We sat down at Manchester’s iconic Star and Garter with the legendary Honey Dijon and Manchester’s own, Rebecca Swarray aka, Mix-Stress for an exclusive interview ahead of Homobloc 2025 to talk about all things queer culture, house music, and the future of clubbing.
From Chicago to Manchester, the pair reflected on the roots of the scene, finding joy in dark times, and why the dancefloor remains a sacred space.
Put simply, it was fascinating to see the pair dive deep into the culture.
Sharing a drink in the historic Manchester city centre pub, here’s how the chat between Mix-Stress and Honey went down…
Mix-Stress meets Honey Dijon – the interview
‘Every time I play Manchester, it’s just always a vibe’
Mix-Stress (MS): Welcome toThe Star and Garter. Manchester and Homobloc obviously holds a special place, and you’ve played here a few times. Can you tell me about any sets that stand out that are staying with you over the times you’ve visited here?
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Honey Dijon (HD): I always have a great time when I play Manchester. Every time I play Warehouse Project, it’s just always a vibe. The crowd is just so enthusiastic and so fun and just so up for it. And Manchester and Chicago have a long history with house music, so it’s always fun to come here and represent. It doesn’t matter where, when or how – all my sets here have been incredibly fun.
‘So much has changed over the years – it feels like a different century’
MS: This will be your fourth time playing Homobloc in December. You played in 2019 when it started, then two post-pandemic shows. What do you feel has evolved over the years, musically, spiritually or sonically?
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HD: So much has changed over the years. I mean, pre-pandemic, it was such a different world. It feels like it was a different century, actually, and we had no idea what we were going into.
At that time, we were just coming from the MeToo movement and the lack of diversity in dance music, so there was all this political awareness around club culture, which was really great – because so many voices that started this global movement have been queer people, people of colour, a lot of women.
The funny thing about diversity is about who’s having that conversation, because my friends and what I grew up with have always been diverse. So it was a different landscape.
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During lockdown, there was a shift. If you were like an 18-year-old kid, there were two or three years where you couldn’t experience anything except online. That’s when this major shift happened – things became much more corporate, much more sanitised, and more about metrics and numbers.
There was less focus on, in my opinion, the heart of it – and it became big business. What I try to do as an artist is remind people whose shoulders I stand on and where I learned my craft, and to bring people together from all walks of life. There’s a new generation coming through, but it always goes back to the house.
MS: We’ve seen dancefloors across the world put out safe spaces policies. What does a ‘safe space’ mean to you today, and how do you create that energy?
HD: I try to play music that uplifts and celebrates. I think, with just the artist that I am, I try to make everyone welcome. It’s about joy, celebration, and release. Dancefloors are sacred spaces in a lot of ways, and I think through the music vibrationally that I play and what I speak on, it attracts a certain crowd.
For me, safe spaces aren’t just about not being harassed – it’s about being able to show up as yourself without being judged.
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A safe space is where all feel welcome, where people can be free and not judged or harassed based on gender or sexuality. Dancefloors do what government and religion can’t – they bring people together from all walks of life to celebrate through music.
As the world moves further right, these spaces are becoming more important than ever. None of us are free until all of us are free – so I try to do that through my work, through the music and what I speak on.
‘Look into the darkness, but don’t stare at it.’
MS: The world is heavy right now – historically and currently. Where do you find joy, and how do you filter that into what you do?
Honey Dijon always gives an insightful interview.
HD: Where do I find joy? Turn off the internet. Be aware. I love this quote from RuPaul: “Look into the darkness, but don’t stare at it.” That really resonates with me.
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Music is powerful – that’s why far-right governments fear art and music, because there’s so much power in it. I find joy in love, in freedom of expression, and in self-autonomy. Those are the things I try to facilitate through my art and through my music.
‘If Homobloc was a fragrance…’
MS: IfHomobloc was a fragrance, what would be the concoction?
HD: Armpit, asshole, and lip gloss.
If that isn’t an advert for a memorable night at Depot Mayfield, then we don’t know what is.
You can see the full lineup for Homobloc 2025 and grab your tickets to see Honey Dijon in Manchester and plenty more rightHERE.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Press shots/Jody Hartley Photography (supplied)/The Manc Group
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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
Emily Johnson -
20th November 2025 
