Angela Rayner has been added to the bill for Andy Burnham’s immense DJ battle this weekend – which is a sentence we never thought we’d be writing.
The deputy Labour leader will be getting behind the decks at the charity event, alongside Manc music legends including Rowetta and Clint Boon.
The event will see Burnham battling against Steve Rotheram in a musical head-to-head between Manchester and Liverpool, all to raise money for the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity for A Bed Every Night.
It’s taking place at Depot Mayfield, the home of Warehouse Project, on Friday 2 December – and we’ve got an exclusive discount for £1 tickets for The Manc readers.
All proceeds from bar sales on the night will go to support those who are experiencing or at risk of rough sleeping in Greater Manchester.
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Andy Burnham doing a live-streamed DJ set during lockdown. Credit: GMCA
The line-up will be headlined by Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram (who first battled behind the DJ decks in lockdown), with guest appearances from Angela Rayner, Nihal Arthanayake, Stanley Chow, Clint Boon and Rowetta, plus guest DJs from the Warehouse Project.
Angela said: “I can’t wait to get on the decks and show everyone why Manchester is clearly the best city when it comes to music. I’ve got a lot of love for Scousers, but Team Liverpool will be second best on Saturday night.
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“I’m delighted to be taking part in this event and helping to raise money for such a fantastic cause. I hope you like the songs I’ve picked. It was hard to narrow it down to three because there are so many Manchester music legends!”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “We all know Manchester has the greatest musical heritage and I’ll be giving it my all in the set to prove that point once and for all. There’s serious pride at stake here.
We're raising money for the brilliant @GMMayorsCharity initiative A Bed Every Night & powered by @WHP_Mcr
“But competition aside, our passion for music unites our two city regions. What better way to put on an amazing celebration of our region’s culture and raise money for important causes, to support those who need it most at what is a really difficult time.”
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Mayor of Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram said: “There can be no debate: the Liverpool City Region is the undisputed home of British music. We’ve given the world some of the greatest artists, albums and songs of all time – no area has had more number one hits than us.
“The fact we beat off competition from cities across the UK to host next year’s Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of Ukraine speaks to our world-leading reputation as the UK’s premier music scene – and it’s a legacy we’re continuing today.”
The battle is supported by The Warehouse Project, Elevate and Badger & Combes.
Launched in 2018 by Andy Burnham and supported by the Charity, A Bed Every Night provides emergency accommodation for anyone rough sleeping across the city-region, regardless of status, as well as vital personal support.
Since its launch, A Bed Every Night has helped over 4,000 people and been instrumental in reducing rough sleeping in the region since its peak in 2017. But due to the current cost of living and energy crisis, there is an increased need to offer support this winter.
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Currently, there are 619 people in A Bed Every Night accommodation across Greater Manchester who would otherwise be at risk of rough sleeping, with 21 organisations across the region providing accommodation.
To get your ticket for £1 (plus fees), use the code: TheManc – get yours here.
Featured image: Ramona / Supplied
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One giant house party – Ne-Yo and Akon at Co-op Live, Manchester
Hollie Wells
‘So Sick’ of seeing pilates and matcha; when all you need is a messy naughties night out? Iconic duo Ne-Yo and Akon can, apparently, take you there.
Imagine the best house party of the 2010s with 20,000 of your favourite guests on perfect form, and you know what Co-op Live has been like for the last two nights for R&B royalty Ne-Yo and Akon.
Hosting a collaborative catalogue of bangers from both the stars, the atmosphere was buzzing with nostalgia and a readiness to have the ‘Time of Our Lives.’
Not only were we treated to two icons, they shared the stage with amazingly talented dancers, performing on the ground and in the sky, and perfectly embodying the showmanship of Ne-Yo and AKON and amplifying the party atmosphere.
It feels like there are endless group numbers, and if that wasn’t enough, these dancers start hanging on aerial silks from the rafters of Co-op Live by one foot and dropping into the splits on Ne-Yo’s lap. Casual.
This is a night for screaming timeless heartbreak anthems like ‘Angel’ and ‘Lonely’, throwing some ‘Dangerous’ dance moves, and throwing your arms around your best pal while copious amounts of confetti fall over you.
Not only did we get the classics, the packed audience of party people were presented with a dance-battle style compilation of tunes that the singer-songwriters were involved with.
And of course, they had a plethora of perfect numbers, including Rhianna’s ‘Hate that I Love You’, Gwen Stefani’s ‘The Sweet Escape’ and Beyoncé’s ‘Irreplaceable.’ A triad of divas, and these songs never get old.
With a running time of two hours and forty minutes, it is clear that these two are not short on hits.
Needing an interval at a gig is a flex and I would confidently say this Manchester crowd would have parted all night long, particularly the three lucky ladies who were called on stage to two-step with Ne-Yo. The office wont believe that on Monday.
If you’re craving a time-hop to 2010 and a setlist with zero flops, you’re in safe hands with Ne-Yo and Akon.
Rare picture of David Bowie’s legendary one-off gig in Stockport unearthed
Danny Jones
A rare picture taken from the night of the late, great David Bowie’s legendary one-off gig in Stockport has been unearthed by a local whilst digging through his loft.
Imagine having that kind of history just squirrelled away in an attic…
As revealed by Stockport Music Story, after being supplied with the image by David Maynard, the snap was shared more than half a century on from the much-mythologised moment in Greater Manchester music history.
In fact, it was put on display and posted on social media quite literally 56 years to the day since Bowie played his only Stopfordian set on 27 April, 1970.
Maynard himself is featured in the newly discovered photograph (second from the left) and was one of the select and lucky few who were in the room for that very special show.
Organised by a group of teens on behalf of the Stockport Schools’ Students’ Union, the performance took place at the long-gone Poco a Poco music venue and club over in Heaton Chapel.
The storied space hosted many big names over the years – Gerry Marsden, Freddie Starr, Hank Marvin and more – but sadly closed in May of 1987 following a fire.
It went on to become the popular Hinds Head pub, which still serves punters to this day, but once had the honour of hosting a true artistic great and British icon.
For anyone wondering, this is indeed the same night on which David Robert Jones (yes, that’s Bowie‘s full birth name) missed his train home and had to sleep on the railway platform.
Here’s a BBC segment covering the tale back on its 55th anniversary in April 2025.
It may be a small and somewhat curious claim to fame, but native love the legend of it all nonetheless.
As for the other individuals pictured alongside him, Stockport Music Story (SMS) said: “The names of the people we know are David Maynard (2nd left), Roz Wood (3rd left), David Bowie, Bill Frost (2nd right), Stewart Rigby (right).”
They go on to add: “It would be amazing to find out who the other people in the photograph are and what they remember from that night.” We sincerely hope they do.
You can now see the plaque up close and personal at Stockport Station for yourselves and as for SMS’s growing archive of the region’s creative culture, you can find out tonnes more about other pieces of SK heritage right HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
1st December 2022 
