Friday June 28
Music and performance / Shangri La!
With its vibrant mix of music, performance, spoken word, film and dance, monthly session Shangri La! has become a much-loved fixture of Prestwich cultural life. Tonight celebrating their thirteenth birthday, they’ve assembled a stellar line-up of talent featuring Icarus Williams, the Accord Gospel Choir, Mrs No Overall and Old School Idles.
Carlton Club, Prestwich / www.carltonclubprestwich.co.uk / 07709 296164 / Friday, June 28 / 8pm / £5
Talk / Michael Palin
While John Cleese continues to make himself look foolish with his daft Twitter outbursts, his former Monty Python colleague, Michael Palin, is thankfully still as loveable as ever. Palin’s latest one-man tour, Erebus, Python and Other Stories, promises an evening of two halves: in the first half, he’ll be discussing his new historical book, Erebus: The Story of a Ship; in the second half, the 76-year-old will be reflecting on his eventful life and career.
The Lowry / thelowry.com / 0343 208 6000 / Friday 28 and Saturday, June 29 / 7.30pm / £30.50
Theatre / Wrestling The Walrus
Exploring the devastating impact of dementia, this powerful new production from the 154 Collective follows a series of meetings between a man in his sixties and a woman in her thirties. The winner of last year’s Hodgkiss Award – which supports and develops new, original theatre work from the North of England – the finished production will now receive its world première in the Royal Exchange’s studio space.
Royal Exchange Theatre / www.royalexchange.co.uk / 0161 833 9833 / Friday, June 28 to Saturday, July 6 / £13
Dance / The Upside Down Man
Inspired by his own personal journey, Mohamed Toukabri’s latest work combines stunning choreography and video projections to tell the story of a young man from Tunisia whose life is transformed when he relocates to Belgium and discovers dance.
The Lowry / thelowry.com / 0343 208 6000 / Friday, June 28 / 8pm / £12
Clubbing / Making Faces
Prepare for another mind-expanding journey into the musical leftfield as the Making Shapes team make a welcome return to Salford’s White Hotel. A cracking line-of DJ talent includes Debonair, Jon K, 12th Isle and the awesomely-named Godspeed You Peter Andre.
The White Hotel, Salford / thewhitehotel.club / Friday, June 28 / 11.45pm-6am / £10
Clubbing / Bloc2Bloc vs DNB
After a sold-out launch party in March, top dance brands Bloc2Bloc and DNB are teaming up for another epic drum’n’bass session with special guests DJ Leemo, Invective, Jack Banner, J3nko, Obscura, Pyro and more.
YES / www.yes-manchester.com / 0161 273 2725 / Friday, June 28 / 11pm-4am / £4
Saturday June 29
Festival / Trans Vegas
They say that a week is a long time in politics – and the same is becoming increasingly true when it comes to transgender politics. Over the past few years, transgender issues have rarely been out of the media spotlight – often meaning one step forward, two steps back for the trans community.
Which is why, of course, events such as Manchester’s Trans Vegas are so vitally important. Curated by Kate O’Donnell (artistic director of Trans Creative, the UK’s first trans-led theatre company), the annual arts festival provides a bold platform for the trans community to reclaim the narrative and tell their side of the story. With its wonderfully diverse programme – spanning music, performance, spoken word, art, film and discussion – Trans Vegas has become a real flagship event in the mission to raise trans visibility and combat transphobia.
This year’s event kicks off in style with a massive clubnight/performance party held by the Cocoa Butter Club, London’s LGBTQIA people of colour cabaret (Saturday, June 29, The Refuge). Once you’ve recovered from that launch party, make sure you catch 100 Trans Voice, an ambitious performance piece which brings together trans artists and community members to share their personal stories (pictured, Sunday, June 30, Royal Exchange).
Elsewhere, mainstream cinema history is examined from a trans perspective by a guest panel featuring June Roche, Kimberley Clark and Victoria Gigante (June 30, HOME); trans fashion goes under the spotlight in the discussion event Trans Men Wear It Well (July 1, Manchester Art Gallery); while Stand By Your Tran will provide a fitting festival finale with its lively mix of music, comedy and spoken word (July 3, Royal Exchange).
Various venues / Saturday, June 29 to Wednesday, July 3 / More info at - transcreative.uk
Clubbing / HomoElectric Presents
Proof that size really doesn’t matter, Manc clubbing institution HomeElectric is hosting a smaller, one-room ‘BabyHomo’ session at the White Hotel, featuring sets from Jamie Bull, Gina Breeze and Will Tramp.
The White Hotel, Salford / thewhitehotel.club / Saturday, June 29 / 11.45pm-6am / £9
Clubbing / MVSON Presents
Since their inception in 2014, Mancunian trio the Mason Collective have been reshaping the UK dance scene with their killer productions and epic back-to-back DJ sets. Fresh from their barnstorming appearance at Parklife Festival, the boys are now hosting a special ‘summer garden party’ in Manchester Academy’s outdoor courtyard space.
Manchester Academy / www.manchesteracademy.net / 0161 832 1111 / Saturday, June 29 / 2pm-3am / £21
Festival / Mostonbury
For all those who couldn’t get a ticket for Glastonbury, here’s a rather more bijou alternative much closer to home – ‘Mostonbury’ festival at the Miners Community Arts Centre. Expect a jam-packed programme spanning live music (hip-hop band Ajah UK and local bluegrass act the Spring Chickens), theatre shows (from award-winning writer and actor Rob Ward), film screenings (the 1949 mining drama Blue Scar) and art workshops led by Moss Side artist Ekua Bayunu.
Miners Community Arts Centre, Moston / www.theminers.org.uk / 0161 682 6253 / Saturday, June 29 / 3pm-late / £10
Music / Rock For Heroes
A night of rock music from across the eras will be performed at the Albert Halls Theatre in Bolton this weekend. The live music experience will include music from Queen, David Bowie, Madonna and Elton John, all to raise money for Help for Heroes.
Bolton Albert Halls Theatre, Bolton / www.quaytickets.com / Saturday June 29 / 7.30pm / £19.25-£21.25
Food and drink / The Lock Inn
The Withington pop-up pub The Lock Inn is back for another round of local beers, this time at the Withington Public Hall Institute. Lined up for pints are Blackjack, Cloudwater, First Chop, Marble, Manchester Union and the Moss Cider Project, plus Three Rivers Gin.
Withington Public Hall Institute, Withington / www.facebook.com / Saturday June 29 / 2pm-11pm / free
Clubbing / Yestonbury 2019
Back to YES and another dose of Glastonbury for those who are missing the action at Worthy Farm. The venue will be screening some of Glastonbury's greatest ever sets in a free-entry night in The Pink Room, which means headliners will include Radiohead, Pulp, Oasis and Beyonce.
YES / www.yes-manchester.com / 0161 273 2725 / Saturday, June 29 / 8pm-3am / free
Sunday June 30
Comedy / So You Think You’re Funny?
Having played a big role in helping the early careers of Peter Kay, Dylan Moran and Lee Mack, So You Think You’re Funny has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the UK’s most respected new comedy competitions. All the contestants taking part have been performing for less than a year – so you’ll be witnessing plenty of raw, developing talent at tonight’s Manchester heat.
Frog and Bucket / frogandbucket.com / 0161 236 9805 / Sunday, June 30 / 7pm / £4
