Hot Chip has just announced they will play a huge live show in Manchester in the new year, in what marks the band’s first appearance since the release of their newest album Freakout/Release.
The electronic band, most famous for mid-noughties hits ‘Over and Over’ and ‘Ready for the Floor’, will bring a specially curated line-up to the Warehouse Project’s home at Depot Mayfield for the very first time.
At the huge show, which will take place on 3 February 2023, Hot Chip will be joined by the likes of Todd Terje, Sofia Kourtesis, Yuné Pinku, Mona Yim (DJ Set) and Tarzsa.
The group’s most recent release Freakout/Release dropped this summer to resounding praise from critics, with music review authority Pitchfork comparing the album to “a homeopathic remedy”.
Image: Hot Chip
The eighth album from the band, a long-time favourite of electronic music heads, opens with what the site calls “a startling confession” from frontman Alexis Taylor before delving into a “litany of woes”.
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Elsewhere, tunes such as the album’s title track Freakout/Release pay homage to the group’s love of The Beastie Boys (inspired, in part, by the group’s cover of ‘Sabotage’) – joining “doubt with deliverance over the cleansing pulse of a disco beat.”
Since first debuting in 2004, the London indie electronic band has gone on to release seven more LPs, received Grammy and Mercury Prize nominations and perform at the likes of Glastonbury.
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Image: Hot Chip
Image: Hot Chip
Formed in 2000, the band have forged themselves a reputation as one of the most innovative bands to come out of the UK in modern times.
In their time, Hot Chip have released eight studio albums, with their latest being 2022’s Freakout/Release.
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So far, only two dates have been announced by the band in 2023 with Hot Chip playing their first show of the year in Manchester. Hot Chip will then headline Kaleidoscope Festival at London’s Alexandra Palace on July 15, 2023.
Tickets for the WHP show start from £29.50 plus a booking fee. You can register now via https://linktr.ee/WHPMCR for the exclusive presale and the only guaranteed access to tickets.
The presale for tickets goes live on Wednesday 30 November at 10am, followed by a general sale on Thursday 1 December at 10am.
Feature image – Hot Chip
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Masked Manchester rapper Meekz bursts back with surprise gig in Piccadilly Gardens with JD
Charlie Watkinson
Local rap sensation Meekz is back, if you hadn’t noticed – he burst back onto the scene last week with a surprise gig with JD in Piccadilly Gardens.
The masked Manchester rapper is celebrating the release of his latest single Mini Me’s – and a handful of Mini Meekz posters appeared around town, pasted there by artist collective Pattern Up (then swiftly removed) last week.
Meekz continues to impress with his latest release, a track that’s quickly gaining popularity.
True to form, Meekz delivers not only sonically but visually, teaming up once again with KC Locke to create a stunning music video.
Their collaboration underscores the significance of music videos, reaffirming their lasting impact in the industry.
The video pays homage to their previous work, particularly ‘Like Me’, while also pushing boundaries with a post-apocalyptic CGI rendition of Manchester, reminiscent of scenes from GTA and Marvel movies.
This innovative approach demonstrates the remarkable synergy between Meekz and KC Locke, marking a new pinnacle in their collaborative efforts.
Following the premiere, Meekz treated fans to a memorable performance in Piccadilly Gardens, organised with JD, where he made a grand entrance by gifting miniature Air Max 95’s to his fans before taking the stage atop a large storage container.
Mini Meekz posters briefly popped up around Manchester last week. Credit: Supplied, patternup.pu
I had the opportunity to speak with Meekz after the premiere, where he shared insights into his upcoming tape, ‘Tru’, slated for release on 24 May.
Additionally, he hinted at exclusive news related to GTA/GTA 6, leaving fans eagerly anticipating his future endeavours.
It’s clear that Meekz continues to innovate and redefine the game with each new project, and we’re excited to see what he has in store next.
KC Locke said: “In the time that the mainstream media is writing articles about the decline of the music video industry, swords and eagles are here to make a stand and show not only are music videos here to stay but they are more important than ever.
“This is a testament to community, bound by a shared vision, we rise and rise again, together, for the culture.”
Win VIP tickets to see Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Stockholm – plus flights, accommodation, a bar tab AND an annual pass for The Mezz
Daisy Jackson
We’ve got a treat for you – a rare chance to try and get yourself tickets to see Taylor Swift live in concert, on the European leg of The Eras Tour.
The enormous tour is already the highest-grossing the world has ever seen, worth more than $1 billion.
Taylor Swift’s mammoth three-and-a-quarter hour live show has driven so much demand for tickets, ticketing platforms had to change their usual models so their websites didn’t crash.
These tickets are gold dust – but now we’ve got a couple of VIP ones up for grabs, completely free.
The Manc has teamed up with the AO Arena and its brand-new members-only restaurant and bar The Mezz for huge giveaway.
The grand prize is an all-expenses paid trip to see Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Stockholm.
It includes two VIP tickets to the show itself on Saturday 18 May, plus two return flights to to Stockholm from Manchester, and accommodation for two at the Quality Friends Hotel in Stockholm.
While you’re at the show at the Friends Arena, you’ll have a £250 bar tab to enjoy.
And when you return home to Manchester, your new VIP lifestyle will continue, with two annual passes to The Mezz for the rest of the year.
That gets you access to The Mezz’s incredible restaurant space – where the menu is designed by Michelin chefs Simon Rogan and Tom Barnes – and huge exclusive bar area.
And then you can enter the AO Arena itself through The Mezz’s designated doors to watch any show you fancy from the best seats in the house.
All you need to do to win is head to our Instagram page here or click on the post at the end of this article.
Tag who you’d take with you on this once-in-a-lifetime trip in the comments, then share to your story for an extra chance to win (don’t forget to tag us!).
The competition for Taylor Swift tickets ends on Monday 22 April at 23.59.
Georgina Pellant -
29th November 2022 
