise the prospect of over-stuffed tortillas would be very unappealing. We decide on an adobo steak burrito with Mexican rice, spicy veg, refried

beans pico de gallo. To share. We’re not animals. Oh, and a couple of Brooklyns to ease the whole process along. Now, we’re sluggish to say the least. And the last place on our list seems so far. Another world away, almost. West Kirby and Aubergine cafe. But we muster the strength and roll ourselves into a cab. We avert our eyes from the meter and wait an excruciating 38 minutes. It’s Friday and en route we put in an order for a takeaway panang curry from their guest chef May’s Oriental Kitchen – so no waiting – then walk towards the River Dee to consume it, thinking never, ever, again. The travelling, that is. Total time: three hours and 55 minutes. Please note, our love of the Pegman is in no way sponsored or endorsed by, or otherwise affiliated with Google Maps. He’s just so dapper.

Spice Advice Tasty Thai and ties galore bring us a whopping seven winners in our Best International Cuisine category; seems given the choice between indulgent Mexican and budget-friendly curries, you’re both spoilt for choice and really indecisive... Words: Jamie Faulkner

ast year we had four regions for world cuisine: the Americas, the Indian Sub-continent, Europe and Asia. We thought we’d simplify things a bit this year – at least, that was the plan – and have all the ‘world cuisine’ restaurants thrash it out under one banner. This just meant the competition was even fiercer. Still, there were some familiar faces, many of them firm favourites in our previous survey; so either their standards have remained as impeccably high or the same people voted. We’ll never know. Mughli, who taught us how to make curry their way (read: bloody delicious) last time around, remained popular after another busy year, capped off with a ten-week pop-up in Alderley Edge. The Railway Cafe, which served Indian small plates, was a joint venture with chef David Gale, formerly of the Hilton and The Lawn Club, and Mughli owners the Arshad brothers, Haz and Sax. The most recent menu incarnation at the original Rusholme location features some of our favourite vegetarian food in the city: pau bhaji, halloumi menander, and pani puri. Aubergine in West Kirby proved popular once again but for different reasons. The recently refurbed cafe that gave us hangover advice last year and is revered for its Full English breakfasts also peddles a Thai menu: it’s all prepared by a self-taught Thai cook who operates under

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the name May’s Oriental Kitchen and is available 3-6pm on Fridays, but check Twitter and Facebook (orders are taken over email too). Laab phet, a sliced duck salad, looks mighty appealing while the classics of panang and massaman will appeal to curry lovers. Whether it will outshine Manchester’s Siam Smiles – our favourite this year – remains to be seen.

“Many would argue that an exemplary purveyor of authentic Mexican cuisine continues to elude both cities” Cooking from the Far East was well represented: Northern Quarter’s Ning, which has the UK’s leading Malaysian chef, Norman Musa, at

Mughli

its helm, made another appearance and Etsu, it seems, enjoys a pretty much unchallenged status. Try Thai was a newcomer in Manchester but has long been favoured for its keen prices and enjoys a pretty devout following if you trust online reviews, though consistency has been an issue in the past; also edging its way in is This & That, the unassuming, long-standing curry cafe in the NQ whose budget-friendly vegetarian curries give the aforementioned Mughli a run for their money. Flying a solitary flag for Mexican food was Lucha Libre. With their bells-and-whistles site in

FOOD AND DRINK SURVEY

Manchester’s Great Northern and their original, understated Liverpool location, they’ve been serving tacos, burritos, ceviches and empanadas for years now, for the most part avoiding the Tex-Mex food that has generally been done so badly here. However, many would argue that an exemplary purveyor of authentic Mexican cuisine continues to elude both cities. If next year proves to be as busy with openings as 2014 was, we’re sure to see even stiffer competition; in the meantime, someone should really start an actual food version of the World Cup. Please.

THE SKINNY

*Nice one for that!

BEER AND BURRITO SHACK Voted Northwest Best Newcomer and Best Pub in The Skinny 2015 Food and Drink Survey!*

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January 2015

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3 stages... 14 great bands... 10 hours of music... more acts & DJS to be announced

The Winners The full list of winners from The Skinny’s 2015 Food and Drink Survey in Liverpool and Manchester, as well as all the details you’ll need to track them down and try their wares

Best Pub

Best International Cuisine

Favourite Local Beer

Best Place On-The-Go

The Castle Hotel 66 Oldham St, Manchester 0161 237 9485 | @thecastlehotel

Aubergine Café (Thai menu) Blenheim Building, The Crescent Walk, West Kirby | 0151 625 2662

First Chop @firstchopale

Aubergine Café Blenheim Building, The Crescent Walk, West Kirby | 0151 625 2662

Evil Eye 208 Smithdown Rd, Liverpool 0151 352 1805 | @evileyeburritos

Etsu 25 The Strand, Central, Liverpool 0151 236 7530 | @EtsuRestaurant

Fallow Cafe 2A Landcross Rd, Manchester 0161 224 0467 | @fallowcafe

Lucha Libre 96 Wood St, Liverpool 0151 329 0200 | @luchaliverpool

The Grapes 60 Roscoe St, Liverpool

Mughli 30 Wilmslow Rd, Manchester 0161 248 0900 | @mughli

The Marble Arch 73 Rochdale Rd, Manchester 0161 832 5914 | @TheMarbleArch

Liverpool Organic @LivOrganicBrew Mad Hatter @MadHatBrew Marble @marblebrewers Privateer @Privateerbeers

Evil Eye 208 Smithdown Rd, Liverpool 0151 352 1805 | @evileyeburritos Fallow Cafe 2A Landcross Rd, Manchester 0161 224 0467 | @fallowcafe Slice 1A Stevenson Sq, Manchester 0161 236 9032 | @SlicePizzaMCR Viet Shack 49 High St, Manchester @vietshack

Ning 92-94 Oldham St, Manchester 0161 238 9088 | @NingMcr

Scotland: The Winners

Timberyard

Best New Place

This & That 3 Soap St, Manchester 0161 832 4971

Try Thai 52-54 Faulkner St, Manchester 0161 228 1822

Best Place On-The-Go

Favourite Food Shop

Best New Place

Best Date Place

Best Cafe

8th Day Co-op 111 Oxford Rd, Manchester 0161 273 4878 | @EighthDayVeg

El Capo 12 Tariff St, Manchester 0161 237 3154 | @ElCapoNQ

Berry & Rye 48 Berry St, Liverpool @berry_and_rye

ALDI All over t’shop | @AldiUK

Evil Eye 208 Smithdown Rd, Liverpool 0151 352 1805 | @evileyeburritos

Aubergine Café Blenheim Building, The Crescent Walk, West Kirby 0151 625 2662

Maray 91 Bold St, Liverpool 0151 709 5820 | @MarayLiverpool

Fallow Cafe 2A Landcross Rd, Manchester 0161 224 0467 | @fallowcafe

Splendid Sausage Co 11 St James Sq, John Dalton St, Manchester | 0161 833 1016

Mr Cooper’s House & Garden The Midland Hotel, Peter St, Manchester | 0161 932 4128 @MrCoopersHouse

Epicerie Ludo 46 Beech Rd, Manchester 0161 861 0861 | @EpicerieLudo Matta’s International Food 51 Bold St, Liverpool 0151 709 3031 | @MattasLiverpool Unicorn Grocery 89 Albany Rd, Manchester 0161 861 0010 | @UnicornGrocery

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Superstore G18, Smithfield Building, Tib St, Manchester | 0161 834 3303 @SuperstoreNQ

Panoramic 34 West Tower, 34th Tower, Brook St, Liverpool 0151 236 5534 | @Panoramic34

Bold Street Coffee 89 Bold St, Liverpool 0151 707 0760 | @boldstcoffee Fallow Cafe 2A Landcross Rd, Manchester 0161 224 0467 | @fallowcafe Home Sweet Home 49-51 Edge St, Manchester 0161 244 9424 @HomeSweetHomeNQ Leaf 65-67 Bold St, Liverpool 0151 707 7747 | @leafteashop

FOOD AND DRINK SURVEY

THE SKINNY

The Grinning Reaper Panda Bear meets The Skinny to chat about death, creativity and the influence of Suzanne Vega and nineties hip-hop on his wonderfully adventurous fifth solo release, Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper Interview: Colm McAuliffe Photography: Tom Cockram

n deciding to title his fifth solo album Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper, Noah Lennox – aka Panda Bear – invites us to suppose he is facing up to mortality and engaging with some considerable existential burdens, a not-unlikely turn of events from any artist following up a highly acclaimed and universally praised album, as is the case with Lennox and his previous solo release, 2011’s Tomboy. And while Lennox does acknowledge the presence of death in his lyrics, the conflict posed by the album’s title emerges from a much brighter, more spacious realm: the classic collaborations of 1970s dub such as Augustus Pablo Meets Lee Perry and the Wailers Band, or King Tubby Meets Rockers Uptown. Accordingly, rather than muscling up to the pale rider, Lennox sounds in cahoots with death, an unlikely collaboration which has resulted in possibly the most fully realised album in the Panda Bear canon to date. “I feel like since I really got into dub music, it’s been the most consistently influential sonic setup in my life,” reflects Lennox. “I always find myself wanting to push into that wet, watery, bigempty-space feeling. It’s just the type of music I find really powerful, it really resonates with me. I like that the title gave a nod to the dub elements, I like that it was presenting something serious and intense in a lighthearted way, like putting a funny costume on something scary because I think a lot of the songs do that too. I feel like literal death is never spoken about in the songs. I like that the title suggested something really intense and dark, in a casual context. The reaper, or death, is more a symbol of something changing, particularly with regards to identity: when we go through some dramatic change in our life, some part dies or goes away.” Did this desire to present something more intense emerge from Lennox’s personal life? “It was more reflections about previous stuff. It was a mission for me this time around with the words to feel like I was singing about something bigger than myself, more outward than inward. My modus operandi in the past has been to look inwards and dig deeper to try and talk about something, like writing a diary, to glean something positive. Even though introspection can be a good exercise for us, past that threshold is narcissism and it just becomes a self-obsessive enterprise. Being wary of that, I wanted to flip the script, expand the gaze.” Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper certainly has more in common with 2007’s Person Pitch than any other album in his increasingly prolific canon. The album is typically drenched in reverb and teeming with endless, multi-tracked vocal hooks, but also underpinned with a loose, hip-hop sensibility, albeit one warped and contorted by Lennox and co-producer Pete ‘Sonic Boom’ Ember’s staggeringly intricate production tricks, along with some rather unusual adornments. “The recording of this album was more deliberate as far as it was trial and error,” Lennox admits. “Lots of throwing things at the wall to see what stuck and I got really into wind noises. I found this CD called Blow-Tools which is all just ‘whooshing’ noises. All the mixes I’ve been doing lately have this sound on it. But I just find stuff sleuthing around on the internet and see how it works. Although not every mistake is worthwhile.” Previous Panda Bear albums were typically recorded in a secluded environment but Lennox

January 2015

found himself repeatedly moving house around his adopted city of Lisbon during the recording process, an upheaval which is reflected in the record’s strikingly diverse and mobile array of sounds and extemporisations. The self-referencing lead single, Mr Noah, refuses to settle in any one singular style, the only recurring motif a near-stuttering vocal line which appears to be at once joyful and uncertain within its own wind tunnel of unidentifiable noises and bleeps. Meanwhile, Tropic of Cancer samples Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker Suite, the exquisite harp sample on a repeating loop through the ever-present breeze and Lennox’s most affecting solo vocal to date. “I’m a big believer that as a creative person, you can’t help the thing you make be a reflection of yourself,” he says. “I always assume that the music has some sort of crumbs of where I’m at and in that sense, the diversity of the songs seems to reflect that sort of connection. The collection of styles is due to that changing around.”

“As a teenager, I was nowhere, just in the middle of this hurricane of sound. All of the Animal Collective were a little like that” Noah Lennox

Aside from the overt references to dub, the sonic template for the album derives from Lennox’s youth in his hometown of Baltimore and, specifically, East Coast radio playlists in the early-to-mid 1990s. “There’s a remix by DNA of Suzanne Vega’s Tom’s Diner and I remember hearing that setup of just a vocal and a 90s-sounding drum break, and thinking ‘I wanna make music that sounds just like that.’ A lot of stuff that was on the radio in the 90s was a major influence on this record, especially R’n’B hip-hop stations along with bands and people like A Tribe Called Quest, DJ Premier, Pete Rock. The East Coast stuff that was happening around that time had a more jazzy, and very specific swing to the rhythms and, if I had to pin it down, that’s what the influence is more than anything.” How did these elements find their way on to the record? “When I started playing around with the drum breaks, that sort of dictated everything. There’s like a very distinctive quality to the stuff I was making with those breaks. It felt like being in the same house but finding a new little room. There was a character in the music which I was ready to go to in the past, or didn’t know how to use that style in a way that felt genuine. It’s a hip-hop setup production-wise. Once I started making the stuff and had five or six different pieces, I felt there was a quality about them, a

personal touch which I never had before.” Considering the seemingly ubiquitous nature of grunge and American alternative music in the 90s, it seems Lennox had an unusually wide and catholic array of influences. Did this set him apart from his peers at the time? “Growing up, radio was the way I interacted with music, almost exclusively,” he affirms. “Hip-hop, R’n’B and even the top 40 stations in Baltimore and classical music at home because that’s all my parents would listen to. I feel like it’s pretty common today to have that basis. People used be more defined by their music back then, wearing badges on their jackets which were a real stamp saying ‘I’m this type of person and I listen to this type of music.’ And it just seems like that doesn’t exist anymore. As a teenager, I was nowhere, just in the middle of this hurricane of sound. All of the Animal Collective were a little like that, which helped us gel together.” Speaking of which, is Lennox’s flourishing career as Panda Bear threatening to overshadow his Animal Collective membership? “I’d be upset if it was just one or the other. I’m glad not to be forced to make that choice. Creatively, I find it more refreshing and fun to skip around and do various things but also it’s kinda the only way I get to see those guys now. It would be a bummer not to be able to do that anymore.” This propensity for skipping from project to project has been a hallmark of seemingly anyone even remotely affiliated to the Animal Collective and while Lennox is more than happy to speak about his current album, his mind is already firmly fixed on the next project. “Yeah, creatively I’m on to the next thing although I enjoy the process of talking about all these little instinctual decisions you make when recording an album, as I

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have to retrace my steps, which I find interesting. But the creative impulse is focused on the next Animal Collective album and trying to see what pieces fit together and which don’t. I haven’t written any songs for it yet but it’s imminent: the train has left the station.” Back in the here and now, Noah Lennox is certainly satiating his teenage self, hitting what he terms “the psychedelic sweet spot” with this new album and having sung on Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories album last year. The French duo have long been idols to Lennox since their Homework album and, despite turning down an offer to remix Animal Collective’s My Girls track and Panda Bear’s Last Night at the Jetty, a friendship was forged. “In the spring of 2012, Thomas [Bangalter] alerted me to a song Daft Punk had made which he thought I could sing on; they took me to Paris to work on it and that was that.” However, Lennox is wary of wearing his influences in too obvious a fashion. “Any time there’s any sort of obvious influence, my impulse will be to abstract it or lose it completely or combine other elements to the point where that one original influence is difficult to trace,” he says. “Just because: what’s the point of doing a copy? The frequency spectrum available to us is pretty much the same as it’s ever been but the way that we package music, combine sounds – or don’t – and the speed of things, all those combinations give us opportunities to present something new. And that’s the basis of it: I’m always looking to cook something new.” Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper is released on 12 Jan via Domino www.pbvsgr.com

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RNCM Skinny quarter Jan 15 AW.pdf

17/12/2014

12:58

CMY

+ Friday 30 January

Manchester The Ritz Performing songs from the newly released album Sukierae plus hits from Wilco and Uncle Tupelo back catalogues

Tickets: kililive.com | seetickets.com | 0844 871 8803

A Kilimanjaro presentation @jefftweedy 18

wilcoworld.net

THE SKINNY

Let’s Dance The inimitable Belle and Sebastian talk shop about their propulsive new album, recording in Atlanta, song-based infographics and existential epiphanies

t’s a sunny morning in Glasgow, and almost all of hometown indie icons Belle and Sebastian are present and correct for breakfast. Stuart Murdoch, Sarah Martin, Stevie Jackson, Chris Geddes and Richard Colburn obligingly squeeze themselves around a coffee table as Stuart remarks that, although we’re lacking a bassist – Bobby Kildea – it’s still a rarity: “I don’t think we’ve ever sat for an interview when we’ve all been there.” The honour of this near-full-band interview is largely due to the group’s ninth studio album, Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance. Marked by a decisively disco turn, lengthy, vivacious floor fillers and, according to the band’s press kit, Murdoch’s “most personal” material yet, it’s an unexpected but massively enjoyable record that sees Belle and Sebastian set out a bold mission statement for 2015. Given their lengthy career since 1996’s Tigermilk, featuring line-up shake-ups and various creative sabbaticals, it would be very easy – and it is very tempting – to try and craft a kind of Where Are They Now retrospective. However, the band are far too excited about the future to be at all nostalgic: the five are boisterous, cackling and correcting answers, voices blending together as they dissect their latest work and merrily take the piss out of each other. A December interview with The Quietus positioned the band as having become a completely different entity, especially after the five-year gap since last album Belle and Sebastian Write About Love. Do they really feel changed? The question results in a barrage of disparate answers: a resounding yes from Sarah, a fifty-fifty from Richard, a tentative yes from Chris. “Essentially, it is the same noise.” Richard elaborates, “It’s the same chemistry that we’ve had from the word go. It doesn’t take long to get back to that point, if you haven’t played for four years or four minutes.” Stuart volunteers, drily, “We usually learn what kind of band we are when we read about it.” The table erupts with laughter. “No, no… I don’t mean to be… I don’t even read about us that often, but when I do, I’m like ‘Oh, alright, we’re that now.’ Because we get in the room and we’re all different people, so every time it’s a different salad; you end up with a different sort of mixture, a different taste. The worst thing you can do is to sit there and decide to be something.” Stevie explains that, while doing press for Girls in Peacetime, he “kept getting asked the same question all the time” – to discover, after interrogating “the poor girl from Belgium,” that it was based upon material within their latest press release. Have they not seen it, then? There’s a

January 2015

resounding no, and Stevie, speculating, concludes that “I guess we’ve got a press agent now who tells people who we are?” Stuart pauses. “Hey, wait, Bob Stanley wrote our press release. From the band Saint Etienne?” “Well,” says Stevie, sternly. “He called this album ‘the most personal yet.’” “If I were doing your job,” says Stuart, gesturing to The Skinny, “I don’t even know if I’d read it. It’s nice that you actually bothered, you’re trying to get informed…” “But you were complaining about it yesterday!” interrupts Stevie. “Yes, well... no… I’m just saying it’s good that you’ve read it. If I were you, I’d ignore it and just say, ‘well, what’s your favourite colour?’”

“A song could go in any direction; it could become church music, it could become reggae, believe me – we can do these things” Stuart Murdoch

Wait, so now is not the time that Stuart’s decided to release his most personal material ever? “Oh no, that’s bullshit. Of course that’s bullshit. I can tell you this because you’re not The Guardian, or Rolling Stone magazine – and I don’t mean that condescendingly, I mean that the other way. The press love big concepts, big conceits, they like to make up the story themselves. But I must have said that to Bob? You know, don’t believe anything I say, it changes from moment to moment. On a whim.” Onwards to Girls in Peacetime. As far as ninth albums go, this one feels almost like a debut. Or, at the very least, a definite, marked turning point. Deciding that it’s as “out-there” as Belle and Sebastian are ever likely to go, the record has a discernible house influence (especially on lead single The Party Line) and a driving,

propulsive beat that might come as a shock for long-serving fans of The Boy with the Arab Strap. “I said it for a joke,” says Stevie. “Like, let’s do a disco album. But it was just in the air, I think we all felt it.” “There was definitely something in the water,” says Stuart. “Because a song could go in any direction; it could become church music, it could become reggae, believe me, we can do these things. You have to find, you have to feel what the right thing for a song is. If you listen to Play for Today, or even Nobody’s Empire, it’s based on that kick drum – and what the bass is doing. That’s what’s making it move.” Although drawn up by classic Belle and Sebastian measurements, Girls in Peacetime carries a decisive identity. These songs (with perhaps one exception) wouldn’t really fit anywhere else in their catalogue – there’s a definite sense of change: it’s the album the band have been on the brink of making for quite some time. Chris explains, “I mean, you don’t want to say that this is a line in the sand… but you do hope that there’s going to be something about it that you couldn’t have done in 2001.” Stevie nods, “I think it is one of our best. Genuinely. I love hearing something I’ve done, like, what is that? I’ve not had that since our first album. That surprise, that magic, I’m getting a real kick out of it.” The album was recorded in Atlanta with famed producer Ben Allen (Animal Collective, CeeLo Green), and the process was a notable departure from the band’s usual methods. “Ben could really handle this material,” explains Stuart. “There was a real strain when we made this record, between the songwriter and the producer… because believe me, I was straining.” The rest of the band agree, somewhat diplomatically. Allen works spontaneously, erratic yet decisive, a manner Richard credits to his background in the formidable world of hip-hop production. Sarah describes the process: “He was improvising with us, he turned us into building blocks. It was a little unnerving at first until you realised that when he says he’s got what he needs, he’s got what he needs.” As a writer Stuart found the lack of control difficult, confessing, “You could probably set your watch to the time when I would lose it. Every eight working days I’d just fucking lose it!” Chris teases, “Yeah, and then you’d turn one monitor down, and everything would be okay.” The result is an enormous-sounding album, deeply layered and textured with the kind of slowburning treats that unfurl after many listens

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Interview: Katie Hawthorne Photography: Ross Gilmore

– and it feels the same way to the band, too. Sarah sighs, “There’s been lots of going through, like, so there are horns in there! Sneaky bastard.” There’s also been a necessary re-learning of the material ahead of their looming worldwide tour: “All songs now come in infographic form,” says Chris, showing off photos of detailed step-bystep grids made from highlighter and biro, creating a player’s guide to each of the songs. One date in particular stands out on Belle and Sebastian’s tour schedule: in May, the band will play their biggest indoor show to date at Glasgow’s Hydro, supported by the Scottish Festival Orchestra. It’s a monumental undertaking, and one that’s already been causing a few sleepless nights. “Ah. I had a Hydro dream last night,” says Stuart, “It was disastrous. Instead of there being a lot of people, it was like being at an Ayr United away game.” Cue laughter. “I know it sounds corny, but… it’s huge. Fucking huge. We’re not in the Halt Bar any more, this is the big time.” Balancing the expectations of such a dedicated army of fans sounds a stressful task, but Chris disagrees. “I think we’re lucky in that we have an audience that puts up with us.” “Yeah, we’ve got some hardcore bigots, people that…” Stuart is interrupted as the table explodes with laughter. “Murdoch calls his fans bigots?” “It’s his Gordon Brown moment!” “No, people should learn the meaning of the word,” scolds Stuart. “People who are bigoted towards the band. You know, in a good way. People who are for the band. And that’s a great thing.” It’s true. Since 1996, this very special sixpiece has amassed a wildly dedicated following, toured laps round the globe, and been affectionately labelled ‘twee’ more times than Chris could possibly set down in an infographic. And, better still, they have a hundred and one ideas yet to explore. Stevie reflects, “When we started, we were almost an anti-band… a band that didn’t do things that other bands did, like play gigs or… We kind of started backwards and it certainly took us a long time to become a band. We were rehearsing the other day, and I… I had this existential moment.” Sarah jumps in, teasing, “Was it an epiphany?!” Unruffled, Stevie continues, “I was just like… I can’t believe I’m here, this is amazing.” There’s a slight pause, before Sarah finishes, “Ooooh, I’m in my forties, I’m playing a keytar!” Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance is released via Matador on 19 Jan Playing Manchester Albert Hall on 14-15 May, Leeds Town Hall on 19 May, and Liverpool Sound City on 24 May www.belleandsebastian.com

Feature

Not Another Teen Movie Ever wish your favourite teen movie got the same critical cred afforded worthy art films? Charlie Lyne – the voice behind irreverent film blog Ultra Culture – celebrates this most maligned of sub-genres with his debut feature Beyond Clueless

find myself in an unusual position when I meet Charlie Lyne in a Soho coffee shop. The young director is busily promoting his debut feature, Beyond Clueless, a unique and fascinating visual essay about teen movies. It’s a film funded entirely through crowdfunding website Kickstarter, with donations from over 500 backers. Full disclosure: your correspondent, as it happens, is one of those backers. “Oh shit, amazing! Thank you!” says Lyne when I admit to him that I am both a backer and an entirely objective journalist. “It’s weird. There’s only 500 or so backers. The odds are, I probably should not have met many of you. But I’ve bumped into backers halfway across the world.” Does a fiver on a crowdfunding website equate to a conflict of interest? I hope not. But such is the new reality. The democratisation of the arts means anyone is now a potential investor. Indie films were pledged 100 million dollars through Kickstarter last year, and Lyne, whose project smashed its modest £9,500 target (“I wouldn’t say smashed,” he says. “We just started to overfill the cup. Minor spillage”) is one of the many success stories. Effusive and articulate (Lyne is 23 but could be mistaken for a teenager himself), the bornand-raised Londoner speaks happily and gratefully of his Kickstarter experience: “I’m always cautious talking about it in too exaggeratedly flattering terms – it’s not right for every project – but I think for what we were doing, it was kind of perfect.” It’s a niche enterprise, certainly. In both subject matter and format, Beyond Clueless is too much of a pre-ordained cult movie to ever hope for big studio backing. But it has that cult audience inbuilt. It’s an affectionate love letter to a specific generation of high school romps, roughly covering the timespan between seminal sleepover favourites Clueless (1995) and Mean Girls (2004), with everything from EuroTrip to Bubble Boy in between. Comprised entirely of archival footage, it has a thoughtful, analytical approach: a film essay in the Mark Cousins mould. Lyne, a longtime outspoken fan of the teen genre, first had the idea when putting together a one-day teen movie festival, finding himself “captivated” while rewatching old favourites. “I think a lot of people get that same feeling when they revisit films that meant a lot to them as teenagers: that simultaneous feeling of nostalgia and joy and affection – plus the unnerving realisation of things missed, first time around. I was trying

Feature

Interview: John Nugent

to think how best to condense that feeling into some sort of statement. And that’s when it struck me that it might work best to do it as a teen movie in and of itself.” So it is, then. Beyond Clueless is effectively a teen movie about teen movies, faithfully following the familiar formula and structure of the films it seeks to analyse, from the yellow school bus prologues to the red-cupped beer pong parties, told in a dizzying patchwork quilt of clips that form a unique story in and of themselves. Over 200 movies are featured, culled from 400 hours of footage, the result of a gruelling six-month edit session. But why teen movies? Nonfiction cinema tends to lean towards the weighty, and films about films tend to square in on the masterpieces or the trailblazers. By contrast, the films included in Beyond Clueless are light and goofy. Many of the titles included are no strangers to bargain bins, or the deepest recesses of Netflix. Most are critically maligned. Are the likes of Slap Her, She’s French! really due a critical revaluation?

“A few blogs have torn it apart, but they’ve been undermined by poor grammar” Charlie Lyne

Lyne is unapologetic about his choices. “That’s kind of what fascinates me about them: they’re not perfect. They are, for the most part, deeply flawed films – which is why they inevitably get torn apart by critics. But why would you not want to scrutinise films that are having a massive impact on people at the most vulnerable point in their lives?” Central to Lyne’s thesis is this idea that, whatever the genre’s obvious surface flaws, they inspire an “intense following” from the young target audience, a following that should not be so easily dismissed. Teen movies, he claims, almost become an echo chamber between the audiences and the filmmakers – where teenage life imitates art, and vice versa. “They massively inform

the way that the people who watch them then approach their own adolescent lives. That was certainly true of me. I remember filtering so much of my teenage experiences through these films.” It’s evident, in fact, that Lyne’s own love for the genre is entirely earnest – there’s no hipster’s irony here. “One of the things you always risk if you want to talk analytically about something thought of as fluffy and stupid,” Lyne explains, “is that it can seem quite condescending. And we really didn’t want that. We wanted to be clear that we loved these movies, in spite of, and embracing all, their flaws and weirdness, and we thought what better way to do that than make a teen movie that could itself celebrate and critique this genre.” What could have only amounted to a trite fanboyish gush, then, actually becomes an engrossing odyssey into the adolescent experience itself. Themes such as alienation, anti-authoritarianism, and factionalism are all explored through this glossy Hollywood prism. A hypnotic voiceover by teen star Fairuza Balk and a mesmerisingly cool Summer Camp soundtrack tie the whole thing together. Even as someone directly responsible for its existence, I can still say with some distance that it works. Before Beyond Clueless, Lyne wrote and edited the frequently hilarious film blog Ultra Culture, which provided an early soap box for his teen movie devotion – many posts, in particular, waxed lyrical on the virtues of EuroTrip; a sincere 2500-word review called it “one of the greatest comedy movies ever made.”

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But the blog was also ruthless and caustic, firing deliciously irreverent missives on everything from the BBFC to Derek Jacobi. Lyne is a rare example of a successful leap from film critic to filmmaker, even if, in making a film based around critical analysis, it is a relatively short jump. Now he’s on the other side of the curtain, is he ready for an Ultra Culture-style blog to eviscerate his film, as he himself might have done once? “I’m looking forward to the first proper takedown, actually. A few blogs have torn it apart, but they’ve been undermined by poor grammar.” Reviews, in fact, have been largely positive; it’s a different sort of judgement that stings. “The most biting criticism I tend to get is not ‘Why did you waste an hour of my life?’ but more along the lines of: ‘How dare you misrepresent 13 Going on 30!’” Teen movie fans, he notes, “get really fucking defensive of films they hold dear.” At documentary festival Q&As – sharing the bill with all manner of ponderous political polemicists – Lyne found that “audiences were just as opinionated and pent up about teen movies as they were about major geopolitical conflicts. As well they should!” If ever he needed vindication, surely, there it was. Beyond Clueless is released in select cities from 23 Jan Beyond Clueless will preview at the Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds on 18 Jan, and at FACT in Liverpool on 19 Jan – Charlie Lyne will be in attendance at both for a post-film Q&A Beyond Clueless will play with live score from Summer Camp at The Dancehouse in Manchester on 24 Jan www.beyondclueless.co.uk

THE SKINNY

Hope Springs From the Whitworth reopening to a triple whammy of great shows at the Bluecoat, our Art ed previews the upcoming season’s exhibition calendar Words: Sacha Waldron

o now the Christmas season is over and it’s the new year, full of resolutions we won’t keep, exercise we won’t do, rent we can’t afford and dreams we won’t fulfil. Do I sound particularly grumpy about it all? Well, yes, because it’s January and everything is grey and everyone is allowed to be a bit glum. Plus it’s pretty bothersome isn’t it, I mean after 2015 there will be 16 and then 17 and so on and so forth. Bloody endless… Let’s focus on the positive. There are things to be excited about. 2015 is without a doubt going to be a great year for art in the Northwest, so much so that we can’t even fit it all in; so we have concentrated on taking you up to springtime, guiding you through a selection of the very best shows that should be on your radar. Then comes summer, with all its swimming and ice cream and all that niceness. I feel cheered up already.

“At Castlefield Gallery, artists, curators and thinkers nominate those who they consider to be shaping the future of contemporary art” January DaDaFest’s latest exhibition at the Bluecoat, Art of the Lived Experiment, and Robert Heinecken’s Lessons in Posing Subjects at Open Eye both close on 11 January and are well worth a look-in. If you’re heading to the Bluecoat don’t forget to see Brian Catling’s animatronic work in the attic space. The Heinecken show focuses on the post-war American photographer who described himself as a ‘para-photographer,’ rejecting traditional cameras and equipment and preferring to experiment with the image as an expanded practice with light transfers, collage and Polaroid. Next up for Open Eye is also going to be a good one: Metamorphosis of Japan after the War charts the transformative and creatively energetic period in the country between the end of WWII and the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The exhibition runs from 22 January to 26 April. A highlight of this month will be the Bluecoat’s Hayward Touring exhibition, Listening (24 January – 29 March), arriving from a stint at The Baltic, Newcastle. The show features some exciting current and emerging artists including Haroon Mirza (with a worrying sound insulation chamber) and Prem Sahib (with a ‘throbbing inaccessible disco’!), along with the established and the great such as Janet Cardiff and George Bures Miller, Imogen Stidworthy, Christian Marclay and Ed Atkins. At the end of January we also see the start of Cactus’s new exhibition programme with a

January 2015

solo project from Candice Jacobs (a co-founder of Nottingham’s artist-run space Moot). After that, expect promising solo projects from Jack Brindley and Charlie Godet Thomas later in the year – check cactusgallery.co.uk or @Cactusliverpool on Twitter for updates. Finally, it is absolutely killing me that I haven’t managed (or rather, that I tried and failed – see last issue) to get up to Blackpool to see Haunted House at The Grundy yet. Closing on 17 January, the exhibition takes the secret or unknown lives of objects or artworks when they are not on show, packed away in drawers or boxes (which the show features). Along with works from the collection the exhibition features a pretty stellar lineup of artists including Olivier Castel, Martin Creed, Graham Gussin, Susan Hiller, David Hockney, Susan Philipsz and Aura Satz. February You can catch (just – it runs until 1 February) Castlefield Gallery’s 30th birthday celebration exhibition, 30 Years of the Future, which has asked artists, curators and thinkers such as JJ Charlesworth, Hans Ulrich Obrist and Emily Speed – who have all contributed to the gallery’s history – to nominate artists who they consider to be shaping the future of contemporary art. This month also sees Preston’s Harris Museum re-launch their exhibition programme with a 15-month programme under the overarching title and Samuel Beckett quote, ‘Dance First, Think Later.’ Exploring notions of performativity and the human condition, tragicomedy and absurdity, the Harris are inviting artists to respond to the museum’s collections, the museum itself and Preston as a starting point. Running 12 February – 11 April, Dance First, Think Later will open with an exhibition co-curated by artist Harold Offeh called The Varieties, using Offeh’s practice and early-20th-century clown, acrobat, filmmaker and impresario Will Onda as a starting point. The major event this month will be the reopening of The Whitworth on 14 February. Launching the programme will be a large-scale survey exhibition of Cornelia Parker, for which the artist has made a brand new commission. There is, of course, much more in store: expect YBAs on their Hydra holidays, Turner watercolours, paintings, prints and sculptures from the 1960s, Laure Prouvost, Bridget Riley, Richard Hamilton and many more artists, projects, commissions and events besides. Keep track of the full schedule at whitworth.manchester.ac.uk. March Castlefield have a lot of good things planned for this year. On 5 March, to coincide with Manchester’s Wonder Women festival, they open Superior Goods and Household Gods, a new exhibition co-curated by Castlefield Gallery and artist Sarah Hardacre with print, sculptural collage, film and performance commenting on the pervasive nature of consumerist ideology and its effect on our desires. Then, excitingly, coming up later in the year Castlefield’s annual Head to Head exhibition will see Magnus Quaife up against French literary theorist, philosopher, linguist and critic Roland Barthes. Opening in December, if you can bear to think about another round of Christmas already. Now that Transmitting Andy Warhol has shut

Takeyoshi Tanuma - Dancers resting on the rooftop of the SKD Theatre. Asakusa, Tokyo (1949)

up shop, it’s all change at Tate Liverpool with three new major projects from Cathy Wilkes, Leonora Carrington and György Kepes all opening on 6 March. A 2008 Turner Prize nominee, Wilkes will mount the largest display of her work to date in the UK, charting her practice over the last decade. Tate have paired Wilkes with Leonora Carrington, who moved from the salons of London and Paris in the 1930s to Mexico by way of war-time Paris and a relationship with German artist Max Ernst. Known for her painting practice she also worked with film as an actor, artistic director and costume designer. This exhibition brings together a theatrical presentation of her filmic output alongside a selection of paintings from the 1940s to the 1980s. On the ground floor, meanwhile, find the first UK solo show of Hungarian-born artist, designer and educator György Kepes (1906-2001), including photographic work and collages dating from Kepes’ early years in the United States, and showcasing 40 works newly acquired by Tate. April Japanese ‘Bijin-ga’ or images of beautiful women, African Mende masks, ancient Egyptian artefacts, paintings from the 18th and 19th centuries and

ART

contemporary video art: The Eye of the Beholder at The Atkinson, Southport, has been open since January but closes on 26 April and is a survey of ideals of beauty and the obsession with physical perfection through the ages. Also on at The Atkinson in the spring and until 9 August is the satisfyingly Brideshead Revisited project V&A Recording Britain. The Recording Britain collection, held by the V&A, is the result of a unique documentary project initiated by Sir Kenneth Clark at the start of WWII. During this period more than 90 artists were commissioned to make ‘sympathetic records’ of vulnerable buildings, landscapes and lifestyles. Over at Yorkshire Sculpture Park this month, Making It: Sculpture in Britain 1977-1986 looks promising, focusing on the emergence of a generation of younger artists in the UK in the 1970s/80s who began to really make it on the international scene. This exhibition will be the first to survey this important moment in British sculptural making and will include work from Tony Cragg, Richard Deacon, Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor, Cornelia Parker and Alison Wilding among many others. The exhibition runs from 1 April to 21 June.

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Rapper Laughs Naturally neurotic and filled with self-loathing, standup comedians might not be the most likely of rap battlers – but the link between comedy and hip-hop is stronger than you might think, as Liverpool’s upcoming Crapbattles demonstrate

Interview: Debs Marsden Illustration: Camille Smithwick been in the planning for a couple of years. The thinking behind it, says promoter Paul Blair, was simple: “I’ve always followed online battles and enjoyed the ‘funny’ ones much more than the ‘serious’ ones, so thought that mixing that with comedians and a regular comedy audience would be perfect.” Crapbattles is co-hosted by Oshea, who says “my whole style of rapping has been a comedic approach, so for me personally it was the perfect thing to get involved in.” He was very impressed by the level of wordplay on display, particularly in the duel between Monty Burns and Rob Mulholland: “That battle could have easily taken place at a ‘proper rap battle’ event.” High praise indeed for what could easily be seen as two best mates digging through the insult box for the most sickening treasure they could find.

“It’s interesting to see even the most seasoned performers get very nervous before a battle” Neil Bratchpiece

ordsmithery takes a great many forms: whether printed in stuffy old tomes with pages like gossamer, or as living blizzards of syllables, spat in murky rooms. There are a great many people who have little respect for the rap scene, seeing it as one seething pit of misogynist tendencies, aiming only to exacerbate society’s existing ills and foibles. But, for all that it thrives on cutthroat insults delivered in meter, the skilful wordplay of these underground orators can startle and astound just as much as Dickens ever did. It’s worth bringing up Dickens particularly, because his talent for revealing the truth of the socio-economic landscape of his time – that of a deeply unfair society not wholly dissimilar to our own – can often also be seen in rap. And it’s possibly more than mere coincidence that the battling scene has found favour again during a recession: whenever people have less food and more about which to gripe, an unfettered and growling verbal protest can provide a fine distraction. Battles afford the chance for people to gather and watch those with eloquent tongues bemoan their fate, berate their opponent, and glorify themselves. At its best, the rap battle can tap into the natural urge to watch a fight, sating an inbuilt hunger to see who comes out on top. This is the real trick of rap battles – to stoke that primal want, provoking the sheerest of thrills through words alone. The tribal wins and losses are hard felt, and sometimes mere reality can become ethereal.

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Though relegated underground over the last few decades, a resurgence of the form in recent years has seen large crowds flock to darkened rooms to witness these duels of vocabulary once more. Battling is seen as a gateway to becoming established as a rapper, and certainly since the battle league Don’t Flop was created, there is much more of a scene in the UK than ever before – something one of the league’s founder members, Oshea, keenly backs up: “Before Don’t Flop there was a battle scene but there was never really the opportunity to showcase yourself on a regular basis,” he says. “I’d still say it’s underground but compared to before Don’t Flop, the scene was a lot different.” The battle leagues, for all their serious bluster, have a lot in common with an ostensibly less serious scene, itself brimming with those who are gifted with words. The life of someone attempting to establish themselves in the rap world bears startling similarities to that of a burgeoning standup. Their more humorous brethren may climb onto slightly smaller stages, in (hopefully) quieter rooms: but the game is pretty much the same. Both require confidence and verbal dexterity, and both can run the gamut in subject matter, approach and delivery. Both will be required to practise their art for little to no pay at every open spot they can travel to, until their name carries incrementally more weight. That rappers may wish for cheers while comedians shoot for laughs is inconsequential, since by happy coincidence the pursuit is

the same: shape your words, and provoke the required reaction. That there is true communion here is clearly what inspired Neil Bratchpiece, aka The Wee Man, to start pitting rappers against standups in battles held as part of the Glasgow Comedy Festival a few years back: “Having been to rap battle events and watched a lot online I wondered how comedians would fare doing it,” he says. When Ro Campbell, one of the comics who performed at these early events, suggested running some comedian-only battles during the Edinburgh Fringe featuring the wealth of potential pairings to be found there, a new crossover genre was born. Comedian Rap Battles (which also run regularly at The Stand venues) are a thing of wonder: all sweat and testosterone, as screams, gasps and uproarious laughter fill the space. The air crackles with electricity, and it feels quite unlike any normal comedy gig, to audiences and performers alike. As Bratchpiece says, “It’s interesting to see even the most seasoned performers get very nervous before a battle” – and it’s surely a testament to how singular an experience it is that Justin Moorhouse wasn’t put off. “I spent more time, and worried about it more than my whole Edinburgh show,” Moorhouse says. “Afterwards I got upset that I’d hurt my mate’s feelings... I would do it again, though.” There’s also a regular rap battles event between comedians based in Liverpool – called Crapbattles – which is run by Hot Water Comedy. The first event was held in September, but they’d

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Comedians are typically already masters of an artful insult – and it’s become a tradition in comedy rap battles to go for the lowest of blows. With nothing considered off-limits, quite often the horrified gasps of the assembled throng can be more deafening than the laughter. Some of the topics merrily traversed during the Burns/ Mulholland battle were astonishing: with a newborn baby, recent family bereavements, and a relative’s degenerative illness being mocked and pulled apart with glee. If you’re one for morose delectation, such verbal bitch-slaps are a thing to behold – and to take part in. The opportunity has had a remarkable effect on Rob Mulholland: “It’s a great chance to be as horrible as is humanly possible about someone, right to their face. It’s very therapeutic.” So much so, he actually has plans to join a ‘serious’ battle league in the new year, having found he has an unexpected talent for it: “I love hip-hop, but I never thought I could be a rapper – I’m living the dream.” It’s perhaps unsurprising that Burns and Mulholland’s rematch at the next Crapbattles event in January is already highly anticipated. What is something of a surprise, is that one of the biggest names in Don’t Flop, Micky Worthless, will be battling Oshea’s fellow host, local comedian Tony Carroll. With comedians adding a rap string to their bow, and rappers stepping in to battle comedians, the two scenes are jollying up together rather nicely. So with lines blurring yet further, and news of other comedian battles popping up across the land, this odd little dance between two distinct art forms may not sit undiscovered for too long. Nor should it – the two echo and complement each other wonderfully. Crapbattles – Live Comedian Rap Battles, Hot Water Comedy Club at The Holiday Inn, Liverpool, 15 Jan, 8pm (doors 7pm) www.hotwatercomedy.co.uk

THE SKINNY

Snow Is Coming You probably know Kit Harington as the brooding hero of TV’s Game of Thrones, but you’ll be seeing a lot more of him on the big screen in the future. The rising star chats to us ahead of his new film, wartime romantic drama Testament of Youth Interview: Ben Nicholson

it Harington would seem to have been catapulted to star status by his lead heartthrob role in the wildly successful Game of Thrones. It’s not been quite as meteoric as one might imagine, though, he says when we meet with him in a London hotel to discuss his latest film, Testament of Youth. “Some people think it went ‘bang’ but it wasn’t like that,” he says, dressed in familiar black and sipping an equally dark coffee. “It was little surprises along the way.” A cover for a magazine here (“that’s quite exciting”) and a red carpet there, it seems. “I try not to look at it in terms of posters and magazine covers at the moment. It was about that for a while, but that clouded why I wanted to act.” Despite adopting his chosen profession at a youthful age, he didn’t always want to become an actor. “No, for the longest time I wanted to be a journalist. Then I just found myself doing more and more performance at school, and when I came to university level I was putting loads of time into extra-curricular acting, and not enough into academia; that spelled it out for me, really.” From there he landed a dream role as the lead in War Horse at the National Theatre. “You don’t get that [kind of opportunity] other than for War Horse – as a drama school grad – so I jumped at

it.” From there, Game of Thrones beckoned. Since then, his stock has risen considerably, making the role of the popular Jon Snow his very own. “It’s strange even being directed now in Thrones. The directors who come in have definitely been briefed that the actors know what the characters are doing – to let us do our thing.” Was the desire to appear in a sumptuous wartime romance a conscious attempt to break from the bloody carnage of his television show? “Yeah, I think it was a reflex against the type of drama that Thrones is. Being in a big epic fantasy can, in some ways, be a harder craft than something more minimal like Testament of Youth. With Testament everything was free-flowing: the camera could work around you; you could do take after take without having to worry about effects in the background, or whether you’re hitting marks exactly. What was lovely about Testament was that it was so much about the performance.” That performance is as Roland, a bright young thing who falls deeply in love with the film’s protagonist, Vera (Alicia Vikander), before the outbreak of the First World War. “[Roland] goes through the most intensive of journeys. You can’t get something more life-changing than the First World War for the soldiers who fought in it, and

the women who were left at home. To throw myself into that depth of an emotional journey was exciting. I have a real fascination with the Great War and when Testament of Youth came up, it immediately piqued my interest because I knew the book, and it was so well adapted, and a chance to play this real guy. I’ve never played a historical figure before, especially with the reams of research material available with the book and the letters.” Weighty themes and the portrayal of a scarred veteran weren’t the most concerning aspects for Harington, though: “The harder bit was trying to get the lightness of the start, y’know; all the love,” he says. “I was quite confident in the change, but when we got to production I thought,

‘fuck, I’ve got to show him as a boy first.’” Fortunately that proved manageable opposite Vikander. “She’s beautiful to work with, and incredibly emotionally astute. I just hope I get to work with her again. I think she chooses her roles very wisely and this was a great movie for her; she nailed it. She’s about to go off and become this huge movie star – hopefully I will too.” A recent blockbuster lead in Pompeii (playing “a physical beast, so it meant going to the gym all the time”), a turn in a high-octane Spooks film on the way, and a fifth season of Game of Thrones imminent would all suggest he’s well on the way. Testament of Youth is released 16 Jan by Lionsgate

Bad Teacher Nicknamed ‘Full Metal Juilliard,’ Whiplash tells the story of a young drummer dragged to the brink of insanity by his brutal music teacher. Its director, Damien Chazelle, explains how he brought this thrilling movie to the screen Interview: Jamie Dunn

hiplash should come with a stringent warning to overprotective parents. Not for sexual content or violence, not even for its bad language (which is so creatively crude that Malcolm Tucker should be taking notes), but for its suggestion that for someone to be the best in their chosen field, they have to be separated from a lot of losers. In a world where every kid gets a medal on sports day, it’s a daring notion – but it is the bold theme at the heart of Damien Chazelle’s mesmerising new movie, which follows Andrew (Miles Teller), an ambitious 19-year-old drummer, and his tutelage/torture at the hands of Fletcher (JK Simmons), his music instructor. Fletcher’s method for nurturing talent is simple: he pushes them to the limit (physically and mentally) to weed out mediocrity. What makes the film uneasy is that his brutal methods seem to work: the film asks the audience, might Fletcher’s ends justify his means? This kind of question often comes up when considering artwork forged in hardship, and The Skinny puts it to Chazelle when we meet ahead of the film’s UK premiere at the London Film Festival. “A lot of art, maybe most art, is not born in that way,” says the 29-year-old filmmaker, “but certainly there’s a lot of art that’s come into the world through a lot of suffering, whether it’s a

January 2015

Van Gogh painting or a Charlie Parker solo or the pyramids. In those cases, are we OK with the result? That was the question that I wanted to pose through this very specific story.” The story’s been brewing for a while. In high school, Chazelle too was a prodigious musician with a teacher who, like Fletcher, would humiliate students who dared to be any less than perfect. “It was ten years out of the band that it occurred to me that it could be something,” he explains. “I think it was that basic emotion of feeling fear as a musician that made me realise that there was something to be done there that was different to a lot of music movies.” Opening these old wounds ended in a triumph. Since its premiere at Sundance, Whiplash has received raves wherever it’s screened, from Cannes to Toronto. What makes it all the more remarkable is that Chazelle has created such a towering movie on such a small budget: shot in only 19 days, the film’s relentless pace was matched by its intense shooting schedule. “This was not an easy movie to make,” he says. “For anyone!” Chazelle admits to being a perfectionist and an obsessive, but there does come a point where his and Fletcher’s methods diverge. “I think you can achieve those sorts of things Fletcher strives for while still treating

people with respect, and treating them like human beings,” he says. “If anything that’s usually better for the art: a better movie will result from a compassionate set.” Even more daring than the film’s ambiguity towards Fletcher’s methods is its approach to character. The teacher may be a monster, but his star pupil is no prince either. Andrew’s vulnerability is paired by an arrogant swagger. He wants to be the best jazz drummer in the world and he’s not shy about telling people – or stepping on his peers to get to his dream. “Everyone was telling me, ‘There’s no one to root for here, these are two despicable characters.’” Chazelle had little patience for this type of note, however. “A movie’s not a soccer game, it’s such a reductive way of looking at cinema.” What helps the audience get behind such loathsome characters is the glee with which they’re both performed – particularly JK Simmons as Fletcher. Like all great movie villains, he’s seductive and charismatic. Chazelle sees him as a showman. “He kind of performs for his band

FILM

in the same way that they perform for him. He’s constantly doing stuff that’s ultimately going to keep them coming back to him for more – more abuse, more abuse. And JK is just great at playing those muscles.” Thanks to Simmons’ pugnacious character, Whiplash has been dubbed Full Metal Jacket at Juilliard. It’s not Kubrick’s bracing war movie that most comes to mind during the snarling headto-heads between Fletcher and Andrew, though. It’s Rocky or The Fighter. “For sure,” says Chazelle when we mention boxing movies. “The brute physicality of boxing is not that far from the physicality of drumming. You know, your hands bleed as a drummer; you’re beating stuff for a living. Obviously it can be extremely subtle and gentle as well, but I wanted to showcase the more violent side of drumming.” In this he succeeds. Whiplash is a film to make your heart race and your head spin. It leaves you punch drunk and reeling in the aisles. Whiplash is released 16 Jan by Sony Pictures Releasing www.whiplashmovie.co.uk

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Take Two Rounding up the best of 2014’s fringe theatre scene, Re:play Festival offers the chance to catch what you might have missed

anchester has three fantastic commissioning theatres: Contact, The Royal Exchange and The Lowry. These bring the city everything from Catherine Bennett at Contact to Transmissions at The Lowry, with Macbeth at the Exchange in between. Throw in the Bolton Octagon and the Oldham Coliseum with places like the Palace Theatre and the Opera House, and you’ve got yourself a scene that is in relatively rude health. Green shoots are showing through at the smaller scale too, with venues like Gullivers and the Great Northern Playhouse joining fringe mainstay The King’s Arms to provide a decent range of venues to put on new plays. Given the loss of The Lass O’Gowrie and The Black Lion as theatre spaces a year ago, this is a really encouraging development. There are also a number of other projects in line – like the long-awaited redevelopment of the Granada Studios – that give cause for cautious optimism that the fringe isn’t dead, it’s just been trimmed a bit. But what is somewhat lacking is a stepping stone between these two levels, something that allows new works to progress onto a bigger stage without the pressure of selling several hundred seats every night. That’s where Re:play comes in. Gathering together the best bits of 2014, this year – the festival’s ninth – has a kids’ show (The Tongue Twister), a fragmented and fraught comedy ( An Evening of Filth and Despair) and five other pieces, plus a collection of shorts, handpicked by the HOME panel to showcase the best of Manchester. “What we did before was very DIY, this will be far more professional,” says Alastair Michael from Ransack Theatre, whose production The Dumb Waiter originally played at Salford’s King’s Arms pub and has been selected for this year’s festival. “It’s important for us because there is a void between the fringe and the big theatres. This gives us something to aspire to and aim for, which is extremely important.” This, says festival producer Rebecca Jenner, is exactly what HOME are hoping to achieve. “[Re:play is] bridging the gap, but it is also much more than that. It builds a relationship with fringe artists, who are also our audience, and can act as a startup for taking a show on tour.” Formerly run under the banner of the Library Theatre Company, Re:play is now part of the HOME group, with this year’s festival taking place in their interim digs at Number One First Street.

Interview: Andrew Anderson

“It’s exciting to be bringing people into this space,” says Jenner. “We’ve already used it for Best of BE Festival and a couple of other things, so we know what a great atmosphere it creates.” While not quite as site-specific as some of the rest of HOME’s season, it is taking theatre into a space – an office – that would normally only experience dramas of the water-cooler kind. “It’s minimal but beautiful,” says Jenner, who adds that using a simple space, paired with the technical expertise HOME have to offer, is the perfect way to test whether a play can be adapted and taken on the road. “We’re having to re-approach the work and find out how we can recreate the feel and space we had before,” says Piers Black-Hawkins from Ransack. “With the cellar in the King’s Arms we had a certain atmosphere, so the challenge is to reproduce that.”

“There is a void between the fringe and the big theatres. This gives us something to aspire to” Alastair Michael

The plays themselves are selected by HOME judges, including Jenner and artistic director Walter Meierjohann. “We try to cover as much as we can,” says Jenner. “Companies submit requests for us to see their work, and we then score them on acting, directing and production values.” A longlist then gets whittled down, before a final selection is made to put the festival together. “We submitted because we wanted to get the exposure,” says Michael, adding that the judges particularly admired the high production values of The Dumb Waiter. “This year we’ve been really lucky, because the shows are a broad range of types, so it was an easier decision,” says Jenner, “but people still got pretty passionate

The Dumb Waiter

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Two Spirits

about championing their favourites!” Along with the plays there are two other strands that make this more than just a theatre festival. Comedian Justin Moorhouse is hosting a showcase of five Mancunian fringe comics that will add an extra dimension. But perhaps the most interesting thing happening this year is a reading of Two Spirits, writer Chris Hoyle’s play that won the pitch prize at last year’s festival. “It tells the story of several Native Americans who came to Manchester in 1887 as part of a Buffalo Bill travelling show,” says Hoyle. “Some of them stayed and became known as the Salford Sioux... there are people walking around Salford today who don’t even realise they have Native American blood.” Off the back of winning the pitch prize, Hoyle obtained Arts Council funding to travel to South Dakota and research the tribe’s history, an experience he has turned into a documentary that will accompany the script reading. “It’s grown from a 50-word pitch to a cross-platform project,” says Hoyle, who is currently re-drafting the play with the input of HOME dramaturge Petra Jane Tauscher (whose recent work includes Romeo and Juliet at the Victoria Baths). The nature of this

THEATRE

work, spread over theatre, photography and film, makes it a good match for HOME, whose diverse portfolio of artistic interests is a defining characteristic. “Because HOME is new they don’t quite know what they are yet, and I don’t know quite what I am doing yet, so we work well together!” says Hoyle. In the longer term Manchester needs to develop a middle ground, be that the continuing programming in the studio spaces at The Lowry, Contact and The Royal Exchange, or through new facilities at HOME and elsewhere. But for now, Re:play is doing a good job of giving small plays bigger exposure, a second lease of life and a chance for audiences to enjoy their favourite works once again – or catch something they missed first time round. While for Chris Hoyle and Ransack Theatre the scramble is on to get everything ready in time, for Jenner things are a touch more relaxed: “The hard part is over now that we’ve selected the shows,” she says. “Now we just have to sell the tickets!” Re:play Festival takes place 12-24 Jan, Number One First Street, Manchester. For full listings and tickets visit homemcr.org

THE SKINNY

DV8 Physical Theatre present an extraordinary life story

JOHN

A work conceived and directed by Lloyd Newson

Thu 26 & Fri 27 February

‘Powerful and absorbing. Physically fuelled.’ Evening Standard

Contains adult themes, strong language and nudity. 16+

0843 208 6010 thelowry.com

≥ AT THE BRIDGEWATER HALL The Hallé, one of Britain’s finest symphony orchestras, continues its survey of Shostakovich’s concertos with world-class soloists. Students can hear these concerts from £3/concert* in the stunning surroundings of The Bridgewater Hall. Thursday 15 January, 7.30pm

Thursday 19 March, 7.30pm

PRE-CONCERT EVENT AT 6.30PM

Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Shostakovich Violin Concerto No.2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No.6, ‘Pathétique’

Shostakovich Cello Concerto No.2 Mahler Symphony No.5 Sir Mark Elder conductor | Alisa Weilerstein cello

Sir Mark Elder conductor | Henning Kraggerud violin

Thursday 12 February, 7.30pm PRE-CONCERT EVENT AT 6.30PM

Grieg Peer Gynt: selection Shostakovich Cello Concerto No.1 Nielsen Symphony No.3, ‘Sinfonia espansiva’ Nikolaj Znaider conductor | Jian Wang cello Katherine Watson soprano | Gary Griffiths baritone

Thursday 21 May, 7.30pm PRE-CONCERT EVENT AT 6.30PM

Janáˇcek arr. Mackerras The Cunning Little Vixen: Suite Shostakovich Concerto No.1 for piano, trumpet and strings Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2 Britten The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra Sir Mark Elder conductor Benjamin Grosvenor piano | Gareth Small trumpet Actors from MMU School of Theatre

www.halle.co.uk | 0161 907 9000 * The Bridgewater Hall applies a booking fee of £2 per ticket to telephone and online transactions. Tickets bought in person at the Box Office using a debit card or credit card are subject to a 2% booking fee. No fee applies to tickets bought in person and paid for by cash or cheque or purchased as part of a subscription.

January 2015

Heart of a Wrestler Depressed and losing a battle against drugs and alcohol, BC Camplight left Philadelphia to die in the North. But now he’s never felt so alive Interview: Simon Jay Catling Photography: Lucy Ridges

icky Rourke’s Randy ‘The Ram’ Robinson was many things in 2008 film The Wrestler, but as he lurched from mounting debts to painkiller addiction and heart problems, one thing he never lost was an ultimate belief in his ability to perform. Even in its final scene, with The Ram’s heart heaving, he grits his teeth, ignores his opponent’s pleas to finish the match, and clambers the turnbuckle to execute his trademark move that the crowd had paid to see. Happily for BC Camplight, his story is heading towards a more positive coda, but within the New Jersey-born songwriter lies a similarly unshakeable belief in his craft. Take a clip from an early 2013 session shot by Manchester Scenewipe as an example. In a freezing gallery space, he sits bleary-eyed, with matted hair jutting out at odds and ends around his face from under a woollen hat. With his thick winter jacket on, he looks like he’s staggered in from the abandoned church in Philadelphia he’d spent time squatting at just two years previously, when a record deal and critical acclaim had given way to depression, alcohol and drug dependency as well as his retirement from music. And yet all that changes in an instant, as he softly but surely mutters, “I think music needs me again.” Oscar Wilde would be proud. And yet, BC Camplight – real name Brian Christinzio – is brilliant. His first two albums, 2005’s Hide, Run Away and 2007 follow-up Blink of a Nihilist, possessed the sort of eat-away-atyour-brain melodic hookery to prompt an instant skip back after every song. His new one’s even better – How to Die in the North is in parts a longlost cousin to the pioneering skewed pop of the Beach Boys or Harry Nilsson, but for the most it’s a wholly singular piece of work, captured within a heady, swirling atmosphere that fluctuates between tickling warmth and doleful melancholy. “It’s the only record that’s come out exactly as it was in my head,” he tells The Skinny emphatically as we meet up at Soup Kitchen, nearly two years on since the Scenewipe session – nearly four since first moving to Manchester – looking smarter and undeniably happier. “So at least it’s the best I can do, so if people don’t get it, they don’t get it.” It wasn’t necessarily that people didn’t ‘get’ his first two records, it’s just that few got a chance to even listen to them. “I was really naïve back then,” he recalls of his three-year relationship with previous label One Little Indian (home at various times to the likes of Sigur Rós and Björk). “I assumed that because I had a record deal I’d be handed this gift of being famous and that was it. But the campaign for those albums was so disorganised that neither ever came out in America, then after my last tour I wasn’t doing so great mentally; I became disenchanted. I felt like I’d blown it and that music owed it to me to make things right.” Shows dwindled to the odd couple a month in Philadelphia just to pay the rent, before he simply stopped playing completely. Two of his band members left to join the ascendant War on Drugs, while he himself grappled with what it was to even be a musician. “It became surreal to me,” he says. “Like, you did something and then had to wait for someone to say whether it was good or bad... and then playing live, singing these words over and over and just feeling really flat.”

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The depression Christinzio had suffered since he was a child had returned, allied by the one-two combo of heavy alcohol and drug abuse. Eventually he ran out of money and found himself squatting in an abandoned church, with only a publicist convinced of his talent and a longtime fan thousands of miles away in Manchester to convince him to pull back from the brink. “It was either make a go of it one more time or give up,” he says. “All my best shows had been in Manchester when I’d toured my first couple of records, and this one fan from here promised to find me a place to stay if I showed up. So I did it, and somehow…” He’s still here, with a new set of songs to put out and a career to re-boot, having flown to England with just a suitcase in 2011. “The title How to Die in the North is quite literal,” he smiles ruefully. “Originally I had this semi-stupid romantic idea that I was doing the whole Nick Cage thing in Leaving Las Vegas: ‘I’m going to go to this place, show these motherfuckers what I can do and I’m going to destroy myself while I’m there.’ And to be honest, the three years of making the record was like a master class in how not to treat your body.” Introduced to producer Martin King, down near Stockport (“a huge old vicarage with old tape recorders and analogue synths”), the pair recorded a blossoming string-touched surf pop track called Thieves of Antigua which garnered some attention. Subsequently striking a series of deals effectively amounting to a bundle of IOUs, Christinzio then set about forming a band drawn from the Northern Quarter’s drinking dens that he’d quickly established himself as a regular at. “It feels like Philly here. I want to say it’s unpretentious, but…” he gestures at the surroundings. “But it’s sort of working class, blue collar. In fact some of the bleakness of the city has perhaps crept into the record subconsciously – I don’t remember one fucking nice day of weather during recording,” he laughs.

“It was either make a go of it one more time or give up” Brian Christinzio

Despite not writing for three years, the creative fire was soon lit. “I’m not one of these guys with a four track who’s always out in the woods going ‘this could be my new song, man!’” he says. “I only write when I’ve records coming out, it’s not some sort of catharsis, or purging of feelings. Between 2008 and 2011 when I wrote nothing, there was no reason to. Writing doesn’t make me feel good, in many senses it makes me feel terrible… because it usually means there’s something big in my life coming up and having that stress on me doesn’t do good things. Life becomes ‘real’ again when I’m putting out something. Let’s see if I can handle it this time.” On an album that he states is “nine songs that try nine different styles and attempt to do each better than anyone has before,” How to Die

in the North’s overriding sense is of anti-love, songs like the twinkling balladry of Love Isn’t Anybody’s Fault and Just Because I Love You’s sepia murmurs acting as denouncements of its importance and those blindly pursuing it. “My whole love life up until recently has been a fucking Titanic,” he sighs. “One song – Grand Cinema – is about the time I managed to date a lesbian who’d never dated a guy before. I fell madly in love with her and convinced myself for two years that she’d somehow not be a lesbian anymore. Someone else I dated ended up being in my band until we went on tour and that was a disaster, and it’s just followed that pattern. I did get to that point where I was like ‘is love a helpful thing?’ And then even when it works out one of you dies... I guess [final track] Why Doesn’t Anybody Fall In Love Anymore? talks about it. And so I tried other things to get the same things out of them that I would have if I’d been in a loving relationship.” However, his confidence in his own songwriting ability remains. “I really don’t get 98% of the shit that comes out on the bigger indie

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labels these days,” he says. “The general lack of individualism is so worrying; but I think that’s what I’ve got going for me, because every now and then I’ll come out with something that’ll be completely different and people’ll be like ‘Oh yeah! That’s good.’” Bella Union head honcho Simon Raymonde certainly did, writing a six-page email detailing everything great about the copy of How to Die in the North he’d been sent. “But even then,” Christinzio grins with self-awareness, “when he didn’t reply to me that same night I was like ‘That fucking asshole, this is why this dude doesn’t get it... then he sent me an offer two days later to release it… and any other album I wished to release in my life.” Even he looks disbelieving, momentarily lost for words as he recounts the final piece in his resurrection jigsaw. “So I was like, ‘Oh. OK then.’” Playing Manchester’s Gorilla on 23 Jan and Liverpool’s Leaf on 11 Mar. How to Die in the North is released on 19 Jan via Bella Union bccamplightmusic.com

THE SKINNY

Locating Point G Gregory Darsa lifts the lid on Live Season 1, painting, and the feel of French Touch

Interview: Daniel Jones Illustration: Amy Minto distinctive features that really stand out – almost like a caricature style. I wanted to be a painter and I studied for five years before realising that I didn’t have the balls to go for it. Which track are you most pleased with? I really like Kond. It’s got a nice reverse pad which I really can’t work out how I achieved, and probably never will. Going back a few years, were you surprised when you were approached to reissue some of the early Point G EPs? When the guys from Real Tone and Apollonia got in touch I was seriously like, “What the fuck?” I get that the minimal side of things was coming back at the time but those tracks I made when I didn’t even know what I was doing! My idols at the time were people like Ludovic Navarre, Masters at Work, but I was nowhere near their level. I actually learned so much in the 00s doing the Africanism series that I didn’t really look back on the early EPs with pride. It was beginner’s luck on an SP-1200, plain and simple. Going back even further, when did you first meet up with the Yellow guys? Alain (DJ Yellow) and Chris (Bob Sinclar) would hang around BPM and we all gradually realised at the same time that house was the way forward. Up until that point trip-hop was the done thing but it attracted a much smaller audience… unless you’re James Lavelle. Even Chris had his Mighty Bop project back then.

lash back to 1996 and you’d probably find Gregory Darsa foraging for disco at local record store Bastille Paris Musique. His initial work as Cheesy D was snapped up by BPM’s in-house imprint Basenotic and pushed out alongside Motorbass, Pieces of Mind, Ark and Bradock. The world would soon point to these early EPs as the beginning of a new era for European dance music – the French Touch. At its core was the revival of 70s and 80s boogie, looped, filtered, phased and set to a bumping 4/4 backbone. However, while Daft Punk and Bob Sinclar took the torch and ran all the way to super-stardom with it, Darsa veered off down a slightly different path. Less than a year after the Basenotic EPs, Cheesy D morphed into Point G – a tougher-sounding project focusing on weighty percussive programming akin to Kenny Dope and Mood II Swing. Three releases followed under the .G alias before Darsa moved to New York to source West Indian grooves as DJ Gregory for the freshly hatched Africanism project. Opportunity cost, as they say, and that ultimately meant Point G would have to take a backseat for the next 12 years. Fast forward to 2012. The heavy side of minimalism is going through its renaissance and the name Point G is whispered through the grapevine once more. A flurry of reissues and self-released 12-inches follow, encouraging Darsa to resurrect

January 2015

Point G as a formidable live beast. New record Live Season 1 contains eight new tracks while promising no pretensions of being a cohesive LP; this is a curation of rough analogue drafts based on a rock-solid foundation and built upon with all the hypnotic intent of a swinging pendulum… and it goes hard.

“Sometimes it takes twenty minutes to find the sound; other times there’s no way to get what you’re looking for” Gregory Darsa

The Skinny: What is the main challenge of producing under Point G? Gregory Darsa: The challenge is keeping it stripped back and sounding raw. I always start with the drums and build from there. Always. Everybody tells me don’t go too musical, don’t

add too much, which is a temptation that can be difficult to resist. How does that temptation come into play on the new record? The track Surdo is a good example. It’s based on the sound of a Brazilian drum with a whole lot of sub, which is why it works 100% when played in the club – I don’t press anything on vinyl without having tested it on a dancefloor. That track always gets a strong reaction and yet it only took me half an hour to produce. Sometimes it takes 20 minutes to find the sound; other times there’s no way to get what you’re looking for. By that logic it can’t have taken you too long to put the new record together... I made these eight tracks between mid-July and the end of August last year, but there are certain elements that come from sessions over ten years ago. It really didn’t take too long to put together but that’s because of the very nature of the music itself. Mixing down is also a lot easier these days, especially compared to the DJ Gregory stuff, because I have the control to do most of the mixing down on my own computer. You did all the artwork too, right? Yeah, the artwork was/is mine. The album cover is actually a self-portrait I did in ’91 - there’s a few

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Chris was also involved in the early days of the Africanism series… Yeah, Chris was actually working with me from the very start when we first conceived Africanism but eventually had to devote more time to Yellow Productions and his Bob Sinclar alias. Really, the concept began when I was in New York from 1998 to 2000. I was there to search for Caribbean sounds, African sounds and that kind of thing. For me, I loved the groove of that style of music but I wanted to create something distinctively French… a kind of cinematic lens. It was important for me to get that French vibe across, and I think that shows on the release with Tourment D’Amour on the A-side. There’s a very French West Indies feel to it because I’d buy this type of thing on purpose. I knew the effect I wanted to create. Compared to the camaraderie of the French Touch, do you think that sense of collaboration and support has been lost in the current state of music? You have to remember the French Touch was a wave, it was something new. You had guys like Gilb’R, Funk Mob, Bangalter, Zdar all hanging around the booth at the Respect parties, each bringing a cassette with a track they had been working on that month. Back then, it wasn’t trendy until Daft Punk really took off and that’s when it became a storm. Despite the success they were still incredibly supportive of everybody around them. These days, the essence is all over the place and the way people communicate has changed forever. I have a feeling people get very bored very quickly now, whereas back then you could first hear a track in the club and it wouldn’t get released until a year and a half later. I don’t think the sense is lost but it’s in a very different form. Live Season 1 is out 26 Jan on the Point G label www.soundcloud.com/point-g-3

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Looking for the Next Big Thing Can we expect a ‘feelgood’ future post-Nordic noir? Everyone is attempting to predict literary trends at the Gothenburg Book Fair, where gangster rap memoirs, long-lost leftist tomes and feminist comics vie to be the next big hit

Words: Dominic Hinde Illustration: Heather More

has had too much Swedish coffee and the cinnamon buns are running low. People drift toward seminars with spare chairs. At one of them an academic, a translator and a journalist are doing a Q&A on trends. Given the last word, the journalist comes back to the feelgood factor. Later that night, half of Gothenburg pack into a supposedly secret party at a hotel on Avenyn, the city’s main street. Ken Ring is there again, standing on the street corner. Inside, a successful thriller writer nervously texts on his phone by the men’s toilets, abandoned by his publisher.

“International publishers stand about, with no idea what is going on” Being big in Sweden is no guarantee of international success, but Gothenburg is a shop window for a particularly marketable version of the country. If you can talk a good game here then there is a lot of money to be made, but when selling, Sweden is about the spreadsheets as much as the reviews; don’t think what the world sees is the best the country has to offer. Five to look up The Engelsfors Trilogy – Sara B. Elfgren and Mats Strandberg Mixing pop horror, shades of Buffy and Twin Peaks, these tales of smalltown Sweden beset by demons and creatures of the night are now appearing in full in English. They are currently being re-written as graphic novels, with a film perhaps also on the cards.

t’s 2014, a Thursday morning in late September and people are dodging trams to get to the entrance of the Swedish Exhibition Centre in Gothenburg. They have come for the Gothenburg Book Fair, the largest in Northern Europe. The The SECC is a glamorous venue, attached to a skyscraper with a fine dining restaurant at the top that must have seemed the height of mid-90s luxury. It is a transient space occupied by a captive market of business travellers and salespeople drinking overpriced, overbrewed coffee. The general public are not allowed in until the Friday afternoon, so an exclusive crowd of publishers, writers, translators and librarians mingle around the hundreds of stalls. Sweden may have a population lower than ten million, yet it has a book scene to rival far bigger countries. Each year Stockholm’s cultural, political and publishing elite decamp to the west coast to eat canapés, close deals, be seen and market themselves to the world. One of the big stories this year is the Swedish rapper Ken Ring, whose autobiography, Life, is about to hit the shelves. Ken is the bad boy of the Swedish music scene – he was once arrested for performing a track in which he said he would storm the Royal Palace in Stockholm and have his way with one of the princesses. Life is supposedly a brutal and honest insight into his upbringing and his route to localised rap stardom, but being Sweden you cannot get rich or die trying once the top tax rate kicks in. Over at the Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet’s stand, the feminist

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comic book writer Liv Strömquist sits chatting with two journalists. There are not enough seats for the crowd as they spill out into the adjacent stalls. International publishers stand about, with no idea what is going on. At their sides, agents and marketing people try and catch their ear in strange Swedish approximations of LA English. Strömquist produces some of the most hilarious, thought-provoking and unashamedly laconic graphic work around. Her brilliant Prince Charles’ Feeling was released in French, but so far no English publishers have taken the gamble on her unique brand of darkly humorous feminist comics. Her contemporary Lina Neidestam has suffered the same fate – a gifted graphic artist with a killer eye for pseuds and self-analysis, Neidestam deserves a bigger audience. The real business, though, takes place upstairs in the international rights centre. A series of tables set up like a speed dating event looks out onto the trams humming past in the rain. For twenty minutes at a time, Nordic publishers fire names and titles at international reps, all sounding convinced they have the next international hit on their hands. People are still pushing crime heavily, with books being sold before the Swedish versions have even gone to print on a wave of buzz and hype. Now though there is another word on everyone’s lips: feelgood. After the success of The Hundred-YearOld Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared and The Little Old Lady Who Broke All the Rules, feelgood is where it’s at. Everyone

is feeling feelgood, and the publishers are feeling good about feelgood’s export potential. Crime is a steady banker, but stories about quirky Scandinavians that fit nicely onto suburban IKEA bookshelves are a growth market. This makes it harder for non-genre novels to make the jump into English. After a four-year break, John Ajvide Lindqvist’s Heaven’s Beach will be a departure from the usual when it arrives next year. Similarly, the Twin Peaks-inspired pop horror of the Engelsfors trilogy by Mats Strandberg and Sara Bergmark Elfgren has been a slow burner, the final book appearing this February. Crime may be losing its sheen, but it still sells by the truckload to audiences eager for maverick policemen and a touch of the exotic. Over at the stall of a small publisher, the Scottish-Swedish illustrator Josefin Sundqvist signs copies of her new book, The Paper Tree. The hall is dotted with small publishers, some no more than garage businesses, pushing out books that the big export giants don’t deem worth the bother. Likewise, fan-circles and societies celebrating the work of long-gone greats get their own block. The stall for fans of veteran leftist heavyweight Jan Myrdal is manned by Jan Myrdal himself as if the Berlin Wall were barely cracked. Among the crime writers and promo stands for digital publishing he cuts a lonely, anachronistic figure. There will be few international agents sniffing out his latest novel, written in 1955 and lost in an East German library for half a century. By the middle of the afternoon everyone

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Jogo Bonito – Henrik Brandao Jönsson Brazilian football is world famous for being both beautiful and tragic. Henrik Brandao Jönsson’s football travelogue is a trip through the history of the beautiful game in Brazil, but also an eloquent description of the changing state of the country itself.

Me on the Floor, Bleeding – Jenny Jägerfeld More than your average teenage novel, Jägerfeld’s story of a troubled girl carrying real and psychological injuries is darker than crises of boys and exam results. A big hit among older readers, it is as disturbing as it is good. The Winter War – Philip Teir Finnish/Swedish writer Teir’s tale of a successful middle-class man in the midst of crisis cuts straight through the tradition of the Nordic fairytale. In a stagnant marriage with children who have moved away, The Winter War is a cold analysis of the material comforts of success. Heaven’s Beach – John Ajvide Lindqvist Just out in Swedish and certain to be picked up by a UK publisher, Lindqvist’s first novel in four years is a dark fantasy in which a camping trip turns into an absurd journey across an endless landscape of clipped green grass and blue sky, when reality suddenly vanishes. The author of Let the Right One In has written a truly directionless book. The 2014 Gothenburg Book Fair took place 25-28 Sep

THE SKINNY

The Brontë Sisters: Feminist Trailblazers? As we approach the 160th anniversary of Charlotte Brontë’s death, Liverpool University will this month explore the works of the three Brontë sisters in a series of events. We were inspired to consider their feminist legacy

he year 2014 was one of feminism – from Emma Watson’s HeForShe speech at the UN, to Malala Yousafzai’s winning the Nobel Peace Prize, to the #YesAllWomen trend that set the Twittersphere on fire. With ever more people embracing ‘the radical notion that women are people,’ 2015 promises to once more bring the issue of gender equality to the fore. So where do the Brontës come in? Well, while the sisters weren’t dying their underarm hair turquoise or tweeting against misogyny, modern feminists might find a surprising amount in common with the sentiments of the literary trio. Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë grew up in Yorkshire in the early 19th century. Middleclass women were then expected to marry well, reproduce, and oversee the household and their progeny – all while sitting primly in corseted subservience. Intellectual and physical pursuits were deemed the preserve of men, as were strong emotions and passions. For the Brontës, writing provided a release from this stifling environment, as the independent heroines of their novels resisted or succumbed to passions and fought to control their own destinies. Such was sexism ingrained in the 19thcentury publishing industry that all three women wrote under male pseudonyms – as Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell, respectively – to increase the chances of their manuscripts being published. Two centuries later, feminists are still railing against sexism in publishing, pointing out – rather accurately – that ‘women’s writing’ is not a genre.

“I am no bird; and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will” – Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre. In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë created a heroine who was “poor, obscure, plain and little,” yet in possession of a steely resolve, self-respect and a strong moral compass. The character’s famous rooftop soliloquy is thought by many critics to reflect Charlotte’s own feelings on the limitation of women’s roles and her passion for equality: “Women are supposed to be very calm, generally; but women feel just as men feel … it

January 2015

is thoughtless to condemn them, or laugh at them if they seek to do more or learn more than custom has pronounced necessary for them.” Brontë’s emotional outpouring excited its critics – conservative commentator Lady Eastlake condemned Jane Eyre as “the personification of an unregenerate and undisciplined spirit.” Later, Virginia Woolf wrote of Charlotte Brontë in her feminist tract A Room of One’s Own: “She is at war with her lot. How could she help but die young, cramped and thwarted?” Later feminists found inspiration in Jane’s passion and resolve in her integrity and selfbelief. Samantha Ellis, author of the wonderfully witty How to Be a Heroine, recounts arguing with her friend over “whether we’d rather be Jane Eyre or Cathy Earnshaw. Like Kate Bush, I chose wild, free, passionate Cathy over stoic, virtuous Jane. But my friend found Cathy silly, a snob who betrays Heathcliff for Edgar and makes them all unhappy, while Jane makes her own way. As we reached the top, I had a moment of realisation: all this time I’ve been trying to be Cathy when I should have been trying to be Jane.” “I wish I were a girl again, half savage and hardy, and free” – Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights. Catherine Earnshaw is certainly a difficult character to love – the female protagonist of Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë’s only novel, is selfish and childish, her tragic death difficult to truly mourn. Yet while neither Catherine nor Heathcliff, her intense, brooding beloved, are particularly likeable characters, their passion is a thing of power – and at a time when female sexuality was taboo, Wuthering Heights received more than its share of censure. These days, of course, we’re far more progressive (except in the comments sections, where internet trolls blame openly sexual women for all the ills of the world). Those who haven’t read the book may know Wuthering Heights better as the ethereal single which catapulted Kate Bush to fame, making her the first female singer-songwriter to achieve a UK number one. Her choice to release Wuthering Heights as her first single was in defiance of her producer’s wishes – perhaps possessed by

Words: Ceris Aston Illustration: Beth Walrond something of the rebellious spirit of the Brontës. In their foundational work The Madwoman in the Attic, critics Gilbert and Gubar explore Victorian literature from a feminist perspective. Their analysis of Wuthering Heights explores the notion of Heathcliff as female in terms of social power – this dark, Byronic and heroically masculine character had no status or property, and his defiance of social conventions can thus be granted new significance. From Jane Eyre they took their madwoman: Rochester’s imprisoned wife Bertha Mason, who Gilbert and Gubar argue is emblematic of Jane’s suppressed anger and sexuality; her “truest and darkest double.” They theorised that 19th-century female writers were constrained to write of women through the male-defined binaries of submissive, pure angel, or sexual, rebellious monster. Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea provided yet another perspective. Her postcolonial, feminist reimagining of the life of Bertha gives voice to a character who in Jane Eyre is silenced and caricatured. The dangerous woman who is imprisoned by a compassionate husband, and whose death frees Jane and Edward to marry, is shown to be a victim of a racist, callous patriarchy. The Brontës’ novels are rich with meanings, which critics have teased apart to form new paradigms. “I am satisfied that if a book is a good one, it is so whatever the sex of the author may be” – Anne Brontë, Author’s Preface, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. We come to Anne Brontë last, as so many have. The youngest of the three has been somewhat eclipsed by her more celebrated sisters, but may be considered the most radical of the Brontës by her refusal to valorise violence or to unequivocally endorse the state of matrimony. Helen Graham, heroine of Anne’s second novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, leaves her alcoholic adulterous husband to bring up her child alone, supporting them both through her talent of painting. In doing so, the character not only defies social convention, but breaks contemporary English law. The Brontë sisters’ only brother, Branwell, was a violent alcoholic, yet while Charlotte and Emily glossed over the brutality of

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their Byronic heroes and offered them redemption, Anne’s work explored the devastating consequences of alcoholism. Contemporaneous criticism of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall was mixed, with praise of its power intermingled with genteel horror at its coarseness. It has since been considered by many critics to be one of the first sustained feminist novels.

“In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë created a heroine in possession of a steely resolve, self-respect and a strong moral compass” Over the years, many have embraced the Brontës as proto-feminists – citing their portrayals of women’s experience in a flawed patriarchal society. Yet while the sisters’ novels can be seen as critiquing society’s treatment of women, Brontë scholar RB Martin once observed that there is no hint in Jane Eyre “of any desire for political, legal, educational, or even intellectual equality between the sexes” – a claim applicable to the other Brontës’ works. However, in their literary defiance of social convention, in their acknowledgement of women’s passion and sexuality, and in the independent heroines who forge their own destinies, the modern feminist might find much to admire. Revisiting the Brontës, University of Liverpool, 28 Jan-25 Feb, times vary, £28 (£21, £14) www.liv.ac.uk

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Helen Wheeler H

elen Wheeler is an artist based in Manchester. Apocalypse, the sublime, health and science are all areas of research that inform her practice. In 2013 she received the NADFAS bursary for Fine Art, which enabled her to continue her studies at Manchester School of Art, where she is currently reading an MFA in Fine Art. Working across disciplines and having a highly experimental practice allows Wheeler to employ a wide use of processes and materials within her practice which frequently have metaphorical significance. Her sculptural drawings explore the possibilities of change, utilising heat, time and natural forces such as gravity and magnetism. The resultant works draw strong parallels with nature on both a macro and micro scale. “Currently I am exploring relationships between mortality, the body and science, utilising the creation process of blown glass to negotiate the possibilities of drawing in three-dimensional space. I think of the whole process of blowing a glass piece as a form of drawing; the hot glass is drawn from the kiln, the glass is drawn out to create the embryo of a form, it is worked by hand, using soaked paper and graphite tools to help mould and shape it. I draw my breath to

create the hollow vessel which expands into physical space. “Exploring notions of growth, separation, replication and malfunction, I frequently repeat processes in order to evolve my glass forms beyond functioning objects, creating multiples that are similar and yet distinct. The resultant forms are the culmination of pushing hand-blown and stretched glass to its structural limits, encapsulating the breath, time and gravity to create fragile functionless objects which possess an internal beauty, frozen in a state of imminent change or collapse.” Helen Wheeler won the 2013 Leonard James Little Fine Art Prize, and the 2013 NADFAS Fine Art Award. She has recently exhibited at the 5plus Architects New Creative Talents (Manchester International Festival, 2013), Northern Graduates (Curwen Gallery, London, 2013), Experience Needed (Manchester, 2013), CUE: art in Manchester (2013), Third Space (Cardroom Gallery, Manchester, 2014), MA Show (Manchester School of Art, 2014). www.cargocollective.com/helenwheeler Inside Out (2014)

Boom! (2013)

SHOWCASE

THE SKINNY

Can't you get us out of here? (2014)

Untitled (2013)

Agile Froot (2014)

January 2015

SHOWCASE

Flora and Fauna Menswear designer Kelly McGrath introduces KellyDawn Riot Interview: Morgan McTiernan

rish-born fashion designer Kelly McGrath’s menswear label, KellyDawn Riot, is new on the fashion scene after the designer recently completed her MA. Her dream client, she says, is “anyone who wants to have fun and be daring without caring about masculinity or femininity.” “Detailed, eccentric and eclectic,” her designs are a combination of beautiful illustrations printed on silk fabrics against masculine silhouettes. While originally interested in studying sculpture, after recommendations by her tutors McGrath completed a BAAD (Hons) in Printed Textiles in Galway, Ireland, where she designed a collection of screen prints for menswear. She later undertook an MA in Fashion and Textiles at Glasgow School of Art where she developed her printing and garment-making skills into her iconic eccentric style. McGrath originally thought textiles was more restrictive than fine art, however, she says, “after I discovered artists like Yinka Shonibare and Sarah Devey and saw past the facade, I was hooked.” Currently based in Scotland, McGrath is inspired by the city, which has influenced her most recent collection. “I sourced all my imagery from aquariums, museums and galleries,” she says. “One of the birds I drew from a glass case in the Kelvingrove Museum. The jellyfish I photographed at the Loch Lomond Aquarium. The prints are kind of an amalgamation of the curiosities I saw in Glasgow in my first few months of moving here.” Her most recent

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collection, Every Blooming Thing, is inspired by 19th-century naturalist illustrators such as Swainson and Haeckel. “I developed a scientific/ analytical approach to my illustrations,” she says. “I visited aquariums and museums and photographed the creatures I saw in order to create a personal body of work.” McGrath has an unusual approach to fabrics; she will use cheap bedding for samples, and paints using “a tin of watercolours my Nan bought me when I was eight or nine.” She says, “I’m kind of like that. I’ll have all these brand new paints and I’ll root in an old box of art supplies and use something else instead.” Her vibrant naturalist illustrations are then printed onto male silhouettes, a choice that reflects McGrath’s New Romantic influences. “This Blitz Kids fascination took centre stage as I began to build a silhouette based on iconic pieces from that period, such as the high-waisted, tapered-leg trouser, the oversized shirt and the overcoat. “This body of work collided immediately with my illustrations as the bright array of colours reflected the bold prints of that era. The Blitz Kids celebrated anything and everything as long as it was glamorous. This ethos rang true in my prints. The result is a collection of hand-drawn and hand-painted illustrations digitally printed onto the silhouette of a phlegmatic youth of times gone by.” Describing her design process, McGrath notes that she is very traditional. “I never really

know what I’m going to make. I just start visiting galleries, museums and picking up stacks and stacks of magazines and I photograph everything. Once I have stacks and stacks of research I filter it right down into two folders: print and silhouette.” Her work is all hand drawn and therefore can be very time-consuming, however, “it makes my work slightly more unique in a way, as most things are created digitally. Silhouette-wise, I usually know what I want straight away so I create the looks and filter them down so they are cohesive.”

“I visited aquariums and museums and photographed the creatures I saw in order to create a personal body of work” Kelly McGrath

FASHION

McGrath “likes to produce as much as possible by hand,” though in order to achieve a highend and articulate finish she uses Photoshop and Illustrator to arrange her patterns. “I did placement prints, so once my pattern pieces were scanned in, I arranged my prints on top of them in Photoshop. I use the entire Adobe suite really because alongside arranging prints, etc., in Photoshop and Illustrator, I make research books and cookbooks.” She describes her workspace as “organised chaos”; her studio contains “textiles, ceramic animal heads and wood carvings” that she collected throughout her travels. McGrath has created her own “little creative thrift store” which allows for the perfect creative environment. McGrath has big plans for the brand in 2015. She is being mentored by artist Orsola De Castro in the new year and is in discussion with a high-street fashion brand to create an exclusive line of prints. So far, her work has been published in various magazines and websites. Her feminine drawings manage to embrace masculinity through the apparent paradox of artful silk prints cut into masculine shapes. This eccentric style and rejection of conventional masculinity clearly set KellyDawn Riot apart from other menswear brands – and, simply put, we think her work is beautiful. www.kellydawnriot.wordpress.com

THE SKINNY

The Tests and Rewards of Lonesome Travelling A manifesto for self-discovery Words: Duncan Stirling Illustration: Joren Joshua

t is often spoken of, in today’s world of noise and clutter with which we fill our minds. A phone has become an extension of self. A quiet second is but an empty cup to be filled with the waters of a scroll through Facebook, a check of emails or, if you are feeling in an exceptionally self-developing type of mood, a check on the news headlines (perhaps even a read of an article!). People speak of taking time to themselves to combat this clutter. But a five-minutes here, an afternoon there, acts as a small shield against the tsunami of external activity. Perhaps, it will allow you to think about your thoughts, but it will not quieten them. It will not give your mind the clear mental landscape in which to view yourself, perhaps the world, with a fresh perspective. Nay, would the modern person even want that? As wrote that preposterously intelligent German, Frederick Nietzsche, ‘you cannot endure being by yourself and do not love yourselves enough.’ This was over one hundred years ago, where, without phones, television or internet, solitude must have been forced upon people more regularly than today. So, nowadays, with such easily accessible escapist objects at hand, we must spend even less time truly ‘alone with our thoughts,’ and probably love ourselves less because of it. So what to do? How to stay away long enough from the constant intrusions into your personal psyche to find enough time and space for you to learn to love yourself? Well, one option is to travel. Though, most crucially, to travel alone. ‘But travel is the ultimate escape from yourself and your reality,’ an objector might argue. Quite the opposite. It confronts the traveller with their reality. The phone, the friends, the communal reservoir of common things to discuss are abandoned, as you are whipped like a spinning top off the edge of the precipice of comfort. The immediate emotions, without crutches or company, are of disorientation. What the hell is someone supposed to do alone with no internet, no phone, no company with which to whittle away hours playing cards? Where should I go? Why did I not make more plans? Let’s set out and explore. How has it only been six hours since I landed? How long is this trip going to last? The emotions of one in withdrawal are strong. You feel at sea. The mind that you thought was so calm, tranquil and ordered begins to knot its internal currents, while trying external experiences batter these currents with whippedup winds. So why bother? Well, the addictions that technology breeds begin to lessen their holds. The seas become settled as you become used to time alone. Indeed, this time is transformed. Imagine dipping your toes into the cold sea. You retract and shiver. Yet, once you have submerged yourself and swum in its waters, it no longer feels so cold. Your body warms itself. It is getting out of the water that now appears the less appealing of the two. Following this submergence, the trip can truly begin for the convalesced. Days may be long and uneventful, but with no one else to please

January 2015

this is only as much of a problem as you choose to make of it. A calmness prevails that a slow day or a long day’s travel cannot touch. Then, when the excitement does come, in whatever form this may be, it is wholly yours. The activities that you get up to were conceived and followed through all by yourself. The scares, the beauty, the ridiculousness, all uniquely yours. Such solo experiences are important for self-development, but also hold you in good stead for your return in other ways. Much of conversation is based around what it is that people have done. This is discussed with other people, who also talk about what they have done. It is one of the things that bonds people together. However, if your time is mostly spent in similar circles then most of what you will have to discuss is what you have done with those people in question. But they’ve already heard it all, as they were there when most it happened!

“The phone, the friends, the communal reservoir of common things to discuss are abandoned, as you are whipped like a spinning top off the edge of the precipice of comfort” This is the blessing of travelling alone. Though it may be tough at times with long days and lonely hours, take comfort in your loneliness from the tale of literature’s greatest traveller, Odysseus. He was loved by deities, even offered immortality if he would but live in paradise with the beautiful goddess, Calypso. And how did he woo such a figure? Yes, he was an exceptionally handsome fellow, a wise king and militarily renowned, but all Greek heroes were. What it was that Odysseus had, above perhaps any man in history, was a library of personal stories to tell. He was the man of a thousand tales, most of which were unique to him and owed their inception to his insatiable curiosity for the world. So, this will be your reward for the long struggle. The gift of varied and wide-ranging stories, quite apart from ones that others may have heard before. A gift, of course, to be used appropriately.

TRAVEL

Lifestyle

Life after Lesbianism One writer considers what settling down with her boyfriend might mean Words: Tasha Lee Illustration: Jayde Perkin

may never sleep with a woman again. Not because I’m no longer attracted to other women, but because my current monogamous relationship is starting to get serious. I might marry this guy. I might have a child with him. I might make a commitment. Of course, modern marriage can be flexible and customisable. There are open marriages, polyamorous partnerships, even acknowledged affairs. Realistically there’s a good chance we won’t stay together forever. But sometimes my boyfriend talks about growing old with me and, just for a second, I imagine a future where another woman’s lips never touch mine. I imagine a future where the lesbian feminist movement goes on without me. My feelings are mixed, because part of me worries that I’m abandoning something I used to believe in – that life without men is possible. Bisexuality can be cruel. Although I never wish my boyfriend was a woman, sometimes I do wonder what life would be like if he were. Would our domestic habits be more equal, because we’d both have been socialised to care about dirty kitchen floors and forgotten coffee cups growing mould? Would I feel this broody if I knew children were years of IVF (or years of wading through the adoption process) away? Would both our parents be so immediately supportive if ours was not a straight relationship?

Straight privilege is definitely a ‘thing.’ While we are unmarried at the moment there seems to be no prejudice, shame or stigma about our lack of rings. Instead people smile at us everywhere we go. Neighbours, cashiers, bouncers, waiters… all seem to give off an air of approval. I’ve started taking him to restaurants just because it’s so easy. I have accessed the privilege. But I remember sitting at a restaurant with a girlfriend or a date and seeing waiting staff whisper with suspicious eyes, experiencing ruder service because another girl’s hand was in mine. I remember kissing girls on the street in different cities and being heckled. Feeling the fear of men. Now I drive past lesbian couples and see the unconscious defensiveness of their bodies. The tight grip with which they hold each other’s hands. It makes me sad, because I was them once. The guilt I feel about loving my boyfriend, about being with my boyfriend, is a low-level constant. I am no longer visible. Although I am public about my bisexuality, and refuse to stand by passively to homophobia or misogyny, my love life is no longer a battlefield. And that makes me feel as if I’m not pulling my weight. But, as gay rights argues, we can’t help whom we love. So I may never sleep with another woman again – as long as I love him I’m an ex-lesbian. But, really, that’s okay.

Equal Marriage? Gender equality isn’t just for the workplace Words: Ana Hine Illustration: Jayde Perkin

ver the past few years, my friends have been getting married. Educated women, self-proclaimed feminists, are taking new surnames and wearing white dresses as their fathers walk them down the aisle. Engagement rings have started appearing on female fingers, with no mention of whether the boys should be wearing them too. Diamonds, after all, are only a girl’s best friend. Personally, I plan to propose to my boyfriend. In our relationship the onus is on me to reassure him of my intended long-term fidelity and affection. Although I’d hope most couples talk about marriage extensively before the big proposal, in this age of gender equality it seems strange for the ‘question’ to be so one-sided. Aren’t we all capable of gestures of love? And surnames. While my surname, like many other women’s, is my dad’s surname and his dad’s surname – it’s still been used to refer to me throughout my life. Of course, changing names legally is a personal choice – but it’s also a huge hassle and can potentially put your career back years if you’ve built up a professional reputation. For me it would feel like the years before marriage didn’t matter, that my qualifications and work experience were irrelevant – and that’s not how I want to start what should, in theory, be an equal partnership. Of course marriage makes sense in terms of a declaration of commitment – it literally involves

Lifestyle

signing a document that binds you together as a legal entity. Being married gives you automatic inheritance, pension access in cases of death, and status as next of kin. Children are assumed to belong to the both of you, as are assets and joint debts. It’s an official way of sharing your life with someone. But why the inequality? Certain tax benefits apply to married couples and civil partners, with up to £314 being taken from your joint annual tax bill just for tying the knot. But until December 2005 the husband’s income was used to calculate the necessary reduction. Up until last year, marriage certificates in England and Wales asked for the details of the fathers of the happy couple but not the mothers. Gender equality hasn’t appeared out of nowhere and if it’s something we value in our workplaces and our education systems we need to protect it in our personal relationships too. Marriage isn’t about one fairytale day; it’s about an adult legal partnership that can last a lifetime. And as adults we should be looking at marriage like we would any other life-changing decision – critically. So, let’s stop carrying on traditions for their own sake and start working towards equal marriages. Or at least equal proposals and weddings.

DEVIANCE

THE SKINNY

Gig Highlights Justin Townes Earle and BC Camplight warm the frosty cockles; Independent Venue Week atones for the rampant capitalism of Christmas, and Canada invades ooking ahead to concerts in the new year feels a bit impetuous when we’ve barely finished sifting through the streamers of the last one. Alas, time marches on, and musicians still have their bills to pay. With renewed vigour and kind thanks for the memories, then, let’s go leaping into January. After all, we’ve got some festive weight to shift. The first man hoping to dust himself down for 2015 is BC Camplight, the alter-ego of New Jersey multi-instrumentalist Brian Christinzio (23 Jan, Gorilla). The twisty psych-pop creations of this adopted Mancunian son have an air of lost treasure about them as Christinzio released two promising albums in the mid-2000s before temporarily succumbing to personal demons. Fortunately he has resurfaced to release ‘goodbye’ album How to Die in the North, featuring a band cobbled together of musicians he met while drinking in the Castle Hotel. There’s no better time of year for reinvention, so why not turn up and give him a decent start? Speaking of our friends at the Castle, just down the road at Band on the Wall on 19 Jan is Justin Townes Earle and his brand of

nostalgic Nashville Americana. Any son of roots rock legend Steve Earle has a lot to live up to, and latest record Single Mothers (along with its forthcoming companion LP Absent Fathers) certainly shows his ambition to establish a legacy of his own with its swooning pedal steel and soulful storytelling: a relaxed evening for all concerned, then. Oldham Street is clearly the pioneers’ place of choice in January as shifty urban rapper Ghostpoet plans to trial run some of his new nocturnal electronica in a low-key set at Gullivers (29 Jan). Also on the rap front, controversial raprave pairing Die Antwoord will rile up the Albert Hall on 16 Jan before the terrifically monikered Nipsey Hussle’s gangsta rap rounds off the month at Sound Control (31 Jan). In Liverpool, and eclectic alt-rockers Peace are playing not one but two nights at the Kazimier on 15 and 16 Jan (they’re also at Leeds’ Brudenell Social Club on 29 Jan): the first night’s sold out unfortunately, but there’s still room for more in the second, right? The Midland four-piece’s description of their sound is, erm, ‘music to fuck you in the heart’, and with their

Alvvays

Photo: Ellie Gillard

Peace

Britpop swagger and bouncy Foals-like rhythms we suppose we’ll let them have it. Some of you might have preferred the mid-90s on the other side of the Atlantic, in which case emo lads Moose Blood, who’ll be at the Arts Club on 28 Jan, have the hard-hitting guitars and lyricism to help you relive that Deep Elm Records sound, albeit with Kent accents (you’ll also find them at Manchester’s Star & Garter on 24 Jan and Leeds’ Key Club on 25 Jan). To counter the Christmas period’s materialist rush, our penultimate recommendation surrounds Independent Venue Week, with the Zanzibar Club hosting local talent such as Sankova and Doo Dah Farm on 30 Jan. Haunting young Blackpool pianist Rae Morris does her bit at the Kazimier on 1 Feb, in what might be her breakout year – and at the same time back in Manchester, The Ruby Lounge host the Rifffest mini-festival (31 Jan – 1 Feb) with so much math rock in store that you’re going to need a calculator. And, although they’re not officially affiliated to IVW, it is Sound Control’s fifth birthday bash on 29 January, with Madchester relics Northside leading the party alongside venue favourites The Slow Readers Club and

Jordan Allen. One last note: it seems Canadian bands are making a punctual start to the year, popping to the Northwest early to make sure that we don’t forget them in a hurry. Toronto jangle pop five-piece Alvvays’ self-titled album was one of the best monuments to mid-20s romanticism in 2014, with Archie, Marry Me the standout banger. After supporting Real Estate at the Kazimier a few months ago, the Deaf Institute is the site of their first Manc headline show on 21 Jan (find them at Leeds’ Brudenell Social Club on 22 Jan also). To paraphrase Limmy’s so-bad-it’sgood Get Lucky tweet, they’re the sound of the summer: check them out if you get the chance. Repping east Canada’s other indie power city of Montréal, on the other hand, we have the ever-shining Stars (13 Jan, Sound Control). Their magnum opus Set Yourself on Fire may be over a decade old now, but Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan’s moony croons are still ones of ageless beauty (geddit?). Their transition from chamber pop dramatics to discothèque dilettantes on last year’s offering No One Is Lost is an intriguing one; no doubt their heart will remain underneath all that potential day-glo.

Do Not Miss Paperhead The Shipping Forecast, 30 Jan

hicago-based label Trouble in Mind probably aren’t complaining about the exposure that being looped into the vaguely defined – but undeniably prominent – psych revival has given them; but to listen to artists on their roster such as Dutch troubadour Jacco Gardner, or the chiming guitar pop of Brighton-based duo Ultimate Painting, is to discover that the US imprint’s strongest output is more concerned with actual songwriting chops, rather than anything to get the third eye in a boggle over.

Nashville’s Paperhead are another case in point. The group put out their second album Africa Avenue last autumn, a clean cut, slightly off-kilter set of three-minute songs that at times evoke an oddly English sense of pastoral mysticism to them, such as on the early ’Floyd/Barrettesque Eye for Eye. At the heart of their writing is an effortless ability to engage with bright melodies without them becoming overly cloying – not that they don’t have any number of ways to burrow into the minds of their listeners and firmly keep themselves there, as the tightly-packed 60s dandiness of Africa and Old Fashioned Kind’s dreamy harmonies attest. [William Gunn] Paperhead

January 2015

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Photo: Haydn Rydings

Words: Chris Ogden

THE SKINNY

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Alvvays and Forever Alvvays’ debut album may have dropped in summer, but it swiftly became a favourite for all seasons. With another UK tour on the horizon, singer Molly Rankin shares her thoughts on travel, identity and the genius of Stephin Merritt

Photo: Jess Baumung

Interview: Will Fitzpatrick

ome years you barely notice the onset of winter. The drab, grey wetness of a disappointing summer merely continues its slow fade into lower temperatures and greyer skies. Suddenly, before you even have a chance to register the change, Big Coat Weather strikes. You find The Skinny silently bemoaning these altered conditions as our shivering fingers dial Alvvays singer Molly Rankin’s number, only to find that the Canadian noisepoppers seem to be experiencing the changing seasons rather differently. “We’re in Los Angeles,” Rankin explains from the band’s tour van, “and it’s very warm – like tropical weather!” Bemused, we remark that such end-of-year calescence represents something of an alien concept on this side of the pond. “I know, I feel the same way. We were in Atlanta two weeks ago and I was wearing my coat on stage. And we get a lot more snow in Toronto [the band’s adopted city] than you guys, I imagine – it’s a hard winter.” Still, it’s entirely appropriate that Rankin’s band should be where the rays are. When their self-titled debut dropped in July, it seemed tailor-made to the summer months, all fuzzedout melody and delirious pop haze. The musical equivalent of a beautifully sun-blurred horizon, in fact. Around that time, the majestic choruses of Archie, Marry Me started to make waves across both press and blogosphere alike, and the band swiftly became one of the summer’s fondest names to drop. By the time of their autumn tour supporting Brooklyn janglists Real Estate, they’d amassed quite an adoring fanbase, which the 26-year-old admits was something of a surprise. “Everything in the UK has been really good for us, for whatever reason. Maybe it’s our ‘literary pop,’ or something? But it’s been really cool. A lot of the time when you’re the opening band, you’re sort of along for the ride – people are just discovering you. But on our UK tour, people knew who we were. That’s a nice feeling – that you’re not just deadweight.” And how has the band adapted to the

January 2015

routine of life on the road? “We’re usually just running around with all of our gear, hopping on trains and stuff, but it’s pretty fun. We’re able to appreciate that we’re young and travelling, and we should enjoy it rather than get stressed out about it.” Indeed, so enamoured do the band seem to be of the touring lifestyle that they manage to squeeze some more leisurely pursuits into their schedule. “We had a really nice time in Ireland: we had a day where we could rent a car and go up the coast. Barcelona too – that was like a little vacation. We got a little apartment and the boys got bikes, and we went to the beach… pretty spoiled. Such a nice place.”

“The more travelling we do, the more exciting this all becomes for us” Molly Rankin

This doesn’t quite sound like the spiritsapping experience of indie rock as we knew it – certainly, it’s somewhat removed from the exhausted tour psychosis that so comprehensively divided, say, Dinosaur Jr. But then this isn’t the 80s and Alvvays aren’t trudging around the punk circuit, trying to bend hardcore kids’ ears to more melodic sounds. When comparisons do crop up, they usually refer to the fragile grace of indiepoppers like Camera Obscura, rendering Rankin puzzled but flattered. “I think that we’re into a little bit more scrappy stuff,” she muses. “Camera Obscura’s production is so pristine and epic and full, whereas everything with us is pretty sparse, and there’s a lot of tape hiss

on everything. We’re a little bit skronkier, but I mean, it’s a really nice reference.” If the two bands share anything at all, it’s the way they pit their natural melodic geniality against a lyrical tendency towards the melancholically droll, which Rankin admits is an automatic facet of her songwriting. “I’m pretty mopey, but a lot of the lyrics are meant to be taken lightheartedly; I was just striking a balance between funny and sad for the most part. But I don’t really write any autobiographical stuff. It’s all made-up trash,” she chuckles. So are there any songwriters that she aspires towards? “Stephin Merritt – I love 69 Love Songs and Holiday, and how ornate everything is. It’s just so overwhelming.” The Magnetic Fields’ curmudgeonly leader is similarly unmoved to write from an autobiographical standpoint, we remark, and Rankin laughs again. “I know! But I wouldn’t say that’s rubbed off on me at all. I just like his perspective of the solitary character, at all times being very pathetic but able to see the beauty in things. He’s never victimised, which I really like; it’s never like ‘you’ve done me wrong,’ it’s more like ‘here I am, how did I get here?’” Perceptive. Still, it’s only natural that someone so steeped in musical tradition should pay such close attention to the minutiae of her favourite songs – Rankin’s father John Morris was part of Canada’s remarkably successful country siblings The Rankin Family before his tragic death in 2000, but she notably opted to avoid playing on the family name for her own ventures. Following a well-received but low-key solo EP in 2010, she eventually joined forces with guitarist Alec O’Hanley to write the material that would eventually make up Alvvays’ aforementioned full-length. Forming a band rather than continuing to go it alone suggests she favours a certain anonymity. “The Canadian music scene is very small,” she says by way of explanation, “so people can draw a lot of conclusions before hearing what

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things actually are. It wasn’t like I wanted to escape; I felt really good about my own solo EP. I just thought [a band] might be fun to try.” Regardless, it’s helped her deflect the weight of expectation that comes with being part of a wellknown musical bloodline. “It’s given me a bit of a blank slate, which I didn’t realise that I necessarily wanted, but now that it exists, I’m pretty excited about it. I’m dodging a lot of enquiries and connotations.” With the addition of keyboardist Kerri MacLellan, bassist Brian Murphy and drummer Phil MacIsaac, the fledgling quintet moved to their current home town from the Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, collectively forging their sound along the way. Our questions about influences are met with understated declarations of love for Scotland’s revered indie giants of yore – particularly Orange Juice and Teenage Fanclub – but Rankin seems reticent to discuss her own music in particularly great depth (“I don’t know how I could reasonably, objectively describe it”). This hesitancy contrasts neatly with an anecdote from the Real Estate tour, where she enthuses energetically about performing songs written by others: “We did a bunch of karaoke one night… I think I did a Carly Rae Jepsen song. Karaoke is such a mortifying experience, but once you leave all your insecurities behind, it’s probably the most fun thing you could ever do.” It would appear that fun remains the band’s overall aim, rather than the nebulous clichés of world domination or artistic enlightenment: “The more travelling we do, the more exciting this all becomes for us. If we can just continue to do that, I think we’ll be totally happy.” So there you have it. A band of modest ambition, but with a remarkable knack for irresistible pop. They’ll radiate all the warmth we need this winter. Playing The Deaf Institute, Manchester, 21 Jan, and Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 22 Jan www.alvvays.com

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Under the Influence: James Shaffer Korn’s six-stringer recalls some of the most potent records in his collection, from West Coast classics to a band of fellow malcontents they’re currently on the road with 1. Van Halen – Van Halen (1978) This record changed the way I perceived music altogether. At the time I was 12 years old, and although I’d heard Jimi Hendrix play I thought Eddie Van Halen took another step, as far as the tone of the guitar went; I didn’t understand what he was doing to the instrument to make it wail and scream like that, but I had to know. This gave me the desire to play; like, what is that? How is he doing that? How can I do that? Songs like Runnin’ with the Devil and Atomic Punk – which is just fuckin’ brilliant – I can still appreciate today. I think a lot of Eddie Van Halen’s percussive techniques were well ahead of their time – I could hear Tom Morello using a lot of those tricks much later on. Awe-inspiring stuff. 2. N.W.A – Straight Outta Compton (1988) Head [Korn guitarist Brian Welch] and I really enjoyed N.W.A when we first started – still do – and followed all of the solo careers they embarked upon in the aftermath, like when Dr Dre made The Chronic. He was using a lot of samples and we were really trying to emulate that with our guitars. Straight Outta Compton is a street-smart record, this was so real and had no boundaries. I loved that they were free to express themselves and talk about this illegal gang activity which they may or may not have partaken in. I was just out of high school and had gone through a bit of a hair metal phase where I was tired of it. I can still enjoy some of that stuff, but at the time, musically, I think I was looking for something a little angrier. I think that’s where NWA came in – that’s where 90s hip-hop was at. It really struck a chord with me; so Head and I started getting into the way they produced the drums with the 808. Much later on down the line, Ice Cube came in and gave us a few verses for Children of the Korn and we toured with him on our Family Values tour too – what an honour. 3. Faith No More – The Real Thing (1989) Fieldy [Korn bassist Reginald Arvizu] and I were big Faith No More fans. In the late 80s they were playing a kind of funk rock; so were the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but we tended to lean more towards the minor progressions. When Patton joined in ’89 they dropped a single called From Out of Nowhere and we were sold all the way. At that point we became real fanatics – started researching the guy and going up to San Francisco to see them play. Every song on this record was super inspiring to us. The song structures and Patton’s sense of melody – it was alternative metal at its best. You don’t have any wailing solos – there tended to be a bridge where things got crazy and they’d feature each artist, rather than just the one guy. It was much more of a band effort than the norm. Now, I love guitar solos and Randy Rhoads, but Faith No More steered us in the direction where we ultimately ended up. Back in 2000, David [Silveria, original Korn drummer] had an issue with his arm for a while and had to miss a few shows, so Mike Bordin sat in and we toured Europe. It was a lot of fun to jam with him – he’s punk rock at heart and just a great drummer. So for a while there you had Korn with this Faith No More groove – it was crazy. I’m really happy to hear that they’re coming back with some new material.

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4. Mr Bungle – Mr Bungle (1991) A big influence before Korn got signed or even started to experiment were Mr Bungle. When we realised that Patton had this other band, we started trying to find out more about who they were and when they were playing – tracking down VHS tapes of their gigs. I loved their last album, California, but their self-titled debut had the biggest impact on me. There’s a song on there called Love Is A Fist that’s fucking crushing. That set the tone for us and what we went on to do creatively. They were completely outside the box and just didn’t care – they satisfied only themselves. It wasn’t about record sales, it was just about creating a band. 5. The Pharcyde – Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde (1992) The Pharcyde were a group we always used to listen to when we were taking a break from writing music in the studio. This was when we were writing our first album – we’d take a step back and listen to something that had a lighter vibe. The Pharcyde came with that ‘let’s have a barbecue’ feel. We ended up touring with them – we enjoyed that band so much we invited them to open up for us. A lot of people didn’t seem to know what to think – it was just such a weird and unusual combination. To us it wasn’t. We had Tre [Hardson aka Slimkid3] appear on a track from Follow the Leader called Cameltosis, which was a dream.

“I was looking for something a little angrier than hair metal...” James Shaffer

6. Rage Against the Machine – Evil Empire (1996) On Evil Empire, Tom Morello was basically a DJ armed with a guitar. This record is just perfection – one of those where you have to listen to the whole thing once you’ve put it on. From People of the Sun, through Bulls on Parade to Year of tha Boomerang, it just takes you on a journey. Korn was up and running by the time this came out and we were happy to see that these guys were really breaking the mould. I think Rage Against the Machine kind of glued together a nation of metal; Zack de la Rocha’s politicised rap reached across cultural boundaries, which I don’t believe many other bands were doing at the time. 7. Nine Inch Nails – The Fragile (1999) Trent Reznor is brilliant in what he does – what he’s been doing for the past 25 years. He keeps reinventing himself, keeps challenging himself creatively. That goes for what he does in the live arena as well as his records with his ever-evolving band. A friend of mine, Danny Lohner, used to be in the band so I know a lot of the stories behind some of the

recordings, and it’s really cool to hear that from somebody who was actually there. The Fragile is one of the most brilliant records ever made in the genre of rock or metal. It’s epic not only in that it’s a journey or a double album, but also in the sheer number of instruments Reznor uses. Not only are you getting drones, acoustic guitars, piano and drums, but you’re getting a saxophone, string sections – there’s a lot going on. What he’s doing today has given me inspiration. He’s going into movie scores and giving a guy like me vision – the inspiration to reach beyond just being in a band. It’s given me a new sense of ‘Where do I want to be in five or ten years? Why can’t I do that?’ He’s opening doors. 8. Deftones – White Pony (2000) I love this record, this is when they really stepped up their game as far as writing and production go. I think Terry Date did a great job; he’s done some mixing on a couple of our albums, but we’ve never had him produce… I’d like to see that happen someday. That track Change (In the House of Flies) – so dynamic and graceful, absolutely one of my favourite Deftones songs. They’re from Sacramento and we were living in Huntington Beach at the time we were first starting out – before we or Deftones had a record deal – so we would exchange opening slots. We came up at

MUSIC

the same time and have always remained close friends. 9. Queens of the Stone Age – Rated R (2000) That song – Feel Good Hit of the Summer – and the way it just kicks in: ‘Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, marijuana, ecstasy and alcohol…’ This record is so raw and real, the melodies are super strong throughout. I love Josh Homme’s voice. It’s like honey, man. ‘Restricted to everyone, all the time.’ Absolutely one of my all-time favourite records. 10. Slipknot – Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses) (2004) This is the moment these guys really brought all of the elements, every guy together – the original members and all – and reached full strength. I think this record is so diverse – melodic but heavy. There are a lot of spooky moments on here too, with the interludes they brought in. It’s their most brilliant work; I can appreciate the new one, for example, but here they were a band on fire. Korn’s ‘Prepare for Hell’ tour with Slipknot takes in Manchester Phones 4u Arena on 20 Jan and Liverpool Echo Arena on 22 Jan. Their latest album The Paradigm Shift is out now via Caroline www.korn.com

THE SKINNY

28-34 HIGH ST, NORTHERN QUARTER, MANCHESTER, M4 1QB

THERUBYLOUNGE.COM H @THERUBYLOUNGE H @CLASSICSLUM H CLASSICSLUM.COM

0161 276 2100 65-69 Downing St, Manchester, M17JE @SSR_Manchester

SHOWS…

CLUBS…

JAN 10: CLASSIC SLUM present J MASCIS JAN 16: HARD DAZE NIGHT featuring THE TURNING + guests HESTER & ELMORE JAN 17: LUCIGENIC JAN 18: CHASTITY BROWN JAN 18: CLASSIC SLUM present J MASCIS @ THE CLUNY / NEWCASTLE JAN 23: THE WEEKS + guests THE APACHE RELAY JAN 27: SAYWECANFLY + guests THE HOUSE ON CLIFF

VOODOO ROCK EVERY 1ST FRIDAY I 11PM I £4 NUS + CHEAP LIST + FLYER + B4 MIDNIGHT

+ DANIELLE PROU

JAN 28: JADE ANN + guests STOMPBOX + BÊTE + JOHN AINSWORTH

THE BIGGEST ALTERNATIVE ROCK NIGHT IN THE UK ACROSS 2 ROOMS.

REMAKE REMODEL EVERY 1ST SATURDAY I 11PM I £3 GUESTLIST £5 OTD THE NATION’S SAVING GRACE OF ALTERNATIVE ROCK’N’ROLL. ALL KILLS, NO KILLERS.

BREAK STUFF EVERY 2ND FRIDAY BI-MONTHLY I 11PM £3 ADV A NIGHT OF NU METAL NOSTALGIA. THE SOUNDTRACK OF A GENERATION. WITH CLASSIC ‘ATTITUDE ERA’ WRESTING CINEMA HOSTED BY HXC WRESTLING + 32 BIT CONSOLE AREA.

JAN 29: THE UNASSISTED POP CURIOUS? JAN 30: BBC MANCHESTER INTRODUCING EVERY 2ND SATURDAY I 11PM I £6 OTD LIVE IT’S POP MUSIC. PLAYED LOUD. BESPOKE POP PLAYLISTS EACH AND JAN 31: RIFFFEST DAY 1 FEATURING TROJAN HORSE EVERY MONTH. + ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY + DUKE MERCURY

FEB 1: RIFFFEST DAY 2 FEATURING THE FIERCE AND

HOWLING RHYTHM EVERY 3RD SATURDAY I 11PM I £4 OTD

THE DEAD + CYRIL SNEAR + CLEFT

THE VERY FINEST IN 60’S SOUL + MOTOWN + GRITTY RHYTHM & BLUES + FUNK.

FEB 6: CLASSIC SLUM present RAE MORRIS @ GORILLA FEB 12: CLASSIC SLUM present MINERAL +

BBC MANCHESTER INTRODUCING LIVE QUARTERLY EVERY LAST FRIDAY I 7.30PM FREE ENTRY

guests SOLEMN SUN

FEB 13: COASST FEB 15: HAMMEL ON TRIAL ‘CHOOCHTOWN AND OTHER STORIES FROM THE STREET’ UK TOUR

FEB 20: THE MOODS FEB 25: CLASSIC SLUM present DIAGRAMS FEB 27: HALF WAY HOME + guests MOVING MOSCOW + NEW DAY + THE THOUGHT POLICE

THE BRIGHTEST & BEST BRAND NEW BANDS FROM MANCHESTER & HEREABOUTS CURATED BY THE BBC MANCHESTER INTRODUCING TEAM + DJ SETS FROM MICHELLE HUSSEY + NATALIE-EVE WILLIAMS + SPECIAL GUESTS.

PUMP UP THE JAM EVERY LAST FRIDAY I 11PM I £4 OTD BACK 2 THE 90’S FROM THE HOWLING RHYTHM TEAM. EXPECT HUGE 90’S NUMBERS, SPANNING DANCE, HACIENDA GROOVE, AND A DASH OF HIPHOP.

ULTIMATE ANTHEMS EVERY LAST SATURDAY BI-MONTHLY I 10.30PM I £6 ADV

MARCH 6: SUNSET SONS THE UPTEMPO SISTER NIGHT TO ULTIMATE POWER: NEW SONGS, MARCH 7: THE BURLESQUE BALL TOUR BUT THE SAME PRINCIPLES: EVERY SONG YOU NEVER HEAR AT ANY MARCH 9: FOZZY + guests THE DIRTY YOUTH OTHER CLUB NIGHT. EVERY SONG YOU CAN PUNCH THE AIR TO RELENTLESSLY, WHILST HUGGING A STRANGER AND SCREAMING MARCH 10: LONELY THE BRAVE THE CHORUS TILL YOUR LUNGS GIVE OUT. NOTHING BUT ANTHEMS MARCH 13: HOBBIE STUART ALL NIGHT LONG THAT YOU NEVER HEAR ANYWHERE ELSE: MASSIVE TUNES, SINGALONG CHORUSES AND A EUPHORIC ATMOSPHERE. MARCH 14: ORPHAN BOY ABSOLUTE SH**E MARCH 22: BILLY LOCKETT EVERY LAST SATURDAY BI-MONTHLY MARCH 28: AN AUDIENCE WITH 11PM I £3 ADV ARTHUR BROWN OVER 4 HOURS OF NON-STOP GARBAGE. “THE WORST NIGHT OF YOUR LIFE.” A PROPER PARTY - CHEAP ENTRY, CHEAP DRINKS, AND APRIL 3: RIVAL JOY EP LAUNCH THE MOST WONDERFUL PARTY TUNES EVER PLAYED AT YER AUNTY’S APRIL 17: RHOMBUS + JORDAN REYNE + LESBIAN BED 3RD WEDDING. LEAVE YOUR CREDIBILITY AT HOME, COME DOWN DEATH + THE DEAD XIII

AND EMBARRASS YOURSELF.

APRIL 18: EVIL BLIZZARD APRIL 25: CLASSIC SLUM present SKINNY LISTER @ THE CLUNY / NEWCASTLE TICKETLINE: 0161 832 1111 / TICKETLINE.CO.UK APRIL 30: CLASSIC SLUM present SEE TICKETS: 0870 264 3333 / SEETICKETS.COM SKIDDLE.COM PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING AND OVER THE COUNTER AT THE SUPERB PICCADILLY RECORDS, @ THE RIVERSIDE / NEWCASTLE OLDHAM ST, MANCHESTER MAY 26: NEEDTOBREATHE + guest ELLA THE BIRD

ADV TICKETS

January 2015

Album of the Month Sleater-Kinney

No Cities to Love [Sub Pop, 19 Jan]

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Recorded in secret in early 2014, seven years after they began their ‘extended hiatus,’ No Cities to Love is as daring and playful as its head-spinning provenance, and offers sweet relief to the fingers-crossed hardcore. That they managed to regroup under cover is one thing; that they return in this kind of shape is something else entirely. In an era of cheap-shot reformations, SleaterKinney pull the plug on the past and flick the switch on the future. “It’s 9am, we must clock in / The system waits for us,” sings Carrie Brownstein on opener Price Tag, but No Cities to Love has scope beyond mere state-of-the-nation politicking. Album number eight models breadth both lyrical and sonic. Those who

Playing Manchester Albert Hall on 24 Mar | sleater-kinney.com

Pond

BC Camplight

The Phantom Band

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Man It Feels Like Space Again [Caroline, 26 Jan] After the… ooh, approximately five seconds it takes to notice the similarities between Perth popsters Pond and the all-conquering Tame Impala (in both style and personnel), this album stakes its own claim for immortality. It opens magnificently, as the sticky-eyed lullaby that introduces Waiting Around for Grace soon develops jet heels, leaping purposefully into glitterball disco and glowing among kaleidoscopic colours, adeptly underscoring a Phoenix-esque funk. The oft-attached descriptor ‘psych’ doesn’t quite do justice to their neon rock classicism; this is vivid rather than ethereal; commanding rather than hypnotic. You might even be tempted to utter words like ‘futuristic’ when Elvis’ Flaming Star’s magnificent coda drenches itself under bleeping, shimmering waterfalls. Even at their most narcotic, however – certain woozy moments recall Mercury Rev’s stargazing wonder – it’s clear that Pond’s shining brilliance stems from the hips rather than the subconscious: simply perfect pop. [Will Fitzpatrick] pondband.com

How to Die in the North [Bella Union, 19 Jan] It’s too lazy to call How to Die in the North a catharsis for BC Camplight. True, a descent from critical acclaim to alcoholism, drug use and homelessness in Philadelphia did lead to a Leaving Las Vegas-style move to Manchester, to prove his ability and destroy himself in the process; but the New Jersey-born songwriter’s third record feels more like a starting point than a purge. Themes of loss, relationship failure and distrust of love are sent on beguiling journeys that pull in everything from neopsychedelia, on opener You Should Have Gone to School, to stringladen surf pop on Thieves in Antigua and Nilsson-esque balladry on Why Doesn’t Anybody Fall in Love? It suggests a man’s mind running riot with possibilities rather than pain, as horn sections, shimmering Beach Boys-style backing harmonies and electronically mutated loops are flung at the canvas, held together by crisp, unforgettable melodies. [Simon Jay Catling] Playing Manchester’s Gorilla on 23 Jan and Liverpool’s Leaf on 11 Mar bccamplightmusic.com

Funeral for a Friend

Chapter and Verse [Distiller, 19 Jan]

Fears Trending [Chemikal Underground, 26 Jan] Comprised mainly of offcuts from last year’s Strange Friend (five of the seven tracks here were recorded during those sessions), it’s tempting to approach the fourth full Phantom Band release as an exercise in guessing why the material didn’t pass muster the first time around. We’d wager that much of what has become Fears Trending was deemed a little too dark, too weird and, perhaps, too experimental for its lighter of touch predecessor. But far from feeling like an afterthought for hardcore fans only, Fears Trending is as essential as anything the venerable sextet have done to this point. Tender Castle sets a tone of structure and production that is unhinged by just the right amount, The Phantoms clearly embellishing their wayward tendencies. The brooding and ominous Black Tape sounds more like a forgotten shadowy gem from 2011’s The Wants than anything else and if tears weren’t shed at the initial shelving of gorgeous bluegrass finale Olden Golden then these boys are made of pretty stern stuff. [Darren Carle] phantomband.co.uk

Panda Bear

Siskiyou

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Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper [Domino, 12 Jan]

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Difficult to believe it’s been more than ten years since Funeral for a Friend first broke through, but Chapter and Verse provides a handy opportunity to catch up. On first listen, Pencil Pusher and You Should Be Ashamed of Yourself seem to plough the same post-hardcore furrow as the excitable twentysomethings behind 2003’s debut Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation. Closer inspection reveals some minor developments, however: gone are the extraneous nods to Iron Maiden, with a punkier riffology in their place. Matt Davies-Kreye’s vocal has changed too, with his once-melodious whine disintegrated to a guttural bark. This doesn’t explain why a man from Bridgend should still affect a painfully transparent sub-American accent in his mid30s (most awkwardly exposed on the acoustic Brother), nor the tricky question of how a band can fail so spectacularly to progress – even by accident – over the course of a decade. Still, ‘more of the same’ should be enough for their ever-rabid fanbase. [Will Fitzpatrick]

Noah Lennox’s fifth outing may have a rather portentous title but the content within is so much more than a simple dialogue with death. Then again, nothing is simple in Panda Bear’s sonic toolbox; if anything, the album is teeming more than ever with off-piste diversions and excursions, contrary sampling and a firm 90s hip-hop pulse. Lennox has a remarkable ability to craft wonderful vocal hooks from the air and build them like blocks of Lego, sustaining the stunning spatial awareness elsewhere. Lead single Mr Noah has a strut and swagger previously absent from Lennox’s oeuvre, while other standout track Boys Latin has a glorious synth bassline held underwater and peppered by startlingly effective panning vocal harmonies. His only other album that really sounds like this is 2007 effort Person Pitch, but Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper takes that template and pushes and drags it into all manner of magnificently genre-defying perambulations. [Colm McAuliffe]

ffaf.myshopify.com

pbvsgr.com

Nervous [Constellation, 20 Jan] This third album from the Canadian ensemble led by Colin Huebert continues largely where 2011’s Keep Away the Dead left off. Its feather-light constituents (brushed percussion, acoustic guitar, distant piano) feel somehow passé: at times, as verses give way not so much to choruses or hooks, but to a swell and a rise in volume, Siskiyou recall the dynamics employed similarly by fellow Canadians Arcade Fire. Huebert’s barely-there vocals only add to the overall tone: chill, and oddly uninvolving. If it had other cards to play, if it was stuffed with melody, if it had a mordant wit or dared to be wry, even, it might connect. But Nervous is a deliberate, studied work: it shrinks in the shadow of its name. It flickers into life when it plays it a little more trad, most notably on Wasted Genius and Oval Window. But overall, it’s a self-regarding work, one whose undoubted artistry struggles to conceal its selfish heart. [Gary Kaill] siskiyouband.com

Belle and Sebastian

Enter Shikari

Viet Cong

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Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance [Matador, 19 Jan]

Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance might come as a surprise for some. It’s tough and brave and witty and warm-hearted – perhaps inevitable characteristics for a Belles album. But this, their ninth studio record, is the work of a band challenging themselves – it’s just as ambitious as any freshfaced debut. Lead single The Party Line is a perfectly placed calling card. Combining classic Stuart Murdoch lyrics of hearsay and anticipation with what is, in essence, a dance track, it’s a perfect reintroduction to the band come 2015. There’s a touch of house mixed up in there somewhere, too and lovingly crafted, laced with embellishment and detail, and full of unexpected twists: longer tracks like Enter Sylvia Plath and Play for Today are swelling and expansive, unfurling on to waxed, glitter-balled dance floors. [Katie Hawthorne] Playing Manchester Albert Hall on 14-15 May and Liverpool Sound City on 24 May belleandsebastian.com

found 2006’s The Woods ultimately too bruising can rest easy. Wave goodbye to overdrive overload and crushing power chords. A cleaner mix showcases Janet Weiss’s drums and Corin Tucker’s savage vibrato: both as distinct and exceptional as ever. Much of the album’s sinewy melodics come via a re-jig of the Brownstein/Tucker dynamic, the latter’s guitar tuned down and making space for Brownstein’s snaggy riffs. Charged with a vitality akin to their early recordings, each of these ten songs erupts: the epic, tempo-switching Fade; the nervy title track (“I’ve grown afraid of everything I love”); Hey Darling and its irresistible, monster hook. Electrifying throughout, Sleater-Kinney bristle with an energy that threatens to drain the grid. [Gary Kaill]

Review

The Mindsweep [Ambush Reality / PIAS, 19 Jan]

Viet Cong [Jagjaguwar / Flemish Eye, 19 Jan]

Once upon a time, a successful fusion of rock with ‘dance music’ was the great unattainable dream of modern pop, a quest which largely resulted in damp squibs farting pathetically at every turn. No such problems befall Enter Shikari, whose fourth album blends hardcore-drenched hooks with cacophonous trance and the gut-punching thud of dubstep, as Rou Reynolds’ impressive vocal dynamics alternate between honeyed croons and lung-busting screams. From the top-heavy breakdown of Myopia to Torn Apart’s seamless drum’n’bass assault, The Mindsweep’s sonic extremes feel carefully calculated to punish as much as enthral. Similarly, Reynolds’ anti-establishment rhetoric comes poised on the balance beam between education and inspiration, recalling the incendiary passion of Swedish leftists Refused. The unrelenting nature of this potent cocktail can be exhausting, but such concerns will seem utterly irrelevant in the sweaty hedonism of the moshpit. [Will Fitzpatrick]

The kind of piss and vinegar that brought a band like Women together was unlikely to just evaporate, despite guitarist Christopher Reimer’s untimely death in 2012. Happily, Canadian no wave battering ram Viet Cong features two thirds of the remaining members on vigorous form. In a fatuous era such as ours, with Urban Outfitters and its cavernous bowels of aspirational lifestyle-retail ranked No.1 for UK vinyl sales, it’s not uncommon to hear kitsch, lacklustre bursts of faux-90s alternarock minced through ProTools plug-ins, attempting to sound like teenagers recording J Mascis riffs on a walkman. Mercifully, while Viet Cong break little fresh ground with this debut their caustic post-punk does manage to reference the better acts of that era, like Unwound and Arcwelder, throwing in whiffs of Liars and some compelling lo-fi electronica. Viet Cong is a solid, admirable distillation of early-90s US indie that dares to throw in some rewarding ideas of its own, proving that “retro” need not always be a cuss word. [Chris Cusack]

Playing Manchester Academy on 20 Feb | entershikari.com

Playing Manchester Deaf Institute on 5 Feb | vietcong.bandcamp.com

RECORDS

THE SKINNY

Redder

Jo Bartlett

Dan Mangan + Blacksmith

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Walk Long Play [Cocoa Music, 26 Jan] Sombre Finnish duo Redder pull back the curtain on debut LP Walk Long Play, the followup to 2013’s sparse EP Border/Lines, and the stage is pretty bare. Cloaked in Vesa Hoikka’s austere electronics and Frans Saraste’s dark, folk-inspired arrangements, the pair’s vocals (mostly Saraste, occasionally Hoikka) whisper like a detached, Nordic RY X. Compositionally, WLP is spectral and fragmented. Fifteen More Minutes feels weighed down by its own honking bass refrain, while the disconsolate Tunnels aches for nine minutes, lost at sea amid languid guitar, brushing pulses and softened drum patterns. Kolumba Museum is almost hymn-like in solemnity, and with closing track Alarm’s reverberating piano and vocals, there’s more than a little of the same desolation brandished by Manchester’s MONEY. These Finns produce a blend of trip-hop that sits with a weight in your gut and a fog in your brain. Lights off and headphones on, WLP is transportive; just don’t stick it on at a party. [George Sully]

9 x 7 [Strike Back, 12 Jan] It’s difficult now to imagine just how marginalised the UK alt-folk scene was at the turn of the century. Plaid shirts, boutique festivals and Laura Marling records are the cultural mainstream in 2014. Jo Bartlett pre-dated them all; as one-half of It’s Jo and Danny and a co-founder of the Green Man festival, her singular role in the wider folktronica movement – which also spawned the likes of the Beta Band – produced several stand-out records and helped an entire genre gain wider recognition. Now, when not playing with The Yellow Moon Band or promoting shows, she also finds the time to release solo records – 9 x 7 being her second in four years. Bartlett fans will love Highway Found, which perfectly captures the autumnal, warm feeling that she does so well, and Rising to the Bait is a sharp, well-arranged reflection on the passing of time. There’s nothing radically advanced here, but Bartlett has struck a winning blueprint nonetheless. [Chris McCall]

Club Meds [Stereo Sanctity, 12 Jan] For someone whose award-winning solo efforts were already full of charming heft, Dan Mangan’s first ostensible outing with the full band Blacksmith (they played alongside him on 2011’s Oh Fortune) is a tidal, engrossing record. Club Meds might not be as fun as say, Mangan’s 2009 debut LP, Nice, Nice, Very Nice, but it explores more nuanced, adventurous corners, and is very much the product of Blacksmith’s roster of Vancouverite experimental musicians. His vocal is still front and centre; rich but not too husky, a bit like Paul Banks on Kitsch and the dolorous War Spoils, a bit like Mark Oliver Everett on the catchy Vessel, but always with its own distinctive warmth, like coals from a sauna. We’re treated to piano, dusky country (Mouthpiece), and forlorn jazz (XVI, New Skies), with the net result much deeper and more textured than Mangan’s prior work. It’s a confident stride in the right direction, at ease in its cosy darkness. [George Sully] danmanganmusic.com

soundcloud.com/jobartlett

Noveller

Southern Tenant Folk Union

Fantastic Planet [Fire, 26 Jan]

The Chuck Norris Project [Johnny Rock, 19 Jan]

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Filmmaker Sarah Lipstate has a cineaste’s ear for tension, drama and enigma. This latest album under her Noveller guise is blurred at the edges and tastefully frazzled, doffing caps and blowing kisses towards post-punk drone and no wave. That she’s previously worked with Glenn Branca and Rhys Chatham should come as no surprise, and especially not to anyone under the spell cast by opener Into the Dunes – a woozily strummed chord alternates between major and minor keys. Halfway through, the bottom falls out entirely, giving way to thrillingly crunching noise while remaining utterly hypnotic. Turning deftly to ambient soundscapes (Pulse Point) and claustrophobic battles between undulating synths (Sisters), Lipstate proves herself a dab hand at creating impressionistic wonder, adroitly prompting a visceral response to the most delicate of structures. Lovely stuff. [Will Fitzpatrick]

The best concept albums reveal a loose theme that binds songs, but a rigid template can as easily suffocate creativity as inspire it. On their sixth album, Southern Tenant Folk Union have chosen to dress up their most political collection of songs to date in the cloak of Chuck Norris; a man famously so tough that he never calls the wrong number, you answer the wrong phone. Inspired by a 2012 campaign video by the actor imploring Americans to vote for Mitt Romney. It’s a strange framing device. Two years on from the event, Romney is yesterday’s man and Norris remains little more than the butt of very old internet jokes. It doesn’t sit right with Slaughter in San Francisco, a touching reflection on senseless school shootings. The skill of the group’s multiinstrumentalists is apparent throughout, but the Norris factor often overshadows rather than elevates these songs. [Chris McCall]

noveller.bandcamp.com

outherntenantfolkunion.com

Etienne Jaumet

La Visite [Versatile Records, 26 Jan]

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Etienne Jaumet has found himself increasingly drawn into the world of film scores – whether covering the greats, as on Zombie Zombie Plays John Carpenter, or creating new accompaniments. However his first solo record, Night Music, was produced by Carl Craig, and for this long-awaited successor Jaumet eschews Zombie Zombie’s cinematically minded expanse for a streamlined, techno-influenced sound. Opener Metallik Cages places a marker early doors, Jaumet murmuring over a handful of quivering spacey constructs. There’s something of Kraftwerk in how Anatomy Of A Synthesizer sees Jaumet methodically uttering the functions of his own machine over a scribble of robotic transmissions; but the record really unfurls when, on Moderne Jungle, he revisits the full-blooded saxophone that’s recently appeared as part of James Holden’s live band, to unshackle the track from the rest of the album’s foundations – towards an ultimately boundary-free space where Jaumet has always been his most comfortable. [Simon Jay Catling] versatilerecords.com

Disappears

Flug 8

Wray

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Irreal [Kranky, 19 Jan] The fifth album from Chicago quartet Disappears is so massive, so spatially aware that it appears to descend from an unattainable height without ever touching down. The band have transcended their hitherto naked Spacemen 3 influences to create something altogether more modern, even extroverted-sounding. Key to this is producer John Congleton, who hones and shapes every single sinew of this fine album with extreme levels of finesse. OUD is driven by a simple hi-hat figure, albeit one severely flanged and foregrounded, reducing the surrounding guitar fragments to mere accompanying noise, inverting the typical rock setup. The title track meanwhile similarly deconstructs itself before being resurrected in a glorious, near-atonal blowout. Frontman Brian Case’s lyrics are suitably opaque and rendered almost superfluous in the face of this sonic barrage but perhaps that’s the point; Disappears have a suspect relationship with notions of time and form and Irreal flourishes when these uncertainties take over. [Colm McAuliffe]

Trans Atlantik [Disko B, 5 Jan] “Krautey-housey-techno” is how producer and DJ Daniel Herrmann (here in his on-off Flug 8 guise) describes his uncompromising, minimal beats. Now there’s a premise nigh on impossible to resist; the Frankfurt-based maverick sculpts sparse electronica into hypnotic, shadowy soundscapes. Trans Atlantik is an appealingly catholic set, vaulting from stripped beats (the pulsing title track and Musik aus Metall) to the haunting Watch Me Grow where Mono Girl’s vocals provide warmth amid the chill. Android recalls prime John Carpenter and his 70s synth masterworks: you can almost see that ice-cream van pulling up from here. It doesn’t quite fulfil all of its cinematic aspirations, but at its best, Trans Atlantik paints a convincing picture of man and machine as one. Fans of electro classicists like Carpenter or (early) Jean Michel Jarre should look in, as should those in thrall to the recent adventures of Aphex Twin and Daniel Avery. [Gary Kaill] wp.diskob.com

disappearsmusic.com

The Decemberists

What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World [Rough Trade, 19 Jan]

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The illusion of continuity: that’s the way Wray choose to bring up the curtain on this debut effort. Blood Moon’s nagging two-note jangle fades in slowly, introducing the punkish pace that sees us through the album’s first half, and surreptitiously suggesting the band have already been powering through its mesmerising riff over tireless hours. The watchword is energy: feet are rarely removed from the accelerator, even with sumptuous, Slowdive-refracted chords draping dreampop wooziness across their sinewy alterna-rock. Vocals, naturally, come buried in mist and reverb. If at times it feels like they’re ticking boxes on the zeitgeist checklist (psychedelia, krautrock and shoegaze seem broadly well represented), then it’s worth acknowledging the way their influences feel organically assimilated rather than awkwardly tacked on. Seven-minute centrepiece May 15 sees Wray striving for the transcendent, but the relatively sombre Graved is where they really deliver, with an arctic splendour that’s both morose and moreish. [Will Fitzpatrick] facebook.com/wraymusic

EP Review

Mamuthones & Evil Blizzard

Collisions Vol. 4 [Rocket Recordings, 19 Jan]

The Decemberists have long since ascended to indie rock royalty despite a history of prog influences and obtuse lyrics. That changed with the more linear approach of 2011’s The King is Dead, and What a Terrible World... is a further step into the middle of the road. You could take this move one of two ways. The first is to enjoy it for what it is – a coherent, mostly engaging, albeit slightly overlong piece of work. Colin Meloy’s harmonising with Jenny Conlee on Make You Better ranks with the band’s most captivating work, while liberal dashes of brass and strings see to it that the likes of Cavalry Captain soars. The second is to lament the smoothing of the edges of one of America’s finest bands of the last 20 years. There’s much to be said for growing old gracefully, but beyond the exuberant charm of Better Not Wake the Baby, true thrills are often in short supply. [Stu Lewis]

Volume four in Rocket Recordings’ Collision series pits Italian psyche stalwarts Mamuthones against Brit space rock revivalists Evil Blizzard. It’s a case of tune in, turn on, drop everything: blissed-out beats and the type of melodious drone that powered early Hawkwind make this a collision worth buckling up for. Mamuthones contribute four cuts. The highlight, The Holy Ghost People, is a feverish wah-wah wigout, a deep, spiralling groove: beside it, Fools Good is suddenly a stiff toe-tapper. Head over to Evil Blizzard’s place, though, if it’s trouble you’re after. The epic Sacrifice is here twice but the original, with its merciless guitar attack, trumps Teeth of the Sea’s twitchy remix. What’s not to like? [Gary Kaill]

Playing Manchester Academy on 17 Feb | decemberists.com

rocketrecordings.blogspot.com

January 2015

Wray [Communicating Vessels, 26 Jan]

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RECORDS

The Top Five 1 2 3 4 5

Sleater-Kinney

No Cities to Love

The Phantom Band

Fears Trending

Panda Bear

Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper

Belle and Sebastian

Girls in Peacetime Want to Dance

BC Camplight

How to Die in the North

Review

Win free Manchester Win Passes to Academy tickets for FutureEverything Festival! a month!

Manchester Academy is kindly offering one lucky person the chance to attend as many of its gigs as they want to with a friend throughout the month of February. To be in with a chance of winning, simply head over to theskinny.co.uk/about/competitions and correctly answer the following question: Which band have recently been announced as the very special guests on the Gigantic Indie All Dayer taking place at Manchester Academy on Bank Holiday Saturday 23 May?

a) Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine b) Inspiral Carpets c) James Competition closes midnight Sunday 1 February. Open to all ages, but under 14s must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 18 at all times. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our Ts&Cs can be found at www.theskinny. co.uk/about/terms To find out more about gigs at Manchester Academy, go to www.manchesteracademy.net

The pioneering digital culture festival FutureEverything returns in February for its 20th anniversary, presenting new commissions, installations, a two-day conference, film screenings, live events, hands-on workshops and more. This year’s programme features Ólafur Arnalds, Ariel Pink, Koreless & Emmanuel Biard, Paolo Cirio, Blast Theory, Warren Ellis and much more. To celebrate this landmark event, FutureEverything is offering one lucky Skinny reader a pair of festival passes – including access to the conference, launch party and full live programme. Find out more about the Festival here: futureeverything.org/festival To be in with a chance of winning, simply head over to theskinny.co.uk/about/competitions and correctly answer the following question:

COMPETITIONS

FutureEverything celebrates an important anniversary in 2015, but how old will it be? a) 20 b) 15 c) 18 Competition closes 9am Monday 9 February. Winners will be notified via email within two working days of closing and will be required to respond within 48 hours or the prize will be offered to another entrant. Our Ts&Cs can be found at www. theskinny.co.uk/about/terms Tickets are subject to availability and lineup change FutureEverything runs 26-28 February in various venues across Manchester

THE SKINNY

Sacred Trinity, 18 Dec

Jon Hopkins

The Warehouse Project, 12 Dec

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The fervour with which Immunity, Jon Hopkins’ album of summer 2013, is still met is quite something: eyes roll back to the fissuring whip and crackle of We Disappear; arms are held aloft to the orbital pull of Open Eye Signal. It’s clear, too, that tonight most everyone is here for him, and somewhere kicking against the tide at the front you remember that actually, Warehouse’s spiritual Store Street home (sorry Boddingtons) is often more like being in a festival moshpit than a club. Still, everyone manages to unite for a beatific ten minutes centre-set, as Light Through the Window – from 2008’s Insides – unfurls its pale, gauzy layers, as delicate and fine as frostsugared feathers. Where Hopkins’ work prior to last year’s record was more understated,

Photo: Gary Brown

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In its own low-key way, Tom McClung’s progression from ash-choked backing vocalist and bassist in WU LYF has been as fascinating as that group’s development from calculated anonymity to cult coveting Letterman guests. McClung’s two years metamorphosing into Francis Lung since their split has meant trying to distinguish his own more naturally humble sensibilities from a band who – fairly or otherwise – found themselves labelled as ostentatiously brash. Dozens of opening slots above bars, in basements and sleepy cafes have seen McClung appear sometimes as a white-clad budget retro-pop prince, crooning over a backing track; elsewhere he’s been more reflective, a troubadour in the mould of some long-lost 60s curio. Tonight, though, he has company; this is

even classical in composition, this track proves to have been a precursor to Immunity’s breakthrough combination of widescreen melodics and entry-level techno. This glittering plateau aside, tonight he goes harder than the festival sets that – complete with light-up inflatable balls – he’s been playing most of the year, and it more than makes up for the mild (and admittedly childish) disappointment at the lack of those big glowing orbs. In particular, it’s a delight to relish in the thrashing, muscular animatronics of Breathe This Air in its original incarnation (without those neutering Purity Ring vocals); along with Collider, it’s perhaps the only point at which Immunity – played out live, at least – gets properly nasty, leaving in its disgruntled wake an image of a smoking, molten dystopia. [Lauren Strain]

his first home show with a full band. The sparse Invisible is a nervous opener, tension creeping into the new frontman’s vocals, his movements terse. However, the crisp, country-influenced Where Life Comes to Live’s sepia warmth loosens him up, and when he throws his head back as though calling to heaven on Something Blue’s tender lament, he and the fellow musicians onstage seem to flicker with light. A carefully constructed minimalism characterises the set’s first half, before unfurling into more overt pop structures – sole single to-date A Selfish Man is pick of the bunch here – but it’s at the intersection where the skin truly flutters with goosebumps; Age Limits’ hushed meander suddenly opens up as McClung’s body contorts, exploding with an uninhibited rawness that feels familiar, and yet so much more natural than it ever did before. [Simon Jay Catling]

Francis Lung

Clubbing Highlights A fairly sparse month in clubbingdom as people across the land try to keep their resolution not to get completely arseholed Words: E. Jon Lanside Illustration: Tom Crowe

o Flute kick off January with a new residency in Chorlton, and it’s free in (winner). Head down to Oddest on 2 Jan to see Danuka stir a melting pot of worldwide music with a strong, soulful undercurrent. Fever 105 celebrate their first b-day midweek on 22 Jan by inviting down a couple of Mancunian selectors: Greg Wilson and Ruf Dug bring their respective goods to Manchester Academy for a night of fresh-faced revelry (£6). For those as yet unaware, Greg is a legend round these parts whereas Ruffy locates himself somewhere around the general area of Walter Gibbons’ dungarees. In Liverpool, 22 Jan sees the launch of Kolours – a new Afrocentric sound system that will take place in The Kazimier Garden over a series of three events from January-May. Promises of AV treats and more, tickets £3. Sixteen-year-old Happa takes to the Josh Brooks basement, Manchester, on 23 Jan alongside the heavy-hitting figure of Randomer. The former quickly won over names such as Mary Anne Hobbs, Loefah, Skream and Ben UFO with his fresh face; the latter has donated releases to Hessle Audio, L.I.E.S. and Clone and caustic anthem Bring blew up massively a few summers back. Tickets start at £6 and will end up at around £10 OTD.

January 2015

New series Transmission comes to Manchester’s Albert Hall in 2015 and gets going on 23 Jan with a reggae/dub/jungle/dnb special. David Rodigan, Shy FX, DJ Hype and Wookie are all on show for the advanced price of £22.50. Dog Eat Dog bring in Italian hotshot Francesco del Garda on 30 Jan for his first slot this side of London in celebration of their first birthday. Expect eclectic selections – house, garage, electro and miscellaneous – strung together with the technical precision of a master craftsman (Q Cavern, Manchester, £8). Same night in Liverpool sees Clap! Clap! take to the Constellations stage for just £6. Since bursting on to the scene with two fantastic EPs and a critically-acclaimed album in September the Clap! Clap! project, masterminded by Christiano Crisci, has snowballed into more than the world of electronica. Meanwhile, Hustle bring in Kenny Dope to the all-night affair at Liverpool’s Magnet. One half of MAW, but also hugely successful in his own right as both a DJ and producer, Kenny has been slaying audiences for decades and his back catalogue is pretty much unrivalled in terms of both quality and quantity. £17 to see a bona fide, ahem, master at work.

MUSIC / CLUBS

Preview

Photo: Sam Huddleston

Francis Lung

DJ Chart: D-Ribeiro The young Rotterdam producer donates a clutch of tracks, past and present, that informed the sound of his prodigious Meda Fury EP Words: Ranie Ribeiro Fortes

Idris Muhammad – Piece of Mind [Kudu] One of my favourite jazz pieces by Idris Muhammad. A nine-minute trip by one of the best drummers, and arranged by Bob James. It puts me in the right mood every time and makes me wish that it was longer! I learned so much from this piece just by listening to it, from arrangements to solos and even the mixdown of this track is insane. Sun Ra – When There Is No Sun [Horo] Meet the real master of the universe! Sun Ra was one of those people who was always thinking ahead of his time. This is one of my favourites, it always calms me down and makes me think about everything. Things that make me happy or the things that really bother me. Bob Marley – Rainbow Country Dub [Daddy Kool] As a kid I was a real big fan of reggae. I always wanted to find new reggae songs to play loud in my room. I don’t even remember how I found this track, it was such a long time ago but this is by far my favourite. This whole track has something

divine which is hard to explain but for me it is almost perfect; the A-side is definitely worth listening to as well. Funkadelic – Maggot Brain [Westbound] A few years ago I was hanging out with some friends of mine and someone decided to put this on. It was fascinating to see how all of my friends stopped talking and kept silent while the song was playing. I was blown away by this song, especially when I read the story about how George and Eddie came up with it. It’s genuinely brilliant. It even inspired me to play the guitar. Herbie Hancock – Rain Dance [Columbia] There are at least ten Herbie Hancock tracks I could pick out but this one always blows my mind. Even ‘til this day I am still wondering what Herbie was thinking when he made this track?! I am always fascinated by artists who can think so far ahead, already in ’73! Heatwave – Star of the Story [GTO] I have always been a sucker for harmonies, especially when it comes to soul music. This song hits

me exactly in the right place especially with the breakdown of the guitar solo. Jan Akkerman – Streetwalker [Atlantic] A colleague of mine and I had a discussion one day about music from Holland back in the 70s, and he showed me this legendary guitar player called Jan Akkerman. I never thought that Dutch music could be this great, it usually ends up with some happy Dutch people singing about women and beer but Jan does it all differently. Pharoah Sanders – Upper Egypt [Impulse!] Pharoah Sanders sits on the same astral plane as Sun Ra for me, being free to create whatever he wants with weird melodies that keep on going ‘til they’re stuck in your mind. I especially love this

song towards the ending with the weird singing. Madvillain – Shadows of Tomorrow (feat. Quasimoto) [PIAS] I have always seen pictures of MF Doom but I never knew who he was or what he did, he had something mysterious for me and one day I checked out Madvillainy, with one of my favourite producers, Madlib, and it was one of the best hip-hop albums I’ve heard. Teamed up with Quasimoto (also Madlib) this song has a beat with a raw attitude and lyrics that goes far out... all about the future, son! D-Ribeiro’s Purple Ghost Dance EP is out now on Meda Fury www.soundcloud.com/d-ribeiro

The Giftshop That Keeps on Giving Last year belonged to sketch group Gein’s Family Giftshop. Now, it’s their turn to tell us who we should be watching out for in 2015 – no pressure, guys Interview: John Stansfield

his time last year we asked those in the know around the Northwest which acts we should be looking out for in 2014, to which they invariably answered: Gein’s Family Giftshop. And how right they were. A fantastic year saw the sketch group scoop double prizes at London’s Sketchfest (Best New Sketch Act and the Audience Choice Award) as well as a host of five-star reviews, and enjoy a stellar run at the Edinburgh Fringe, where they bagged a nomination for Best Newcomer at the Foster’s Comedy Awards. January will see them perform their show Volume 1 at London’s Soho Theatre. So, we thought we’d ask the four of them – Jim (the stern one), Kath (the woman one), Ed (the handsome one) and Kiri (the silent one) – if they might turn kingmakers themselves and let us know their current favourites; acts they hope will have as much success in 2015 as they did in 2014. Jim picks: Kate McCabe “An American comic living in Manchester, Kate is funny, irreverent and non-clichéd. She talks about untouched topics, and by that I don’t mean close-to-the-bone subjects, I mean properly untouched topics like Beatrix Potter and gravy. I’ve seen her MC a working men’s club and smash

Preview

it so I can’t imagine what she’d be like in front of a group of like-minded comic book geeks and video game nerds. She is a true original and deserves to find her audience as soon as possible. Also as a female, gay immigrant she ticks nearly all of the diversity boxes from my friendship group card. What a bloody hero.” Kiri picks: Tom Short “I think I was at his first gig at Beat the Frog Preston and he was obviously new but clearly had something about him, other than the air of being home educated. He came runner up in the clap-off and I chatted to him afterwards. I think I said something like, “You’re going to die loads but that’s OK because when you get there no one will be able to do what you do.” Tom has an utterly unique world perspective and that’s the common factor of really superb standups, in my eyes. He also gigs his balls off and is willing to spend his last penny to get to gigs, and that admirable work ethic is paying off as he’s cleaning up at all the new act competitions. “He looks so unassuming and then he’ll just casually drop in a blinding joke and you realise how great his writing is. Stealth comedy. The best kind.”

Photo: Drew Forsyth

Ed picks: Sam & Tom “I immediately took to Sam & Tom (the show not the people), it feels exactly like the kind of thing I would have tried to do as a kid if I’d have lived near any other children, but they’ve succeeded in taking it out of the living room and away from baffled parents to perform in front of real-life people. “I thoroughly enjoy watching people bicker while trying to maintain a sense of lighthearted camaraderie, and that’s just what the best parts of Sam & Tom does. Do? I don’t know, what I do know is that I like a good serving of gleeful silliness, and anyone else who do, will find a Happy Meal’s worth in Sam & Tom.”

(one silent, Ben, and one not silent, Adam) sketch group, who are occasionally joined by Hatty (an ace musician). This last Edinburgh they did a oneman whodunit show about a hate crime against David Schwimmer. I laughed ridiculously hard for an entire hour, to the point where if I lost all this flab I think I’d’ve developed some sweet abs. Too bad cake’s so delicious. “It’s smart, silly, hilarious and all-round entertaining sketch. Pro tip: make it a water show for no extra money if you sit near the front. Adam sweats enough for two so it’s no sweat off his back… wait.”

Kath picks: GOOSE “Admittedly this sketch group aren’t Northwestbased, they’re from London town but they’re too ace to not be in our list. GOOSE is a two-man

www.geinsfamilygiftshop.co.uk

CLUBS / COMEDY

Gein’s Family Giftshop’s Bargain Basement, The King’s Arms, Salford, 5 Jan; Korova Arts, Preston, 9 Jan; Soho Theatre, London, 13-17 Jan; Kosmonaut, Manchester, 29 Jan

THE SKINNY

Console Yourself Ah January, a month of sitting on the sofa under layers of blankets and regret. We thought we’d save our favourite games of last year – from big budget titles to blindsiding indies – for this issue, to help you while away those long, cold nights...

ast year marked the first full calendar year of the new generation of console hardware, so it was heartening to see that after totting up our Games team’s picks of 2014, Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo were all awarded a top ten spot via system exclusive titles. Add to that a couple of PC-only indie titles that are pushing the envelope in ways other than technological clout, and we reckon we’ve come up with a pretty broad snapshot of the best the year had to offer.

1. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (Kojima Productions) Love them or hate them, Metal Gear Solid games are renowned for their lengthy cut scenes and occasionally laboured exposition. Those traits couldn’t be further from reality when it comes to Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes. Set up as the prologue to upcoming main event The Phantom Pain, Ground Zeroes makes it into our top ten for being the epitome of quality over quantity. The setting is, for all intents and purposes, based around Guantanamo Bay and the subtext of what black sites stand for. While its main campaign lasts for only a couple of hours, if you take your time you can expect that to lengthen to ten. For the first time in Metal Gear history you’ll find yourself in a non-linear sandbox experience, which essentially changes everything. You can infiltrate areas in any which way you choose and the insanely well-crafted AI responds accordingly. You can tell that painstaking care was taken in every facet of the game and nothing feels supplementary. [Tom Hillman]

that they always feel like they’re in the driving seat. Kentucky Route Zero continues to be a fascinating and personal journey. [Andrew Gordon] 4. Valiant Hearts: The Great War (Ubisoft Montpellier) Games that make it into end of year lists usually excel in one of the following areas: gameplay, visuals, sound design or narrative. Valiant Hearts: The Great War firmly finds its place on our list because of the latter. The game drops you in on the advent of World War I and as soon as you’re introduced to Karl, a German national, his French wife Marie, and their newborn son, living in France, you know things aren’t going to be black and white. The outbreak of war utterly tears this family apart and they’re just a few of the protagonists who will give up everything for what matters most. Valiant Hearts is a 2D side-scrolling puzzler – you’ll find yourself pushing blocks, throwing items, pulling levers etc. but more importantly you get to experience the war from viewpoints that aren’t traditionally explored such as from a nurse or the type of animals that served and died for their country. Valiant Hearts: The Great War is a fantastic achievement – a game that’s about kindness rather than killing. [TH] Mario Kart 8

“The extent to which players may arrange the details and author the meaning of events ensures a fascinating and personal journey”

2. Dark Souls 2 (From Software) In this sequel, From Software mastered the formula it laid down in Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls to create a deep and challenging action RPG, all while managing to make the game a little more accessible to new players without alienating its hardcore fanbase. Perhaps more important, though, is the sense of community that From Software has fostered around Dark Souls 2. The developer’s decision to make in-game systems more transparent and flexible has encouraged players to experiment with character builds and gameplay styles, and to share their findings on YouTube, Reddit and beyond. A vibrant community has sprung up around the game replete with its own in-jokes and memes, giving Dark Souls 2 a 5. Titanfall (Respawn Entertainment) lifespan far beyond the 60 or 70 hours it takes to “Prepare for Titanfall,” intones the AI voice as you call in your titular mech companion. What folfinish the first time around. [Jodi Mullen] lows next has to be one of the coolest moments in video games this year: a hulking great killing 3. Kentucky Route Zero: Act III (Cardboard Computer) machine blasted down from space before your Released just a month after his death, Kentucky eyes, ready for you to jump in and take control. Route Zero’s third act maintains the reverence That was the initial giddy thrill of Titanfall, but for Gabriel García Márquez exuded so enchantslowly the game reveals its meticulous layers of ingly in its prior instalments, borrowing the systems, the yin and yang of its singular battles author’s renowned magical realist style to depict and its stripped down, no nonsense presentaa Kentucky caught between times and realities tion. It’s also a great deal of fun for all abilities, a in which the boundaries between ordinary life, game where noobs can careen around in a Titan, folklore and computer simulations are becomenjoying themselves and maybe scoring the odd ing increasingly difficult to discern. No less lucky hit without impinging on the more tacticelusive is the purpose of player choice, which in based gameplay of those who have played it a this instalment seems as arbitrary as ever. On little too much (ahem). [Darren Carle] several occasions the player is given licence to dictate how past events occurred, but the sort of 6. Alien: Isolation (The Creative Assembly) Alien: Isolation could be viewed as one long tech decisions they get to make – like whether or not demo from a small development team testing the protagonist takes sugar with his coffee – are the waters with a simple idea and incorporating ultimately negligible. it into a mainstream first person shooter. That An untimely death; a lost love – the critiidea was to create a believable creature that’s cal details of Cardboard Computer’s obscure, unpredictable while reacting realistically to the circuitous road trip are seen only in the rear changes in environment brought about by the view mirror, yet the extent to which players player. In simpler terms, the beast central to may arrange the details and author the meanCreative Assembly’s canonised Alien sequel is ing of these events via dialogue options ensures

January 2015

Words: Andrew Gordon, Tom Hillman, Jodi Mullen, and Darren Carle

quite unlike anything you’ll have seen in a video game before. Though it’s a linear FPS campaign, the potential for emergent, unscripted moments in Alien: Isolation is chiefly impressive while Creative Assembly’s reluctance to hand players the power and weaponry normally afforded within this genre is a brave one. [DC] 7. Far Cry 4 (Ubisoft Montreal) If there’s one word that neatly summarises Far Cry 4, it’s ‘excess’. Everything in Ubisoft’s latest FPS instalment is larger than life. Thankfully, in a year that Ubisoft saw its Assassin’s Creed series draw the ire of critics for falling back on the same well-trodden formula one time too many, Far Cry 4 also delivers fun in abundant quantities. Where too many sandbox games fall into the trap of overwhelming the player with too many repetitive tasks to complete and forgetting to allow them to enjoy themselves, this is a game that encourages and rewards simple play, its best moments coming from ignoring the story missions and simply setting out into the hills with a couple of guns on your back and a pouch full of explosives to wreak havoc on whatever you happen to run into. [JM] 8. P.T. (Kojima Productions) The mysterious P.T. was teased at Gamescom and subsequently released in a masterstroke by Hideo Kojima to market the development of a new Silent Hill game. While it’s not available to download anymore, anyone who played it will know that this self-contained experience was something very special indeed. Set in a regular house, you awake time and time again to play out the same sequence of walking down a hallway. Sounds boring, right? Wrong. Every time you wake up the experience within the loop changes and the suspense and horror which Kojima is able to illicit is incredible. There’s no combat or any other mechanics aside from exploring the house and looking at things. We took a journey through the house again, with a group of friends at Halloween; a few wore grimaces, some had their hands clamped over their mouths and one pretty much hid underneath a blanket the whole time. If

TECH

this ever goes back on the PlayStation store you owe it to yourself to play one of the finest horror video game experiences ever created. [TH] 9. Mario Kart 8 (Nintendo) Wii U adopters can often be heard defending their flagging machine with the riposte that Nintendo continue to deliver the best system-exclusive games for any machine. With the release of Mario Kart 8 back in May, that boast finally began to sound like more than hot air. After the lacklustre GameCube and Wii efforts, Nintendo’s flagship series finally became a killer-app once again, with Mario Kart 8 proving there was still plenty of mileage in the moustachioed ones’ go-karting side line. Like Super Mario Galaxy before it, the new star of the show is gravity, with Nintendo creating some incredible, vertiginous tracks thanks to the game’s anti-gravity karts. [DC] 10. Three Fourths Home (Bracket Games) Three Fourths Home is a game about coping with problems you can’t pin down. For 24 year-old Kelly, this means the nuanced, gnawing anxiety that comes with being out of work and having little idea about what the future holds. For her father, it’s a debilitating phantom pain, an ailment that eludes concrete explanation and for which he can’t afford the medication. Neither circumstance is easily corrigible, and this is central to the game’s message: whereas most video games are about solving problems, players in Three Fourths Home are asked simply to come to terms with them. Clicking through the telephone conversation between Kelly and her family, players can decide the kind of person they want her to be: when scolded by her mother for disappearing unannounced for instance, does Kelly snap at being treated like a child or reluctantly acknowledge her mum’s concern? While the difficulties afflicting us might be outwith our control, Three Fourths Home is an indispensable reminder that how we respond to them is up to us. [AG]

Review

December Film Events This month’s best movie happenings include hippos dancing to Ponchielli, a celebration of teen movies, and superhero puppets Words: Simon Bland Inherent Vice

National Gallery

Director: Frederick Wiseman Released: 9 Jan Certificate: 12A

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Frederick Wiseman spent months editing the reams of footage he shot on location, but what’s remarkable about the finished product is how effortless it feels. National Gallery is one of the director’s most fluid and elegant works, securing our attention quickly and keeping us engrossed on its journey behind the scenes of the iconic London landmark. We see people painstakingly restoring and cleaning art, we sit in on budget meetings (Wiseman’s knack for making such scenes fascinating is uncanny), we hear lectures contextualising and illuminating various artworks, and often we simply watch members of the public as they stroll around the building and gaze upon masterpieces. National Gallery is a celebration of art and of anyone who loves it, shares it and protects it, and one can’t help feeling inspired by being in such company. The film is made with Wiseman’s customary perceptiveness and unfussy grace, but in its final moments it achieves a sense of transcendence that lifts it into the top tier of this great documentarian’s work. [Philip Concannon]

Inherent Vice

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Katherine Waterston Released: 30 Jan Certificate: 15

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As we watch Joaquin Phoenix’s shambling, stoned detective saunter aimlessly through a labyrinthine plot in 1970s LA, it’s easy to see why Robert Altman’s The Long Goodbye has been mentioned so frequently in relation to Inherent Vice; but this is uniquely a Paul Thomas Anderson picture, another expression of his formidable artistry and singular vision. His adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel boasts numerous immediate pleasures, from the sensational comic performances by Phoenix, Brolin and others, to Robert Elswit’s seductively hazy cinematography and Joanna Newsom’s perfectly pitched narration; it is a film so rich and deep that one imagines subsequent viewings will yield many more gems. Anderson’s command of tone is also astonishing. While much of Inherent Vice feels like a goof – with plenty of priceless knockabout humour – it ultimately reveals a wounded, romantic heart, with a sequence set to Neil Young’s Journey through the Past being just one of the many moments that will linger in your thoughts long after this entrancing film has ended. [Philip Concannon]

Whiplash

Enemy

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Director: Damien Chazelle Starring: Miles Teller, JK Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Paul Reiser Released: 16 Jan Certificate: 15

Director: Denis Villeneuve Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon Released: 2 Jan Certificate: 15

It’s rare in cinema to have an experience that’s equally physically exhausting and intellectually nourishing; to walk away drained, dumbstruck, by the sheer visceral intensity of what has been seen and heard, but also thinking about – questioning – the themes and dilemmas at the film’s core. Whiplash is one such rarity. Shot in just 19 days by writer-director Damien Chazelle, this, his brilliantly edited, ferociously played second feature, trails the development of a talented, withdrawn yet obnoxious jazz drummer (Teller) under the guidance of his virtuoso, abusive and terrifying music teacher (Simmons). But this is no ordinary slice of triumphalism. Chazelle presents, unflinchingly, the dedication required to attain greatness, the grave emotional, physical and social cost to these two men, and both revels in and rejects their obsession. That sort of contradiction permeates the film; this is funny, horrifying, brutal, exhilarating, and builds to a finale that’s somehow fist-pumpingly fantastic and utterly tragic at the same time. You’ll want back for more as soon as it’s over. [Chris Fyvie]

Very much a mood piece, this enigmatic offering from Denis Villeneuve is set beneath a canopy of tangled streetcar lines in an oppressively foggy Toronto. Its characters are portrayed as insect-like, joylessly scurrying from one concrete tower to the next, driven solely by unexplainable instinct. Actions unfold at an uncertain, lethargic pace, while what little dialogue there is competes with a deep, droning ambience that more or less engulfs the entire movie. Think Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin, but without that director’s mercurial touch or his film’s jeopardous improvisation. The Enemy is to be admired for its consistency of tone and willingness to explore emotional darkness. As far as depictions or urban alienation go, it’s pretty much unrivalled. Unfortunately, for all its allusions to totalitarianism and the concept of selfhood, this tale of a lecturer who encounters his exact double lacks depth and meaning. Audiences are unlikely to enjoy the movie, but there’s no denying its power to make them feel authentically unhappy. [Lewis Porteous]

Foxcatcher

Wild

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Director: Bennett Miller Starring: Channing Tatum, Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo Released: 9 Jan Certificate: 15 With Foxcatcher, director Bennett Miller (Capote, Moneyball) explores the odd, tense relationship between brothers and Olympic champion wrestlers Mark and Dave Schultz (Tatum and Ruffalo) and eccentric multimillionaire John du Pont (Carell), in the years preceding a notorious 1996 crime involving two of the parties. Living in seclusion at Pennsylvania’s Foxcatcher Farms, philanthropist Du Pont decided, in the late 1980s, to get involved in the US wrestling programme, so that he might be responsible for training future gold winners and giving America ‘hope.’ Primarily focused on the emotional dislocation of Du Pont and Mark Schultz, Foxcatcher brings out very strong performances from its three leads, but is burdened by its too laboured stabs at gravitas, hitting one preordained character beat after another but never managing to transform its petty rivalries into the grandiose American tragedy Miller seems to want. Sticking to the same airless tonal register throughout proves a detriment; every chilly, meticulously composed frame looks like a crime scene from the start. Sometimes unnerving, it’s too often inert. [Josh Slater-Williams]

Review

Director: Jean-Marc Vallée Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Thomas Sadowski Released: 16 Jan Certificate: 15 Jean-Marc Vallée has certainly been keeping busy, with this adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling memoir sandwiched between last year’s Dallas Buyers Club and the now in post-production Demolition. But he doesn’t appear to be spreading himself too thin; though Wild shares a lot of themes with his McConaissance-defining AIDS drama, it has an added artfulness and subtlety that serves the material well. Strayed, superbly played by Witherspoon, is a fascinating protagonist: complex and flawed, she attempts to discover herself on a mammoth hike across the treacherous Pacific Crest Trail from the US’s southernmost to northernmost border. Vallée intercuts this trip with visions of Strayed’s past in fractured, non-linear snippets as she’s prompted by the present to think back to the moments that shaped her, both good and bad. The elegant result is that we come to know Strayed almost in step with her own realisation of self; the physical element of her journey, though never less than dauntingly rendered and featuring some surprising encounters, playing second fiddle to the spiritual. An honest and insightful work. [Chris Fyvie]

FILM

t’s 2015. We’re officially living in the future. Did you know that in between Back to the Future Part II jokes, there are actually a few decent film events happening this month? The guys at Liverpool’s Philharmonic invite you to kick off your new year with an immersive cinema experience on 3 Jan with two screenings of Walt Disney’s risky passion project Fantasia. Both showings (a matinee and evening screening) will be scored live by conductor Neil Thomson and incorporate iconic excerpts from Walt’s original 1940 release and the beefed-up Fantasia 2000. A magical way to start 2015. Indie doc Beyond Clueless plays in both Liverpool and Manchester this month with two events that are equally exciting. Directed by film critic Charlie Lyne, this analytical doc delves deep into the portrayal of adolescence in cinema, taking aim at films like Mean Girls, Ginger Snaps and Jeepers Creepers and even enlisting the narrating talents of 90s teen icon Fairuza Balk to guide you through the ups and downs of teens on screen. Lyne will be on hand at Liverpool’s FACT on 19 Jan for a post-screening Q&A, while over in Manchester, The Dancehouse invites cult band Summer Camp to perform their score live during a screening on 24 Jan. All the cool kids in class will be there. Swedish alt-comedy Klovn (that’s Klown to you and me) plays at Liverpool’s Scandinavian Seamen’s Church on 26 Jan and is guaranteed to have you cringing and giggling in equal measure. Meanwhile, Manchester goes Manics-crazy on 31 Jan with Manic Street Preachers documentary No Manifesto, complete with a postscreening Q&A with director Elizabeth Marcus and producer Kurt Engfehr. Boasting footage of recording sessions, live performance and candid interviews, this is a must for fans.

Captain Scarlet

Grimm Up North’s Tim Burton season continues to keep us entertained throughout the remaining winter months with piercing fairy tale Edward Scissorhands appearing on 15 Jan and the neck-slicing Sleepy Hollow arriving by horseback on 29 Jan. Both can be found at Manchester’s Printworks. Grimm also have a treat in store for marionette nuts with This Is Supermarionation Marathon, an all-day event on 11 Jan celebrating the prolific puppetry of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson. Expect the Filmed in Supermarionation documentary plus over four hours of Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet, Stingray, Joe 90 and The Secret Service all in stunning HD and complete with retro adverts. Fancy dress encouraged, strings and all.

THE SKINNY

Wish I Was Here

Les Misérables

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Director: Zach Braff Starring: Zach Braff, Kate Hudson Released: 26 Jan Certificate: 15 How do you know when it’s time to stop chasing your dreams? In Zach Braff’s second directorial feature, this dilemma weighs heavily on Aidan (played by Braff), an out-of-work actor who relies on his wife (Hudson) to pay the bills. After learning that his father is dying of cancer, Aidan begins to seriously re-evaluate his life, while financial problems force him to home-school the kids for the rest of the semester. The biggest problem with Wish I Was Here is that it tries to do too much. Braff’s ambitions are admirable, and it’s great that he gives everyone their own arc, but there are so many themes and plot threads that the film lacks focus. Still, the former Scrubs star produces some lovely moments, and while certain elements of the picture don’t work – such as its fantasy daydream sequences – the supporting cast are always engaging. [Stephen Carty]

Draft Day

Director: Raymond Bernard Starring: Charles Vanel, Harry Baur Released: 8 Dec Certificate: PG So popular is Victor Hugo’s tale of Jean Valjean, a good-natured criminal prevented from escaping his past by obsessive police inspector Javert, that adaptations have almost become a genre in their own right. This 1934 offering suffers from neglect in favour of the following year’s Hollywood production, but is generally regarded as the most faithful take on the novel. Running over four hours, the feature can certainly afford to spend time concentrating on character development and is to be admired for its mounting sense of tragedy. Its compassionate depiction of the poverty-stricken, meanwhile, places it on a par with Jean Renoir’s humanistic The Lower Depths and the classic works of french poetic realism. There’s no getting around the overwrought narrative, but this stands as a vital distillation of early 20th-century filmmaking techniques. [Lewis Porteous]

Director: Ivan Reitman Starring: Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner Released: 26 Jan Certificate: 15

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Sonny Weaver (Costner), general manager of the Cleveland Browns, is having a tough time in this Ivan Reitman comic drama. He’s recently fired the team’s coach (his newly deceased father) and got his colleague and girlfriend (Garner) pregnant. If that wasn’t enough to deal with, it’s NFL draft day – think transfer deadline day with higher production values – and Sonny must rely on his gut instincts to save his job under the glare of team owner (Langella) and ire of the new head coach (Leary). As court cases from ex-players mount up at the NFL, it would be easy to throw up a yellow flag. And yet, though much of the dialogue is exposition, the storytelling is tighter that a tight end’s tights and Costner delivers one of his vintage underdog performances. Sports film fans will lap it up but others may struggle to keep their heads in the game. [Danny Scott]

The Boxtrolls

The Grand Seduction

Rabid

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Director: Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi Starring: Ben Kingsley, Elle Fanning Released: 26 Jan Certificate: PG An adaptation of Alan Snow’s novel Here Be Monsters!, stop-motion animation The Boxtrolls is a comedic fable set in and under a Victorian-era town whose misguided residents have obsessions concerning wealth, class and cheese. One power-hungry opportunist, pest exterminator Archibald Snatcher (Kingsley, clearly having fun), sees his ticket to high society in eradicating a group of subterranean creatures he promotes as threats to the town. In reality, these Boxtrolls (who wear cardboard boxes like turtle shells) are kind-hearted, harmless scavengers, who’ve actually been raising an orphaned human boy who begins to suspect he’s not quite like his adopted brethren. The Boxtrolls maintains the prickly charm of the Laika studio’s predecessors (Coraline, ParaNorman) and is a cute exploration of scapegoating, though it often feels like it’s been cobbled together from spare parts. Still, when those parts are dashes of Roald Dahl, Monty Python, and LucasArts adventure games it’s not much of a complaint. [Josh Slater-Williams]

Director: Don McKellar Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Taylor Kitsch Released: 5 Jan Certificate: 12 Even if you’ve not seen French-Canadian film La Grande Seduction, this English-language remake will give you déjà vu. Its sentimental plot – a fishing community hatch a plan to entice an oil company to set up shop in their village that hinges on the residents convincing a city slicker plastic surgeon to take on the position of town doctor – is essentially a crude cut-and-shut of Local Hero and Doc Hollywood. Thankfully director Don McKellar keeps the mood the right side of cloying, with the film’s gentle rhythms matched by the languorous charms of Brendan Gleeson, who plays the town’s scurrilous mayor. Even the seemingly cursed Kitsch, as the credulous MD, finds a vehicle for the easy-going charisma he showcased on Friday Night Lights. If McKellar could have just injected some of the eccentricity of his brilliant debut, Last Night, into proceedings we might have had an Ealing-esque social farce. Instead we’re left with a comedy that’s wry but prosaic. [Jamie Dunn]

Director: David Cronenberg Starring: Joe Silver, Marilyn Chambers Released: 2 Feb Certificate: 18 After the shock tactics of Shivers, Cronenberg’s next venture into body horror is more subdued, but holds up surprisingly well. When experimental surgery endows a young woman with a vampiric phallus in her armpit, she unwittingly spreads a deadly form of rabies across Montreal, turning its victims into savage rage zombies. Porn star Marilyn Chambers is terrific value as the reluctant predator, a role Cronenberg intended for Sissy Spacek, and her casting fits a pleasingly subversive undertone. While the story ultimately resists a feminist reading, many of her victims are slimeballs who get what they deserve. Despite some very dated make-up, the rabid attacks produce some memorable and shocking moments, notably when a mall Santa is machine-gunned down in front of screaming children. With that and an unforgettably grim ending, this welcome release from Arrow could be just what you need after Christmas. [Scott McKellar]

Art from Elsewhere

Transmitting Andy Warhol

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GoMA, Glasgow

Hayward Touring have two major exhibitions currently making the rounds in the UK. The first, Listening, explores the act of listening through 17 contemporary artists’ practice and opens at The Bluecoat, Liverpool, in February. The second, Art from Elsewhere, opened recently at GoMA, Glasgow, and will head to Birmingham, Walsall, Bristol, Middlesbrough and Eastbourne over the next two years. The exhibition is a result of a 2007 Art Fund scheme, Art Fund International (AFI), that created a regional consortium of museums and offered them the opportunity to spend up to one million pounds on acquiring international art. These financial leg-ups are incredibly important for regional galleries that without them would struggle to keep their collections vibrant, competitive within the art world and capable of drawing in new and repeat audiences. All of the museums and galleries involved spent five years developing their collections under the AFI scheme, and Art from Elsewhere draws these acquisitions together in a group exhibition which is packed with work. It amounts to far too much to go into detail here; this is more of a taster. GoMA’s iteration (the exhibition will metamorphose slightly as it travels), opens with a series of large paintings, photographs and film installation. Romuald Hazoumè’s two large panoramic photographs show daily life at a street market in Benin. The image seems like it could go on forever, as far as the market continues and beyond, picking up little idiosyncratic details along

January 2015

Tate Liverpool

the way. In front of the photographs, Hazoumè has installed a mobile cart taken from the actual market; its products have been replaced with items from the West: clothing, phones, and all the other unnecessarily discarded items from modern living. Opposite Hazoumè’s work a large-scale diptych of photographs from Ola Kolehmainen fills the entire wall with an abstract grey bubbling field titled Shadow of Church (2006). You are aware you are looking at a closeup of something but it is unclear exactly what: space station or bubble wrap? The surface is very seductive. It is in fact the façade of the Future Systems’ Selfridges store in Birmingham. Upstairs is far less monumental in terms of the scale of the work but light pours in from the windows and the whole gallery feels less claustrophobic. Although there is a lot of work on display, with a mixture of works on paper framed on the wall and in latrines accompanied by one of two videos and a video installation from Yang Zhenzhong, they are curated in close conversation with each other. Highlights include the placing of an ink drawing by, surprisingly, Robert Smithson – Untitled (Moth) from 1962, which is part layered narrative, part stream of consciousness – next to a film by Ana Mendieta in which a silhouette of Mendieta herself, made from gunpowder, smokes silently. One work seems sprung from the other, an afterlife or a description of extinction. [Sacha Waldron] Runs until 1 Feb www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Rather than focusing on a particular genre of Warhol’s immense output, the packed Transmitting Andy Warhol exhibition includes more than 100 works and considers the breadth of his practice. I don’t say that in a derogatory way: I’m a Museum of Everything kind of girl, stack them up and pile them high… except when I’m in the mood for a single black painting in a white room. In fact, scrap the painting, switch the light on and off. Perfect. Warhol first moved to New York in 1949 and worked as a freelance commercial illustrator for magazines such as Glamour and Harper’s Bazaar but his work and his interests began to expand. He spent the next ten years making adverts, producing album covers, screen printing famous figures, filming skyscrapers, hanging out with bright young things and covering his studios with tin foil – morphing into the spiky-haired creative powerhouse we know today. Tate Liverpool has made the complexity of his practice, the crossover between Warhol’s commercial work and perhaps what could be seen as his more ‘purist’ artistic work, into the exhibition’s strength. Walking through the galleries, there is a sense of overwhelming production. Imagery, objects, styles and interests bombard the viewer. A lot of it you don’t actually need to see (unless for the first time and then you absolutely do): Monroes, soup cans, Brillo boxes. You can buy these on a postcard in the Tate shop even when the exhibition is not on, which, of

DVD / ART

Andy Warhol - Do it Yourself (Seascape) (1962)

course, you won’t (unless you are seeing them for the first time in which case you probably will). Some of the work, however, does hold up to repeat viewings, like the immersive recreation of the 1967 Exploding Plastic Inevitable compiled from films made for the Velvet Underground. The point is to see them together, look at the dates and realise there was no real disconnect from sometimes seemingly disparate ways of working or agendas. Everything was connected. Screenprints of Chairman Mao are dated at the same time as Rolling Stones album covers and many other seemingly opposing work; purposes overlap similarly and interestingly. Visitors will flock to Transmitting Andy Warhol for the very name alone and it would be easy to dismiss this as just a blockbuster moneyspinner. In this case it isn’t so. The thematics of expanded and overlapping practice, of the commercial, rather than the misleading vision of an artistically moral alternative to the commercial or economic, are still relevant things for all of us, as artists, as writers and as viewers, to consider. All elements of our experience and output are both divided and one. [Sacha Waldron] Runs until 8 Feb www.tate.org.uk

Review

Book Highlights The local book club is on the ascent – we pick a few of the best, while events include Knausgaard and Renberg in an evening celebrating Scandinavian writing Words: Holly Rimmer-Tagoe Illustration: Lottie Pencheon

ne of life’s simplest pleasures is taking a riveting whodunit or a fantasy tale of transportation to the hearth on a cold winter’s evening. Reading is, by its very nature, a solitary activity – in a good book, we are able to escape the strains and stresses of everyday life, and temporarily experience a world of rival warring factions, complicated love affairs and the lavish parties of the Manhattan elite. But it is perhaps in the act of shared reading that a book can truly come to life. The joy of interpretation and thoughtful discussion of a particular character, novel, or poem can illuminate elements of a text that may otherwise have remained buried. The community book club is at the forefront of such debate, and provides the opportunity to read brilliant books that you may have walked past in a bookshop, share ideas and meet other local bookworms. For those of you who get excited about the prospect of a one-panel page, an extended gutter, or a dripping speech balloon, MadLab Manchester present a group solely dedicated to the discussion of graphic novels (6 Jan). Though often associated with some sort of teenage quest in masculinity, in popular and marketable comics such as Captain America and Superman, the comic form is actually hugely diverse and wideranging. Graphic novelists like Marjane Satrapi,

BOOK OF THE MONTH The Alphabet of Birds

Joe Sacco and Art Spiegelman have published provocative and challenging work that interrogates complex issues about the politics of the hijab, the West’s partial perception of the Middle East and the horrific consequences of a dictatorial state. Go along and join the comic book resurgence. Meanwhile, fans of sci-fi don’t have to look very far, as MadLab’s science fiction book club is also on offer. With university courses devoted to its study and worldwide conventions attracting thousands of fans every year, the sci-fi genre is colossally popular; expect to read books ranging from Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale to William Gibson’s Burning Chrome, all of which speak to a 21st-century concern about the tech takeover and its ramifications. Elsewhere, the regeneration of Gaskell House provides a flashback into Manchester’s renowned literary past. Elizabeth Gaskell's Book Club discusses the endurance of the Victorian novel and explores why writers like Anthony Trollope, Thomas Hardy and Oscar Wilde continue to linger in the modern imagination. Bold Street’s Leaf cafe promises the inspired blend of tea – of the gunpowder supreme, champagne cassis and fairy wings varieties – and literature. January’s book club offering is

a time-bending, genre crossover book by Claire North (a penname of the author Catherine Webb) called The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. Prepare your ideas on reincarnation, the meaning of existence, or just how you fancy a bit of time travel. Finally, for anyone who missed Manchester Literature Festival’s assortment of literary delights last year, do not fear. At Waterstones Deansgate on 22 Jan, the festival invites Norwegian novelists Karl Ove Knausgaard and Tore Renberg to an event celebrating Scandinavian writing. Much has been made of the apparent resurgence of Nordic Noir on our TV screens (see The Killing and Borgen); this evening promises a glimpse into the region’s parallel literary scene. And, on 21 Jan, FACT is hosting

Torque Symposium: An Act of Reading, an event in which writers, curators and political theorists will explore the changing landscape of reading and ask how the act of reading is being transformed by modern culture and technology. Mad Graphic Novel Group, MadLab, Manchester, Tue 6 Jan, 7pm, free Manchester SciFi Book Club, MadLab, Tue 20 Jan, 7pm, free Elizabeth Gaskell's Book Club, Elizabeth Gaskell House, Manchester, Thu 20 Jan, 2pm, free (standard admission charges apply) Leaf Book Club, Leaf café, Liverpool, Mon 26 Jan, 7.30pm, free Karl Ove Knausgaard and Tore Renberg, Waterstones Deansgate, Manchester, Thu 22 Jan, 7pm, £6 (£4), Torque Symposium: An Act of Reading, FACT, Liverpool, Wed 21 Jan, all day, £5

Wolf Winter

In Real Life

Behind God’s Back

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By Cecilia Ekbäck

By Chris Killen

By Harri Nykänen

By S.J. Naudé

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SJ Naudé’s short story collection The Alphabet of Birds tells tales of the South African diaspora, of people hurled from home and scattered across the earth. Its characters turn up in London, Berlin and Vietnam, finding fellow countrymen and other wanderers wherever they travel in a world so globalised that the boundaries between nations and cultures have become porous to the point of near collapse. As the stories progress, identities of gender and sexuality also begin to blur as Naudé skilfully evokes a brave new world where everywhere is everywhere and nothing is as certain as it might once have been. Tenses shift just as easily in Naudé’s stories, tales of the past flow into those of the present with waves of narrative reaching back and rolling forward in one unbroken motion. It’s this reaching back that drives each story: a death in the family or some other dramatic twitch upon the thread that sends the hero hurtling back to where they’ve come from. It’s a uniquely South African spin on a universal battle: the fight to understand who you are and what your place in the world might be. For the characters of The Alphabet of Birds, the answers lie behind them. [Ross McIndoe] Out 8 Jan, published by And Other Stories, RRP £10

Rather than a translation, Cecilia Ekbäck’s debut was written in English straight off, but the rhythm can feel as if someone has tippexed out the Swedish and typed her second language straight over the top. This hybrid character is typical of the book as a whole, part murder mystery and part gothic novel set in the snowy wilderness of northern Sweden in the early 1700s. In the shadow of a foreboding mountain, bodies with strange markings start turning up and a settler woman, Maija, confronts the dark forces within her own remote community to try and get to the bottom of what has happened. Superstition and magic clash with a more everyday danger as winter sets in on the slopes of Blackåsen. As an introduction to early-18th-century sub-arctic Sweden the book paints an accurate picture, including the domination of the church and the harsh conditions in which the majority of people live. In the background lurk the Sami, always referred to with the outdated and questionable term ‘Lapps,’ with their traditions and customs unfamiliar to the incomers from the south. Whether a book set in such an atypical time and place can carry itself and the interest of the reader is another matter. Some of the descriptions of the winter landscape are perfect in this promising debut, but the book overall is undone by a language that frequently lapses into clunky Swedo-English when attempting to be literary. [Dominic Hinde]

In Real Life opens with a pro-con list devoid of positives. Killen’s second novel quickly starts to resemble something similar. Here’s Paul, a lazily assembled meta-author type. He’s a bet-hedge, a vehicle for Killen’s writerly inadequacies. The pair name-check Jonathan Franzen throughout. Paul and his fellow protagonists, Ian and Lauren, make Franzen characters seem like the sort people you’d want to get midweek cocktails with. Paul in particular is so loathsome you start to side with him against the in-real-life author who so callously birthed him. Whereas Killen’s central trio are cloying and insipid, his bit parts represent something more malign. First there’s Jamaal, an angry secondgeneration Somali youth with a bad work ethic and a dodgy record. Lauren wonders whether he might be pissed off, what with ‘the shitty state of his country.’ She Wikipedias Somalia then, like Killen, quickly loses interest. Then there’s the largely mute, alluring, noodle-eating Dalisay. She’s dispatched back to the Philippines before you can wipe the grimace from your face. Oh, and there’s a cancer reveal 30 pages from the end. Then two characters are in love because they exchanged a handful of emails ten years ago. The last six words will make you squirm. By that point it’ll be a familiar reflex. [Angus Sutherland]

A businessman gets shot on his doorstep in Helsinki one morning, and this apparently simple homicide lights up a web of connections and corruption that leads all the way to Israel. Ariel Kafka, of Helsinki’s violent crime unit, leads the investigation despite his conflicting position in the Finnish Jewish community. Not only does he know everybody, but he also shagged the dead guy’s daughter a while back. This is Nordic crime fiction at its understated end – there’s none of the gory violence you’ll find elsewhere in the genre. Nykänen is more interested in picking at the intersections of politics, religion and business, and how the lines of power all lead back to the same place. The pace is swift, and Helsinki makes for a beautiful backdrop, but there is a little too much reliance on the characters talking the plot to each other in perfunctory fashion. Kristian London’s translation captures Nykänen’s subtle humour well – in response to his brother saying ‘what a boring funeral,’ Kafka thinks, ‘Eli was right though. I had attended funerals that were more fun.’ The book is at its best like this: looking askance at the idioms and machinations of the genre. [Galen O’Hanlon] Out 15 Jan, published by Bitter Lemon Press, RRP £8.99

Out 15 Jan, published by Canongate, RRP £12.99

Out 12 Feb, published by Hodder & Stoughton, RRP £14.99

Review

BOOKS

THE SKINNY

In Good Company: Imitating the Dog They may have been around for a while, but this visually exciting company continue to attract a dedicated following with their cinematic approach to theatre. Artistic director Andrew Quick talks of their forthcoming production of The Mist in the Mirror Interview: Steve Timms n a recent episode of C4 sitcom Toast of London, the eponymous Steven Toast was ostracised by the acting fraternity for revealing the ending of creaky thriller The Moose Trap. The joke would have worked equally as well with the similarly creaky Woman in Black, now celebrating 25 years in the West End. There’s been a TV adaptation, a Daniel Radcliffe movie, and soon the inevitable sequel – can there be anybody left to see it? The news that Oldham Coliseum is staging The Mist in the Mirror – another Susan Hill adaptation - might elicit a groan rather than a cheer. However, The Mist in the Mirror promises to be a cut above the usual stage ghost story, thanks to the involvement of the innovative Imitating the Dog. ITD create their own shows (you may have caught their version of A Farewell to Arms on tour last year), and also provide video design for other companies. Clearly the Coliseum partnership is proving to be a fruitful one – Mist follows their work on The Life and Times of Mitchell and Kenyon and The Hound of the Baskervilles. A ghost story presents a particular set of challenges – particularly one featuring a main

character named Sir James Monmouth who ‘has spent his life travelling, following in the footsteps of his childhood hero, explorer Conrad Vane.’ The plot concerns Sir James’s ill-advised attempts to ‘unravel the mysteries of the past.’ A mysterious orphan boy dogs his every move. Spooky. “Ghost stories are always difficult in the theatre because it’s easy for the storytelling to fall in to cliché and parody,” explains Andrew Quick, one of ITD’s three directors. “This might be to do with the fact that cinema usually does the gothic much better than theatre – it can use effects and music and editing to really build tension and scare the audience.” Quick stresses that Ian Kershaw’s adaptation and Barney George’s set are helping to build a suitable sense of claustrophobia. “We will be creating a palate of material but we will play with this in the space with the performers. That’s how we make work and Kevin Shaw [Coliseum director] understands this and has created room for this approach, which is not usual in repertory theatre.” There isn’t much that is usual about ITD. They have something in common with Canadian genius Robert Lepage, in that they make theatre

East Is East

Manchester Opera House In 1996 Ayub Khan-Din’s East Is East first appeared on stage. Loosely based on the writer’s own experiences, the play depicts the day-to-day life of a Pakistani household in 1970s Salford. The family is comprised of George ‘Genghis’ Khan, an antagonistic patriarch and Pakistani immigrant, along with his British wife, Ella, and their multiple children. Now set to appear at the Manchester Opera House, Khan-Din’s play will prove its enduring relevance, exploring themes of ethnic identity, cultural alienation and power dynamics in an honest, warts-and-all portrayal of the experience of first- and second-generation Asian immigrants in mainstream British society. The generational rift between George and his children is as much a palpable source of tension as the play’s exploration of racial divides. While George is a strict Muslim who wishes to enforce the traditional religious values instilled by his Pakistani upbringing, his children identify more with British culture and often come into

January 2015

conflict with their father’s hard-line approach. Khan-Din isn’t entirely merciless in portraying what might be considered the literary embodiment of his own father. George’s sense of disassociation can evoke pathos: despite his longing to remain true to his roots, he has found himself the owner of a fish and chip shop with a British wife and kids who lack respect for his authority. It is particularly poignant that it is Khan-Din himself who is playing the role of George – perhaps an acknowledgement of the writer’s ability to better understand his father (if not agree with his views) as he himself has grown in age and maturity. British society has come a long way since Enoch Powell’s ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech and the depiction of casual racism within the script might feel like an alien concept to modern audiences. However, with the growing popularity of far-right political parties and the topic of immigration still at the forefront of debates, Khan-Din’s play retains a resonance that highlights an ongoing battle. [Lauren O’Hara] Runs 26-31 Jan

The Mist in the Mirror

which manages to feel both intimate and epic (check out the ITD website and marvel at their production shots). ITD initially revolved around the duo of Quick and Simon Wainwright; the arrival of Pete Brooks in 2005 signalled a development in the company’s visual language. “That’s when we really embraced the cinematic style,” says Quick. “It had existed before but with less actual technology. It’s true to say that we seem always to come to the same themes – notions of history and the past, what constitutes truth, the redemptive and destructive force of love, the power and fear of having children. And it’s interesting that The Mist in the Mirror has some of these themes. It’s a dark story.” Again, having three artistic directors is far

from usual. “We have distinct roles,” says Quick. “That said, it’s very collaborative, and decision making takes place between the three of us a great deal of the time. It works because we have been together so long.” Quick cites an eclectic list of influences, shared by all three – French cinema, pulp novels, graphic novels, and the biographies of tyrants and war criminals. “We’re a bit like magpies,” he says, “stealing what catches our eye.” After an ITD show, normal theatre seems slightly dull by comparison. Imagine what they could do with The Moose Trap. The Mist in the Mirror, Oldham Coliseum Theatre, 30 Jan – 21 Feb

Photo: Marc Brenner

Edward Scissorhands

It has been almost a decade since renowned choreographer Matthew Bourne – with Burton’s full consent – transformed the film into three To this day, Edward Scissorhands remains the hours of contemporary dance, and January marks film closest to Tim Burton’s heart. Conceived the beginning of a fresh UK tour. Famed for his during Burton’s teenage years, Scissorhands was all-male Swan Lake, Bourne has been causing a a reflective response to the director’s personal stir in the world of dance for over twenty years feelings of isolation in a town that struggled to and his take on Burton’s Scissorhands has proved accept his eccentricities. It is also the film that no exception. marks the beginning of a long and fruitful collaboOutfitted with new choreography and ration/friendship with Johnny Depp, the godfabreathtaking design courtesy of Lez Brotherston ther to both of Burton’s children. (to gaze on his pastel-coloured suburbia is alone Like most of Burton’s work, the narrative is worth the ticket price), the production opened weird and wonderful in equal measure. A gothic in London’s Sadler’s Wells last month to rave fairytale which depicts a man with scissors reviews. Ballet aficionados will spot references where he should have hands, the story is frightto Mayerling, Coppelia, and Petrushka, and there eningly beautiful. Dubbed Edward Scissorhands, is, of course, plenty of classic Bourne to sink your the man lives alone until a kindly woman invites teeth into; and yet, at the heart of the dance, him to join her family, where Edward proves him- Scissorhands remains a tragic love story – and who can’t relate to that? [Alecia Marshall] self a dab hand – cough – at hairdressing, hedge shearing and ice sculpting. But can a man with Runs 27-31 Jan scissors for hands survive in 1950s suburbia? Liverpool Empire Theatre

THEATRE

Preview

Manchester Music Fri 02 Jan THE BIG EASY

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–00:30, £5

Swing quintet, playing all the classics from Louis Prima to Nina Simone.

Sat 03 Jan

NIGHT & DAY’S LOCAL SHOWCASE (PATAWAWA + ASK MY BULL + GEORGE TRE DEAN + JAMES SULLIVAN) NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–22:30, £5

Live music showcase, giving a stage to local up-and-coming performers. THE HALLÉ (A VIENNESE CELEBRATION)

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 15:00–17:30, FROM £17

The Hallé’s new year schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon. DANA ALI BAND

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–00:30, £5

Neo-soul group formed by husband and wife duo Dave Hewitt and Dana Ali.

Tue 06 Jan PHILIP HIGHAM

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 13:10–14:10, £9.50 (£7.50)

Part of the Manchester Mid-day Concerts Society. THE DIRTY BOMB

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Newly formed three-piece instrumental funk outfit.

Wed 07 Jan BLIND MONK TRIO

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

RNCM CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 10:00–22:30, PRICES VARY

A host of events take place over three days as renowned artists from the world over come together to celebrate the art of chamber music. More details at rncm.ac.uk. J MASCIS

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:00–22:30, £15

The Dinosaur Jr front man goes it alone in support of acoustic solo album Tied to a Star, out on Sub Pop.

Sun 11 Jan

JOHANN STRAUSS GALA

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 15:00–17:30, FROM £14.50

Raymond Gubbay’s classic of music, laughter and dance, helmed by Rainer Hersch. RNCM CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 10:00–22:00, PRICES VARY

A host of events take place over three days as renowned artists from the world over come together to celebrate the art of chamber music. More details at rncm.ac.uk.

Tue 13 Jan STARS

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:15, £10

The Montreal indie-popsters return to showcase a more upbeat and mature sound. THE SUNSHINE TRIO

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:30, FREE

Powerful trio playing a heady mixture of jazz, blues, funk and soul.

Wed 14 Jan THE BLUES DUO

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Three Northwest musicians putting a fresh spin on the classic, chordless jazz trio format.

Tommy Allen and Johnny Hewitt unite blues guitar and harp to represent the music and soul of the 40’s and 50’s blues era.

INTERNATIONAL ANTHONY BURGESS FOUNDATION, 18:00–19:00, £10 (£8)

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £22.50

PSAPPHA

Contemporary classical music group Psappha present a series of concerts with the International Anthony Burgess Foundation in which music takes inspiration from words. PSAPPHA

INTERNATIONAL ANTHONY BURGESS FOUNDATION, 20:00–21:00, £10 (£8)

Contemporary classical music group Psappha present a series of concerts with the International Anthony Burgess Foundation in which music takes inspiration from words.

AARON CARTER

You know the fella, younger brother of Backstreet Boys Nick, child pop star turned adult pop not-quite-star. THE NAVARRA QUARTET

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 13:10–14:10, £9.50 (£7.50)

Part of the Manchester Mid-day Concerts Society. RUTH MOODY

CHORLTON IRISH CLUB, 19:30–23:00, £12

The Australian-born two-time Juno Award singer-songwriter comes to Manchester as part of several select UK dates.

Thu 08 Jan

Thu 15 Jan

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 13:15–14:15, FREE

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

RNCM CONCERT ORCHESTRA

The in-house orchestra perform some classical selections. THE BIGSBY BROTHERS

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Four-piece quartet fond of going full swing.

Fri 09 Jan

RNCM CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 10:00–22:30, PRICES VARY

A host of events take place over three days as renowned artists from the world over come together to celebrate the art of chamber music. More details at rncm.ac.uk. THE JUGGERNAUT LOVE BAND

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–00:30, £5

Aiming to bring love to a nation under the control of some seriously unfunky dudes, The Juggernaut Love Band have been tearing up the North East music scene since 2009 and bring the love to Manc. MAYFLOWER

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–22:30, £TBC

Four-piece indie group from Manchester playing ahead of the release of their first batch of demos.

Sat 10 Jan KYLA BROX

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

UK-based blues and soul singer/ songwriter, redefining her sound as a duo performance, joined by Danny Blomeley on guitar.

Listings

ZOE GILBY

The popular Newcastle jazz singer accompanied by her swinging quartet. THE HALLÉ

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11

The Hallé’s new year schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon. RNCM CONCERT ORCHESTRA

OEDIPUS MINGUS MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

Septet performing classical and original arrangements in the style of Charles Mingus, led by the bassist, Jon Thorne. THE VISITORS

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £7

Four-piece indie rock bunch from Oldham. TOMMY EMMANUEL

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, £21

Australian fingerstyle guitarist conjuring a whole band’s worth of sounds on just ten fingers. JENNY HEPTON

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:00, £10

The Hertfordshire-based singersongwriter makes a return to the region of her childhood to play a debut headline show.

Sat 17 Jan

FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND

GORILLA, 18:00–22:00, £16.50

The Welsh emo stalwarts take to the road armed with their new album, Chapter and Verse, which finds ‘em on particularly fine form. ALEX GOOT

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £10.50

Young NYC singer/songwriter known for his pop covers, who also plays piano, guitar and drums. CONQUER RIO

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £7

Warrington’s pop rock five-piece tour their début EP, Why We Fall. CHARLIE COOPER & THE CC’S

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

The vocalist returns with her eight-piece band.

BBC PHILHARMONIC (GERHARD + TAKEMITSU + DEBUSSY + RODRIGO + MORE) BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £10

The BBC Philharmonic’s new year schedule sees Auntie’s finest orchestra explore classical mainstays and more leftfield compositions. THE KATONA TWINS

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 13:00–15:00, £12 (£10)

The acclaimed duo perform works by Handel, De Falla and Albeniz as well as some original compositions. THE ALYSON LIVESEY ACADEMY OF DANCE AND DRAMA: 25

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £13.50

The Academy’s 25 looks back on a quarter of a century of dance tuition in the only way they know how – by dancing.

CRUSHED BEAKS (WEIRDS + FEHM)

KRAAK, 19:30–22:30, £4

Noisy pop trio on Matilda Records set out on tour.

Sun 18 Jan

THE ALYSON LIVESEY ACADEMY OF DANCE AND DRAMA: 25

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 14:30–17:00, £13.50

The Academy’s 25 looks back on a quarter of a century of dance tuition in the only way they know how – by dancing.

AMATEUR DRIVE BY (HIGH ANTHEM + YOU KNOW THE DRILL)

KRAAK, 19:30–22:30, £6

The in-house orchestra perform some classical selections.

An evening of pop punk fun fronted by the the long-running Gloucestershire four-piece, reformed in 2011.

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £TBC

Mon 19 Jan

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 13:15–14:15, FREE

GORGEOUS BULLY (JAWW + HER’S)

Noisey local garage rock types play their first show of the new year. SARAH JANE MORRIS

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £10

Famed for her association with the Communards in the mid-80’s, Morris is on the solo trail and presents songs from new album Bloody Rain.

Fri 16 Jan DIE ANTWOORD

ALBERT HALL, 19:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

South African zef rap-meets-rave group consisting of Ninja, Yo-Landi Vi$$er and DJ Hi-Tek (birth names, natch). EXTRA LOVE

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £5

Ten-piece dub reggae bunch hailing from Manchester, serving up danceable tunes by the shed load.

FIRST AID KIT

O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £25

The Swedish folk sister duo tour in support of their latest LP, Stay Gold, joyously steeped in their trademark American woodsy folk and blues. JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE (ANDREW COMBS)

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, £15

Nashville singer/songwriter (and, yes, son of Steve Earle) infusing his songs with a Memphis-soul sound. DANISH STRING QUARTET

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £25

The quartet perform selections from Mendelssohn, Shostakovich and Beethoven. JAMES VECK-GILODI

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £10

The Deaf Havana man goes it alone with new solo material on the way.

Tue 20 Jan

THE BOOGIE WILLIAMS TRIO GRANDE

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Boogie Williams is joined by Alan ‘The Hat’ Whitham on bass and Richard young on drums, playing soul jazz, boogie and 60s groove. SLIPKNOT (KORN)

PHONES 4U ARENA, 19:00–23:00, £39.50

It’s the tour nu-metal nostalgists have all been waiting for Slipknot, supported by ruddy Korn! Get ready to burn portaloos like t’were the year 2000 (please don’t burn any portaloos). BADLANDS + ORANGE VISION

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 20:00–23:00, £4

A co-headline tour sadly not featuring the former Ozzy Osbourne-fronted rock band of the same name.

TUESDAY LIVE (PROSE + THE RAGAMUFFINS + ADORAH JOHNSON + SHELBI) LOCK 91, 20:00–01:00, £4

A host of local talent take to the stage for Lock 91’s new music night.

Wed 21 Jan ALVVAYS

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £8

Canadian indie-pop darlings still riding high on the release of their self-titled debut LP. QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT

PHONES 4U ARENA, 19:00–23:00, FROM £59

Brian May and Roger Taylor continue to fly the Queen banner, with former reality singing contest bloke Adam Lambert in on vocal duties reminding us all why they probably shouldn’t have carried on without Freddie Mercury. RNCM OPERA SCENES

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 18:00–02:00, FREE

The RNCM singers perform classic opera staples.

MAGICAL MOZART BY CANDLELIGHT

THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 19:30–22:00, FROM £19.30

An evening of classical music and song, including excerpts from Mozart’s Operas such as: The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro, Cosi fan Tutte, and many more. RIOGHNACH CONNOLLY & HENRY BOTHAM

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

Blues, jazz and swing trio, enriched by Rioghnach Connolly’s warm vocals.

Thu 22 Jan SAVE YOUR BREATH

SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £7

Fri 23 Jan

Sun 25 Jan

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–22:30, £12.50

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:00–23:00, £15

The brainchild of Tim Presley, delivering tripped out, psychedelic pop sounds.

JESSIE WARE

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 18:00–20:00, FREE

EMMY THE GREAT

More kitchen sink-style melodic storytelling from the Londonbased singer/songwriter, out celebrating the release of her new EP. MARK LANEGAN BAND

THE RITZ, 18:30–22:00, £17.50

Mr Lanegan brings his soulful baritone to bear, touring in celebration of his eighth LP, Phantom Radio. BC CAMPLIGHT

GORILLA, 19:00–22:00, £8

The Bella Union-signed songwriter completes his ascension from being down and out in Philadelphia to riding critical acclaim, for the skewed pop of new album How to Die In The North. THE WEEKS (THE APACHE RELAY)

THE RUBY LOUNGE, 19:30–23:00, £8

Alternative sludge pop five-piece hailing from Nashville, ne’er happier than on the road gigging. THE CASTAWAYS

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–00:30, £5

Macclesfield-based seven-piece band, bringing the old school sounds of the Caribbean to the stage.

BBC PHILHARMONIC (BEETHOVEN’S EGMONT)

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £10

The BBC Philharmonic’s new year schedule sees Auntie’s finest orchestra explore classical mainstays and more leftfield compositions. RNCM FESTIVAL OF BRASS

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 18:30–22:00, PRICES VARY

A host of concerts celebrating the heritage and the current state of brass music the world over. More details at rncm.ac.uk. SHANNON SAUNDERS

FALLOW CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £TBC

An 18-year-old songwriter from Swindon, Saunders has been posting videos on Youtube since she was 14 years old and has accumulated over 3.3 million views to her channel. So, err, congrats on that. OCEAAN

EAGLE INN, 20:00–23:00, £5

The mysterious Manchester-based based producer whose profile has been blown wide open with airplay from Radio 1 and praise from The Fader, returns from Europe for two special homecoming shows.

Sat 24 Jan JESSIE J

O2 APOLLO, 19:00–23:00, £32.50

Newport pop-punk five-piece currently writing their debut LP.

The feisty popstress (aka Jessica Ellen Cornish) continues on her quest for world domination.

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:30–22:30, FROM £10

ROADHOUSE, 18:00–22:00, £8

STUART MCCALLUM

The Cinematic Orchestra guitarist showcases new material, no doubt skipping between beats, electronica, classical orchestration and jazz. RNCM BRAND NEW ORCHESTRA

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–21:30, FREE

RNCM composers perform their latest work. RNCM OPERA SCENES

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 18:00–20:00, FREE

The RNCM singers perform classic opera staples. RNCM WIND ORCHESTRA

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 13:15–14:15, FREE

The in-house ensemble perform some classical selections. MEGSON

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £12

BETHAN LEADLEY

Teen singer/songwriter and YouTube big hitter, out celebrating the release of her new EP. AN EVENING WITH MATT GOSS

THE RITZ, 19:00–22:00, £55

The tuxedo-clad crooner in debt to the classic Vegas lounge shows of yesteryear – with the ticket prices to boot. UNLIMITED VOICES: THE NO. 1 CONCERT

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £10

A choir-led celebration of songs that’ve hit the number one spot in the charts over the last 50 years. RNCM FESTIVAL OF BRASS

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 10:30–22:00, PRICES VARY

A host of concerts celebrating the heritage and the current state of brass music the world over. More details at rncm.ac.uk. CUBA VIDA

The three-times nominated BBC Radio 2 Folk Award duo bring their luscious sounds to the RNCM.

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

SOLSTAFIR

EMU

Sax quartet fusing jazz, electronic, groove and dance music with Indian and Eastern European influences. DR SYNTAX + PETE CANNON

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–22:15, £7

The Banbury hip-hop artist brings his collaborative album Killer Combo! With producer Pete Cannon to the live stage.

A mixture of Latin, jazz, funk, reggae and salsa. THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 18:30–22:30, £12.50

Icelandic metal group formed in 1995 and now five albums into their ear-destroying career. BEYOND CLUELESS

THE DANCEHOUSE, 19:15–22:00, £10

Scored live by acclaimed pop duo Summer Camp, Beyond Clueless is a journey into the mind, body and soul of the teen movie, as seen through the eyes of over 200 modern coming-of-age classics.

AMON AMARTH

Swedish death metallers of the long-haired and melodic variety.

MANCHESTER ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

The SBTRKT collaborator continues to tour in support of her 2014 top 10 record Tough Love. THE BARR BROTHERS

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:30–22:30, £10

Experimental folk ensemble formed by brothers Brad and Andrew Barr, who taught themselves how to play – at first on cardboard boxes and home-strung imitation guitars, then on actual, zebrastriped electric guitars and drums. ACOUSTIC BHUNA (CAHALEN MORRISON + ELI WEST)

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £10

Genius pairing of live music with home-made curry, making for a relaxed sorta Sunday.

QUATUOR DANEL EVENING CONCERT

MARTIN HARRIS CENTRE FOR MUSIC AND DRAMA, 19:30–21:30, £14 (£9)

The quartet perform Onslow, Schumann and Shostakovich. NILS LOFGREN

THE LOWRY: LYRIC THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, FROM £29.50

The long-time member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band brings his own show to the Northwest. RNCM FESTIVAL OF BRASS

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 11:00–20:00, PRICES VARY

A host of concerts celebrating the heritage and the current state of brass music the world over. More details at rncm.ac.uk.

Mon 26 Jan JD MCPHERSON

BAND ON THE WALL, 20:00–22:30, £SOLD OUT

The Oklahoma-based songsmith brings his raw and visceral brand of rockabilly and r’n’b to Scottish shores. MENACE BEACH

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £7

The quite super Leeds grunge pop unit head out on their first headline tour for their debut LP, Ratworld, released on Memphis Industries.

Tue 27 Jan KING CREOSOTE

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £15

The Fife-based singer/songwriter – otherwise known as Kenny Anderson – plays a showcase of songs from his latest album, From Scotland With Love, the soundtrack to the film of the same name. MIKE HERON + TREMBLING BELLS

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £10

Original Incredible String Band member Mike Heron teams up with Glasgow’s own kings and queens of modern folk, Trembling Bells, to perform new arrangements of some ISB classics. NATHANIEL RATELIFF

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £10

Indie folk rock hard-knock from Denver, Colorado, touring with his band of spirited musicians, with his latest release, Falling Faster Than You Can Run, doing all the talking. SAMUEL C LEES

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

WHITE FENCE (ULTIMATE PAINTING)

TWEEDY

KRAAK, 20:00–22:30, £9

THE RITZ, 18:00–22:00, £25

RNCM OPERA SCENES

The RNCM singers perform classic opera staples. SING CITY WRITES SPRING 2015

BAND ON THE WALL, 19:00–22:00, FREE

Sing City presents the first under 18s night at Band On The Wall.

Thu 29 Jan GHOSTPOET

GULLIVERS, 20:00–23:00, £10

The experimental hip-hop producer plays a unique intimate show to give his new material a trial run. NENEH CHERRY

GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £12.50

The latest incarnation of Neneh Cherry’s creative force, collaborating with the London-based RocketNumberNine on a set of glorious shapeshifting grooves. THE HALLÉ (WEBER + SCHUMANN + BRAHMS) BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11

The Hallé’s new year schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon. THE DAVE LUVIN GROUP

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

The Kansas City transplant presents his reflection of living in Salford for four years, in collaboration with three Salford University music graduates. RNCM CONCERT ORCHESTRA

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 13:15–14:15, FREE

The in-house orchestra perform some classical selections. JULIAN CLEF

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 13:10–14:10, £9.50 (£7.50)

Part of the Manchester Mid-day Concerts Society. SOUND CONTROL 5TH BIRTHDAY: NORTHSIDE

SOUND CONTROL, 19:30–04:00, £10

Happy birthday Sound Control! The former music store turned venue turns five with local veterans Northside headlining. MUMS OPERA: ACIS AND GALATEA

MARTIN HARRIS CENTRE FOR MUSIC AND DRAMA, 19:30–22:00, FROM £3

Manchester University Music Society start the New Year with two nights of Handel&rsquo;s charming opera Acis and Galatea, telling the story of the half-divine Galatea, whose love for the shepherd Acis is threatened by the monster Polyphemus. WALTER CARROLL LUNCHTIME CONCERT SERIES : MESSIAEN QUARTET FOR THE END OF TIME

MARTIN HARRIS CENTRE FOR MUSIC AND DRAMA, 13:10–14:00, FREE

Hallé leader Lyn Fletcher is joined by Rosa Campos-Fernandez, clarinet, Simon Turner, cello, and Paul Janes, piano, for the Messiaen classic.

Fri 30 Jan CHARLIE SIMPSON

GORILLA, 18:00–22:00, £SOLD OUT

The chap fae Busted, then Fightstar, braves it acoustically alone for your general, ahem, pleasure. NAZARETH

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:30–23:00, £20

Gypsy guitar playing, emerging as one of the leaders in the UK scene, playing a blend of originals and covers of modern classics.

Dunfermline legends Nazareth pull out all the proto-metal stops. Expect no mercy.

Wed 28 Jan

SOUND CONTROL, 18:30–22:00, £10

FRANK TURNER

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 20:00–23:00, £SOLD OUT

An Independent Music Week special sees the former Million Dead man play a unique intimate solo show. KYLA BROX

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:00–00:00, FREE

UK-based blues and soul singer/ songwriter, redefining her sound as a duo performance, joined by Danny Blomeley on guitar.

THE HALLÉ (WEBER + SCHUMANN + BRAHMS) BRIDGEWATER HALL, 14:15–16:15, FROM £11

The Hallé’s new year schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon.

PIANOS BECOME THE TEETH

Baltimore rock quintet of the posthardcore variety. MANCHESTER CAMERATA (STRAVINSKY + MOZART + HAYDN +TCHAIKOVSKY) MANCHESTER CATHEDRAL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £10

The Camerata perform a selection of classic string-based compositions. TURRENTINE JONES

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £6

Organ-embellished rock ‘n’ roll trio headed by Australian guitarist Julian Neville. RNCM CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:30–22:00, £15

The in-house chamber orchestra perform some classical selections.

Tweedy – featuring your man Jeff from Wilco – play a short run of UK shows, featuring new material and acoustic takes from Wilco and Uncle Tupelo’s back catalogue. HOT BREW COLLECTIVE

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

The Collective, known for bringing M+Ps Soul Jam every month, play their own mix of soul, hip-hop and trip-hop. OCEAAN

EAGLE INN, 20:00–23:00, £5

The mysterious Manchester-based based producer whose profile has been blown wide open with airplay from Radio 1 and praise from The Fader, returns from Europe for two special homecoming shows.

Sat 31 Jan

RIFFFEST I (TROJAN HORSE + ALPHA MALE TEA PARTY + PEDRO DON KEY + DUKE MERCURY) RUBY LOUNGE, 18:30-23:00, £6 (£8.50 WEEKEND)

Two days of the gnarliest local riffs and forward-thinking prog rock. LIGHTS

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–22:30, £SOLD OUT

Canadian electro-pop songstress dirtying up her melodies with analog synths and retro electronics. FRANNY EUBANK’S THE BLUES

MATT AND PHRED’S JAZZ CLUB, 21:30–01:00, £5

A one-man blues explosion, Franny plays harmonica and sings the original Chicago blues. THE MINX

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:00–22:30, £SOLD OUT

New wave five-piece bringing down the curtain on their time together as a band. NIPSEY HUSSLE

SOUND CONTROL, 19:00–22:30, £15

American rapper hailing from Los Angeles, a fully signed up member of the Rolling Sixty Crips. BBC PHILHARMONIC (SAINTSAËNS’S ORGAN SYMPHONY)

BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £10

The BBC Philharmonic’s new year schedule sees Auntie’s finest orchestra explore classical mainstays and more leftfield compositions. JOHN WILSON PIANO SPECTACULAR III

ROYAL NORTHERN COLLEGE OF MUSIC, 19:00–22:00, FROM £17.50

RNCM legend John Wilson is joined by a host of renowned pianists including Peter Donohue, Julian Evans, John Gough and many more. BURGABOY

MANCHESTER ACADEMY 3, 19:30–23:00, £12

The Manchester-born producer plays a headline home show, mixing up bassline with R’n’B and house. KOSHEEN

MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY, 20:00–23:00, £17.50

They’ve been going for 15 years but are still probably best known for their 2003 SMASH (UK chart placing #7) All In My Head. TWIN WILD

THE CASTLE HOTEL, 19:30–23:00, £5

The somewhat slick looking pop rock four-piece hit the road.

MUMS OPERA: ACIS AND GALATEA

MARTIN HARRIS CENTRE FOR MUSIC AND DRAMA, 19:30–22:00, FROM £3

Manchester University Music Society start the New Year with two nights of Handel's charming opera Acis and Galatea, telling the story of the half-divine Galatea, whose love for the shepherd Acis is threatened by the monster Polyphemus.

Sun 01 Feb

RIFFFEST I (THE FIERCE & THE DEAD + CLEFT + CYRIL SNEAR + MORE) RUBY LOUNGE, 18:30-23:00, £6 (£8.50 WEEKEND)

Two days of the gnarliest local riffs and forward-thinking prog rock. ADAM COHEN

GORILLA, 19:30–23:00, £15

Montreal-born singer-songwriter, and frontman of the band Low Millions. And, yes, Leonard Cohen’s son. THE HALLÉ (WEBER + SCHUMANN + BRAHMS) BRIDGEWATER HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £11

The Hallé’s new year schedule sees the renowned orchestra go through some of the finest pieces of the classical canon.

THE SKINNY

NECK DEEP MANCHESTER ACADEMY 2, 19:00–23:00, £10.50

The European pop-punk lot tour their new LP, Wishful Thinking. AMBER RUN

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £8

Rising young Nottingham quintet of the soft folk-rock variety.

Mon 02 Feb 2:54

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 19:00–23:00, £10

London sister duo made up of lead vocalist Colette Thurlow and sister Hannah, fueled on riot girl punk with bursts of heavy riffing and the odd psychedelic meander.

Liverpool JOANNA MACGREGOR THE CAPSTONE, 19:30–22:30, £11.50 (£6.50)

The pianist presents an evening devoted to the eccentric genius of Erik Satie, godfather of Minimalism and the inventor of &lsquo;furniture music.&rsquo; MacGregor explores those who were influenced by Satie, including Cage and Stravinsky.

Thu 15 Jan PEACE

Liverpool Music Sat 03 Jan STRINGS AND THINGS

STUDIO 2, 19:30–23:45, £2

THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £SOLD OUT

Alternative indie up-and-comers who describe their sound as ‘music to fuck you in the heart’, which is nice. CLASSIC FM HALL OF FAME

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £13

Featuring classics from Shostakovich, Brahms, Elgar and more.

Stillhet Music return with their regular showcase.

Fri 16 Jan

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 14:30–17:00, FROM £7

Alternative indie up-and-comers who describe their sound as ‘music to fuck you in the heart’, which is nice.

DISNEY FANTASIA LIVE IN CONCERT

Following a series of performances at the Royal Albert Hall, Disney Fantasia takes to the road for a trio of special dates with live underscore by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra. DISNEY FANTASIA LIVE IN CONCERT

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £7

Following a series of performances at the Royal Albert Hall, Disney Fantasia takes to the road for a trio of special dates with live underscore by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.

Sun 04 Jan JOHAN STRAUSS GALA

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 14:30–17:00, FROM £17

Raymond Gubbay’s classic of music, laughter and dance, helmed by Rainer Hersch.

Mon 05 Jan L’ORCHESTRA DELL ‘ARTE

THE ATKINSON, 13:00–15:00, £10

PEACE

THE KAZIMIER, 19:30–23:00, £12.50

AARON CARTER (TIM SCHOU)

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £18

You know the fella, younger brother of Backstreet Boys Nick, child pop star turned adult pop not-quite-star. NILS LOFGREN

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 20:00–22:00, £34.50 (£28.50)

The long-time member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band brings his own show to the Northwest.

Sat 17 Jan PAUL CARRACK

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, £38.50 (£28.50)

Sheffield-born singer, songwriter and former frontman of Ace, Squeeze and Mike and The Mechanics back and a-tourin’ a selection of new tracks and past hits. THE SONGBOOK SESSIONS (SARAHJANE MORRIS)

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £10

As part of their Cake and Classical series, The Atkinson host L’Orchestra dell ‘Arte, who’ll be playing some Mendelssohn.

A showcase event for new and upcoming songwriters in Liverpool and the surrounding areas.

Wed 07 Jan

LIVERPOOL EMPIRE, 19:30–22:00, FROM £27.40

KUSCHTY RYE

THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:00, £8

Heavily inspired by The Faces’ Ronnie Lane’s solo direction post-1973, Kuschty Rye takes on the same gypsy influences that Lane did 40 years ago.

Sat 10 Jan MESSIAH

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:00–22:00, FROM £17

Handle’s festive classic given the full homage by the Philharmonic. MACMANUS HOMECOMING GIG

THE LANTERN THEATRE, 18:30–22:00, £7.50

Ronan MacManus launches his new album Elephant In The Room, in a city that the London-born songwriter likes to call his second home.

Sun 11 Jan

THE GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 14:30–17:00, FROM £16.50

Guests The Jiving Lindy Hoppers perform some Glenn Miller classics, plus some Sinatra for good measure.

Mon 12 Jan

LEAGUE OF WELLDOERS NEW YEAR BENEFIT SHOW

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 14:00–16:00, £10.95 (£9.95)

A variety benefit concert featuring an array of Liverpool entertainers.

Wed 14 Jan

CLASSIC FM HALL OF FAME

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 19:30–22:00, FROM £13

Featuring classics from Shostakovich, Brahms, Elgar and more.

SOUL LEGENDS

Jaki Graham and Rose Royce star in a night of classics from the Motown city.

Sun 18 Jan

MUSIC IN THE AFTERNOON WITH STEVE MACFARLANE

STUDIO 2, 16:00–20:00, FREE

Enjoy an afternoon of music with the Liverpool-based singer/ songwriter, playing a mixture of originals and covers. JI LIU

LIVERPOOL PHILHARMONIC HALL, 18:30–21:00, £25

The acclaimed pianist plays extracts from Schubert, Beethoven, Debussy and more.

Thu 22 Jan SLIPKNOT (KORN)

ECHO ARENA, 19:00–23:00, £39.50

UNITY THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £10 (£8)

They’ve supported everyone from Martha Reeves and The Vandellas and the James Taylor Quartet to Big Country, now the soft rock six-piece get to headline one of their own.

Fri 23 Jan

LIVERPOOL ACOUSTIC LIVE (ROB JONES & ROB WHITE + RICHIE SYRETT + MONDAY BLACKBIRDS)

VIEW TWO GALLERY, 19:45–23:00, £5

Three-strong line-up headlined by the blistering folk rock sounds of Rob Jones and Rob White.

Sat 24 Jan

THE SONGBOOK SESSIONS (STE WILLIAMS + COMFORTABLE JUMPERS + MATTY & THE SHIPBUILDERS + BLAME THE WOLVES + MORE)

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £5

A showcase event for new and upcoming songwriters in Liverpool and the surrounding areas.

Sun 25 Jan SOUL4SOUL

STUDIO 2, 20:00–23:45, £4

Soul showcase night, offering a stage for Liverpool’s up-andcoming soul musicians. VIENNESE DELIGHTS

THE BRINDLEY, 15:00–17:00, £15

The Northern Chamber Orchestra present an afternoon of popular classics by the Strauss family and other Viennese masters.

Wed 28 Jan HAYSEED DIXIE

O2 ACADEMY, 19:00–23:00, £15

US novelty metal legends playing a mixture of hard rock cover versions and original compositions. MOOSE BLOOD

ARTS CLUB, 19:00–23:00, £7

Canterbury-based emo lads out on No Sleep Records.

Thu 29 Jan THE SECRET CIRCUS

STUDIO 2, 20:00–23:15, FREE

Poetry, performance art, dance, music, and Burlesque! Don't forget your feathers and top-hats.

Fri 30 Jan

INDEPENDENT MUSIC VENUE WEEK: SANKOVA + DOO DAH FARM + THE CHEAP THRILLS + THE VERDICT + PADDY CLEGG.

THE ZANZIBAR CLUB , 19:30–23:00, £5

A host of local talent drops by to help Zanzibar Club celebrate their part in Independent Venue Week. PAPERHEAD

THE SHIPPING FORECAST, 19:30–23:00, £6.50

The Nasvhille-based fuzz pop group come hotly tipped having been signed by psych label Trouble In Mind.

Manchester Clubs Fri 02 Jan TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3

Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs. FRI251

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. DJ SI FORESTERIO

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

Unity Radio’s Si Foresterio serves up a mix of funk, soul, disco and classic hip hop. PACEMAKER

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Monthly rock’n’roll club night hosted by Two Weeks Running. STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house. JACOB COID

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

Black Dog Ballroom’s latest resident.

Sat 03 Jan FUNKADEMIA

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5

Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective. CLINT BOON

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. FRIENDS IN COMMON

ECHO ARENA, 19:00–23:00, FROM £27.50

RAJEEB CHAKRABORTY + KOUSIC SEN

THE CAPSTONE, 13:00–15:00, FREE

World renowned sarod maestro Rajeeb Chakraborty performs a programme of beautiful north Indian ragas, accompanied by Kousic Sen on tabla.

Sun 01 Feb RAE MORRIS

THE KAZIMIER, 19:00–22:30, £11

Young Blackpool singer/songwriter singing mostly about love ‘n’ stuff, as you do. STRINGS AND THINGS

STUDIO 2, 19:30–23:45, £2

Stillhet Music return with their regular showcase.

Mon 02 Feb

THE LIVERPOOL STRING QUARTET

THE ATKINSON, 13:00–15:00, £10

The quartet play some Dvorak and Mozart as part of the Cake and Classical series.

LIGHT BOXX

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

A recent addition to the Black Dog DJ roster. Swindells cuts and scratches your favourite hip hop beats and funky grooves until the early hours! TIM WHITE

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

The Black Dog Ballroom resident spans the genres until the early hours.

Mon 05 Jan REMAKE REMODEL

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–03:00, £4

A night of alternative rock’n’roll shenanigans.

Thu 08 Jan F//CK

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)

Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms. CACTUS DJS

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

CactusMCR DJs delve into their collections to serve up some audio yet untold, with a mish mash of genres taking over the bar area. STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

FUNKADEMIA

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5

A night of alternative rock’n’roll shenanigans.

MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3

Tue 13 Jan

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

TOP OF THE POPS

Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs.

REMAKE REMODEL

STUDENT HOUSE

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

FRI251

The weekly student house and techno night returns to South, keeping you on the dancefloor till the early hours.

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Thu 15 Jan

Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. HIGHER GROUND

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4.50

The sounds of the 60’s from Motown to rock ‘n’ roll. DJ SI FORESTERIO

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

Unity Radio’s Si Foresterio serves up a mix of funk, soul, disco and classic hip hop. WAX SESSIONS

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

MURKAGE

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. FRIENDS IN COMMON

COMMON, 21:00–01:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Common invite their buddies to take over the decks. SWING TING

CACTUS DJS

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

STUART RICHARDS

Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by funktion one sound. BARE BONES

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4.50

Three floor club night touting indie/electro, classic rock’n’roll and punk/rock.

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

Black Dog Ballroom’s latest resident. SOUTH RESIDENTS PARTY

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £1

GOO

JUST SKANK

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, FREE

Just Skank open their doors up for free to get 2015 off to a rowdy start. WELL FUTURE

COMMON, 21:00–01:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Guest DJs on the decks, bringing you music from the past, present, and well, future. TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3

Monthly club night tribute to 90s indie – expect Pulp, Nirvana, Suede, Smashing Pumpkins, Pixies and more.

Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs.

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4.50

FUNKADEMIA

ELECTRIC JUG

Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective.

Serving up the best of the 60s, ranging from psych and ska to britpop and funk.

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three.

CLINT BOON

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. FRIENDS IN COMMON

COMMON, 21:00–01:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Common invite their buddies to take over the decks. FACTORY SATURDAYS

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by funktion one sound. XOLO LOCO

XOLO, 20:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 1AM (£3 AFTER)

The very best in pop, hip hop, funk, disco and dance courtesy of resident Jimi Suarez. NIGHT & DAY DJS (ETHER E)

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

Local resident Ether E plays a mix of funk, soul and disco. KEV SWINDELLS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

A recent addition to the Black Dog DJ roster. Swindells cuts and scratches your favourite hip hop beats and funky grooves until the early hours!

FRI251

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT

DJ SI FORESTERIO

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

Unity Radio’s Si Foresterio serves up a mix of funk, soul, disco and classic hip hop. STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house. JACOB COID

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

Black Dog Ballroom’s latest resident.

HIT & RUN VS P13 (MUMDANCE + PHOTAY + ACRE + LEADBELLY)

ANTWERP MANSION, 22:00–03:00, £TBC

The drum ‘n’ bass enthusiasts host another hard hitting night of liquid rhythm.

Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, FROM £5

DJ SI FORESTERIO

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

Unity Radio’s Si Foresterio serves up a mix of funk, soul, disco and classic hip hop. STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

SOUL GARDEN OLD SKOOL SPECIAL

BAND ON THE WALL, 22:00–03:00, FROM £6

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

Fri 16 Jan

FRI251

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT

New house and techno night by the team behind Majefa.

The very best in pop, hip hop, funk, disco and dance courtesy of resident Jimi Suarez.

ANTWERP MANSION, 23:00–03:00, £2

JACOB COID

TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3

Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs.

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house.

XOLO LOCO

The traditionally new skool soul night goes back to the classics for this one-off special.

Black Dog Ballroom’s latest resident.

The best in disco, funk, boogie and party classics.

XOLO, 20:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 1AM (£3 AFTER)

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house. JACOB COID

UPTOWN

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £3

FACTORY SATURDAYS

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house. DISCO TILL DAWN

Guest DJs on the decks, bringing you music from the past, present, and well, future.

Varied night of bass, garage, grime, hip hop and house, still with probably the best club night name in Manchester.

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms.

WELL FUTURE

COMMON, 21:00–01:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

LORD OF THE TINGS (SKANKY + EDEN + MARCX + ARCHITECT + MORE)

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)

F//CK

Fri 23 Jan

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £TBC

House, hip-hop, grime and garage from the Murkage residents.

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

CactusMCR DJs delve into their collections to serve up some audio yet untold, with a mish mash of genres taking over the bar area.

STUART RICHARDS

CLINT BOON

The Swing Ting soundboys push their street and soundsystem music into the new year.

Josh from Lucky T Jackson digs into his vinyl collection playing plenty of classic rock and soul staples.

Sat 10 Jan

KEV SWINDELLS

Sat 17 Jan Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective.

NIGHT AND DAY CAFE, 23:00–03:00, FREE

NIGHT & DAY DJS

Mon 12 Jan

Welcome to 2015! Soup Kitchen’s host of top residents help ease you into the new year with a free party to kick things off.

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–03:00, £4

COMMON, 21:00–01:00, FREE

New residency from the guys that brought you Rehab, Pout and Dyslexic. Local resident Ether E plays a mix of funk, soul and disco.

The Black Dog Ballroom resident spans the genres until the early hours.

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Mixed-bag night of nu cosmic Italio, vintage avant garde disco and lo-fi rhythmic punk funk.

South’s cabal of residents bring in the new year in style with a massive party playing the best in deep house and techno

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house.

January 2015

PUMPING IRON

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

FACTORY SATURDAYS

THE RITZ, 22:00–03:30, £4

The gangly Leeds indie-pop scamps return to the live circuit over a decade after they hit the limelight.

Fri 09 Jan

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT

THE ATKINSON, 19:30–22:30, £20

KAISER CHIEFS

Black Dog Ballroom’s latest resident.

Common invite their buddies to take over the decks.

Sat 31 Jan

The longtime British folk-rockers draw on classic songs old and new.

TIM WHITE BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

Disco Till Dawn throws another party in thrall to the groove of the 70’s disco scene, with DJs across both floors.

COMMON, 21:00–01:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by funktion one sound.

FAIRPORT CONVENTION

JACOB COID BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

WELCOME BACK TO SOUP (ANNABEL FRASER + TOM BOOGIZM + MACCA)

KEV SWINDELLS

A recent addition to the Black Dog DJ roster. Swindells cuts and scratches your favourite hip hop beats and funky grooves until the early hours! TIM WHITE

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

The Black Dog Ballroom resident spans the genres until the early hours.

Mon 19 Jan REMAKE REMODEL

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–03:00, £4

A night of alternative rock’n’roll shenanigans.

Tue 20 Jan GOLD TEETH

METRIC

SOUND CONTROL, 23:00–04:00, £5

JACOB COID

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

Black Dog Ballroom’s latest resident.

BANANA HILL (ANCHORSONG + SUMO CHIEF + AL DOBSON JR)

SOUP KITCHEN, 19:30–04:00, £TBC

The much-revered Sheffield night heads north, with a live and club takeover of Soup Kitchen. TRANSMISSION: RAM JAM (DAVID RODIGAN + SHY FX + DJ HYPE + TODDLA T + MORE)

ALBERT HALL, 21:00–04:00, £22.50

A new project from the heads behind the Warehouse Project sees Transmission come to the Albert Hall, featuring the sort of international class DJing line-up you’d expect from such lofty tastemakers.

Sat 24 Jan FUNKADEMIA

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5

Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.

Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective.

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–02:30, £4

STUDENT HOUSE

The weekly student house and techno night returns to South, keeping you on the dancefloor till the early hours.

Thu 22 Jan MURKAGE

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

House, hip-hop, grime and garage from the Murkage residents. F//CK

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)

Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms. CACTUS DJS

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

CactusMCR DJs delve into their collections to serve up some audio yet untold, with a mish mash of genres taking over the bar area. STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house. JACOB COID

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

CLINT BOON

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. FRIENDS IN COMMON

COMMON, 21:00–01:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Common invite their buddies to take over the decks. FACTORY SATURDAYS

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by funktion one sound.

PANGAEA: SPACE ODYSSEY (TOTALLY ENORMOUS EXTINCT DINOSAURS + PAUL WOOLFORD + XXXY + RIOT JAZZ + MORE)

UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER STUDENTS’ UNION, 21:00–06:00, FROM £20

Student-run festival now in its tenth year, playing host to some 50 acts spanning dub, bass, electronic, pop, house, metal and disco. THIRDEYE

JOSHUA BROOKS, 23:00–04:00, FROM £6

After a hugely successful first year, the Third Eye residents are joined by an as-yet-unannounced special guest... RUBIX / CUBE

ANTWERP MANSION, 22:00–03:00, £2

Rubix take the downstairs with a host of 80’s favourites, with Cube taking upstairs with the best of the 90’s.

Black Dog Ballroom’s latest resident.

Listings

Manchester Clubs Liverpool JAMZ MANCHESTER (P MONEY) SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, FROM £6

The ascendant UK grime MC drops in for the latest Jamz sessions. LOCA NOCHE

XOLO, 20:00–04:00, £6

The number one night for Greek students kicks off 2015 at their new home Xolo. Expect special guest DJs, live acts and the usual craziness. KEV SWINDELLS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

A recent addition to the Black Dog DJ roster. Swindells cuts and scratches your favourite hip hop beats and funky grooves until the early hours! TIM WHITE

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

The Black Dog Ballroom resident spans the genres until the early hours.

TRANSMISSION: VIVA WARRIORS (STEVE LAWLER + DERRICK CARTER + AME DETLEF + SYSTEM2 + MORE) ALBERT HALL, 21:00–04:00, FROM £20

Veteran DJ Steve Lawler brings his ViVA Warriors session to Albert Hall as part of the Transmission spring club programme.

Mon 26 Jan REMAKE REMODEL

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–03:00, £4

A night of alternative rock’n’roll shenanigans.

Tue 27 Jan GOLD TEETH

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 22:00–03:00, £4.50

THE TIME MACHINE (MARK XTC + SLIPMATT + RATPACK + MARK ARCHER + DJ PETER ORME) THE RITZ, 22:30–03:30, £13

The first in a series of irregular events showcasing the best old skool DJs from around the UK and Europe. WELL FUTURE

COMMON, 21:00–01:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Guest DJs on the decks, bringing you music from the past, present, and well, future. TOP OF THE POPS

MINT LOUNGE, 22:00–04:00, £3

Get your weekend off to a great start with this healthy mix of dancefloor fillers and guilty pleasures served up by residents and guest DJs. FRI251

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Student Friday-nighter, with mashups in room one, indie, funk and Motown in room two, and electro house in room three. DJ SI FORESTERIO

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

Unity Radio’s Si Foresterio serves up a mix of funk, soul, disco and classic hip hop. STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house. JACOB COID

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

Legendary weekly mixed-bag night, often invites use of the term ‘carnage’.

Black Dog Ballroom’s latest resident.

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

The best in bass heavy house music.

STUDENT HOUSE

The weekly student house and techno night returns to South, keeping you on the dancefloor till the early hours.

Wed 28 Jan

HIT & RUN 8TH BIRTHDAY

ANTWERP MANSION, 22:00–03:00, £TBC

The drum ‘n’ bass enthusiasts celebrate an incredible eight years mangling minds and bodies. Line-up TBC.

Thu 29 Jan MURKAGE

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £3

House, hip-hop, grime and garage from the Murkage residents. F//CK

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, 99P BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£5 AFTER)

RUM & BASS 2ND BIRTHDAY

ANTWERP MANSION, 22:00–03:00, £4

EL DIABLOS SOCIAL CLUB

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, FROM £4

The best in Adriatic boogie beats from the much-loved Manchester club staple. CODED RHYTHM END OF EXAMS BASH (KARMA KID)

ULTIMATE ANTHEMS THE RUBY LOUNGE, 22:30–03:00, £6

The sister of Ultimate Power with more of the same classic pop and rock ballads. XOLO LOCO

XOLO, 20:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 1AM (£3 AFTER)

The very best in pop, hip hop, funk, disco and dance courtesy of resident Jimi Suarez. MAJEFA: HENRY SAIZ

SOUND CONTROL, 22:00–04:00, £15

The first Majefa of the year sees Henry Saiz drop in for a three-hour extended DJ set.

VOID: MACKY GEE + DOMINATOR + JAYDAN

JOSHUA BROOKS, 22:00–04:00, FROM £7

Sinister Records present the second in their Void series, with G13 Records spinner Macky Gee heading up the bill. KEV SWINDELLS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

A recent addition to the Black Dog DJ roster. Swindells cuts and scratches your favourite hip hop beats and funky grooves until the early hours! TIM WHITE

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

The Black Dog Ballroom resident spans the genres until the early hours. TRANSMISSION: CUFF

ALBERT HALL, 21:00–04:00, FROM £22.50

Cuff Records label bosses Anime Edge and Dance headline this showcase night as part of Transmission.

Mon 02 Feb REMAKE REMODEL

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–03:00, £4

A night of alternative rock’n’roll shenanigans.

Liverpool Clubs

XOLO, 23:00–04:00, FROM £6

Coded Rhythm help the students celebrate the end of their exams and offer a brief respite before term time starts up again.

TRANSMISSION: DRUMCODE (ADAM BEYER + SCUBA + DENSE & PIKA + ALAN FITZPATRICK)

ALBERT HALL, 21:00–04:00, FROM £25

Adam Beyer, Scuba and Dense Pika are among the selectors for the latest Transmission event.

Fri 02 Jan TREND FRIDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house. THE AFTERPARTY

BOUTIQUE, 00:00–06:00, £TBC

New after hours party from the Boutique team for those of you who never want the night to end.

Student Thursday-nighter, with resident DJs Steve Davies, Bill Murray’s Rock n Soul club, and Nicola Bear serving up anything from retro classics to electro mash ups across three rooms.

Sat 31 Jan

WALRUS, 20:30–01:00, FREE

Mancunian nightclub institution, delivering a chronological history of soul on a weekly basis, courtesy of their DJ collective.

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes.

SOUTH, 23:00–04:00, £5

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

CACTUS DJS

CactusMCR DJs delve into their collections to serve up some audio yet untold, with a mish mash of genres taking over the bar area. STUART RICHARDS

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NWS, 22:00–04:00, FREE

High Jinx resident Stuart Richards brings his trademark style to the bar every Thursday, offering a night of disco, funk and house. JACOB COID

BLACK DOG BALLROOM NQ, 22:00–04:00, FREE BEFORE 11PM

Black Dog Ballroom’s latest resident.

SOUND CONTROL 5TH BIRTHDAY: AFTERSHOW

SOUND CONTROL, 22:30–04:00, £3

A three-floor party featuring Sound Control favourites including Drop The Mustard, Gareth Brooks, Lowdown, Bassface and more.

Fri 30 Jan HORSE MEAT DISCO

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, FROM £8

Horse Meat Disco return to Manchester for a special one-off at the Deaf Institute – they’ll be causing more mischief and disco mayhem and we’ll do the boogieing.

Listings

POP

THE DEAF INSTITUTE, 23:00–03:00, £4.50

The biggest hits from the last 40 years of popular music. FUNKADEMIA

MINT LOUNGE, 22:30–04:00, £5

CLINT BOON

Mixed-bag night from local DJ ledge Clint Boon. FRIENDS IN COMMON

COMMON, 21:00–01:00, FREE (£2 AFTER 10PM)

Common invite their buddies to take over the decks. FACTORY SATURDAYS

FACTORY 251, 22:30–04:00, £2 BEFORE MIDNIGHT

Three rooms of commercial dance, indie and deep house, powered by funktion one sound. YOU DIG?!

SOUP KITCHEN, 23:00–04:00, £3

Funky music for funky people.

CRAIG CHARLES FUNK ‘N’ SOUL CLUB (HANNAH WILLIAMS & THE TASTEMAKERS)

BAND ON THE WALL, 21:00–03:00, FROM £14

DJ and actor Craig Charles will be manning the decks until 3am, playing his picks of funk and soul, with an array of guest spinners and live acts joining him.

AMBUSH!

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club.

Sat 03 Jan RAGE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–06:00, £3

PURE SATURDAYS

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Thu 08 Jan TIME SQUARE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–04:00, £2

Staple student night with a mix of music across the three floors (think: rock, indie, alternative, dance and a sprinkling of cheese). GOSSIP

Fri 09 Jan TREND FRIDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house. THE AFTERPARTY

BOUTIQUE, 00:00–06:00, £TBC

New after hours party from the Boutique team for those of you who never want the night to end. AMBUSH!

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club. RAWKUS

ARTS CLUB, 23:00–04:00, £3 BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£4 AFTER)

Liverpool’s biggest pop-punk, hardcore and alternative party.

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.

GOSSIP

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights. SUPER RAD

BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

A night of classic rad sounds spanning indie, rock, crunk and disco, with free gin and juice for the first 100 guests. VIBE THURSDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

Fri 23 Jan

BEDLAM

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie. PURE SATURDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Mon 12 Jan UNIBAR MONDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

The self-proclaimed longest running student night in Liverpool.

Thu 15 Jan TIME SQUARE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–04:00, £2

Staple student night with a mix of music across the three floors (think: rock, indie, alternative, dance and a sprinkling of cheese). GOSSIP

VIBE THURSDAYS

New after hours party from the Boutique team for those of you who never want the night to end.

AMBUSH!

RAWKUS

ARTS CLUB, 23:00–04:00, £3 BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£4 AFTER)

Liverpool’s biggest pop-punk, hardcore and alternative party.

RUSSIAN STATE BALLET OF SIBERIA: THE NUTCRACKER

4 JAN, 5 JAN, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

RAGE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–06:00, £3

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes. BEDLAM

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

PURE SATURDAYS

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Mon 26 Jan UNIBAR MONDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

TIME SQUARE

Staple student night with a mix of music across the three floors (think: rock, indie, alternative, dance and a sprinkling of cheese). GOSSIP

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights. SUPER RAD

BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

A night of classic rad sounds spanning indie, rock, crunk and disco, with free gin and juice for the first 100 guests.

WHAT HAPPENS TO THE HOPE AT THE END OF THE EVENING

A story about this evening, one evening and every evening, as two men meet in the middle of their lives, and at the outer edges of their friendship.

Number One First Street JB SHORTS

12-14 JAN, TIMES VARY, £10 (£8)

JB Shorts returns with another evening of four fifteen minute plays, by some of Manchester’s top comedy and drama writers; Justin Moorhouse, Jane McNulty and David Isaac plus a collaboration from JB regulars, Peter Kerry & James Quinn. Part of Re:Play. WAR STORIES

12-14 JAN, TIMES VARY, £10 (£8)

Elsie is an Australian nurse who wants to be a part of the war, setting out on a journey to find her brothers serving in the Australian army, meeting Bernard, a journalist-cum-soldier from Manchester slowly recovering from battle. Part of Re:Play. THE DUM WAITER

15-16 JAN, TIMES VARY, £10 (£8)

Ransack Theatre present their critically-acclaimed dark comedy adaptation of the Pinter classic. Part of Re:Play. SPUR OF THE MOMENT

15-17 JAN, TIMES VARY, £10 (£8)

Delilah seeks escape from her parents struggles to adapt to an affair, a redundancy, in new student lodger Daniel. Part of Re:Play. COLDER THAN HERE

17-20 JAN, NOT 18, TIMES VARY, £10 (£8)

Sat 17 Jan

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.

A family face up to the future with the impending death of their daughter Myra. Part of Re:Play.

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–06:00, £3

Fri 30 Jan

20-22 JAN, TIMES VARY, £10 (£8)

RAGE

BEDLAM

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie. PURE SATURDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Mon 19 Jan UNIBAR MONDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

The self-proclaimed longest running student night in Liverpool.

A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE

15 JAN – 10 FEB, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FROM £10

David Thacker brings Arthur Miller’s tale set in 50s New York in an Italian-American community of Red Hook to the stage, untangling the complex family ties and culture clashes as Marco and Rodolpho come crashing into Eddie's world. ALICE IN WONDERLAND

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 2 AND 10 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £23

‘But I don’t want to go among mad people…’ An adaptation of Lewis Caroll’s classic novel is brought to life in with rebellious, energetic and contemporary enchantment.

VIBE THURSDAYS

TREND FRIDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house. CLAP! CLAP!

CONSTELLATIONS, 21:30-03:00, £6

The Gilles Peterson-championed producer brings his amalgamation of footwork, juke, house and African folk samples to Liverpool. THE AFTERPARTY

BOUTIQUE, 00:00–06:00, £TBC

New after hours party from the Boutique team for those of you who never want the night to end. AMBUSH!

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club.

TUESDAYS AT TESCOS

Emmanuel Darley's monologue as translated by Matthew Hurt, exploring the relationship between transgenger Pauline and her father as they take a weekly trip to the supermarket. Part of Re:Play. AN EVENING OF FILTH AND DESPAIR

22-24 JAN, TIMES VARY, £10 (£8)

Written and performed by Jenny May Morgan, An Evening of Filth and Despair sees aspiring erotica author Pamela DeMenthe attempt to promote her latest release, Sticky Digits. Part of Re:Play. THE TONGUE TWISTER

The King’s Arms PEACEFUL

18-19 JAN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, FREE

Based on the real-life tale of Sarah Winchester, the woman responsible for San Jose’s infamous Winchester Mystery House. Part of Play-4-Free Festival.

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED)

20-22 JAN, 7:00PM – 9:00PM, £5

Sort of like a Reduced Shakespeare Company thing, with three actors piling through the Bard’s entire works in just a couple of hours. I’LL HAVE A PINT

6–8 JAN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, FREE

Part of Play-4-Free Festival, Rob goes on a journey down South amidst having a meltdown. TUXEDO WARRIOR

15–17 JAN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, FREE

The true story of Cliff Twemlow, the king of Manchester exploitation films. Part of Play-4-Free Festival. WELCOME TO HUNK BEACH

15–17 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

SPAMALOT

New sketch group Beach Hunks present a new theatre piece, having enjoyed success at Edinburgh Fringe. Part of Play-4-Free Festival.

15–24 JAN, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

25–26 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

Opera House

2-4 JAN, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Sat 24 Jan

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–04:00, £2

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

Smoonth RnB and urban floor fillers.

Octagon Theatre

29 JAN, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £15 (£10)

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club.

PURE SATURDAYS

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

In 1887, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show came to Salford. Two Spirits, follows the journey of three Sioux Warriors performing in the industrial north of England, as they try to make sense of the white man’s world. Part of Re:Play.

Contact

Liverpool’s biggest pop-punk, hardcore and alternative party.

Thu 29 Jan

BOUTIQUE, 00:00–06:00, £TBC

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie.

24 JAN, 6PM, £10 (£8)

RAWKUS

Fri 16 Jan

New after hours party from the Boutique team for those of you who never want the night to end.

BEDLAM

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

TWO SPIRITS

ARTS CLUB, 23:00–04:00, £3 BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£4 AFTER)

Friday night capers at Liverpool’s gnarliest rock club.

The self-proclaimed longest running student night in Liverpool.

THE AFTERPARTY

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes.

Manchester

Classic Monty Python tale telling the story of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Cue beautiful showgirls, cows and killer rabbits.

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £TBC

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.

RAGE

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–06:00, £3

Theatre

The Russian State Ballet of Siberia’s retelling of Tchaikovsky’s dance classic, ripe for the festive season with its dreamlike narrative and magical journey of discovery.

AMBUSH!

R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers. TREND FRIDAYS

Sat 31 Jan

Bridgewater Hall

THE AFTERPARTY

CAMEL CLUB, 22:30–04:00, £TBC

A night of classic rad sounds spanning indie, rock, crunk and disco, with free gin and juice for the first 100 guests.

The veteran DJ and one half of Masters at Work drops in for the latest marathon Hustle session.

BOUTIQUE, 00:00–06:00, £TBC

BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

SUPER RAD

KENNY DOPE

THE MAGNET , 20:00–08:00, £17

Everything from R ‘n’ B to old skool garage, hip-hop and deep house.

CAMEL CLUB, 21:00–04:00, £2 (£3 AFTER 12:30AM)

Extravagant and flamboyant club night complete with resident entertainers, including Foxy Grunt and Barbie.

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

Liverpool’s biggest pop-punk, hardcore and alternative party.

Manchester Theatre

TREND FRIDAYS

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights.

SUPER RAD

VIBE THURSDAYS

Staple student night with a mix of music across the three floors (think: rock, indie, alternative, dance and a sprinkling of cheese).

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–06:00, £3

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes.

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £10 (£5 AFTER 2AM)

A night of classic rad sounds spanning indie, rock, crunk and disco, with free gin and juice for the first 100 guests.

THE KRAZY HOUSE, 22:00–04:00, £2

R’n’b, hip-hop and urban floorfillers.

RAGE

Mixed-bag night spread out over all three floors, serving up indie, rock, alternative and dance tunes.

BUMPER, 22:00–05:00, FREE (BEFORE 11PM)

TIME SQUARE

Sat 10 Jan

GARLANDS, 22:00–04:00, £4

Student night with 5 rooms of music spread over 2 floors and occasional theme nights.

Thu 22 Jan

RAWKUS ARTS CLUB, 23:00–04:00, £3 BEFORE MIDNIGHT (£4 AFTER)

SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS

THE DISSOLUTION OF PERCY

Exploring the slow movement of gender politics from the 19th century to the present day, The Dissolution of Percy focuses on the lust of one man for a married woman. Part of Play-4-Free Festival. FLOAT

Polka Dot Pantomimes present their take on the classic fairytale, with Kim Woodburn and Melissa Wells among the stars performing.

27 JAN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, FREE

9 JAN, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £24.90

28–29 JAN, 7:30PM – 9:30PM, FREE

EAST IS EAST

28–30 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL PARADISE

A new rock ‘n’ roll show that does exactly what it says on the tin. There’s no plot, no storyline, simply a rock ‘n’ roll show where the music plays the leading role. 26–31 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £19.40

Starring multi award-winning stage and screen star Jane Horrocks as Ella, East Is East is transformed onto the stage, the modern comedy classic dealing with the issues surrounding growing up in multiracial England.

Palace Theatre THE LION KING

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 17 JAN AND 22 FEB, TIMES VARY, FROM £20

Stage adaptation of the favourited Disney film, bolstered by suitably dazzling staging and elaborate costumes, masks and puppets. Matinee performances also available. SHREK THE MUSICAL

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 2-11 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £19.50

Two interweaving tales split between reality and fairytale, as part of Play-4-Free Festival. BLOODLETTING

A look into the possible future where the divide between rich and poor has grown even larger in the UK. Part of Play-4Free Festival. MATCHSTICK MODELS

Drama about a new prison inmate who finds solace in the art of matchstick model making. Part of Play-4-Free Festival. QUEEN OF HORROR

29–30 JAN, 9:00PM – 11:00PM, FREE

A dark comedy sees a ditzy journalist visit a horror writer for an interview. But is she as innocent as she appears? Part of Play-4-Free Festival.

The Lowry Studio

THE STATE VS JOHN HAYES

22 JAN, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12

A one-act psychological thriller based at Huntsville Prison, Texas in 1959 where a woman awaits Death Row. UNITED WE STAND

Set in a mythical once upon a time land, Shrek the Musical is the story of a hulking green ogre who, after being mocked and feared, retreats to an ugly swamp to exist in happy isolation before...well, you know the rest.

23-24 JAN, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12

Royal Exchange Theatre

12–13 JAN, 7:00PM – 9:00PM, FROM £6

LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS

2-31 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £14.50

Comedy rock musical written by Alan Menkin and Howard Ashman, telling the tale of a hapless florist as he raises a plant that feeds on human flesh.

The Dancehouse ALADDIN

3-4 JAN, TIMES VARY, £15 (£8)

The Dancehouse Theatre’s Family Pantomime is back! With their comedy take on some classic genie-meets lovestruck pauper shenanigans.

Townsend Productions adaptation of a real life story set around the industrial strikes of the 1970’s in the UK, and the subsequent trial of 24 workers from North Wales by the government in 1973. SIEGE & POPPADOM PREACH

Two plays by The Lowry Young Actors, one a drama about youngsters hopes and aspirations, the other an absurdist comedy.

The Lowry: Lyric Theatre ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS

13–17 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £17

Farcical comedy based on Carlo Goldoni’s The Servent Of Two Masters based around the character of loveable chancer Francis Henshall. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

19 JAN, TIMES VARY, £21

S4K present a musical version of the Bard’s classical, running the risk of making it rather less classic.

24 JAN, TIMES VARY, £7 (£5)

A family-friendly play written by Luke Walker, introducing a boy forever speaking in verse, living in a world where rhyming is banned. Part of Re:Play.

THE SKINNY

THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 2-10 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £28

Christopher has Asperger’s and he is also the lead character in a very unusual detective story. I’M SORRY I HAVEN’T A CLUE

18 JAN, TIMES VARY, @26

The BBC Radio antidote to panel games starts an all-new touring stage show/evening of inspired nonsense, with host Jack Dee keeping Barry Cryer, Graeme Garden, Tim Brooke-Taylor and Jeremy Hardy on board.

The Lowry: Quays Theatre NOODLES

16-17 JAN, TIMES VARY, £15

The surreal journey of five quirky characters and their relentless quest to re-invent their relationship with one another and the stringy food staple. PETER PAN GOES WRONG

2-11 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £16

The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society set out to present J.M. Barrie’s classic tale of Peter Pan, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong…does. ATOMOS

20–21 JAN, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, FROM £14

New work from contemporary choreographer Wayne McGregor, who questions the interface of art and science through the body and mind. SHOWSTOPPER!

24 JAN, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, FROM £15

A brand new musical comedy that’s created from scratch each night by collective The Showstoppers.

The Plaza Stockport

GIN AND CHRONIC ARTHRITIS

22 JAN, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £10

The producers of They’ve Just Nipped out for Fags return with another dark comic tale, based around a gin-drinking, ice-skating Nan.

University of Salford #HANDLESMCR

22–23 JAN, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FREE

The winner of the 2012 re:play Festival Pitch Party, Tom Mason, presents his piece exploring how we craft the best possible version of ourselves through social media, drawing on audience interactions through Twitter and Instagram.

Waterside Arts Centre ALADDIN

9–18 JAN, NOT 12, 13, TIMES VARY, £12 (£10)

Sale Nomads return with their annual pantomine! Telling the classic tale of the pauper who falls in love with a Princess and need a big ole blue (in the Disney version) genie to help him win her over. WITHERING LOOKS

21–24 JAN, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £16 (£14)

LipService present their multi award winning cult show Withering Looks, taking an “authentic” look at the lives and works of the Bronte sisters – well, two of them actually, Anne’s just popped out for a cup of sugar.

Liverpool Theatre Epstein Theatre STEPHEN WILLIAMS

30 JAN, 7:00PM – 10:00PM, £5

Theatre Liverpool

BLACK

The award-winning 20 Stories High present a conflict of values as Nikki’s dad suddenly starts laying down the law when a Zimbabwean family move in over the road from them.

Andrew Curphey Theatre Company return to the Brindley Theatre with a new production that sees an 150 plus ensemble celebrate different cultures and heritage through dance, drama and song around the globe.

2–10 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £12

30 JAN, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £20

28–31 JAN, 7:45PM – 10:30PM, FROM £12

SEX AND THE THREE DAY WEEK

Based on Georges Feydeau’s French farce L’Hôtel du Libre Échange, Stephen Sharkey’s Sex and the Three Day Week is a chaotic tale of midlife crises, mistaken identities and misfiring sexual shenanigans set in 1970s Britain.

Liverpool Empire VAMPIRES ROCK

2 FEB, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, FROM £23.90

Steve Steinman plays the undead Baron Von Rockula, owner of the Live and Let Die nightclub, as he searches for a bride and generally growls his way through some classic rock anthems. I’M SORRY I HAVEN’T A CLUE

11 JAN, 7.30PM–10PM FROM £21.50

9–10 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £16.90

A journey through the surreal world of Lewis Carroll’s timeless classic. Encounter the mad and zany characters in this original physical and musical adaptation of the Alice stories. MATTHEW BOURNE’S EDWARD SCISSORHANDS

27–31 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £16.90

The Tim Burton classic is given a resplendent makeover courtesy of renowned choreographer Matthew Bourne. And some shiny scissor hands.

Royal Court Theatre

SCOUSE OF THE ANTARCTIC

2–17 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £13

The Royal Court Christmas show is back! This year, US and Russian submarines race up to the Antarctic in a battle for recently-discovered minerals, only to discover a scouser with a bobble hat on and a student banging on about global warming. CANOEING FOR BEGINNERS

30 JAN – 28 FEB, NOT 8 FEB, 15 FEB, 22 FEB, TIMES VARY, FROM £12

Comedy capers as Frank - fed up of working just to keep his head above water - splashes out on a canoe and fakes his own death, hiding in the shed until the insurance money comes through for him and his wife Beryl.

St Helen's Theatre Royal JACK AND THE BEANSTALK

2–11 JAN, TIMES VARY, £12 (£11)

Christmas festive special of the classic children’s tale.

The Atkinson SNOW WHITE

8–18 JAN, NOT 9, 12, 13, 14, TIMES VARY,

All Souls Dramatic Club present the pantomime classic, about a fair maiden and her band of dwarfs. WHEN TROLLS TRY TO EAT YOUR GOLDFISH

Sheer sorcery from World Champion wizard Stephen Williams. If you ask us we should stick him in the Mersey to see if he’s a witch or not.

17 JAN, 2:30PM – 4:30PM, £8

Everyman Theatre

The Brindley

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD

2–17 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £12

A festive production of Little Red Riding Hood.

January 2015

AROUND THE WORLD 24 JAN, TIMES VARY, £9.50

A grotesque troll steals the entire village’s pets… who’s going to save them? A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

16 JAN, 7:00PM – 10:00PM, £10

The Neoteric Theatre provide their spin on the Shakespeare classic.

SWINGING AT THE COTTON CLUB

An homage to the Cotton Club, one of New York’s trendiest clubs in the 1920’s and 30’s, featuring music from the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington.

The Lantern Theatre THE SNOW QUEEN

2–4 JAN, 2:30PM – 5:00PM, £10.50 (£8.50)

RPO stunning’s adaptation of the bleak festive classic, with young Greda seeking to rescue her friend Kai from the icy clutches of the Snow Queen. INGLORIOUS INSINUATIONS OF INSANITY

15–16 JAN, 7:30PM – 10:00PM, £8.50 (£6.50)

A rambunctious theatrical freefall taking us on a journey through the inner workings of one man’s depraved and flirtatiously outrageous mind.

Unity Theatre

CAZ N BRITNEY PRESENT MIS LES

7–17 JAN, NOT 11, 12, TIMES VARY, £12 (£10)

Caz and Britney, stars of Scottie Road The Musical, take on Les Mis with rainbow flags hoisted high about their heads as they journey from the barricades to... who knows? RUMPLESTILTSKIN

2–10 JAN, TIMES VARY, FROM £8

A re-imagining of the classic tale perfect for Christmas. THIS LAST TEMPEST

23–24 JAN, 8:00PM – 10:00PM, £12 (£10)

Comedy

Manchester KEITH CARTER AS NIGE (MICHAEL FABRI + SOPHIE WILLAN + MC JUSTIN MOORHOUSE) THE HEATON SPORTS CLUB, 19:15–22:00, £7.50

Failed singer/musician and doomed to a life of temping, Keith Carter is now a professional character comedian, actor and writer. MICHAEL FABBRI (KEITH CARTER AS NIGE + JOHN LEBBON + MC ANDREW RYAN)

DIDSBURY CRICKET CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £7

Nominated Best Club Comic at the 2012 Chortle Awards, Fabbri performs his straight-up no fuss comedy set.

Mon 05 Jan

GEIN’S FAMILY GIFTSHOP’S BARGAIN BASEMENT

THE KING’S ARMS, 20:30–23:00, FREE

New sketches and material drawing inspiration from misery and human suffering. BEAT THE FROG

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £3

A ten-act long heckle-fest inviting a handful of amateurs to take to the stage and try to Beat the Frog, and the audience decides who stays – brutal!

Tue 06 Jan

JAMES DOWDESWELL (DAVE GREEN + SEAN MORLEY + CHRIS MCILLROY + MC TOBY HADOKE) PUB/ZOO, 19:30–22:00, £5 (£3)

XS Malarkey return with a host of rib-ticklers, headed up by James Dowdeswell - as seen on Russell Howard’s Good News, among other things.

Thu 08 Jan

LOUIS RAMEY (ANDY ASKINS + MC ROB ROUSE) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12

The Atlanta-born comedian crosses the Channel to perform in Blighty.

A sequel to Shakespeare’s The Tempest, sees Caliban and Ariel left alone on the enchanted island, as Prospero’s ship sails over the horizon and out of view...

PHILBERTO (COLIN MANFORD + DEAN MAVROS + STEVE SHANYASKI + MC TOBY HADOKE)

28–31 JAN, TIMES VARY, PRICES VARY

Fri 09 Jan

THAT’S AMORE

A fast paced, passionate and emotional piece of physical theatre which explores the vast world and culture of that thing we liked to call love.

Manchester Comedy Fri 02 Jan

ALISTAIR BARRIE (STEVE SHANYASKI + DAVE WILLIAMS + ALEX BOARDMAN + MC MANDY KNIGHT) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18

The Fringe regular and welltravelled comic headlines a strong bill.

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)

Milo McCabe’s alter ego headlines. LOUIS RAMEY (ANDY ASKINS + ROB ROUSE + DAVID LONGLEY + MC JASON COOK)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18

The Atlanta-born comedian crosses the Channel to perform in Blighty. BARREL OF LAUGHS

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

Sat 10 Jan

LOUIS RAMEY (ANDY ASKINS + ROB ROUSE + DAVID LONGLEY + MC JASON COOK)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £22

Sat 03 Jan

The Atlanta-born comedian crosses the Channel to perform in Blighty.

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £20

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £22

ALISTAIR BARRIE (STEVE SHANYASKI + DAVE WILLIAMS + ALEX BOARDMAN + MC MANDY KNIGHT)

The Fringe regular and welltravelled comic headlines a strong bill.

BREN RILEY (JONNY PELHAM + STEVE HARRIS + MC DANNY MCLOUGHLIN)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)

The Liverpool comedian ponders the theory of happiness among other things.

Sun 04 Jan KING GONG

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £6

A night of stand-up from some fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – be nice.

LOUIS RAMEY (ANDY ASKINS + ROB ROUSE + DAVID LONGLEY + MC JASON COOK)

The Atlanta-born comedian crosses the Channel to perform in Blighty. SARA PASCOE

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 16:00–18:00, FROM £10

Clever comic Sara Pascoe turns her attention to history in her latest stand-up show, which contains wars, witches, Kim Yong-Il and your ex. SARA PASCOE

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, FROM £10

Clever comic Sara Pascoe turns her attention to history in her latest stand-up show, which contains wars, witches, Kim Yong-Il and your ex.

BARREL OF LAUGHS THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

Sun 11 Jan NEW STUFF

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £4

A night of stand-up from some new and established names trying out new material – be nice.

Mon 12 Jan BEAT THE FROG

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £3

A ten-act long heckle-fest inviting a handful of amateurs to take to the stage and try to Beat the Frog, and the audience decides who stays – brutal!

Tue 13 Jan

BOBBY MAIR (THAT PAIR + AFC BAGGY + LEE PEART + MC TOBY HADOKE)

PUB/ZOO, 19:30–22:00, £5 (£3)

Canadian Bobby Mair delivers another dark and hilarious hour of stand-up for XS Malarkey.

Thu 15 Jan

TOM WRIGGLESWORTH (PHIL NICHOL + MC JUSTIN MOORHOUSE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12

The 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee headlines. DAVID LONGLEY (CALLUM SCOTT + LIAM PICKFORD + DAVE NIGHTINGALE + MC DAVE WILLIAMS)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)

Making cognitive dissonance funny, David Longley headlines a night of side-splitting enthusiasts.

Fri 16 Jan

TOM WRIGGLESWORTH (PHIL NICHOL + JIMMY MCGHIE + MC JUSTIN MOORHOUSE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18

The 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee headlines. BARBARA NICE

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £12.50

Janice Connolly is Barbara Nice, a caricature of a middle aged housewife from Stockport. BARREL OF LAUGHS

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

Sat 17 Jan

TOM WRIGGLESWORTH (PHIL NICHOL + JIMMY MCGHIE + MC JUSTIN MOORHOUSE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £22

The 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee headlines. TOM WRIGGLESWORTH (PHIL NICHOL + JIMMY MCGHIE + MC JUSTIN MOORHOUSE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £22

The 2009 Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee headlines. ALUN COCHRANE

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £13

Alun Cochrane does his thinking aloud, chatty style of stand-up. You do the laughing. BARREL OF LAUGHS

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

Sun 18 Jan NEW COMEDIANS

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £4

Regular night of stand up with five world-class comedians. ALUN COCHRANE

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £13

Alun Cochrane does his thinking aloud, chatty style of stand-up. You do the laughing.

Mon 19 Jan BEAT THE FROG

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £3

A ten-act long heckle-fest inviting a handful of amateurs to take to the stage and try to Beat the Frog, and the audience decides who stays – brutal!

Tue 20 Jan

PHIL ELLIS (DAVID ELMS + MICHAEL J DOLAN + IAN LANE + MC TOBY HADOKE)

PUB/ZOO, 19:30–22:00, £5 (£3)

The Edinburgh Fringe favourite performs for XS Malarkey, alongside a host of local funny folk.

Wed 21 Jan JOKE THIEVES

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £12

Will Mars hosts his live comedy swapfest, where a handpicked batch of comedians perform their own jokes and then nick each others.

Thu 22 Jan

SLIM (CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + MC CHARLIE BAKER)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12

NEW STUFF THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £4

A night of stand-up from some new and established names trying out new material – be nice. TOM STADE

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £17

The free-thinking philosopher returns to ponder timeless questions and reflect upon life’s choices and decisions, imbued with his usual added mayhem. CARL HUTCHINSON

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £12

Relaxed, likeable and naturally funny comic experiments with letting rip in life, the way he does on stage – witness as he relives the consequences. LAUGHING COWS (SUZI REFFELL)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £7

All-female line-up of comics from the Laughing Cow bunch a group that has helped the likes of Sarah Milllican and Jo Brand launch their careers. EDDY BRIMSON (JO CAULFIELD + SOPHIE WILLAN + MC ALUN COCHRANE) ROYAL GEORGE, 19:30–22:00, £9

Still looking impossibly young for a man with more than 20 years stand-up experience, the South London comedian calls into Manchester.

No nonsense stand-up from this international headliner.

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)

A monthly comedy gig offering an alternative to the usual comedy nights, offering a new take on the template with a nerdy-cool vibe.

DAMIAN CLARK (DANE BAPTISTE + EVENLYN MONK + PHIL NICHOL + MC PHIL ELLIS)

The Aussie comic headlines a night of Thursday Live laughs.

Fri 23 Jan

SLIM (CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + STEVE ROYLE + PIERRE HOLLINS + MC CHARLIE BAKER)

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18

Still looking impossibly young for a man with more than 20 years stand-up experience, the South London comedian calls into Manchester. RE:PLAY COMEDIAN OF THE YEAR

NUMBER ONE FIRST STREET, 21:00-23:00, £10 (£8)

A celebration of some of the best new stand-up comedy in the area, this night will be hosted by Manchester legend Justin Moorhouse. Part of Re:Play. KINKY BOOT INSTITUTE

THE KING’S ARMS, 19:30–21:30, FREE

High energy comedy show as part of Play-4-Free Festival. ROBIN INCE

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £16

Ince continues to be prolific, with another new show Buzzing Confusion that explores how much free will anyone can truly have. BARREL OF LAUGHS

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

Sat 24 Jan

SLIM (CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + STEVE ROYLE + PIERRE HOLLINS + MC CHARLIE BAKER)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £22

Still looking impossibly young for a man with more than 20 years stand-up experience, the South London comedian calls into Manchester.

SLIM (CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + STEVE ROYLE + PIERRE HOLLINS + MC CHARLIE BAKER)

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £22

Still looking impossibly young for a man with more than 20 years stand-up experience, the South London comedian calls into Manchester. BARREL OF LAUGHS

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

Sun 25 Jan JIMMY CRICKET

THE PLAZA STOCKPORT, 15:00–17:00, £10

The Irish comedian performs a matinee show for a really rather reasonable price of a tenner (admission fee that is, presumably he’s getting paid more.)

Mon 26 Jan

SIDEKICK COMEDY (KATE MCCABE + SEAN MORLEY + ADAM RUSHTON + BEN TONGE + FREDDY QUINNE)

VIA, 19:30–22:00, £2

BEAT THE FROG

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £3

A ten-act long heckle-fest inviting a handful of amateurs to take to the stage and try to Beat the Frog, and the audience decides who stays – brutal!

Tue 27 Jan CHRISTIAN TALBOT

PUB/ZOO, 19:30–22:00, £5 (£3)

The pessimistic comic, who believes that nothing can go wrong so as long as you never leave your house, performs for XS Malarkey.

Thu 29 Jan

LOUIS RAMEY (STEVE HARRIS + MC TOBY HADOKE) THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £12

The Atlanta-born comedian crosses the Channel to perform in Blighty.

JONNY AWSUM (INEL TOMLINSON + SARAH CALLAGHAN + ALEX BOARDMAN + MC BARRY DODDS)

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £10 (£7)

A comedy club barman for eight years, Awsum ultimately decided he could do at least as good a job as the comics on stage.

Fri 30 Jan

LOUIS RAMEY (NICK DIXON + STEVE HARRIS + SEAN MEO + MC TOBY HADOKE)

Sat 31 Jan

LOUIS RAMEY (NICK DIXON + STEVE HARRIS + SEAN MEO + MC TOBY HADOKE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:00–21:00, £22

The Atlanta-born comedian crosses the Channel to perform in Blighty.

LOUIS RAMEY (NICK DIXON + STEVE HARRIS + SEAN MEO + MC TOBY HADOKE)

THE COMEDY STORE, 21:30–23:30, £22

The Atlanta-born comedian crosses the Channel to perform in Blighty. PETER KAY’S PHOENIX NIGHTS

PHONES 4U ARENA, 19:00–22:00, FROM £35

He might get around to writing something new one day, but until then here’s a stage version of Peter Kay’s early noughties TV phenomenon Phoenix Nights (proceeds do go to Comic Relief though. Fair play.)&nbsp; BARREL OF LAUGHS

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £17 (£10)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ.

Sun 01 Feb KING GONG

THE COMEDY STORE, 19:30–21:30, £6

A night of stand-up from some fresh-faced comics trying to break on to the circuit – be nice. LLOYD LANGFORD

THE LOWRY STUDIO, 20:00–22:00, £13

Feeling bamboozled by the modern world? Don’t worry, so’s Lloyd Langford in this brand new show. JOHN SHUTTLEWORTH

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £17

Planning to share fond memories of past weekends, a typo on the poster means that John Shuttleworth’s A Wee Ken To Remember now sees the comic paying homage to his next-door neighbour Ken Worthington. Foolish. PETER KAY’S PHOENIX NIGHTS

PHONES 4U ARENA, 19:00–22:00, FROM £35

BARRY CASTAGNOLA (RAY PEACOCK + STEVEN LEWIS + MC ALEX BOARDMAN) THE HEATON SPORTS CLUB, 19:15–22:00, £7.50

Supposedly King of Comedy’s live TV show, Parkinson, Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle, Saturday Kitchen, Beadle’s About and Panorama all rolled into one.

RAY PEACOCK (BARRY CASTAGNOLA + LOU CONRAN + MC ANDREW RYAN) DIDSBURY CRICKET CLUB, 19:00–22:00, £7

One half of the Chortle Peacock and Gamble podcast dream team, doing his stand up thing.

The Atlanta-born comedian crosses the Channel to perform in Blighty.

Liverpool Comedy

THE KING’S ARMS, 19:00–21:00, £3

Sat 03 Jan

THE COMEDY STORE, 20:00–22:00, £18

HAYLEY’S HOUSE PARTY (WILL DUGGAN + KATE MCCABE)

Will Duggan and Kate McCabe join host Hayley Ellis for a house party. Not that it takes place in a house. But queuing for the toilet, boozing etc are all there! AUSTENTATIOUS

THE LOWRY: QUAYS THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £10

The improvised comedy play spun in the style of a Jane Austen novel takes to the Northwest. BARREL OF LAUGHS

THE FROG AND BUCKET COMEDY CLUB, 19:00–22:30, £16 (£8)

Three top-notch comics, a sprinkling of Frog compere funnies and a late night disco courtesy of the resident DJ. PAUL PIRIE (PHIL WALKER + JONNY PELHAM + MC MARTIN MOR)

MANCHESTER RUGBY CLUB, 20:00–22:00, £TBC

Part of the Glasgow-based comedy-improv group Dance Monkey Boy steps out solo.

JUNIOR SIMPSON (STEVE HARRIS + ADAM STAUNTON + MC JAMIE SUTHERLAND) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18

The London-born comedian and occasional TV show panellist headlines this triple bill.

ALUN COCHRANE (WILL E ROBO + KEITH CARTER AS NIGE + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £17.50

Alun Cochrane does his thinking aloud, chatty style of stand-up. You do the laughing. STEVE SHANYASKI (DALISO CHAPONDA + DAN THOMAS)

THE ATKINSON, 20:00–22:00, £12.50

Shanyaski continues to throw barbs at his better half in his comedy routine.

Fri 09 Jan

MARTIN MOR (JOHN FOTHERGILL + DAMIAN CLARK + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £15

The bearded comic uses his neardeath car crash experience as the basis for his latest comedy outing, as you do.

Listings

Liverpool Comedy PHIL CHAPMAN (TONY BASNETT + ANTHONY KING + MC PAUL SMITH) HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)

Middlesbrough-born, Texas-bred but now happily residing in Liverpool, Phil Chapman headlines this triple header.

Sat 10 Jan

PHILBERTO (MICKEY D + ROBERT THOMAS + MC PHIL ELLIS)

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18

Milo McCabe’s alter ego headlines.

JOHN FOTHERGILL (MARTIN MOR + DAMIAN CLARK + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £17.50

Geordie John Fothergill headlines this triple bill, promising plenty of cocky insults and slick banter.

STEVE SHANYASKI (PETER OTWAY + ANTHONY KING + MC PAUL SMITH)

Wed 21 Jan

THE ONLY WAY IS DOWNTON

UNITY THEATRE, 20:00–22:30, £16

Luke Kempner presents an evening of impression comedy, bringing his YouTube hit Downstairs at Downton to the big stage, with hilarious culture and era crashes on the cards as celebrities start appearing at Downton.

Thu 22 Jan

STEVE SHANYASKI (NICK DOODY + ALLYSON SMITH + MC BARRY DODDS)

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15

Shanyaski continues to throw barbs at his better half in his comedy routine.

Fri 23 Jan

STEVE SHANYASKI (NICK DOODY + CHRIS TURNER + MC BARRY DODDS)

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15

Shanyaski continues to throw barbs at his better half in his comedy routine.

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)

JO CAULFIELD (MATT REED + DALISO CHAPONDA + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)

Sun 11 Jan

The seasoned comic, writer and Radio 4 presenter delves into the depths of her anger about, well, everything.

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£1.50)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)

Shanyaski continues to throw barbs at his better half in his comedy routine. TESTING THE WATER (SAL STEVENS + CHRIS SULLIVAN + PETER PHILIPSON + MC PAUL SMITH)

Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.

Thu 15 Jan CRAP BATTLES

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £5 (£3)

Some of the region’s finest comics challenge each other to a battle of wit in the form of a series of rib-tickling rap battles.

Fri 16 Jan

KEITH CARTER PRESENTS NIGE (SMUG ROBERTS + PHIL WALKER + MC CRAIG BRADSHAW) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15

Failed singer/musician and doomed to a life of temping, Keith Carter is now a professional character comedian, actor and writer. PHIL NICHOL (STEVE SHANYASKI + STEVE GRIBBIN + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £15

ADAM ROWE (CLAYTON JONES + KEITH CARTER AS NIGE + MC PAUL SMITH)

Comedian with the attitude that ‘shit happens’. Indeed it does.

Sat 24 Jan

STEVE SHANYASKI (NICK DOODY + CHRIS TURNER + MC BARRY DODDS)

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18

Shanyaski continues to throw barbs at his better half in his comedy routine.

DALISO CHAPONDA (MATT REED + JO CAULFIELD + MC NEIL FITZMAURICE)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £17.50

The much-travelled comic heads up this triple bill.

ADAM ROWE (RICHARD COUGHLAN + KEITH CARTER AS NIGE + MC PAUL SMITH) HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)

Comedian with the attitude that ‘shit happens’. Indeed it does.

Sun 25 Jan

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £15

TESTING THE WATER (MARK WHALLEY + MARTIN CROSSER + TERRY SMITH + MIRANDA KANE)

BRENNAN REECE (WAYNE BEESE + JAMIE SUTHERLAND + MC PAUL SMITH)

Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.

Cumbernauld born Canadian Phil Nichol performs a typically high octane set.

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)

The Manchester comedian presents his energetic and often awkward approach to life.

Sat 17 Jan

PHILBERTO (SMUG ROBERTS + PHIL WALKER + MC CRAIG BRADSHAW)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£1.50)

Thu 29 Jan

BENNY BOOT (DAVID LONGLEY + RICHARD MASSARA + MC PETER OTWAY)

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15

COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18

Boot delivers his usual combination of one-liners, observations and non sequitur statements.

STEVE SHANYASKI (STEVE GRIBBIN + PHIL NICHOL + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)

Fri 30 Jan

Milo McCabe’s alter ego headlines.

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £17.50

Shanyaski continues to throw barbs at his better half in his comedy routine.

JAMIE SUTHERLAND (ADAM RUSHTON + CHRIS MCCAUSLAND + MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)

The local favourite and circuit regular headlines a rib-tickling triple bill.

Sun 18 Jan

TESTING THE WATER (CHRIS CHOPPING + JOHN LEBBONG + JOE HUGHES + MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£1.50)

Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.

BENNY BOOT (DAVID LONGLEY + KATIE MULGREW + MC PETER OTWAY) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £15

Boot delivers his usual combination of one-liners, observations and non sequitur statements.

IMRAN YUSUF (SUSAN MURRAY + KEVIN DEWSBURY + MC CHRIS CAIRNS)

THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £15

High energy comic known for his impeccable use of lyrical street slang, ratting through the hard hitting topics with a touch of lighthearted satire. ROB THOMAS (PAM FORD + DUNCAN OAKLEY + MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)

He once beat the Guinness World Record for eating the most baked beans with a toothpick. He’ll probably be sticking to comedy tonight.

Sat 31 Jan

BENNY BOOT (DAVID LONGLEY + KATIE MULGREW + MC PETER OTWAY) COMEDY CENTRAL AT BABY BLUE, 18:00–22:00, £18

Boot delivers his usual combination of one-liners, observations and non sequitur statements.

SUSAN MURRAY (KEVIN DEWSBURY + IMRAN YUSUF + MC CHRIS CAIRNS) THE SLAUGHTERHOUSE, 20:00–22:30, £17.50

The some-time Sketch Show and In Crowd writer heads up a threestrong bill of comics. ANDREW WATTS

THE LANTERN THEATRE, 20:00–22:00, £7.50

The feminist comic who didn’t realise it until recently, and now wants to explain how chaps like him can help change things for the better. BRENDON BURNS

THE LANTERN THEATRE, 19:30–22:00, £8

The comedian’s new show Outside The Box once again experiments with the form of stand-up, with Burns throwing himself into new challenges.

ALEX BOARDMAN (MIKE OSBORNE + DUNCAN OAKLEY + MC PAUL SMITH)

HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £10 (£5)

One of the writers involved with John Bishop’s Britain on BBC1 headlines.

Sun 01 Feb

TESTING THE WATER (MAXINE WADE + LEWIS WHITESIDE + MICHAEL CAMERON + JACK DONALDSON + MORE) HOLIDAY INN, 19:00–22:00, £3 (£1.50)

Showcase night for up-andcomers and undiscovered stars, offering a great value night out if you don’t mind being a comedy guinea pig.

Manchester Art Bureau

STILL FURTHER

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL13 FEB, 8:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

New exhibition from Mary Griffiths, known for making black drawings: abstract architectural notations and spatialities inscribed (scratched singly and uniquely over many weeks, using basic hand tools) upon dense, burnished layers of graphite.

Castlefield Gallery

30 YEARS OF THE FUTURE VARIOUS DATES UNTIL1 FEB, 1:00PM – 6:00PM, FREE

The Castlefield Art Gallery celebrates its 30th anniversary by inviting prominent contemporary artists, curators and thinkers who have contributed to its past to nominate artists who they consider to be shaping the future of contemporary art.

Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art

SUN XUN: UNDEFINED REVOLUTION

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 21 MAR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

The Hangzhou-based printmaking graduate showcases a UK premiere of his animation What Happened in the Year of the Dragon, along with some of previous animation and video works. WHAT’S LEFT UNSAID

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 17 JAN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Burgeoning artist Susie Tang is the latest graduate showcased by the Centre For Chinese Contemporary Art in their ongoing series. CHRIS PAUL DANIELS: A TIGER’S SKIN

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 21 MAR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Using the 1972 Mao-commissioned (and subsequently banned) documentary Chung Kuo, Cina, by Michelangelo Antonioni as inspiration, Daniels explores how the image of China has changed in the eyes of the Western world and the notion of truth in documentary.

Listings

Art

Manchester Art Gallery

The Lowry

2 JAN–14 JUN, TIMES VARY, FREE

Common

A collection of designer dresses and suits donated by the Cotton Board, a Manchester-based organisation tasked with increasing the use of cotton in couture to bump up cotton exports.

A collaboration between photographer Andy Gotts MBE and The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Archive, Behind The Mask seeks to ‘unmask’ the wellknown faces of BAFTA nominees and winners since 1954.

Manchester THE GRAVEHOUNDS OF BONE STREET

2 JAN – 1 FEB, TIMES VARY, FREE

From artist collective Skull Paradise - made up of illustrators and designers from Brighton, London and Leeds - comes a cartoon world of leather wearing, motorbike riding, bad attitude, degenerate street dogs. FLAGS FROM ANOTHER PLACE

2 JAN – 1 FEB, TIMES VARY, FREE

Aliyah Hussain’s Flags From Another Place focuses on an imagined visual identity for a fictitious world that may or may not be like Earth, using only the flags of each country as a form of expression of individuality for these potentially complex nations.

Contact

THE SPILL TAROT

29 JAN – 17 APR, WEEKDAYS ONLY, 10:00AM – 11:00PM, FREE

Inspired by the imagery of the tarot, The Spill Tarot is a vividly staged series of collaborations between photographer Manuel Vason and artists working in radical performance. Feat. Ron Athey, Harminder Singh Judge, Marisa Carnesky, Franko B and more.

Cornerhouse PLAYTIME

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 15 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Nine artists come together using comedy, space and sound to encourage exploration and play in the Cornerhouse for the final time before its 2015 move to HOME. Lawrence Abu Hamdan, Naomi Kashiwagi, Gabriel Lester and Jan St. Werner present new work. A FLOURISH

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 6 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

A series of ornithological drawings by artist Fran Giffard.

Gallery of Costume SOMETHING BLUE

2 JAN – 15 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

Eighteen wedding dresses, worn by mill workers to woman serving in the air force as well as art world figures Kathleen Soriano and Maria Balshaw, are exhibited in a celebration of bridal fashion over the past 100 years.

Imperial War Museum North

FROM STREET TO TRENCH: A WORLD WAR THAT SHAPED A REGION

2 JAN – 1 MAY, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

An exhibition of over 200 objects, photographs, diaries, letters and artworks from the First World War, revealing the lives shaped by the conflict. Marking the centenary of WWI.

Kosmonaut GRAND TOUR

2 JAN, 12:00PM – 11:00PM, FREE

Local illustrator himHallows brings his warped sci-fi world to Kosmonaut as he takes viewers on a grand tour of mixed drawing techniques and dark arts.

MMU Special Collections

IMAGE AND WORD: THE JULIAN FRANCIS COLLECTION OF PRINTS AND ILLUSTRATED BOOKS

19 JAN – 27 MAR, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE

Prints, illustrated books and archive material by key figures in British art of the last 100 years including Edward Ardizzone, John Farleigh, Barnett Freedman, Lucian Freud, Eric Gill, Enid Marx, Agnes Miller Parker, John and Paul Nash and more.

COTTON COUTURE

NATURAL FORCES: ROMANTICISM & NATURE 2 JAN–12 JUL, TIMES VARY, FREE

A collection of early 1800s Romantic works focused on the idea of nature as a force. THE SENSORY WAR

11 OCT – 25 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

To mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I this special exhibition looks at ways in which artists have interpreted and re-imagined the events of the conflict. Featuring work from Henry Lamb, CRW Nevinson and Paul Nash among others. HEAVEN IN A HELL OF WAR

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 1 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition of work by acclaimed British painter, Stanley Spencer, featuring a series of large-scale arched canvases and side panels detailing scenes of the artist’s own wartime experiences.

Manchester Craft and Design Centre

BEHIND THE MASK

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 1 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

AKRAM KHAN: ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER

2 JAN – 1 FEB, TIMES VARY, FREE

The second of The Lowry’s exhibitions inviting performers to become curators, sees choreographer Akram Khan brings together elements of performance and live installation work alongside sculpture, painting and film. CASA TOMADA

24 JAN – 26 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

A swarm of giant ants invade the gallery walls in this extraordinary installation by Colombian artist Rafael Gómezbarros from the Saatchi Gallery, London.

The Portico Library ON THE FOLD

2 – 29 JAN, NOT SUNDAYS, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition of paper engineering, ranging from paper folded or cut, pop-ups, movable books, book arts, book reconstruction and upcycled objects.

Textile artist Kashif Nadim Chaudry’s work draws on his journey finding an identity as a Britishborn, Pakistani, gay Muslim.

Liverpool Art

Manchester Jewish Museum

FACT

MADE IN MANCHESTER

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 2 JAN AND 29 MAY, TIMES VARY, £4.50 (£3.50)

The first retrospective on Manchester-based artist, teacher and writer Emmanuel Levy for 30 years, highlighting his Northern heritage.

Paper Gallery FRANCES DISLEY

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 10 JAN AND 21 FEB, 11:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

The some-time Paper artist in-residence presents a solo exhibition. Details TBC.

Salford Museum and Art Gallery SELECTION FROM THE COLLECTION

2 JAN – 15 FEB, TIMES VARY, FREE

To celebrate Chinese New Year, the gallery delve into their catalogue to present depictions of the horse (2014) and the sheep (2015). IMMORTAL LOVE FROM SHANGHAI

2 JAN – 15 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

A traditionally-slanted Chinese art exhibition, depicting the history and development of the Chinese Dragon, paintings showing symbols of wealth, love and friendship and traditional Chinese watercolour paintings. SALFORD ARTS CLUB ANNUAL EXHIBITION 2015

24 JAN – 26 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

The annual Salford Art Club exhibition returns, presenting a mixture of landscapes, portrait and still life paintings from its members.

The International 3 MAEVE RENDLE

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 15 JAN, 12:00PM – 5:00PM, FREE

This debut solo show sees Rendle present two-screen installation Gretta’s Gabriel, Gabriel’s Gretta. Comprising the films Gretta’s Gabriel and Gabriel’s Gretta, inspiration comes from James Joyce’s The Dead, and John Huston’s film adaption of the same.

Liverpool METAMORPHOSIS OF JAPAN AFTER THE WAR VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 22 JAN AND 26 APR, 10:30AM – 5:30PM, FREE

An exhibition focusing on the creative resurgence of Japan in the wake of the Second World War, featuring over 100 photographs from 11 post-war photographers including Yasuhiro Ishimoto, Shomei Tomatsu, Eikoh Hosoe and Ken Domon.

Tate Liverpool

TRANSMITTING ANDY WARHOL

2 JAN – 8 FEB, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £8 (£6)

The first exhibition of the famous pop artist’s work in the North of England includes major Warhol works including Marilyn Diptych, Dance Diagram and Do-it-Yourself, as well as an evocation of the artist’s Exploding Plastic Inevitable. GRETCHEN BENDER

2 JAN – 8 FEB, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, £8 (£6)

The first solo exhibition of the late multimedia artist’s work in the UK showcases a selection of her immersive pioneering multimedia installations, including a reconstruction of 1987’s Total Recall across a 24-monitor multiprojection screen. THE SERVING LIBRARY

ASIA TRIENNIAL: SWAGS AND TAILS

2 JAN–31 JAN, 10:00AM – 5:30PM, FREE

Art

TYPE MOTION

2 JAN– 8 FEB, TIMES VARY, FREE

Co-produced with ZKM and Media Karlsruhe, Types Motion features an archive of clips from over twenty countries, dating back to 1897, alongside over 200 examples of text and typography that explore our relationship with writing and moving image. UNDER BLACK CARPETS

22 JAN – 8 FEB, TIMES VARY, FREE

2 JAN – 8 FEB, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Including a collection of art works, artefacts, books and other materials, The Serving Library asks visitors to reconsider the traditional role of the library. Featuring around 100 objects, including work from Chris Evans and Muriel Cooper.

STYLE FROM THE SMALL SCREEN

2 JAN– 18 JAN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Ten dresses created for the Downton Abbey TV series, if that’s your thing.

Open Eye Gallery

ROBERT HEINECKEN: LESSONS IN POSING SUBJECTS

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 15 JAN, 10:30AM – 5:30PM, FREE

This posthumous exhibition shines a light on Robert Heinecken, widely regarded in mainland Europe as one of the finest post-war photographers on the continent. Relatively unknown in the UK, Lessons In Posing Subjects illuminates his work and life.

Permanent gallery of wildlife artist and naturalist John James Audubon. BRITISH ART

VARIOUS DATES BETWEEN 5 JAN AND 30 JUN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Permanent collection including work by Joseph Wright of Derby.

Walker Art Gallery THE GANG

2 JAN – 15 FEB, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Photography exhibition from US photographer Catherine Opie, whose portraits of her friends from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer community aim to subvert American archetypes. TABITHA MOSES: INVESTMENT

2 JAN – 4 JAN, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Fertility symbols, ancient and contemporary, are explored in a series of new art work by winner of the Liverpool Art Prize 2013, Tabitha Moses.

An exhibition showcasing two very different Lancastrian artists, one eventually becoming a household name, the other lapsing into nearobscurity. THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

A group show addressing the idea that both art and life are in a state of continual change and uncertainty. Both are subject to flux and transformation.

Lady Lever Art Gallery

THE AUDOBON GALLERY

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 19 DEC, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

17 JAN – 29 MAR, TIMES VARY, FREE

International Slavery Museum LIBERTY BOUND

An exhibition of drypoint prints by 19th century Merseyside etcher and painter, James Hamilton Hay, documenting his travels throughout the UK with his striking landscape prints.

LS LOWRY AND THEODORE MAJOR: TWO LANCASHIRE PAINTERS

24 JAN – 26 APR, TIMES VARY, FREE

An exhibition of artifacts from one of the most important archaeological finds of recent years, unveiling a recently discovered burial ground fro ‘liberated’ African’s in Rupert’s Valley, St Helena.

NORTH WEST AND BEYOND: JAMES HAMILTON HAY

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 29 AUG, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

The Atkinson

An exhibition exploring forensic study of a meticulously designed heist simultaneously involving five banks in Los Angeles. An intricate plot, subject to multiple interpretations, is articulated through a collection of different ‘evidence’ pieces.

2 JAN – 5 APR, 10:00AM – 5:00PM, FREE

Victoria Gallery and Museum

An exhibition that explores every age and culture’s perceptions of beauty through history.

The Bluecoat

DADAFEST: ART OF THE LIVED EXPERIMENT

8 NOV – 11 JAN, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

BRIAN CATLING: ANTIX 2

2 DEC, 3 DEC, 8 JAN, 9 JAN, 10 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

Consisting of a constructed environment of objects operated by Catling. LISTENING

24 JAN – 29 MAR, 10:00AM – 6:00PM, FREE

A Hayward Touring exhibition curated by Sam Belinfante and examining the crossover between the visual and the sonic, with many of the selected artists in this group show working in the fields of both contemporary music and art.

Unity Theatre JONATHAN LANGLEY

VARIOUS DATES UNTIL 10 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

The illustrator presents an exhibition of children’s book illustrations including artwork from his million-selling collection of nursery rhymes and tales published by HarperCollins.

The John Rylands Library ECHO AND NARCISSUS

2 JAN – 9 JAN, TIMES VARY, FREE

Echo and Narcissus pays tribute to literary heroines through the ages in a series of photographs, mirrors and etchings.

THE SKINNY

Robin Williams: A Remembrance Comedian Will Franken reflects on a friendship with the late, great standup and actor, whose passing last year shook the comedy world

Words: Edy Hurst and Will Franken Illustration: Ria Fell jealous. “Oh, fuck yeah,” he said, “I relapsed on it.” The story of my brief friendship with Robin is one that would never have been possible had I not undergone a severe levelling of ego and a concomitant infusion of humility. Having begun my career in northern California, where Robin was a resident, there were plenty of opportunities over the years to have met him. I invariably declined in those early days. Ostensibly, I didn’t want to meet him as a drooling sycophant – but a certain amount of fear, I’m sure, was also at play. “I’ll mean nothing in that hierarchy,” my thinking went, “and in these early stages, my self-worth can’t handle that.” Not surprisingly, Robin had carte blanche to show up at any gig uninvited and be inserted into the running order. Undoubtedly, he deserved it. He was, after all, comedy royalty. I remember one summer I was on the lineup for San Francisco’s Comedy Day in the Park. Twenty minutes before I was scheduled to go on, the promoter came backstage to announce to the comedians: “Robin’s here. One of you may have to follow him.” “I’ll do it,” I announced audaciously and with a trickle of palpable fear running down my spine. I wonder now what I was trying to prove.

“He reminded me that we were lucky to do what we did. He said that a lot of people just had to live with their craziness. But we got to show it off onstage” Will Franken

t might be controversial to say, but on a national scale, 2014 sucked in the world of comedy. Oh sure, there was Toast of London Series 2, Richard Ayoade did a funny interview and Phil Ellis and Gein’s Family Giftshop both received well-deserved Edinburgh adulation, but there was a whole heap of awfulness too. The rise and fall of Dapper Laughs was sad on two accounts, first for those who hated him, and then for those who loved him. Andrew Lawrence’s surprise campaign against the blandness of panel show guests quickly turned into a tirade against feminism, I think he used the word ‘feminazi’. It wasn’t great. And the Preston Frog and Bucket closed down, one of the most established purpose-made comedy clubs in the Northwest. Worse still, 2014 is the year that we lost some of our most beloved comedy heroes. From Hollywood stars that made up the fabric of a generation’s childhood, to revolutionaries in the comedy world, a lot of absolutely wonderful talents stepped out of the light last year. Rik Mayall, Joan Rivers and Jan Hooks were among the dearly departed but it was perhaps the suicide of Robin

January 2015

How I finally came to know Robin as a friend seems in retrospect such a gradual process. A series of perhaps random or not so random coincidences – like proverbial ripples in the waWilliams that shook most to the core, laying bare ter, yet moving towards, and not away from, the as it did the tears of the clown – and exposing the initial point of contact. Sometime following that very real pain of depression among even the most Comedy Day appearance, I went head to head jovial of entertainers. with Marc Maron at a live recording of Maron’s When luminaries pass, we must look to all podcast. At the time, Robin was in the audience, the good they left us. Will Franken is an American sitting a few feet away from my then-girlfriend. I absurdist comedian now based in the UK, who, needled her endlessly after the gig to find out his while performing comedy in his home country, reaction. Suddenly, that had become very imporstruck up a friendship with Williams – and kindly tant to me. Me, the self-proclaimed iconoclast; agreed to write about his memories. [Edy Hurst] supposedly unfazed by celebrity. But it was at the Throckmorton Theatre in few weeks ago I was in Manchester, discussMill Valley where everything coalesced. Robin ing with a relatively new comedian the stark lived near Mill Valley and used to hang out in the difference between the level of mutual support green room there on show nights, sometimes apparent in the open spots community and the on his own and sometimes with his wife, Susan. backbiting gossip evident among more estabBy then, for whatever reason, my misguided and lished performers. The conclusion was that you reckless pride had largely abated, and Robin know you’ve made it in comedy when the majority and I talked a great deal that night about all of your green room small talk is devoted to the sorts of things. More importantly, we conversed fine art of ‘talking shit’ about other comedians. in funny voices. Now that was a reality almost It all boils down to jealousy, of course. The too beautiful to comprehend. There I was with further you move from the art of comedy into the Robin Williams – doing camp, black, English, even business of it, the more prevalent that feeling be- Scottish voices! – improvising in the lush greencomes. I asked Robin Williams once if he ever got room of the Throckmorton.

COMEDY

I didn’t know how long I could keep it up. For one, I needed to get ready for my set. But moreover, I was worried I was going to cry. The funny voices might have belied it to the outside observer, but inside I was emotionally overcome with the unreality of it all. There were neither audience nor film cameras around, but there I was, to be sure, acting with Robin Williams! I finally gathered the chutzpah to ask him if he’d mind sitting in the audience to watch me. He said yes. Backstage, I waited in anticipation behind the wings. Suddenly, as the compere prepared to introduce me, I heard what seemed to be talking emanating from the audience. “Oh shit,” I thought, “they’re a chatty crowd.” They weren’t. A lady was having a seizure in the front row! An ambulance was called and the show took a forced interval. Meanwhile, I rang a friend and alternated between selfish anger when others weren’t around (“This fucking woman has a seizure right before Robin fucking Williams is going to see me...”) and contrived concern when they were (“Anyway, I really hope she’s okay...”). After the call, I returned to the green room and sheepishly asked Robin if he’d mind heading back out when the impromptu interval was over. He politely agreed and admonished me with his unmistakable grin not to do any seizure material... My cherished but tragically short-lived friendship with Robin began that evening. I don’t believe I had ever met anybody before or since with whom I could share the same ability (affliction?) of morphing from a funny-voiced maniac in mundane, small-talk conversations into a self-effacing, slightly nervous, but nonetheless genuine person when things got real. Initially, it was difficult – with the sort of reputation, acclaim, and sheer talent that Robin had – to completely shed the feeling of being somehow beneath him, no matter how close the friendship was. He never did anything to make me feel that way – I’m just speaking objectively. As iconoclastic as I sometimes pride myself on being, at the end of the day an Oscar-winning celebrity is an Oscar-winning celebrity; and when, one evening in those early days, he broke off a conversation with a reporter to run up to me and enthuse about how much he liked a YouTube clip of mine, I had to quickly thank him, go outside, turn the corner, find a little alleyway and have a proper cry after all. It was inevitable – I had been blessed by the Pope. A little over two years ago, I met Robin for coffee to discuss my plans to relocate to England. There’s a lot I remember about that last face-to-face, but the gem that sticks out was when he reminded me that we were lucky we got to do what we did. He said that a lot of people just had to live with their craziness. But we got to show it off onstage. It was observations like this, uttered away from the limelight and the industry and the insincere sycophancy that must have so often accompanied him throughout his life, that enabled me to recognise him as something much more than an Oscar-winning actor, celebrity icon, or even comedy career advisor. To me, Robin was a kindred spirit. And that’s a very precious commodity in what is often a very lonely profession. @WillFranken www.willfranken.com

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