Manc music icons Courtneers have finally announced their long-awaited seventh studio album along with revealing the new debut single and music video to boot.
Christmas come early.
It’s been four long years since the beloved indie band from Middleton last released new music in the form of More. Again. Forever., and while the local lads have been playing plenty of shows in that time, including a number of solo performances from frontman Liam Fray himself, it’s felt like an eternity.
Now though, Courteeners can not only celebrate the fact that the new record is on its way at long last but that they can already get stuck into the first song from it too. Without further ado, ‘Solitude Of The Night Bus’:
Offering a first glimpse at what the new album, entitled Pink Cactus Café, will sound like, the new Courteeners song has been described as a “luminous fusion of euphoric electronic pop, framed within the familiar architecture of their indie origins, and embellished with an infectious whistle that lingers long after the last note fades.”
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Hard agree.
Centring around that oh-so-familiar late-night motif of the last bus out of town, the band were looking to capture “the poignant dualities of solitude and expectation, exploring the soul’s quest for clarity amidst loneliness.” We can confirm we’ve done some of our most existential thinking on the bus home.
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Reflecting on the track himself, lead songwriter Fray said: “This came at a time of real questioning. Things weren’t going particularly well. No confidence. No direction. I think that’s why – whisper it – it’s on the fun side. This is the new us. I’d previously worked with Ola [Modupe Ojo of Bipolar Sunshine] on ‘Hanging Off Your Cloud’ and, like then, there was just a magic in the room that was irresistible.
“It’s a summer breeze. But it’s a winter’s night. Either way, sometimes you have to block out the noise. My late Uncle Pat loved a whistle so it’s a bit of a homage to him. Get on the bus; headphones in; go your own way. It’s the feel-good, imposter syndrome hit of the summer.”
The new single and album artwork for Courteeners’ forthcoming 2024 record.
Hinting at the further eclecticism of the new album, it features collaboration and co-production from a number of artists that Fray describes as his “Indie Rolodex”.
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Names involved in the latest project include Aussie outfit DMA’S, rising Scottish star Brooke Combe, James and Ian Skelly (The Coral), Ormskirk singer-songwriter Pixey; the aforementioned Ola, Theo Hutchcraft of Hurts and Blossoms‘ Charlie Salt, just to name a few.
Pink Cactus Café is set to be released via Ignition Records on 25 October and after seeing their 2008 debut album St. Jude go straight back to number one for its 15th anniversary at the start of 2023, we expect the new record to achieve similar success.
With a full summer of festival slots still left to play, including TRNSMT, Boardmasters, Victorious Fest and Liam Gallagher’s massive Malta Weekender, it’s going to be a big few months for the Manchester heavyweights.
You can pre-order/pre-order Courteeners’ new album HERE and judging by the scenes at Lytham, they haven’t skipped a beat when it comes to live performances.
A dedicated anime, movie and gaming concert with a live orchestra is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
Calling all self-proclaimed otakus, cinephiles and gamers: a huge concert experience will see dozens of musicians bring classic anime, film and gaming soundtracks and scores to life later this year, right here in Manchester.
The city is no stranger to events celebrating these beloved kinds of media, but you’ll struggle to find another bringing all of them together in one place.
Brought to us Mancs by KIN Music Entertainment, a locally founded arts, events and music label, this celebration of all things pop culture – and specifically, the music tied to it.
Entitled ‘The Kin & Fushigi Anime, Film & Videogame Orchestra’, this passionate collective serves as not only a platform for rising artists but also to hear some iconic sonic moments like never before.
KIN have created a large-scale live concert experience which will bring together a 25-piece pop orchestra made up of emerging professional performers and conservatoire graduates.
Aside from the impressive total of people behind this production to begin with, they also form an immersive hybrid orchestral and live band capable of bringing.
Speaking on the upcoming date, KIN Entertainment said in a statement: “We wanted to create the kind of live experience that many anime and videogame fans in Manchester have been waiting for — something cinematic, emotional and community-driven that brings these sound worlds to life with the energy of both an orchestra and a live band.”
Kin was founded by bassist, composer and ensemble performer Alejandro Urbina Diaz, who first brought his talents and wider interests over from Mexico to the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) here in the city centre at the age of 23.
Citing Manchester’s multiculturalism and cosmopolitan cultural fabric as a big part of his inspiration, he and his team have ended up carving out this niche for themselves, and now they’ll be playing this beloved music to Mancs at none other than the O2 Ritz.
Credit: KIN Music Entertainment (supplied via Academy Music Group Digital)
With new arrangements inspired by anime, cinematic and videogame culture, not to mention orchestral and even rock crossover twists – including both vocalist and rhythm sections, by the way – it’s set to be a highly unique experience that most will have never come across before.
This event itself is suitable for audiences aged 14+, although under-16s must be accompanied by an adult, and it’s taking place at the Ritz on Sunday, 26 July.
We’re not going to spoil any more details about the show for you, so which particular pieces of pop culture they reference will just have to be a surprise…
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via AMG Digital)
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You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Manchester’s Deansgate
Daisy Jackson
There’s a brand-new menu of smokehouse-style BBQ dishes being served up on a sunny terrace on Deansgate.
Motley, the neighbourhood bar and restaurant on the corner of John Dalton Street, has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen.
That means they’ve got a whole load of new dishes, slow-cooked over hickory wood, that are bringing a taste of a Deep South BBQ to Manchester city centre.
The smokehouse-style meats are all seasoned in-house and cooked for hours, for a perfect fall-off-the-bone experience.
It might be an authentic American smokehouse menu, but it’s firmly British too, with most products locally sourced.
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Deansgate / Credit: The Manc Group
Motley are calling on local suppliers like Althams Butchers (established since 1856) for their meat, plus greengrocers R Noone and Son, and Cheshire Farm for their real dairy ice cream.
Signature dishes on the new menu at Motley include slow smoked brisket, seasoned in Motley’s signature rub before being slow-smoked for more than eight hours.
There’s also a beef short rib with a chimichurri sauce, and a pork belly strip that’s seasoned with sage and onion and finished with a panko breadcrumb crust.
And for the veggies, there’s a vegan smoked veg kebab with courgette, mushrooms, bell pepper, sweet corn and red onion drizzled with homemade BBQ sauce.
Motley has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen / Credit: The Manc Group
Prices across the board start from just £16, served with beef dripping fries, rainbow slaw, pickles and homemade beef gravy.
As for small plates, you can expect short rib bonbons, homemade corn bread, spicy chicken wings, bang bang cauliflower, mac and cheese, and frickles.
House favourites like steak, vegetable hash, salads, and burgers will remain on the Motley menu.
Victor Gonzalez, food and beverage manager at Motley, said: “Our new signature smoked dishes are all crafted and seasoned in-house then slow cooked for hours over hickory wood to create rich and smoky melt-in-your mouth flavours.
“From our slow-smoked brisket to our home-made sides, everything has been carefully crafted to bring an authentic taste of the deep south to Manchester and we can’t wait for guests to try it.”
Motley can be found at 2 John Dalton Street on the corner of Deansgate in the city centre.
Danny Jones -
9th July 2024 
