Homobloc, Manchester’s legendary queer rave for all, returns this November with another day-to-night party featuring a star-studded line-up of DJs and performers.
Reuniting the clans once again, on 4 November Homobloc is set to welcome artists, performers, spectators, and clubbers to come together and present one of the most extraordinary dancefloor coalitions of the LGBTQ+ community.
Featuring a roster of heavyweight live acts, headliners this year will include the 2023 Mercury Prize nominated artist Jessie Ware, Australian indie electro-pop band Confidence Man, and Canadian electroclash producer, Peaches.
Further headline DJ sets include performances from The Blessed Madonna, Romy, David Morales, Avalon Emerson, Horse Meat Disco, LSDXOXO, salute, SHERELLE and many, MANY more.
Credit: Homobloc 2023
The programming is a joint effort by many, including LGBTQ+ collectives from Manchester and beyond.
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The collectives and curation include work by Ghetto Fabulous, Creatures by Beau Azra, Miss Chief by Banksie and Strutty Bitch, who have been part of the Homobloc family since day one, as well as new collectives The Cavalcade and Drag Kings Of Manc.
Homobloc will take over the full expanse of Depot Mayfield, including the three main stages (Depot, Concourse, Archive), as well as expanding across to Temperance Street and into the historic Star & Garter pub.
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As if that wasn’t enough, this year it will also grow upwards as queer club icons Horse Meat Disco takes over the rooftop with a cinema screening, acoustic performances, pop-up shops, in-session podcasts, talks and more.
You can see the full lineup down below and, boy, what a treat you’re in for:
Rod Connolly, Promoter from Homobloc, said in a statement following the announcement of this year’s event: “It’s with great pleasure we unveil the most adventurous Homobloc line-up to date.
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“For 2023 we have straddled the edges of queer culture to introduce fresh new sounds and textures from the alternative music scene, aligning them with some of the biggest names in electronic and dance music to create a unique international party-busting with nitty-gritty northern queer energy.”
“The LGBTQ+ community has experienced another challenging year, particularly our Trans siblings who are facing a relentless wave of discrimination.
“Trans rights and liberation are under real threat and in response we are growing our charity partners this year to offer much-needed resources deep within the Trans community. We are also working on a cultural spaces charity partnership to support independent artists and creatives within the Salford and Greater Manchester area.”
As you can see, there’s so much more going on with this event than just the live music side and we simply can’t wait to see how big Depot Mayfield goes off this year.
Presale tickets for Homobloc 2023 go on sale at 10am Thursday, 3 August, with general admission going live at the same time on Friday, 4 August. Be ready and waiting to grab yours HERE.
Oasis release trailer for Don’t Look Back In Anger documentary – watch it here
Daisy Jackson
A new trailer for the upcoming Oasis documentary, ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger’, has been released today.
The highly anticipated documentary follows the iconic Manchester rock band as they reunited for a series of epic comeback gigs last summer.
The Gallagher brothers broke up the band 15 years prior to the Live ’25 shows, then returned in spectacular fashion for gigs including five sold-out nights at Heaton Park in Manchester.
The band were followed throughout their triumphant comeback tour by film crews, for the documentary film ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger’.
Fans will see never-before-seen snippets of rehearsal, backstage, and onstage, as well as the first joint interview with Liam and Noel in more than 20 years.
It will also explores the profound impact that the reunion had on fans, and chart the global phenomenon that was Oasis Live ’25.
One of the people behind the new documentary is Steven Knight, of Peaky Blinders fame.
Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger will be released in the UK on Wednesday 9 September and you can book tickets HERE.
Watch the full trailer for Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger below:
Elbow get behind campaign to save Jodrell Bank from closure
Danny Jones
Manc band Elbow are among the latest to get behind the campaign to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from closing permanently.
The Greater Manchester natives famously played a sold-out gig at the important scientific and cultural landmark for a very special live album recording well over a decade ago, and know all too well the site’s national and, indeed, global heritage.
Choosing the Observatory and the rare chance to perform a show in the shadow of the world-renowned James Lovell Telescope, it probably remains one of their most significant standalone UK date ever.
With that in mind, the local lads have been left just as worried by the news of its impending closure as everyone else, and have therefore issued a fresh appeal to help keep it open.
Posting a timely statement on social media, the group wrote: “Jodrell Bank has long been close to elbow’s heart. In 2012, the band played beneath the Lovell Telescope for one of the most memorable shows in our history.
“The recent news that funding for the e-MERLIN radio telescope network is set to end in 2028 puts the future of the scientific work at Jodrell Bank under serious threat. It is a remarkable place, with an extraordinary history, and one that continues to play an important role in science, culture and education.”
In addition to reliving clips and images from the historic live set all the years later, they also pointed people towards their ‘elbow – Live at Jodrell Bank‘ album documentary, which has now been made available online for the very first time as part of wider efforts to raise awareness around the cause.
Directing people to key online resources shared by the institution and astrophysics centre itself following their unfortunate update late last month, the push to not only find the funding but sustain support for the facility continues to ramp up throughout the world of science, arts and industry.
For anyone who somehow missed the news – 2028 being the current deadline handed down as per budget cuts across the sector – concerned parties here in the North West and all over the country have since started petitioning to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from shutting down for good.
In addition to being described as a “huge blow” to the field by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), some have even gone so far as to describe the decision as a form of “vandalism” when it comes to research and British culture as a whole.
Having also served as the host venue for the annual bluedot Festival since 2016, the multi-genre science and arts celebration could soon be forced to find a new home.
The battle is far from over yet, and the community has time to rescue Jodrell Bank Observatory from its fate, but it will take lots of money and more notable public figures to make it happen.
Once again, you can do your bit by signing the petition mentioned above right HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
31st July 2023 
