News
Troye Sivan at AO Arena, Manchester – a celebration of self-expression
One of the biggest and most freeing celebrations of queerness
In the seven years since Troye Sivan’s sexual awakening on 2018’s semi-explicit ‘Bloom’, the Australian has emerged as a sex-positive powerhouse.
He’s been soundtracking queer nightclubs across the globe with the dancefloor-ready earworm ‘Rush’ – the lead single from his third studio album ‘Something To Give Each Other’, itself a further step into self-embrace and expressionism and one that has seen Troye embark on a global tour endlessly spilling out online videos of brilliantly sexy and sultry dance routines and on-stage playfulness.
His Manchester outing at the AO Arena is no different, oozing with sensual choreography that wouldn’t be out of place on the Magic Mike Live stage, yet set to make those with a more reserved outlook blush.
But that’s largely the point here, the third step in a chronological journey that carefully treads from the self-questioning of ‘Heaven’ on his 2015 debut ‘Blue Neighbourhoods’ through to his unapologetic onstage gyrating, a symbol of his self-acceptance.
Anybody uncomfortable in tonight’s crowd is undoubtedly at the wrong show, an open celebration of all-round gayness and its culture.
It’s inherent in everything he says, informing the crowd that he made a b-line direct to Manchester’s iconic Canal Street the night before, and tantalisingly hinting that he may do the same after the show, before immodestly suggesting that this may cause some type of stampede.
Perhaps it’s the reason why the show both starts and ends unusually early, and why at just 17 songs, it’s one of the shorter headline sets an arena is used to.
It’s also telling that Troye doesn’t go further back than ‘Bloom’, with the title track, the anthemic ‘My My My!’ and the Ariana Grande-featuring ‘Dance To This’ just about making the cut.
The song choices are in-keeping with the mood of the evening, more mature and more adult than anything off his debut, or ‘Bloom’s retrospective numbers that failed to make the setlist.
Tonight is evidently an acknowledgement of lust, love and sex; a call to live in the moment and not to look back, and a hedonistic masterclass.
With that, each set piece is brilliantly positioned, the performance split into six acts each broken with Troye running off stage for an outfit change or for structures to be seamlessly assembled or disassembled.
Fan favourite ‘One Of Your Girls’ sees him don a lacey corset as he shares an intimate lap dance with one of his dancers, while the sultry ‘STUD’ glides like silk both in its vocal and on-stage performance.
But the biggest reaction is saved for the Charli XCX featuring (although sadly not on stage) ‘1999’, which rounds out the main set with a party befitting its lyrics, and gay anthem ‘Rush’ – complete with full dance routine and mesmerising light show to bring the decadent thrill ride to a close.
As Pride Month draws to a close, and with Salford’s Pink Picnic acting as the show’s pre-party for many, Troye Sivan delivers easily one of the biggest and most freeing celebrations of queerness Greater Manchester has to offer – via Perth, Australia, of course.
Read more
Featured image: Stuart Winecoff
News
Manchester locals appealing for more information over a month after from finding family member’s body
Danny Jones
A Greater Manchester family are still calling for more information now over a month on from the discovery of a man’s body at his Chorlton home.
William Riddell, 49, was found dead in the bedroom of a property on Astbury Avenue at approximately 11:35pm on Sunday, 10 November after being found by his stepdaughter, Sarah Hayden.
Details surrounding his passing are still scarce but a 47-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder but has since been released on bail “pending further enquiries”, leaving Sarah and the rest of her family still none the wiser as to the exact nature of his death.
Preparing to spend their first Christmas without him, they have issued a desperate appeal for more information, urging anyone who might have information to come forward.
Riddell, more commonly known as Billy by those close to him, was described as a “good, caring man with a big heart” and a popular figure in the local area.
Speaking via Greater Manchester Police, Sarah, said: “I want to be Billy’s voice and get answers for him. Billy was a nice and lovely man and all the community knew who he was. He was well-liked and we gave him a good send-off at his funeral.
“I would just ask anyone who knew him or has any information to come forward and tell police. Even if you think it’s a little or small thing – please come forward. We just want to get to the bottom of what has happened.”
Detective Inspector Alex Wilkinson, who serves on GMP‘s Major Incident Team, added in an official statement: “The family of Billy deserve answers following his death and we are working hard to ensure they get exactly that.
“We have closely supported Sarah and the wider family over the last month, and we will continue to provide assistance wherever we can as they face their first Christmas without him.
“While a suspect has been bailed, we are still working flat-out to understand more about Billy’s life, the people he was close to, and events leading up to his death just over a month ago.”
Read more:
With that in mind, both GMP and Riddell’s family are asking anyone who might know anything or have information regarding people associated with Billy to come forward, reiterating that “even if you consider something to be small – your help could greatly benefit our investigation.”
You can contact police via 101 or by using the live chat function HERE, quoting log 3227 of 10/11/24.
Alternatively, you can contact the UK’s independent charity, Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Greater Manchester Police
News
Government aims to ‘turn the tide’ on homelessness with £1 billion funding boost
Emily Sergeant
Nearly £1 billion of funding is being pumped into Council budgets to help “break the cycle of spiralling homelessness” in 2025.
As part of the Government‘s wider ‘Plan For Change’, and in a bid to help tackle, reduce, and prevent homelessness next year, it’s been announced that more resources will be be made available for workers on the frontline who provide essential services to get rough sleepers off the street and into secure housing.
This significant investment means Councils will now be “better equipped” to step in early and stop households from becoming homeless in the first place.
According to the Government’s plans, these funded measures will include mediation with landlords or families to prevent evictions, helping homeless people find new homes, and providing deposits to access private renting.
The funding will also be used to address the growing use of B&Bs and nightly-let accommodation, and the streamlining of funding structures to make it easier for Councils to spend their cash.
Areas across the UK can also choose to channel resources into services such as Housing First.
Housing First has been massively successful in Greater Manchester, and has helped house hundreds of our region’s rough sleepers since it was first piloted, being described as “life-changing” along the way.
More than £633 million of the funding will be allocated for the Homelessness Prevention Grant – which is a £192 million increase from this year – while £185.6 million will go to the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant, more than £37 million to the Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme, and £5 million will be for the Emergency Accommodation Reduction Pilots.
Read more:
This new £1 billion funding boost comes after it was announced back in September that Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions will be abolished in England next year as part of the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill.
It will also look to support the Government’s ambition to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation – with an extra £500 million ploughed into the Affordable Homes Programme to build tens of thousands of affordable homes across the country.
Featured Image – Gary Knight (via Flickr)
The Manc Audio -
23rd June 2024 
