A well-known Emmerdale actor is set to kick off a series of special guest DJ slots at a much-loved Manchester pub.
In case you haven’t sussed it already, we’ll give you another hint: he’s one of the Dingles.
The Dingle Family are household famous here in Britain, whether you watch the soaps or not, and it goes without saying that when you say that name, there is always one that pops into your head first.
Now, if you’re pretending that it’s anyone other than Cain Dingle, you’re just lying; but more importantly, you can go see the man in the flesh as he performs the first of what is set to be one of several celebrity DJ sets at the popular Manc boozer.
Real name Jeff Hordley, the 55-year-old will be hitting the decks not for the first time, having previously presented a radio show at The Revolution 96.2 in his hometown, along with former colleagues Mike Joyce (The Smiths), DJ veteran and Inspiral Carpets star Clint Boon, as well as a late, great music icon.
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The Oldham-born actor also worked alongside the one and only Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield of The Stone Roses, who sadly died on Thursday, 20 November.
Passing away at just 63, the ever-adored bassist was one of the most talented musicians in one of the most influential bands to ever come out of our city, with countless people continuing to pay their respects this week.
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As for Cain Dingle, a.k.a. Hordley, he’ll be paying tribute in the best way possible – through his shared love of music, moonlighting as the MC for the night at The Garden Bar over in Chorlton, once the suburban Font site.
This night will mark the start of the venue’s guest DJ series, which will feature well-known faces alongside talented local artists as part of their mission to champion grassroots music and comedy.
Recently taken over and now proudly family-run, The Garden Bar’s new owners are passionate about making it a hub for the Chorlton community, with regular events and themed nights already planned months in advance.
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As for Hordley, he’s no stranger to delivering the tunes, nor doing so here in Greater Manchester, having frequently performed at the legendary Rock n Roll Bar in Manchester city centre (which went on to become South), long before his acting career took off.
He also drew big crowds to busy Chorlton club nights over the years, including Bop Local, Electrik’s one-deck sessions, as well as Fusion, cementing his reputation as a familiar face and entertainer.
Commenting on the booking, the nearby native wrote: “DJing has always been important to me. It’s something I did long before acting took over, and it’s still one of my favourite ways to connect with people through music.
“I’m really looking forward to being back behind the decks in Chorlton. I’ve got a real soft spot for the area, and it’s always had such a brilliant energy.
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“I’ll be playing some of the tunes I’ve loved for years: a mix of indie, northern soul, a bit of funk… and a few surprises I’ve picked up along the way! I’ll be dedicating the night to Mani – he was such a legend and a lovely soul.”
The Emmerdale star will perform a completely free-entry DJ night at The Garden Bar from 8:30pm until late on Friday, 28 November. Guess we’ll see you there.
Featured Images — Sophie Powles (supplied)/The Garden Bar (via Facebook)/ITV
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Tame Impala at Co-op Live, Manchester – lasers, lights, and a bit of a hangover
Daisy Jackson
The coolest man in the southern hemisphere has finally made his way back up north, for his first Manchester gig in a decade.
That cool man in question is Tame Impala, the music project of what-the-hell-can’t-he-play multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker.
Sure, last year’s single release ‘Dracula’, and then its remix re-release with K-pop megastar Jennie, may have propelled Tame Impala up towards the top of the UK singles chart for the first time, but he’s got almost two decades-worth of music to dig through beyond that too.
It’s a hefty discography and it leads to a setlist that seems to almost peak about six times.
‘How could it possibly get better than this?’ we seem to ask as he plays The Moment, Elephant, Dracula, and Let It Happen pretty early on – but better it does indeed get.
It doesn’t seem to matter whether he’s up on the main space-ship-esque stage surrounded by lasers and lights, or sat on the floor of the B Stage playing around with a keyboard, Tame Impala has an irresistible, enchanting charisma. A lot more charisma that you’d expect from a man called Kevin.
Early on, he confesses that he’s quite severely hungover from last night’s show, where he had Dua Lipa (he wrote and produced her Radical Optimism album) as a surprise guest.
But you can see the hangover clear from his eyes in real time as 23,500 Mancs scream in his face. Which might not sound like a likely hangover cure, but who am I to argue with the evidence in front of me?
Although Kevin writes, produces, and records his music solo, he’s got half a dozen musicians up on the main stage with him, which looks like a convoluted space ship that fires confetti out of its thrusters (FOUR TIMES!).
With revolving lights, dancing lasers, and a metal grid base spewing out dry ice, it’s really one hell of a production.
It’s a light show designed to give us all a glimpse of his synesthesia (meaning he sees colours when he hears music (Billie Eilish has it too)) – essentially, if you couldn’t hear a thing and could only see the stage, you can still tell exactly what song is playing.
Still, when he saunters straight through the crowd to his smaller stage to mix tracks solo – no lasers, just a few lamps – flopping down onto a tangle of wires like a mad magpie building himself a nest, it’s a chance to remember this guy’s composing prowess.
A lot of the songs performed tonight are almost orchestral in their complexity, so that the whole show merges into one thundering, bewitching night of dancing and being blasted in the face by confetti.
It’s genius.
So can you not leave it another decade before you come back, Kevin?
Kahiki Soundhouse – the new Mint Lounge site is living up to the old name and its live music legacy
Danny Jones
If you went out in town back in the day (pretty much any time from the late 90s to the 2010s), or indeed have sampled a Funkdemia over the past couple of decades, chances are you tried or at least heard of Mint Lounge – but did you know it’s been replaced by a new kid on the block, Kahiki?
Kahiki Soundhouse, to give it its full name, is the new live music venue bar that has opened up the old basement space on Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter.
In truth, it’s now more of a classic lounge than ever before.
The large open-plan floor, which used to be filled with people standing/two-stepping inside a fairly barebones club room with no air conditioning, has now been traded up for a stylish space lined with plush padded seats, classy low-lit tables perfect to share a glass or two over, and lots of new features.
Perhaps the biggest change is that the old soundbooth/stage area that used to be way at the back has now been swapped for a central 360° podium that changes up each night.
It really is the star of the all-week-round Kahiki show, if you ask us.
This also means that no matter where you are in the main venue (there are other rooms, but we’ll get to that), be it tucked in a booth to the side, at the bar, or even ‘behind’ whoever’s playing, you’ll have a virtually unobstructed view of what’s happening from noon until night.
Seriously, thanks to their already jam-packed schedule, the reviews aren’t just off to a great start only a few days in, but people have been turning up in the early evening and staying well into the early hours of the next day.
They’ve got duelling pianos, live bandaoke, acoustic nights and straightforward DJ sets for those who still fancy a taste of the previous vibe.
Kahiki’s maiden Manchester city centre venue definitely harks back to the good times had in the Mint Lounge days, but the team, who possess decades of experience between them, have combined a retro feel almost more akin to 1960s speakeasies, cocktails and evening venues.
It’s no secret that clubbing and the UK nightlife scene have changed quite a bit since the pandemic, but these guys look to have found that perfect blend of more relaxed seating, along with plenty of room to get up and boogie; there’s even a raised mini-stage/dance cage for your main character moments.
Better still, if you do want something a little bit away from the crowds of punters that are continuing to make this one of the liveliest new additions to NQ, they also have adjustable karaoke rooms where bi-folding doors can make room for up to 50 of you and your lot to party in privacy.
Let’s just say the spirit of the Lounge is alive and well in the Soundhouse.
Just one corner of KahikiYour podium awaitsOne of the smaller karaoke rooms
Danny Jones -
24th November 2025 
