We recently popped our heads into the wittily named Withy Groove Records, the new vinyl exchange and all things music that quietly opened up its doors late last year but is now one of the latest hidden gems in the Northern Quarter.
Opening up on the edge of Shudehill on the edge of NQ and just down the road from the Withy Grove Stores buildings (hence the clever little name), the new basement record shop technically began trading in December 2023 but has only just had its front signage completed and the name put above the door.
We especially like the new striking Haçienda-inspired lettering, not that we’re biased towards black and yellow logos or anything…
But seriously though, this little den of old discs, vintage vinyl and music memorabilia is an absolute must-visit for any audiophiles out there.
From the moment you step inside to see the walls lined with countless circles of PVC, iconic album covers and old gig posters, you immediately feel like you’re walking into a player’s paradise and ready to discover a diamond in the rough.
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If you’re a regular vinyl collector, the experience will feel familiar and there isn’t necessarily any one thing that makes it feel different from other independent record shops other than the fact it is literally like a bunker built by someone who left society before the invention of the compact disc.
Founder Paul, who owns the unit situated just next door to Rambo’s — Manchester’s iconic and longest-running tattoo parlour — set up Withy Groove as nothing more than a passion project from one music lover to another, i.e. this city as a whole, and we fully expect Mancs to fall in love with this one too.
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Housing everything from 60s and 70s rock and roll classics, a healthy stock of psychedelia and genre-bending artists like Frank Zappa, to deep cuts throughout the Manchester music scene, a dedicated ‘rare and collector’s items’ section with some serious valuable issues and more, it’s a gold mine.
Beyond both lesser-known and legendary LPs, you’ll find plenty of 45sin the several boxes of seven-inch singles, books, frames, as well as t-shirts, merch and even an old pair of maracas that Bez would be proud to shake about with the best of them. There really is a bit of everything.
If you like those somewhat rough and ready spaces that don’t need a whole lot of bells and whistles to what they do best, which in this case is buy and sell records, then Withy Groove is a great place to gander the next time you’re feeling all muso and fancy some old fashioned analogue shopping.
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In fact, still in their early days, it couldn’t be any more old school in here as it’s strictly cash-only at the minute — but, once again, given the whole vibe of the shop, there’s something very nice and tangible about the physical music experience it taps back into.
If you’re heading out for a really good find on Record Store Day 2024, we definitely recommend you venture into here and, better still, there are some really good new releases and special prints on this year’s list.
The Northern Quarter’s newest record shop gets a thumbs up from us.
Alison Moyet has announced a huge European tour, including multiple Northern dates in the UK
Danny Jones
Seasoned British singer-songwriter and pop legend Alison Moyet is coming back to Manchester and more after announcing an extensive run of 2026 EU, UK and IE tour dates.
No rest for the wickedly talented and long adored.
Alison Moyet last visited Manchester in February last year, playing the stunning Bridgewater Hall in support of her latest album, Key, the 10th studio LP of her solo career.
However, now the 64-year-old artist and music veteran is set to play songs from her eighth record, the minutes, as well astracks from her days with Yazoo and more across Europe.
NEW: @alisonmoyet is headed on tour! Playing songs of Yazoo, including cuts from the minutes & Other, with a date at #O2ApolloManchester Fri 16 Oct.
— O2 Apollo Manchester (@O2ApolloManc) March 9, 2026
Moyet (real name Geneviève Alison Jane Ballard) formed Yazoo with ex-Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke in 1981, releasing two albums and becoming one of the most influential British groups of the time.
While clashes on multiple fronts saw the synth-pop duo ultimately break up in ’83, a handful of Yazoo hits like ‘Only You’, ‘Don’t Go’ and ‘Situation’ have continued to crop up in the Basildon-born artists over the years.
Once nicknamed ‘Alf’ as a youth – the same title she gave to her seminal debut album, released the year after the split – the young ‘tomboy’, turned teen punk, then synth, soul and pop act has experimented with everything from electronica to printmaking.
Put simply, she remains just as much of a creative force today as she was back then.
2025 saw her first full headline tour in eight years, playing shows not just here and over in Ireland, but across the mainland continent, Australia and New Zealand.
This current calendar will also see her touring with fellow 80s icons The Human League and Soft Cell on their ‘The Generations Tour’ in the summer – but by the autumn, she’ll be rolling back the years and working through her own back catalogue.
As you can see, as well as coming to Manchester’s O2 Apollo, other dates to see Alison Moyet live in the North this October include the Empire Theatre in Liverpool, Sheffield‘s City Hall, Buxton, Blackpool and several others.
Speaking on the upcoming tour, Alison said: “Many years touring the same pool of songs, and I am keen for a palate refresher.
“Specifying which years I will be fishing from, too, I think, is a grand way to serve potluck for specific tastes. No bones…” Ever the wordsmith.
The domestic pre-sale window here opens at 10am this coming Wednesday, 11 March, with general admission tickets going live at the same time the following Friday (13 Mar); you can get ready to grab yours right HERE.
Oh, and if you were wondering how her live performances sound these days, look no further than her recent Isle of Wight slot.
Featured Images — Publicity picture (supplied)/Hinnerk Rümenapf (via Wikimedia Commons)
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A special The Smiths reissue was cancelled due to a dispute between Morrissey and Johnny Marr
Danny Jones
According to some new information, a special reissue of The Smiths’ debut album was reportedly abandoned due to disagreements between Morrissey and Johnny Marr.
Since the Gallagher brothers have buried the hatchet, guess someone’s got to keep the Manchester music feuding alive.
Yes, as per a high-profile source from Rough Trade, ‘Moz’ and Marr couldn’t settle on one key issue which would have seen the self-titled first Smiths LP re-released for their label and indie record store’s 50th anniversary.
Speaking on the German music podcast, Vinyl &…, one of Rough Trade’s European bosses revealed that aside from not exactly being chummy these days, the band’s two most famous members couldn’t agree on what the album artwork would be.
Whack on English subtitles to see what was said.
Yes, that really was the main sticking point, apparently.
Curt Keplin, who is the managing director for Rough Trade’s EU presence, said that The Smiths were a big part of their golden jubilee/half-century celebrations.
Sadly, The Smiths’ inaugural outing then had to be pulled from the plans at the last minute, with the ‘Smooth Operator’ herself, Sade, taking their place.
Initially set to fly the flag for the 1984 retrospective, Keplin said: “Actually, The Smiths were supposed to be included, but Johnny Marr and Morrissey couldn’t agree on how the packaging should look. So, things remain relatively difficult between those two.”
‘Difficult’ is probably putting it mildly, with Morrissey having long since accused his former bandmate, lead guitarist and co-songwriter turned solo artist, of controlling key rights that could see him tour as The Smiths without him.
He went on to add: “You first have to find an artist who is basically open to it and thinks it’s great and then gives us the rights – or rather, the label then says, ‘Ok, this is now being repressed in a different colour, in new packaging’, and so on and so forth.”
The anniversary stuff first began being compiled last summer, with 2026 being the start of a year-long schedule of limited edition vinyl releases and more – but unfortunately, The Smiths aren’t looking like they’ll be part of it.
While it may seem slightly petty to some, more than anything, it’s probably just symptomatic of the simmering resentment between the two that still remains.
However, fans of either or both have still been treated to Morrissey‘s latest and divisive drop, Make-Up Is a Lie, and Johnny Marr will be coming back to town for a massive homecoming gig at Castlefield Bowl.
Danny Jones -
16th March 2024 
