The Alternative Manchester Pride Festival will stream live music and DJ sets direct to people’s homes. Otherwise, there are a few other ways in which you can celebrate in the city.
The majority of this summer’s events have been scrapped for 2020, and Manchester Pride is no exception.
Sadly, there’ll be no parade this year, but a global pandemic won’t stop this city’s glitterball spinning.
There are still plenty of reasons to get into the Pride party mood this week if you choose to celebrate from the comfort and safety of your living room.
As Manchester is experiencing continued local lockdown restrictions, the usual Canal Street antics have moved online this bank holiday – with the Alternative Manchester Pride Festival launching Friday 28 August to Monday 31 August.
The KAMPUS bungalow.
The LGBQT+ charity has put together three days of music and performances – all broadcast live from the new KAMPUS bungalow via United We Stream GM and YouTube.
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Saturday’s lineup features performances from Pride faves Pixie Lott, Karen Harding and Jodie Harsh, whilst on Sunday, there will be whole host of film showings, workshops and even YouTube yoga sessions.
KAMPUS, the new multi-use space developed by HBD overlooks Manchester’s Gay Village. It will be transformed into a studio as the main festival hub of activity.
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Adam Brady, Executive Director at HBD said: “KAMPUS is right next door to Canal Street, and the Village is one of our closest neighbours, so it seemed like the perfect fit for the festival to live stream from the Bungalow this weekend. We’ve been really impressed with the creativity and determination the charity has shown to deliver an event this year in such challenging circumstances.”
Alternative Manchester Pride Festival lineup
If you are able to venture out, bars in and around Canal Street will be open with outdoor seating and a limited capacity.
The Refuge have also announced their annual Come As You Are Weekender will return on Friday. To adhere to government guidelines, it will be a stripped-back, socially distanced edition.
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Homoelectric will take control of the soundtrack on the first night. The likes of Luke Unabomber and Gina Breeze will step up on Friday. Popular Manchester club night, High Hoops, ware set to share their hedonistic house and disco sound on Saturday. DJ Paulette, Massey, Abigail Ward and Kim Lana will close on Sunday.
Likewise, the new 600-capacity Escape to Freight Island in the grounds of Mayfield Depot is also holding its own Pride celebrations from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August.
Their three-day programme of music and drag opens with Bollox Queer Pride on Friday. Saturday and Sunday will see takeovers from House of Ghetto. Finally, Mix-Stress brings the affair to a climax on Sunday evening. The city’s newest venue is fully booked most nights despite being the newest kid on the scene. Book in advance if you want to make the trip.
Escape to Freight Island Pride weekend lineup.
Whatever you decide to do for Pride this weekend, stay safe and keep your distance.
For more information and the full Alternative Manchester Pride Festival schedule, visit the website here.
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Tim Healy surprises fans with performance at The 1975’s Newcastle gig
Danny Jones
The 1975’s tour has seen some seriously memorable moments so far, including several special guest appearances, but seeing Tim Healy give a surprise performance has to be the jewel in the crown.
While the band might have formed in the Wilmslow and plied their trade in Manchester on their way to success, several members of the current lineup — including frontman Matty Healy himself — were born in Newcastle, so the gig at the Utilita Arena on Wednesday was very much a homecoming show.
With that in mind, when British TV royalty, Geordie icon and Matty’s old man, Tim Healy popped up on stage, the crowd understandably went wild.
There were no doubt plenty of confused faces when a trademark Matty monologue and sudden cut to black was followed by the bloke from Benidorm appearing up on stage, but there was also a scream bigger than any response Taylor Swift got.
Whipping out some significantly more dramatic thespian ability than the kind you’d associate with his Auf Wiedersehen, Pet days, albeit still fully aware of bizarre the entire spectacle was, he brought one of his son’s trademark digressions about method acting to a close.
But better than that, the 70-year-old ended up staying on stage to perform his own low-key ‘All I Need to Hear‘ cover as the band played in the background. Surreal.
To be honest, it might just be the wholesomeness of it all, but we think we might prefer the older Healy’s version.
Sing it, Tim!
Tim on stage for ‘All I Need To Hear’ tonight in Newcastle #The1975
Imagine bringing your dad onto the stage only for him to absolutely steal the show. Brilliant stuff.
Both he and Matty’s celebrity mum Denise Welch have been spotted at various shows as the band continue to perform their ‘At Their Very Best’ tour around the country, with various fans interacting with them in the crowd, but very few would have been expecting an impromptu song from one of them.
Both are obviously more closely associated with TV, with Welch known for appearing on the likes of Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Loose Women and many more, but if we don’t up end up getting both of them on stage before this tour is over we’ll be genuinely fuming.
It also looks like the reaction meant a lot to him:
Thanks for all your kind messages after my surprise performance at Matty’s gig in Newcastle proud proud dad xxx pic.twitter.com/7izemLl9Id
Elsewhere in the show, The 1975’s Newcastle fans were treated to an equally ridiculous surprise appearance from Harry Styles. Well, not really…
In case you haven’t seen it already, the band conspired to prank the crowd by putting the former One Direction star’s name up on the screen, only to bring out Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi instead.
He obviously got just as lovely a reaction and fully leaned into bantering with the crowd — joking, “I know what you’re thinking: ‘Harry Styles‘ looks a bit different.'” — before performing a cover of ‘Antichrist’.
Featured Image — @.millr (via TikTok)/@evie_ire (via Twitter)
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The Lathums announce biggest-ever headline show at Castlefield Bowl
Danny Jones
Coming off the back of a hugely successful year or so, The Lathums have announced a massive headline show at Castlefield Bowl later this year.
The Wigan four-piece shot to number one with their debut album, How Beautiful Life Can Be, in October 2021 and Radio X gave their track, ‘Say My Name’, Record of the Year for 2022. Mint.
On top of a successful turn on the UK festival and gig circuit, the local lads also delighted Manchester crowds when they opened up as special guests for Snow Patrol during a big performance at the Bowl back in 2021 too. Safe to say they’ve been busy boys.
Now, though, ahead of the release of their sophomore album, From Nothing To A Little Bit More, the pie-eating Platt Wazzers are returning to the open-air venue to no doubt sell the place out and put on their biggest headline show to date. That’s what we like to hear.
Taking centre-stage at the 8,000-capacity amphitheatre once again — the very same place where they debuted the lead single for their new second album, ‘Sad Face Baby’, which has become an instant fan-favourite — you’ll get your chance to see The Lathums headlining this summer.
This news arrives not only fresh off the heels of the latest single ‘Struggle‘, the honest and full-hearted opening track off From Nothing To A Little Bit More, but a recent personnel update confirming that Matty Murphy is joining the band full-time after the departure of their original bassist, Johnny Cunliffe.
Set to play the show on Friday, 30 June, we’re glad to hear the beloved Manc band will be back to full strength in time for the landmark gig, as well as their sold-out show at Albert Hall on 11 March.
Announcing the news on Instagram today, they wrote: “We are delighted to announce we’ll be headlining Castlefield Bowl, Manchester on Friday 30th June. This is by far our biggest show we have ever done and we can’t wait to see everyone there. This will be very special indeed.
“Pre sale goes live on Wednesday 1st Feb from 9:30am. If you haven’t already, pre order our new album ‘From Nothing To A Little Bit More’ from our official website for access to pre sale. It’s honour to play such an iconic venue! See you very soon.”
Tickets for The Lathums’ Castlefield Bowl show go on sale at 9:30am on Friday, 3 February 2023. You best be quick.
From Nothing To A Little Bit More releases on Friday, 3 March 2023 via Island Records.
Hannah Starkie -
26th August 2020 
