Music and mental health social enterprise, Headstock, has partnered with leading ticketing platform Skiddle, to create an exciting new event series, ‘The Drop’ – and local production duo Solardo are taking the stage for the launch night.
The DJ duo from Manchester, best known for pumping out irresistible house beats, have just announced their first Drop event, set to perform an intimate show at The Yard on Thursday, 10 October.
Known for igniting dancefloors wherever they go, Solardo has played in iconic clubs and wowed at festivals all over the world, including Glastonbury, Tomorrowland, Creamfields, Ultra and Burning Man.
For one night only, 300 lucky people will be able to experience the electric vibes of the duo at this new event in Manchester.
Credit: Press Images (supplied)
The Drop is a monthly house music event, designed to elevate the mood of partygoers and raise both awareness and funds for mental health charities.
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Aptly named, ‘The Drop’ obviously refers to the climactic moment in electronic dance music where a track’s crescendo releases a wave of euphoria – a really fitting metaphor for the event’s mission: to raise spirits and support mental well-being.
Each month, The Drop will welcome some of the world’s most renowned DJs for an early evening rave, with proceeds supporting the music industry and local mental health charities, chosen by the featured artists. This first one just happens to be Solardo and the cult favourite Cheetham Hill venue.
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The series will highlight house and electronic dance music’s ability to stimulate feelings of joy, and the 9pm finish gives you a chance to continue your night out or head home for a well-deserved rest.
The proceeds from Solardo’s gig will go to Music Minds Matters, a national charity that puts positive mental well-being, centre stage in the music industry and supports the UK music community’s mental health through a 24/7 confidential helpline, peer support and specialised online sessions.
Supporting Solardo are fellow Mancunian breakthrough double act: Shimrise.
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Yelena Lashimba and Latoya Reisner bring high-energy performances and take an electrifying twist on house music, infusing percussion, bass and nostalgia into their sets.
If you’ve heard even a little bit of their stuff, you’ll be just as excited to hear these two as Solardo.
Taking the stage from 6pm onwards, they’ll be getting things warmed up before the main event. It’s honestly going to be such a good party atmosphere.
Atheer Al-Salim, founder of Headstock, shared the inspiration behind the series:
“At Headstock, we believe passionately in the power of music and shared experience to positively impact our mental and emotional well-being. The Drop is an embodiment of this belief and an amazing shared experience for house music fans.
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“We are excited to partner with Skiddle to launch a new event series which exists to remind people just how powerful music can be to lift our mood and brighten our day.
“It’s very fitting that we’re kicking things off on World Mental Health Day with Solardo – raising money for Music Minds Matter. This forms part of Headstock’s long-term commitment to support the mental health of those working within the music industry.”
Get ready to grab your tickets HERE because it’s going to be an unforgettable night, especially if comes even remotely close to the Solardo sets we’ve grown accustomed to. That drop really is just the best feeling, isn’t it?
The Pussycat Dolls announce major comeback with huge global arena tour
Daisy Jackson
Global pop icons The Pussycat Dolls have announced a major global tour, with 50+ shows across Europe and North America.
The pop icons will be performing a massive show here in Manchester as part of the tour, which kicks off this summer.
The Pussycat Dolls have been teasing their return this week, plastering hints on venues across the UK – including the Co-op Live, which displayed a pink digital ad reading ‘Don’t cha wish you knew who we’re announcing tomorrow??’
The multi-platinum pop supergroup will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut record, PCD. They’ll be supported on the European leg of the tour, which will bring them to the UK in September and October, by Lil’ Kim.
The PCD Forever tour will span a whopping 53 dates, where they’ll perform their chart-topping hits including the 5x platinum Buttons, plus Don’t Cha, and Stickwitu.
The Pussycat Dolls were pop heavyweights in the 2000s, known for their electrifying choreography and live performances.
The Pussycat Dolls have announced a major global tour with a Manchester date. Credit: Rankin
Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, and Ashley Roberts will be back together once again this year for what will be their biggest international run in years.
They’ll be releasing a new song for the first time since 2019 – Club Song is produced by Mike Sabbath (RAYE, Jade) and written by Nicole Scherzinger with Sabbath, Caroline Ailin (Dua Lipa) and Solly (Teddy Swims).
General tickets will go on sale from 10am on Friday 20 March, but fans can sign up for pre-sale at pcdforever.com by Monday to access tickets early.
Country 2 Country music festival is coming to Manchester next year
Danny Jones
Hold on to your cowboy hats, country fans: the smash-hit Country 2 Country music festival is coming to Manchester.
The massive live music festival specialising in all things country, folk, bluegrass, Americana and more has slowly been expanding its presence across the UK and Ireland over the last decade or so.
Starting in London at the O2 Arena, before hitting the Emerald Isle in 2015 and debuting in Scotland just three years later, it has seen some of the biggest acts from the world of country music cross the Atlantic to show off the Stateside genre, plus plenty from around the globe already immersed in the culture.
We’ll confess, even prior to the official announcement, we had a feeling this was coming when we spotted these posters dotted about in town:
Like so many of those buzzing in the comments, we cannot wait for this to come around.
With this year’s respective events taking place simultaenously place over the coming weekend, Friday, 13 to Sunday, 15 March, it’s fair to say they’ve timed the news perfectly.
Everyone from established names such as Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, to up-and-coming bands as well as fast-rising artists working in and around the genre, like Nate Smith, Lainey Wilson and, of course, the now well and truly massive Luke Combs.
For instance, the likes of Keith Urban, Noah Rinker, Alana Springsteen – no relation – Zach Top and many, MANY more, are playing across London, the OVO Hydro in Glasgow and Belfast’s SSE Arena for the 12th edition of the now annual celebration.
Set to arrive in our city centre for the very first time, Country 2 Country (C2C) will be making its Manc debut at none other than the legendary AO Arena, where so many of the biggest names and current generation of stars alike have played.
You only have to look at recent examples like Darius Rucker last year and the ever-growing Tyler Childers, helping kick off this season of country gigs here in Manchester.
Meanwhile, as you can see for Country 2 Country music fest’s Manchester debut, it’s coming in March 2027, and they’ll be teaming up with other local gig venues and bars to turn 0161 into a little slice of Broadway – we just hope we get a bit of Austin weather to boot.
It’s fair to say that this particular part of the music industry is definitely enjoying a big boom right now, with lots of different acts dipping their toes into the bayou, if you will.
However, C2C have been flying the flag for country music over here for ages now, and with it being hailed as remaining “one of the UK’s most spectacular annual festivals” by the likes of The Express and countless, among countless other reviews, we think it’s time you give it a go.
Better still, let’s show everyone that we can do it even better up North, and here in what everyone knows is Britain’s real musical home: Greater Manchester.
Tickets will be available from 10am next Friday, 20 March, and you can sign up to get early bird pre-sale access right HERE.
Credit: Niko Moon/Luke Dyson Photography (supplied)
Emily Johnson -
26th September 2024 
