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Manchester’s Block Party comes to the streets of Stockport town centre this summer

The sun best coming along too.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 21st June 2024

Stockport and its street party scene seem to be thriving at the moment and now Manchester’s increasingly popular Block Party is getting involved too.

We’ve all seen how SK1 Records and their street parties have taken off over the past year or so, so it only makes sense for Block Party to team up with them and others to bring their tried and tested format to another Greater Manchester borough this summer.

No, we don’t care how many times you repeat it, it isn’t Cheshire and hasn’t been for ages.

But back to the matter at hand, Block Party – who have already seen great success over at Piccadilly Trading Estate with the help of Manc brewers Cloudwater, Track, Balance and Sureshot – are set to deliver a day of music entertainment, food, bevs drink and fun for all the family.

Block Party always goes off (Credit: Supplied)

Aptly named ‘Stock Party’ (some things just line up perfectly), the latest street party will be landing on the historic Underbank in collaboration with all their usual partners as well as local beer experts Robinsons Brewery and Runaway, as well as Michelin-recognised Where The Light Gets and many more.

Being brought to life with the help of Stockport’s Business Improvement District (BID), Totally Stockport and Stockport Council as part of the growing ‘Old Town’ revival moment, they’re set to deliver a day of music entertainment, food & drink and family activities around the town centre.

‘Robbies’ Brewery on Lower Hillgate will be home to the main festival square and bar, pouring the freshest beers from each of the breweries, with tunes being pumped out onto the street by SK1 Records and a special DJ set curated by Bohemian Arts Club to ensure a proper party atmosphere.

For those who prefer a nice pinot noir, Isca will be serving up a selection of their natural wines; plus Where The Light Gets In will be serving up BBQ and Honest Crust – one of the best pizza places anywhere in Greater Manchester – will be serving up slices… of heaven, we mean.

It doesn’t stop there – not even close…

Credit: Supplied

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Although we can promise plenty of dancing and footfall, Underbank will also be lined with tables and chairs enabling festival-goers to enjoy an alfresco beer from a five-tap van located outside Rare Mags, while Yellowhammer pottery and bakery will see visitors can build their own tankard in a special one-off.

There are even more offerings food and drink-wise too, with popular local bars Spinn Off and Cracked Actor, Cafe San Juan and Marley’s Tacos all serving up street food and pints for you to gulp down in the sunshine (fingers crossed).

Head just a few metres over the road and you’ll also find Stockport’s oldest and newly restored White Lion pub hosting an Old Town General Store DJ set and tap takeover, with Ginger’s Ice Cream Emporium on hand serving up their artisan ice cream. As if things couldn’t get any more summery.

Best of all, you don’t have to wait too long as Stock Party is happening on 20 July, lasting from 12-9pm and is completely free entry. You can bank on us being there and dancing along the cobbles until dusk. See you in SK next month!

Block Party first event in Stockport event beckons (Credit: Stockport BID)

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Featured Images — Block Party (supplied)

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Adidas drop Liam and Noel Gallagher SPZL trainers

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Adidas drop Liam and Noel Gallagher SPZL trainers

Liam and Noel Gallagher have teamed up with adidas once again to create their very own SPZL trainers.

The sportswear giant has today dropped the designs for the adidas LG Achille SPZL and the adidas NG Marathon SPZL.

The sure-to-sell-out trainers will officially hit shelves in the new Manchester adidas store, and other stockists, next weekend.

The footwear drop coincides with the ongoing Oasis reunion tour, which attracted hundreds of thousands of people to the city when they played five nights in Heaton Park.

Liam and Noel themselves have maintained a close relationship with Gary Aspden, curator of the adidas SPZL range, for more than two decades.

They’re often seen sporting the iconic trainers and creating product collaborations, and now they’re back with a new Three Stripes partnership and their very own new adidas SPZL trainers.

Up first is Liam Gallaghers’s adidas SPZL, with the Oasis frontman asking to bring back a revised version of an archival runner, the adidas Achille.

Adidas drop Liam and Noel Gallagher SPZL trainers
Adidas drop Liam and Noel Gallagher SPZL trainers

The LG Achille SPZL features a khaki mesh base, chocolate brown stripes, a beige suede T-toe overlay, and a sand outside, with a motif of Liam on the tongue of the shoe.

Noel Gallagher’s NG Marathon SPZLs are his first collaborations with the brand since his immediate sell-out shoes back in 2017.

His are a new hybrid inspired by the adidas Marathon 85 silhouette, keeping the suede upper and rubber outsole of the Marathon 85 but with a deep navy/sky blue palette with a reworked toe box and midsole, as well as details like the Eco-Tex tongue and tonal eyelets.

Both shoes feature a portrait of their namesakes on the tongue, as well as spare laces, co-branded sock liners, and commemorative packaging.

The adidas LG Achille SPZL and the adidas NG Marathon SPZL are set to launch via adidas SPZL stockists and the adidas Carnaby and MCR retail stores on 16 August.

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Featured image: adidas

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Oasis are being linked with a massive outdoor gig next year

Danny Jones Danny Jones Oasis rumoured for Slane Castle outdoor gig 2026

After 16 long years of waiting, Oasis are officially the biggest band on the planet again (not that they ever really stopped), and now they’re being linked with a rather big outdoor gig at the storied Slane Castle next year.

They’ve already done Knebworth, so why not tick another one off the list?

With the Live ’25 reunion tour well underway, and rumblings over what they’re going to do once this run of global comeback shows is done, Britpop fever hasn’t just had fans of the band reliving the 1990s – it’s practically taken over the music world.

There’s already plenty of talk circling – including a potential return to Knebworth – but now Oasis is pretty much the first and only name being tipped for a huge headline slot at Slane Castle, after 2026 dates were slated by the estate’s owners.

slaine castle gigs
Slane Castle hosted natives, U2, for their Go Home live concert film back in 2002. (Credit: Sara Einarsson via WikiCommons)

While Harry Styles played Ireland’s historic and equally iconic venue back in 2023, the Co Meath concerts, located in the heart of the Boyne Valley, have somewhat dried up in recent years.

Prior to the former One Direction star, the last major musicians to play there were rock and heavy metal veterans, Metallica, more than half a decade ago.

However, the new lord of the manor, Alex Conyngham, is now looking to carry on where his father, Henry Mountcharles, left off in carrying on their live music legacy; and given that another legendary rock and roll band is pretty much anyone can talk about at the minute, their name has already been put forward.

As per the Drogheda Independent writer, John Kierans, Conyngham is reported to have said: “We want to bring the shows back, we miss them. It is not just about the revenue, but keeping the name of Slane as a rock venue on the map.

“It is what Slane Castle is known for, and I don’t want that legacy to fade away. This is one of the world’s great rock and roll venues with the most natural setting. We are working on plans, and hopefully we can pull something off for next year.”

While Oasis are due to play two nights at Croke Park in Dublin later this month, there is now a strong belief/expectation that a number of 2026 dates will also be announced. But will the stars align?

The Gallaghers’ obvious Irish connection has only added further fuel to the fire, though some people believe that Liam has already let the cat out of the bag regarding a second residency at Knebworth – or rather, third, in his case.

It’s also worth mentioning that they’ve played the 1,500-acre grounds before. Twice, in fact.

The first occasion was in July 1995, supporting R.E.M just before they hit arguably the height of their own powers with the release of their second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? just a few months later, on 2 October.

Burnage‘s most famous sons and their bandmates go to do it all over again in 2009 (the same year they would eventually split up), with some incredible ‘warm-up acts’ in The Prodigy, Kasabian and Glasvegas.

Phwoar…

Let’s be honest, either of those artists could probably book and sell out the place these days, so god knows how much a ticket for that lineup would set you back present day.

Regardless, if there’s one band that fits the billing to bring back the Slane Castle gigs at their boldest and best, it’s the almighty Oasis.

Whether or not the heavily rumoured 2026 dates are domestic to the UK and Ireland, we’ll have to wait and see, but the clamour is already there, no matter where they sign on to perform.

If you were at Heaton Park or had the fortune of seeing any of the Live ’25 shows, you’ll know they still sound as good as ever.

Oasis are clearly doing something very deliberate for the as-yet-unconfirmed Live ’25 reunion album

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Featured Images — Sitomon (via Flickr)/Kinsie84 (via Wikimedia Commons)/Press Shots

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