One of the most legendary drum and bass nights in Manchester’s music history is returning to the city for the first time in 20 years. Yes, it’s official: Squiggle Dee Mash is back.
Arguably the best-named night of live music anywhere in the world, Squiggle Dee Mash became a local institution even in its short four-year lifespan from 1998 to 2022, sprouting from a small gig put together by a uni student to a clubland cult hit.
Having been hosted in legendary venues like Generation X (New Wakefield St.) Club Havana (now Revs de Cuba), K2 (yes, the karaoke bar), MMU Student Union, even in the depths of UoM’s Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), the drum, bass and jungle night has had many homes.
Now resurrected by its founder, Ottilia Ordog – a music promoter and director of Beats Bazaar with decades of experience under her belt – Squiggle Dee Mash will be making its comeback at the Bee House venue located on Deansgate Locks on 21 October.
The line-up includes OG residents such as Sappo, Mark XTC and DJ Prophecy, as well as the likes of the Ragga Twins, DJ Rap, MC Madrush and many more.
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Full Squiggle Dee Mash Line-Up
DJ Rap
Ragga Twins
Sappo
Mark XTC
DJ Prophecy
Outlander
Diemond’ED
Veba
MC Madrush
MC Crystalize
MC Chilla
Kerin
The comeback event also promises live PAs from Howie Jacobs of Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, who will also drum along to Sappo’s beats, as well as a new collaboration between Mandy Wigby (Lionrock, Sister of Transistors, Architects of Rosslyn) and Kerin, a.k.a. Che3kz.
Ottilia, a self-proclaimed five-foot ‘Transylvanian drum and bass and jungle fanatic’, first hosted the event back in 1998 when she was a second year at the University of Salford and helped pioneer the D and B scene in the city, aiming to bring a more fun, festival-like feeling to jungle nights.
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As she puts it, the gig’s unique name basically took on United’s mantra of ‘hated, ignored, never ignored’, but soon the somewhat niche event became a place where people from all walks of life were welcome to come and enjoy themselves.
Squiggle Dee Mash boasted the best jungle DJs and MCs, as well as dancers, drummers, fire breathers, jugglers and more, with lots of people regularly tuning up in fancy dress.
There was even an infamous ‘witchdoctor’ who regularly let people in for free if they could bring so crazy and entertaining to the party.
Spread across multiple rooms playing everything from jungle and D&B to hardcore, hip hop and house music, this year’s event promises to bring the authentic Squiggle Dee Mash experience to a modern audience.
Ottilia said she met up with friends and former MCs from the early days, and before she knew it, they were all ‘well up for it’ and things started coming together ‘like it was meant to be.’
Running from 10pm on 21 October until 4am the following day, if you’re into your drum and bass or electronic music in general, you don’t want to miss this one.
You can grab your tickets via Skiddle for £12 plus the booking fee HERE.
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 -
21st September 2022 
