There was a brief moment earlier this week, on what is technically the first day of spring, that the clouds parted and gave us a brief taste of what a blue sky looks like. Then it started raining again.
No matter - this was the week that saw the cream of the nation's hospitality industry gather under one roof for the Northern Restaurant and Bar exhibition, that saw Ikea launch £1 fish and chips, and Janet Jackson not-so-subtley Photoshop herself onto the top of the Glastonbury line-up.
Looking ahead, The events not to miss at Salford's Not Quite Light festival will kick off towards the end of next week, and Theme and date confirmed for Manchester Day 2019, as the annual event celebrates 10th year has just revealed its theme for this summer's celebration.
Friday March 22
Preview - Festival / ¡Viva! Spanish & Latin American Festival 2019
If your appetite for Latin American cinema has recently been whetted by the amazing Oscar-winning film Roma, then make sure you get down to HOME this weekend – as the annual ¡Viva! Spanish & Latin American Festival makes a welcome return to the city.
A much-loved fixture on Manchester’s cultural calendar, ¡Viva! began life as a celebration of Spanish film-making at the now-departed Cornerhouse in 1995. Fast forward to the present day and ¡Viva! has evolved into a massive three-week long event, now incorporating visual arts, music and performance, at Manchester’s venerable multi-arts hub HOME.
With this year’s festival marking its 25th birthday, ¡Viva! is pulling out all the stops for its biggest, most ambitious programme to date. Cinema, as you’d expect, remains the festival’s beating heart and this year’s programme kicks off with the UK premiere of dystopian comedy Tiempo después, attended by Spanish director José Luis Cuerda. Featuring 21 new films, including nine premieres, this year’s film line-up has been heavily influenced by ‘esperpento’ – a Spanish and Latin American cultural tradition which uses satire, the grotesque and dark humour to criticise contemporary society.
Elsewhere, for theatre fans, make sure you catch the eagerly-anticipated Kingdom – an examination of international current affairs performed by the innovative Barcelona-based theatre company Señor Serrano. Music-wise, Manchester Camerata will also be teaming up with soloist Francesca Dego, one of the most in-demand violinists on the international scene.
As with previous years, there’s also a host of fascinating talks and workshops, from discussions about 90s Argentinian cinema to Q&As with the directors Anahi Berneri and Sergi Portabella.
HOME / homemcr.org / 0161 200 1500 / Friday 22 March to Saturday 13 April / Full line-up and ticket info at - homemcr.org/event/viva-spanish-latin-american-festival-2019
Clubbing / YES Mate featuring 2ManyDJs
Renowned for their wonderfully eclectic DJ sets, Belgian brothers David and Stephen Dewaele, aka 2ManyDJs, are the latest big name guests to appear at YES’ weekend party session.
YES / yes-manchester.com / Friday March 22, 10pm-4am / £25
Clubbing / Below The Belt Birthday Bash
It’s been an epic first 12 months of parties for bassline/drum’n’bass specialists Below The Belt. For tonight’s first birthday, they’ll will be taking over two floors of the Deaf Institute with special guests including KY, DJ Hybrid, Bou, Warhead, Deadbeat, Mattik, Senncoria and more.
The Deaf Institute / thedeafinstitute.co.uk / 0161 276 9350 / Friday March 22, 11pm-3am / £2-£8.50
Music / David Gray
The British music scene might be awash with sensitive, male acoustic balladeers these days, but back in the late-90s/early-2000s, that particular genre was bossed by one man: Mr David Gray. After a four-year absence, the Sale-born songwriter is back to perform tracks from his latest LP, Gold in a Brass Age, plus golden oldies such as Sail Away, The Year’s Love and the classic Babylon.
Bridgewater Hall / bridgewater-hall.co.uk / 0161 907 9000 / Friday March 22, 7pm / £29.50
Theme and date confirmed for Manchester Day 2019, as the annual event celebrates 10th year
Music / Sharon Van Etten
Since her last record, 2014’s Are We There, New Jersey’s Sharon Van Etten has gone from alt-rock songwriter to all-around renaissance woman, branching out with acting roles (starring in Netflix series The OA) and going back to school to train as a therapist. Now finally resuming her music career, she’s back on UK soil to showcase tracks from her excellent new LP, Remind Me Tomorrow.
Albert Hall / alberthallmanchester.com / 0161 817 3490 / Friday March 22, 7pm / £22.50
Music / Tim Burgess
When he’s not busy with The Charlatans, organising festivals or writing books, the wonderful Tim Burgess somehow finds the time to focus on his solo career. Performing tracks from his latest release, As I Was Now, the indie renaissance man is playing two intimate shows at YES with support from good pals Average Sex.
YES / yes-manchester.com / Friday March 22, 5pm & 7.30pm / £10
Comedy / Sindhu Vee
India-born Sindhu Vee earned a 2018 Edinburgh Best Newcomer nomination for her debut show, Sandhog, an engaging and heartfelt examination of what it takes to have a successful marriage. She brings the show to two Greater Manchester venues this weekend: firstly to The Lowry (March 22), followed by a trip to the Bury Met (March 23).
Friday 22 March, 8pm @ The Lowry, £12 / Saturday 23 March, 7.30pm @ The Met, Bury, £15
Saturday March 23
Visual arts / Disrupt? Peterloo and Protest
Marking the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre, this powerful new exhibition uses film, objects and original artefacts to tell the story of Peterloo and highlights its relevance today, examining issues within our democracy that people are campaigning for 200 years on.
People’s History Museum / phm.org.uk / 0161 838 9190 / Starts Saturday March 23, runs until February 2020 / Free
Netflix trials another price hike for its service - how much will it cost?
Clubbing / Tropical Launch Party
Expect techy beats and euphoric build-ups at this brand new session from party giants Visceral Events. With a strong focus on local DJ talent, tonight’s launch party line-up includes Myles Ashley, Van Der Ven, Jack Bruce, Yeboah and Ashar.
The Whiskey Jar / thewhiskeyjar.com / 0161 237 5686 / Saturday March 23, 10pm-4am / £5/£6/£7
Music / Prose & Manchester Camerata
In a fascinating collision of styles, Prose and Manchester Camerata – the former the popular rap-acoustic band; the latter the acclaimed chamber orchestra – performed together in 2017 to wonderful effect. Keen to replicate that magic, the two outfits are teaming up once again for this massive show at Manchester Academy.
Manchester Academy / manchesteracademy.net / 0161 832 1111 / Saturday March 23, 7pm / £15
Visual arts / Edit 04: Live Creations – Joe Moran / Dance Art Foundation
As part of The Lowry’s ongoing Edit series, the celebrated artist and choreographer Joe Moran will be presenting a unique ‘live exhibition’ combining performance, film and spray paint drawing. Working with a small team of dancers, Live Creations will feature a new performance titled Before We Are Dead, which will be shown alongside Here and Not – a two-screen film installation created in collaboration with designer Sam Williams.
The Lowry / thelowry.com / 0843 208 6000 / Starts Saturday March 23, runs until Sunday April 14 / Free
Literature / Poets & Players
The Whitworth plays host to another fabulous edition of Poets & Players, this month joined by Cumbrian poet Jacob Polley, Oedipa creator Amy McCauley and Forward Prize Best First Collection winner Phoebe Power, with music from harpist Rachael Gladwin.
Whitworth Art Gallery / whitworth.manchester.ac.uk / 0161 275 7450 / Saturday March 23, 2.30pm / Free
Theatre / Status
Provocative theatre-maker Chris Thorpe has teamed up with director Rachel Chavkin for this visceral new piece about a British man who has an identity crisis and jets off around the world trying to come to terms with his nationality. Hugely acclaimed at last year’s Edinburgh Fringe – where it won a Fringe First award – the show’s current UK tour seems perfectly timed with a certain Brexit deadline looming.
Royal Exchange Theatre / royalexchange.co.uk / 0161 833 9833 / Saturday March 23, 7.30pm / £13
Sunday March 24
Music / Grace Carter
Shortlisted for the BBC’s influential Sound of 2019 and managed by the same team who look after Lana Del Rey and Dua Lipa, Brighton songstress Grace Carter is looking firmly on course for pop superstardom. Catch her now before she’s selling out massive arenas.
Gorilla / thisisgorilla.com / 0161 826 2998 / Sunday March 24, 7pm / £11
The events not to miss at Salford's Not Quite Light festival
