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Northern Music Awards – huge new awards announced to celebrate music industry across the north

The Northern Music Awards are coming.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 20th April 2023

A new awards ceremony has been announced which will celebrate and honour the music industry across the north, from the festivals to the venues to the people who make it tick.

The Nordoff and Robbins Northern Music Awards, supported by Ticketmaster, will host its inaugural ceremony here in Manchester this November – then will move to a different northern city every year.

Melanie C of Spice Girls fame is set to be honoured with the Special Recognition award at the awards show, for her outstanding contribution to music, and will be performing live.

Hosted by BBC Radio 6 Music’s Chris Hawkins, the star-studded awards have been created to recognise the breadth of musical talent across the north of England.

The Northern Music Awards will be officially launched this evening with a huge event at Band on the Wall, featuring performances from the likes of Antony Szmierek, Joash, The K’s and The Mysterines.

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Nordoff and Robbins is the UK’s largest music therapy charity, and money raised from tickets will help to fund the opening of a new dedicated music therapy centre, based in Salford.

The performance-packed event in November will be the first of its kind to celebrate the northern music scene, and will take place at Factory International on Thursday 30 November.

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Chris Hawkins. Credit: Ed Hill
Melanie C
Melanie C. Credit: Publicity picture

Awards categories range from Newcomer of the Year to Artist of the Year, Band of the Year, DJ of the Year, Maverick in Music, and the Northern Music Award.

A special Music and Culture for Wellbeing award will showcase outstanding and innovative creative arts provision in the North, that uses music and culture to support and connect with people that face health, wellbeing and socio-economic challenges.

And we here at The Manc will be proud sponsors of the Festival of the Year category.

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The 2023 Northern Music Awards will be supported by Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and City of Salford Mayor, Paul Dennett.

Sandra Schembri, CEO, Nordoff and Robbins said: “We see music as a superpower, so we’re incredibly excited to launch the Nordoff and Robbins Northern Music Awards supported by Ticketmaster in Manchester and can’t wait to honour such a broad range of talent – from artists to venues, festivals and those who’ve really made a difference with music – the event is going to be unmissable.

“The support of the public, artists and the wider music industry is absolutely vital – all the money raised from ticket sales will enable Nordoff and Robbins to help more people in the North to access music therapy through a fantastic new centre.

Andy Burnham visit to Pioneer House School. Credit: Elspeth Moore

“Music therapy is the act of supporting people to connect and communicate through music who otherwise are unable to; such as those living with autism to dementia, learning difficulties to brain injuries, life-limiting illnesses to mental health issues, grief and trauma. We believe that everyone who needs it should have access to music therapy, because it can, quite simply, transform people’s lives.”

Chris Hawkins, BBC Radio 6 Music presenter and Northern Music Awards host said: “The North provides such a rich source of incredible music. The diversity and international acclaim of this huge asset needs to be showcased, and that’s just what the Northern Music Awards can do.

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“Music and celebration go hand in hand, and we all know celebration is good for the soul. The Awards will shine a light on extraordinary talent; from Salford to Newcastle, Liverpool to Bradford, Manchester to Sheffield and everywhere in between, all whilst inspiring the next generation of artists. It’s about giving the music community in the North a chance to celebrate them too.”

Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham said: “I’m delighted to be helping to bring these inaugural awards to the North – and what better city to launch in than Manchester?

“Our city and region’s rich musical heritage and enormously talented artists, memorable live music venues and eclectic music festivals deserve to be celebrated. It is so important for the people of Greater Manchester that the money raised will go to providing essential music therapy service to those who need it most.

The Mysterines. Credit: Supplied
The K’s. Credit: Publicity picture
Joash. Credit: Publicity picture
Antony Szmierek. Credit: Supplied

“Nordoff and Robbins’ trained music therapists really understand that music evokes different responses in people who may not otherwise be able to connect with the world – for many, this can be life changing.”

Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett said: “We all know the power of music, whichever genre or period it may be, it has the ability to resonate and really mean something to all of us. The wide-ranging positive impacts of music therapy for those most isolated and vulnerable within the community have been well documented.

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“So, I’m extremely glad to be working with Nordoff and Robbins so that our residents here in Salford and indeed right across Greater Manchester will have access to a music therapy facility and the many benefits its services will provide. The music therapy support we’re looking to bring to Salford has the potential to truly change the lives of those who need it the most.

“As a city with a proud musical heritage, it is great to see how music is now being used in such an innovative way and I’m committed to help bring this approach to Salford.”

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Nordoff and Robbins delivers music therapy to clients across the UK from bases in London, Croydon, Newcastle, Dunfermline and Glasgow, and its biggest service area is currently the North of England, with 45 music therapists and 118 partner organisations providing nearly 20,000 sessions of vital music therapy to more than 4,300 people in the region.

The new Greater Manchester centre based in Salford, will be a multi-disciplinary music making and therapy space, housing a high spec recording studio with interactive, accessible music technology throughout, serving the needs of individuals and diverse Northern communities.

Partners for the Nordoff and Robbins Northern Music Awards include headline sponsor Ticketmaster, StreamGM, Notion magazine, and The Manc.

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Find out more about music therapy at nordoff-robbins.org.uk.

Full list of the 2023 Nordoff and Robbins Northern Music Awards categories

  • Festival of the Year – Sponsored by The Manc
  • Best Venue – live music venue split into two categories: under 500/over 500
  • Newcomer of the Year
  • Breakthrough Act of the Year
  • Music Moment of the Year
  • Artist of the Year
  • Industry Icon 2023
  • Band of the Year
  • Music and Culture for Wellbeing
  • DJ of the Year
  • Maverick in Music Award – Sponsored by Notion magazine
  • Northern Music Award 2023
  • Special Recognition Award

Featured image: Jody Hartley

Audio

Bez and Shaun Ryder are starring in a new gangster movie – nope, not kidding

Danny Jones Danny Jones Bez and Shaun Ryder acting in new gangster film

No, you didn’t misread the headline and you’re not on acid: Manchester music legends Bez and Shaun Ryder are set to feature in a brand-new gangster film.

Yes, the ones from the Happy Mondays – why are you having such trouble processing this?

Seriously though, we did a little double-take ourselves when we came across this news, but the familiar Manc faces look to be among the ensemble of a brand-new gangster movie by Irish writer, actor, producer and filmmaker, Ciaron Davies.

And this is just a little leak or rumour that may have been blown out of proportion: you can take it from the horse’s mouth as Happy Mondays frontman, Ryder, recently shared the news on social media.

As you can see, the new film is called Geezers and is billed as a “British crime caper” written and directed by Davies, featuring Shaun as hard-man Robbie and Bez as ‘Monk’. If you saw Ryder shaking off that snake biting his hand like it was nothing then you already know he’s hard as nails.

Although it’s not strictly listed as a comedy per se, ‘caper’ would suggest plenty of humour and light-heartedness, so we’re thinking more like The Gentleman, Italian Job, or maybe even Four Lions, rather than a serious crime thriller.

Now, while we’ve seen both of the Salfordians on screen before not only in the likes of music videos, interviews, panel shows and even as two of the funniest guests to ever go on Celebrity Gogglebox, this latest venture will serve as their respective acting debuts.

According to the IMDb page, the synopsis of the film is as follows: “Crime caper about a stolen bag of money. Caught in the crossfire are ‘The Geezers’ a bunch of wannabe criminals who have bitten off more than they can chew. With 24 hours to grab the cash, London may just go up in smoke tonight.”

Shame it’s not set on the mean streets of Manchester, or better yet Salford, but you’ve still very much caught our interest.

You can see the first promotional poster for the film down below.

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As for Davies, he has been involved with a number of small-budget TV film projects, as well as appearing in shorts and even video games, so it’s fair to say that getting 62-year-old Ryder and his ever-energetic hype man, 60, involved is quite the coup for his movie-making career.

We’re still not over Bez rather randomly delivering a curry to our offices, to be honest, so seeing him act is going to feel like one long fever dream.

Although the film has no release date just yet, we know that filming locations having included parts of Warrington and Pinewood Studios, will be produced by Loose Gripp Films and distributed by publishers High Fliers.

Given the high-octane nature of Geezers and its genre, the feature will involve lots of action, stunts, violence and even martial arts – though how much kung-fu these two will have learned for the project remains to be seen…

All we know is that the film is supposedly “coming soon” and if you don’t want to see Bez and Shaun Ryder doing their best impression of a Guy Ritchie gangster movie then you’re lying to yourself. Praying for a Rowetta cameo to put the cherry on top.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Shaun Ryder (via X)/Loose Gripp Films/IMDb

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Blossoms at O2 Ritz Manchester – five-night hometown residency is already a triumph

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Blossoms at O2 Ritz Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

Blossoms are a band who were born and forged here in Greater Manchester, and now they’re back retracing their steps with a five-night residency across the venues that launched them into the big leagues.

Their star has risen all the way to arena level and headline shows at Wythenshawe Park at this point, especially here in their hometown, so the chance to see them back in these cosy-ish little venues is special, and a little bizarre.

For night two of their landmark sold-out gig series, it was the turn of the O2 Ritz, that sweaty spot off Oxford Road where the floor bounces downstairs and you stick to the carpets upstairs.

Poetically, the first time I ever saw Blossoms was in this very room in 2016, when they had the mid-afternoon slot at Neighbourhood festival and the queue to get in went all the way back to St Peter’s Square.

Since those days, Blossoms have come a long, long way, and their live show has evolved and matured from five lads thrashing on their instruments to this well-oiled, hip-swaying, flares-wearing, chart-topping machine.

There’s even choreography now – how fancy!

A stand-out moment from the show is actually a song from their new, fifth studio album Gary, which is still barely eight weeks old.

A spoof recording of legendary Manchester indie club 42s rings out, then all five band members abandon their stations, slinging keytars and marching drums around their necks so that they can dance together in front of neon signs.

Blossoms have just done their second of five shows in Manchester, this time at the O2 Ritz. Credit: The Manc Group
Blossoms have just done their second of five shows in Manchester, this time at the O2 Ritz. Credit: The Manc Group
Blossoms on stage at the O2 Ritz in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Blossoms on stage at the O2 Ritz in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

Blossoms promised more disco with this album and they bloody meant it. It’s not just the flares and the blow-dries and the moustaches (though those do help) – it’s in the funk and groove that’s gradually crept into their music exponentially with each album release.

This is still indie rock but it’s the most danceable of its genre. Good luck keeping your shoulders from wiggling and jiggling in here. Good luck keeping that grin off your face.

And Gary is one of the most unexpectedly fun albums to be released in the last year – the fact they called it Gary, named after a giant fibreglass garden centre Gorilla, should’ve been our clue. It could border on silly were it not such a masterpiece.

It seems like the only thing Blossoms are trying to prove is that you can be wildly successful without taking yourself too seriously. They just seem like a group who want to have a good time and it’s totally infectious.

Case in point – when each band member is introduced, keyboardist Myles Kellock plays the riff of Satisfaction by Benny Benassi and The Biz. Unexpected.

Blossoms also clearly give a sh*t about their live shows and graft at it – I’ve seen these guys an awful lot and it’s because their tour dates are plentiful and consistently worth the ticket price.

This is definitely the biggest era of their career so far, but have they peaked? Not even close.

There are still three nights left of the Blossoms residency. You can read all about it HERE.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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