A huge festival dedicated to the Madchester era is coming to Mayfield Depot this Easter, bringing some of the period’s biggest artists to the stage for a huge one-off show.
Pulling together some of the biggest hitters from the era, the show will see members from iconic 80 and 90s dance groups Faithless, 808 State, The Prodigy and The Happy Mondays all take to the stage inside the huge warehouse in what promises to be a one-of-a-kind event
With a headline Dj set from Faithless and a live performance from Manchester’s own acid house legends 808 State, responsible for creating arguably the closest thing the genre has ever got to a symphony with their standout hit ‘Pacific State’, the show is sure to be a huge nostalgia trip for those who were there the first time around.
Also on the bill are Chicago house and deep house legend Marshall Jefferson, original Hacienda resident and all-around Manchester legend DJ Paulette, electronic dance duo K-Klass, Bez and Rowetta from The Happy Mondays, and former keyboardist for The Prodigy, Leeroy Thornhill.
Another former Hacienda resident, Jon DaSilva, is also down to play some solid selections at the festival, as is co-founder of Gio Goi clothing Chris Donnelly – a key player in shaping the sportswear casual fashions of Manchester’s early rave scene, as well as organising some of the city’s biggest parties, like the infamous ‘Joy’ rave in Rochdale.
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Chris and his brother, Anthony, are also credited with coining the phrase 24-hour party people – a saying now synonymous with the Madchester era.
First brought to life in the late 80,s the Madchester sound was born out of the indie scene, at the time dominated by the likes of The Smiths, The Fall, and New Order.
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Bands like New Order and The Happy Mondays fused guitar music with psychedlic, funk and house music to create something entirely new – first called ‘Baggy’ thanks to the associated fashions, but later termed ‘Madchester’ by Factory Records boss Tony Wilson.
Full lineup for the Madchester festival:
Faithless [DJ Set]
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808 State [Live]
Marshall Jefferson
K-Klass [DJ / PA]
Bez & Rowetta [Happy Mondays]
Leeroy Thornhill [The Prodigy]
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Jon DaSilva
DJ Paulette
Chris Donnelly
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Bolton man, 22, jailed after his ‘dangerous driving’ kills motorbike rider just days before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
A man from Bolton has been sentenced to more than a decade in jail after causing death by dangerous driving.
Cormac Sale, 22-years-old of Ina Avenue in Bolton, has been sentenced at Bolton Crown Court after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving following a collision between a car and motorbike in Horwich, which saw another young man lose his life just days before Christmas (Saturday 14 December 2024).
At around 9:40pm that evening, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to an incident on Chorley Old Road in Bolton.
When they arrived, they found that a Skoda Fabia – belonging to Sale – had collided with a motorbike. Spencer Rothwell-Poole, also 22 and from Horwich, was riding the motorbike at the time and sadly died at the scene.
Following Sale’s arrest at the scene, further testing was conducted and he was found to be almost 10 times over the legal limit for ketamine whilst driving when the incident occurred.
Investigations by GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit led to ‘significant evidence’ being obtained of Sale ‘driving erratically’ throughout the evening, as spotted by multiple other drivers and CCTV footage, and he was also driving on the opposite side of the road when the collision took place.
Sale has been sentenced to 10 years and eight months in prison, as well as being banned from driving for 12 years.
“This sentencing reflects the devastating consequences of choosing to drive recklessly and whilst under the influence,” commented Detective Constable James Maskrey, who is GMP’s Roads Police Lead Investigator.
“Nothing can undo the loss suffered by Spencer’s family, but it is our hope that this outcome offers some measure of justice.
“When someone gets behind the wheel under the influence of ketamine, they have no control of their own judgement or body, and even a moment where drivers are dissociated or unaware on the road can be fatal.
“This case is a stark reminder that dangerous driving destroys lives, and I want to reassure the public that our officers remain absolutely committed to tackling dangerous driving and removing those who pose a risk to our roads.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Brewdog’s beer hotel in Manchester has closed with immediate effect
Daisy Jackson
The ‘beer hotel’ operated by Brewdog in Manchester has closed with immediate effect, as part of the Scottish brewery’s £33m sale.
A whopping 38 Brewdog bars around the UK have closed, resulting in hundreds of job losses.
As well as the beer hotel known as DogHouse in Manchester, which was home to a large bar and rooftop terrace, the Oxford Road brewpub known as the OutPost has also closed.
The DogHouse Hotel on Fountain Street had a range of boutique bedrooms, fitted with features like beer fridges in the shower, beer taps in the room, guitars, record players, and pet beds.
Just 11 pubs have been retained in the rescue deal, including the Brewdog bar on Peter Street in Manchester city centre.
The brewery has been bought by US beverage and medical cannabis company Tilray for £33m, a sale which includes its UK brewery operations, brand, and a handful of pubs.
Yesterday, Brewdog announced all of its bars would be closed for the day to enable staff to attend staff meetings.
Administrators confirmed yesterday that 484 jobs had been lost in the sale, with 38 bars closing.
Unite, the union which represents thousands of hospitality workers, said it is ‘appalled’ at how Brewdog staff have been treated during the sale.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a devastating day for Brewdog workers. Nearly 500 lost livelihoods while yet another corporate deal is stitched together behind closed doors.
“Brewdog workers built this brand. They deserved respect. Instead, they were treated as disposable pawns. Unite will not rest until our members have legal and financial justice.”
Unite national lead for hospitality Bryan Simpson said: “The way in which senior management have conducted themselves throughout this sales process has been nothing short of a national disgrace – with workers being given no information about the company’s plans or their futures.
“For the CEO to tell workers that they were redundant with immediate effect, on a conference call with only 25 minutes notice, has echoes of P&O and is deplorable. Unite will be ensuring that our members receive everything they are legally entitled to.”
Brewdog was founded in 2007 by friends James Watt and Martin Dickie.
Georgina Pellant -
2nd March 2022 
