In case you haven’t already heard, Stockport is an absolute hive of activity at the minute.
Among the numerous selling points brought to the borough by its recent regeneration are SK1 Records’ now-legendary street parties, which might just be this place’s magnum opus.
Having been voted Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2023, many locals and those less familiar with Stockport might understandably assume the award was largely down to the likes of Foodie Friday, County being back on the up, perhaps, or Blossoms just absolutely smashing on the UK music scene.
That being said, we’d say there’s a very strong argument to be made that one of the biggest and best things about the former Cheshire town (no, for the last time, it isn’t Cheshire anymore) is SK1 Records and their unrivalled street parties.
If you’ve never been to one of these things before, then yes, you’re seriously missing out.
Based out of the record shop located on Underbank in the heart of Stockport’s Old Town, these street parties are some of the most exciting and well-attended events anywhere in the area, with numerous UK DJs, Manc musicians and local Stopfordian artists getting involved.
SK1 Records itself has only been open for a few years, soon to be celebrating its fifth birthday on 18 August, but to mark the occasion and celebrate the record store putting itself firmly on the cultural and underground music map in that time, they’re teaming up with an iconic Manchester club night later this month.
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Aficionado is a name you’ll have likely seen on countless posters plastered on pub walls and throughout different venues across town over the past twenty years or so, but for those unaware of its truly special legacy, here’s the gist.
The regular Manc music event, set up by DJs Richard ‘Moonboots’ Bithell and Jason Boardman, started as an alternative to the superclubs that began dominating the industry back in the 90s and have continued to bring unadulterated, accessible and fundamentally free-to-enter club nights to the masses for over two decades now.
With that in mind, it’s no wonder they picked this place for the next date on their calendar.
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Since both SK1 Records and Aficionado are approaching important milestone in their respective journeys, the lattermost — which has already popped up in pretty much every music venue you can think of around Greater Manchester over the years — they’ve decided to kill two birds with one stone.
SK1 has held several street parties for the Stockport locals since opening, not to mention many gigs and pop-ups around the Manchester area with the help of Boardman, but this is their first under the Aficionado banner, who just so happen to be celebrating their 25th anniversary as well.
So, with the help of another popular local spot sitting right across the narrow cobbles of Little Underbank Street, The Spinn Off, the trifecta will be coming together for what is set to be one of Stockport’s biggest street parties yet.
Owned by Emmerdale‘s Adam Thomas, the original restaurant over in Gatley which gave the bar its name might have sadly shut last month, but this Underbank boozer is still busy and bouncing, so it only felt right to get them involved with the next big party.
With that in mind, as SK1 Records celebrates its fifth birthday and Aficionado its 25th, the duo will be helping punters dance the night away on Friday, 18 August, with The Spinn Off helping provides drinks and extra tables along with Stockport Market‘s natural wine and craft beer shop, Wine Boy.
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‘Nado will also be holding a ticketed event to celebrate their incredible landmark at Escape to Freight to Island on 28 August too but this is their first free event of the year, staying in touch with their roots and also picking the home of Greater Manchester’s biggest and best street party to boot.
The street party itself will run from 6pm to 11pm and there’s also going to be food and snacks courtesy of Cafe Sanjuan, the only Colombian eatery you can currently find in the region, let alone Stockport and. Trust us, this place is worth the hype. It’s going to be a brilliant night.
Better still, we know exactly the place you want to be after the fun at SK1 Records stops…
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 -
10th August 2023 
