Known for their bass-centric events, Hit & Run has been serving Manchester with the heaviest and filthiest beats for the past 13 years.
Now, with the reputation of being the most well-respected drum and bass promotors in the city, they’ve come up with a new way to continue their legacy – Hit & Run TV.
When it was revealed we could no longer get sweaty together on the dancefloor, Hit & Run’s boss Rich Reason turned to livestreaming, like much of the industry during lockdown.
For the past few months his team has been working on setting up a Twitch channel to continue supplying us with our drum and bass fix.
But just as they were finding their feet, Twitch told them the rules were changing. Now streaming music on the platform isn’t so straightforward.
ADVERTISEMENT
Copyright is a big concern with using people’s music on streams and videos. Often, popular sites take down content they deem to be a potential breach.
So, all this got Rich thinking: even though DJs have been streaming sets and keeping the scene alive since Lockdown One, the social media platforms are the ones reaping revenue from the stream’s advertising.
The team have taken matters into their own hands to remove the middleman. So, they’ve set up their own website, bought a PRS license and booked a load of acts.
And tonight, they launch Hit & Run TV.
With the license, DJs can play the music they want, without the risk of being muted or the stream being pulled down. Every song that’s played is logged this way, meaning artists receive their share too. There’ll be no annoying ads half-way through either. The rave can go on uninterrupted and uncensored. At last!
ADVERTISEMENT
Each stream will come live and direct from the Neuron Pro stage and is completely free to watch for one week. After that, a £3 a month subscription will grant you unlimited access to previous streams from the Hit & Run TV library, whenever you like.
Also, there’ll be a monthly draw for subscribers to win a pass to all Hit & Run events for a full year.
The team reckon they could be the first ones to give this format a go. We can’t wait to see what they do with it.
The first one is tonight. So, if you need a rave, get involved here.
Audio
Little Simz announces biggest-ever Manchester gig ahead of new album
Danny Jones
The queen of British rap, the one and only Little Simz, is coming back to Manchester for what will be her biggest headline show in this city to date.
A whole three years on from her last album No Thank You, the rapper from Islington is heading back out on the road after wrapping up the recording of her sixth studio LP, Lotus.
The first single ‘FREE’ has already dropped, and despite the release date itself being pushed back, news of a new Little Simz tour later this year more than makes up for it, if you ask us.
Little Simz already has two NME Awards to her name for Best British Solo Act and Best British Album, not to mention a BRIT itself for Best New Artist in 2022; oh yeah, and she won the Mercury Prize as well as a BET Hip Hop Award over in the States for ‘Best International Flow’ – all before she turned 30.
With that in mind, you can understand why so many are frothing at the mouth to hear her new record when it does finally drop.
There doesn’t appear to be any problems with the album itself: Simbiatu Abisola Abiola Ajikawo, to use her full name, is simply busier than ever and has just booked a role in a film because, yes, she acts too.
Lotus will now drop on Friday, 6 June, just in time for fans to get learning the lyrics ahead of festival season, which we have no doubt she’ll play a big part in.
You can hear the first taste of the next chapter down below:
Little Simz returns to Manchester for a Co-op Live debut on 16 October with tour supports still yet to be announced.
Pre-sale goes live on Wednesday, 9 April from 10am for official Co-op members and general admission will be available from the same time on the following Friday (11 April).
AJ Tracey is playing a VERY intimate gig in Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
London rapper and respected grime artist AJ Tracey is ‘live and direct’ once again, announcing a whole host of UK dates, one of which is a rather intimate gig right here in Manchester.
It’s official: one of UK rap’s leading gents is getting back on the road and he’s showing a ‘Little More Love’ to lots of cities, including Manchester.
In a post on the UK star’s socials, AJ Tracey trades his music persona for that of a sports pundit as he announces the dates for his upcoming tour while impersonating an F1 commentator.
Anyone looking to attend Tracey’s ‘Not Even A Tour’ can catch the star up and down the country on his over 20-date tour with a stop in Manchester as soon as this month.
The rapper has reached phenomenal heights since dropping the unforgettable ‘Ladbroke Grove’ in 2019 and is heading out across the nation to make sure everyone knows about it.
Get ready to spit bars left and right as this rapper’s discography is stacked with serious tunes like ‘Dinner Guest’, ‘West Ten’, ‘Thiago Silva’ and more.
More recently, he collaborated with Walsall’s finest Jorja Smith for a flirty garage beat also known as ‘Crush’ with the video being the two artists talking it out in a good old fashioned caff.
The latest collaboration with Smith marks the start of a new era for Mr. Live and direct as it fell in line with the announcement of his third studio album.
Titled Don’t Die Before You’re Dead, we’re sure he’ll be “building a vibe” wherever he goes and probably previewing a few exclusive tracks from his upcoming project too.
This gig may come as quite a surprise for any hardcore fans of the ‘Ladbroke Grove’ star as the venue in which he’s performing is definitely intimate only, holding just over 250 guests.
This rap giant is bringing his unbelievable beats to none other than the legendary small-cap city centre live music venue, The Deaf Institute, at the end of this month.
It’s safe to say you won’t get many more chances, if any, to see him in such a tight-knit space again.
AJ Tracey is bringing ‘Not Even A Tour’ to Deaf Institute in Manchester on 30 April, with tickets on sale Friday 4 April from 12 noon.
Hannah Starkie -
20th January 2021 
