Manchester’s iconic 42s nightclub faces permanent closure in light of new lockdown
42s is hanging on in there for now. But without help, it won't survive. Please donate whatever you can to their Crowdfunder and keep a Manchester nightlife institution alive.
42nd Street, one of the most beloved denizens in Manchester’s nightlife neighbourhood, may be moving out.
The indie venue – based just off Deansgate – has been a famous city clubbing fixture for quarter-of-a-century, known colloquially among students and locals alike as “42’s”.
But the legendary night spot – which has history stretching back to the 1970s in old guises such as ‘Slack Alice’ – is facing eviction.
With another lockdown imminent and deep concerns that restrictions on nightlife could last beyond winter, 42’s is at ‘very real risk’ of permanent closure.
Now, owners have launched a Crowdfunder – asking anyone who’s ever set foot in the club over the years to help keep an icon alive.
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42’s was among the first venues to shut and last to reopen in the last UK-wide lockdown – having to turn themselves into a bar whilst the ban on clubbing remained intact.
The guitar-powered club atmosphere has been sorely missed by many – with one fan even turning 42s into a video game during quarantine.
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Despite the difficulties of 2020, 42’s has made it to November by the skin of its teeth (with no food menu meaning they missed out on schemes like ‘Eat Out To Help Out’).
Now, it’s reached a point where the dwindling pot of reserves won’t go much further.
There’s no way for the club to generate any income for the foreseeable future – and owners are asking for donations in return for some wonderful music memorabilia.
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Anyone who contributes to the #Save42s pot will be in with a shot of winning prizes donated to the club by bands and artists over the years – with the likes of Slow Readers Club, DMAs, Fuzzy Sun, Reverend and the Makers already voicing their support.
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An owners’ statement reads: “We have been at the heart of the Manchester Indie club scene for the last twenty years and beyond.
“Its reputation spreads across the country, not bad for a family run business. Not only have we been nominated as a National Cultural Institution, but 42’s is also a video game and a Minecraft creation.
“Now, because of Covid restrictions, our very existence is at stake.”
42s is hanging on in there for now. But without help, it won’t survive.
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“You can be a part of keeping a Manchester Icon alive,” is the owners’ rallying cry.
“The Indie kids of the world need us.”
Please give whatever you can and support a nightclub which has provided so many of us with some of the greatest, funniest and most absurd memories of nights out in Manchester.
Embrace announce intimate live show in beloved Bury music venue
Danny Jones
British alternative veterans Embrace have announced another intimate show here in Greater Manchester, only this time it’s over in Bury at a stunning small-cap arts venue.
It’s not often you get to see such a long-standing band play outside of the city centre so far into their career, especially in gorgeous grassroots spaces like this one.
A fellow Northern outfit, they’ve often been lumped in with that ‘post-Britpop’ era of music, and plenty throw around the so-called ‘dad rock’ label, but honestly, we couldn’t care either way: they remain among the UK’s perennially underappreciated underdogs that never get old, as far as we’re concerned.
Revealing a handful of new live dates for their album launch this summer, they’ll be making just two appearances in the North West on the run.
Writing in the post, the group said: “We’ve lined up a run of exclusive UK dates in venues that are some of the smallest we’ve played in years. It’s going to be special, but capacity is extremely limited.”
As you can see, besides the Jacaranda Baltic in Liverpool, the only other place in this region where they’re set to play for this mini tour is The Met over in Bury.
One of the most beautiful gig spots, not just in the town but in all the 10 boroughs, for our money, the room only holds around 400 standing and roughly 250 seats.
For seasoned artists like this lot, who are more used to playing big festival stages and big domestic headline tours – which they’re also doing later this year – it’s sure to be a special night.
Toasting the release of their ninth studio LP, Avalanche, this spin-off on the tried and tested in-store format wouldn’t be possible without the help of local record store, Wax and Beans, who are promoting and hosting the show.
But we can’t lie, there’s something about the idea of seeing them decades on from when they first tightly-packed out crowds of this size.
If you want to be part of the Embrace album launch tour, you can get ready to grab your tickets at 10am this Friday, 27 March, right HERE. And speaking of great record shops…
Niall Horan is heading back to Manchester with a massive arena show just announced
Daisy Jackson
Niall Horan will be back in Manchester this year on a huge newly-announced European arena tour.
The former One Direction star (and chart-topper in his own right) has just announced his Dinner Party Live On Tour tour.
The tour comes in support of his upcoming fourth solo studio album, Dinner Party, which promises to be ‘cinematic and organic’.
Niall Horan will be performing at the Co-op Live in Manchester this September, along with gigs in other UK cities including Sheffield, Glasgow, and Newcastle.
He’ll then head right across Europe, playing music from his multi-Platinum-selling songbook.
Niall first shot to fame as one-fifth of One Direction, but has one of the group’s strongest solo careers, with three chart-topping albums and massive hits like Slow Hands, Heaven, and Our Song.
Niall Horan is heading back to Manchester with a massive arena show just announced
He’s also worked on some exciting collaborations with the likes of Anne-Marie, and most recently Myles Smith.
£1 from every ticket sold for Niall Horan’s Dinner Party tour will be donated to the LIVE Trust, which is dedicated to protecting, expanding, and supporting grassroots music across the UK.
Niall Horan will be at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Friday 25 September.
Tickets will go on sale from 10am on Thursday 2 April HERE.
The Manc -
3rd November 2020 
