The much-loved Moovin live music festival over in Stockport is back for 2025 and the lineup is looking udderly brilliant.
Sorry…
In all seriousness, the increasingly popular festival is one of the Greater Manchester borough’s biggest dates on the calendar and we can’t wait to mosey back on over to Whitebottom Farm this summer.
Set to return for it’s 11th year, Moovin Fest is shaping up to be one the best yet, as proven by every single one of the early bird tickets being snapped up in a flash – here’s the lineup:
Moovin Festival lineup 2025Last year was a stormer
Taking place at the idyllic and eco-friendly outdoor space located within Etherow Country Park in the villahge of Compstall, Whitebottom is often used for weddings and other special events – but none quite as big as Moovin.
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It may have started out with a little over a few hundred people back in 2014 but since the flag-flying Stockport music festival has grown to a capacity over more than 5,000; while it’s still a fairly modest affair compared to other Northern contemporaries, its just as rich in culture and entertainment.
As you can see, the 2025 lineup is headlined by the revolutionary jazz-fusion ensemble, Ezra Collective, whose innovative sound has garnered international acclaim.
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Fresh from their awe-inspiring Wembley show, a Mercury Prize win back in 2023 and a four BRITs nominations thus far, Ezra’s music is a masterful blend of jazz, afrobeat and soul, characterized by infectious grooves, intricate melodies – music you simply have to dance to.
Joining the festivities will be the French house maestro and WHP favourite, Folamour, renowned for his soulful and emotive sound, as well as his captivating onstage charisma, making his performance an absolute must-see.
The lineup continues to impress with the inclusion of drum and bass pioneers Fabio and Grooverider as well as Roni Size; local funk and soul luminary Craig Charles, Manc legends Graeme Park and DJ Paulette, hip-hop royalty in The Sugarhill Gang and MANY more.
Be it rising stars or old-school Hacienda icons doing what they’ve done best for the past few decades, there’s something for everyone.
They’ve welcome everyone from Orbital and Groove Armada to De La Soul, Basement Jaxx, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Lee Scratch Perry and countless others in the past and we’ve never heard bad word about this lively but equally family-friendly weekend.
Speaking ahead of this year’s return, the organisers said: “Moovin Festival is an exceptional celebration of sonic brilliance, eclectic music and quirkiness, all set within a beautiful and intimate environment.”
“Attendees can expect a lot of quirkiness and a host of amazing DJs and bands playing across cutting-edge sound systems alongside holistic healing treatments, yoga sessions, and captivating circus performances, all infused with a warm and welcoming vibe.”
As they go on to add: “There are no VIP areas, no overbearing security teams—just a hint of 90s free party magic and a close-knit community of music lovers who welcome everyone with open arms.”
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Spread across six fantastic stages, including the aptly named ‘Barn’, the next Moovin Festival takes place from Friday, 13 to Sunday, 15 June 2025.
Meanwhile, Stopfordians are being forced to wait a little longer for their fist taste of festival season as another cult favourite has sadly been postponed.
Sankeys nightclub is returning to Manchester
Danny Jones
It’s officially happening: iconic local club Sankeys is coming back to Manchester city centre almost a decade on from its gutting closure.
The iconic ‘Sankey’s Soap’ nightlife space – which started out over in Ancoats during the mid-’90s – enjoyed numerous stints during its time in the clubbing world, as well as opening multiple partnered venues in the country and even overseas.
Now, approaching nine years after the shutdown, Sankeys is returning to Manchester in the new year, and Mancs are currently losing their minds.
Whether you are one of those who ‘remember it when’, or someone who sadly missed out on the halcyon days in the old Beehive Mill, we assure you that everyone is in agreement that this is nothing short of massive news…
First teasing the comeback back in July, as our city and the world at large were gripped by ‘Britpop Mania’ 2.0, the largely dormant Instagram account posted: “This week Manchester, and the UK, has been blessed with a homecoming of our very own, Oasis.
“We think Manchester deserves another homecoming… Definitely, maybe?”
The North West corners of the internet and veteran revellers alike were understandably quick to get excited by the potential revival, but nothing else had been said for months – until now.
Confirmed on Tuesday, 25 November, the infamous and storied nightclub’s social media team began by writing, simply: “The Legend Returns” and beckoning “a new era for Sankeys”.
It is still unclear as to where exactly the new and improved club(s) will be, but we do know that the events will be in the city centre. However, we do know we’ll be getting a familiar matrix grid installation as part of the design once again.
They will also be enforcing a strict new no-phones policy, which has become increasingly popular across the scene, thanks to the likes of Amber’s right here in Manchester.
Sankeys first opened in Manchester as "Sankeys Soap" in June 1994.[3] It was so called due to its residence inside Beehive Mill, Ancoats, which once was used to manufacture soap. The basement of the mill was transformed into a club and live music venue#pub#historypic.twitter.com/cnM6Nt23uZ
Sankeys may have remained an active promoter in the days since the building on the corner of Radium and Jersey Street (M4 6JG) closed – going on to become an unsuspecting office development – this will be the first event of the aforementioned next chapter in a flagship venue.
Promising a limited capacity of no more than 500 people, Sankeys is set to make its landmark return on
“We will only be open one night a week on Saturday. There will be no VIP or phones allowed on the dancefloor — everyone is a VIP. People need to stop taking pictures and start dancing to the beat.”
Hordes of clubbers, ravers, students and more are already signing up for early access and general admission tickets for the first two nights on Friday and Saturday, 30-31 January 2026 go on sale at 9am this Friday (28 Nov).
Get ready to grab yours HERE and party like it’s, well, 1994, 2017 – take your pick.
Review | ‘Hopefully!’, you get lucky enough to see the spectacle that is Loyle Carner live
The Manc
The O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester has this week played host to Benjamin Gerard Coyle-Larner this week, a.k.a. Loyle Carner, as he serenaded adoring listeners with his captivating lyrics, spine-tingling bass and drumlines, as well as his ever-laid-back warmth and charisma.
His stage name is the only spoonerism you’ll ever find in this man’s craft, as every syllable is as intentional and well-placed as the last.
Accompanied by an incredibly talented band and golden production, the night lends itself to a thought-provoking performance that leaves you wanting more. Consider me listening to nothing but this setlist for the foreseeable.
As the rumble of eager, loyal/Loyle – take your pick – listeners awaited his arrival, you could sense what this artist and his poetic music mean to people.
We've seen @LoyleCarner twice this week. We might even go again tonight – yes, he really is that good. 🎤
Opening with ‘in my mind’, just like that, you saw the crowd suddenly holding each other’s hands whilst comfortably sitting in the palm of Carner’s.
Let’s not forget his brilliant band, either, who all got their time in the spotlight and wowed as a collective.
Carner and the crowd definitely gave them the recognition they deserved, with piano solos throwing a blanket of respectful silence and tentative listening over the whole audience.
Loyle’s well-loved and special lyrics were echoed throughout the venue from start to finish.
He insisted (and not for the first time) that there’s “something special about playing in Manchester” – and we couldn’t agree more.
Carner’s vulnerability onstage opens a glowing portal for his listeners to do so as well. He encourages feeling. And as an audience, this is extremely clear in the room. It was a sea of warm embraces, agreeing heads and ignited eyes.
Loyle Carner was just as good on night two at Victoria Warehouse as he was on the first. (Credit: Audio North)
As the setlist crept towards the end, the crowd were not ready to say goodbye as the customary chants of ‘one more song!’ bounced off the Victoria Warehouse walls.
We were then blessed with a solo Loyle, who shared a typically creative and reflective spoken-word Carner special with us.
Without any demand, the crowd fell sweetly silent and absorbed his every word. A poet, pure and simple.
The 31-year-old rapper and wordsmith plays one more night at the venue to round off his mini residency tonight (Tuesday, 25 November 2025); you can try and grab last-minute tickets HERE.
Danny Jones -
13th February 2025 
