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The first live concert programme for in-person audiences has launched in Manchester

The Stoller Hall becomes the first venue in the city centre to launch a full live concert programme since March.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 30th October 2020
The Stoller Hall / ARUP

Live music is finally returning to Manchester as The Stoller Hall becomes the first venue in the city centre to launch a full live concert programme since March.

The 500-seat music venue has announced an exciting line-up of concerts – including a mix of in-person and online performances – this week, making it the first full programme of live music events to return to any music venue in Manchester since lockdown restrictions began back in March.

The concert series will begin this November – with performances streamed live for online ticket holders – as well as live shows for reduced capacity, socially-distanced audiences in the venue itself.

In response to global travel restrictions as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this concert series has been curated to explore the theme of travel, and will bring the world’s finest classical, jazz and folk music from around the world to audiences in Manchester, performed by leading local, national and international performers.

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The Stoller Hall is also thought to be the first venue to launch a public concert programme with the support provided by the UK government’s Culture Recovery Fund.

The venue was granted £150,000 this October in recognition of its importance to the cultural sector.

Speaking on the launch of the concert programme, Fran Healey – General Manager of The Stoller Hall – said: “We’re fighting to return to a world-class live music experience in the face of this pandemic.

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“With Tier 3 lockdown restrictions now in place in Manchester, we’re abiding by the strictest of COVID-safety measures [and] reduced capacity ticketing in our venue means that audiences will be treated to a very exclusive experience.

“Thank you to everyone whose generous donations have helped The Stoller Hall to stay on its feet since the pandemic began.

“Now the government’s Culture Recovery Fund grant has given us the means to move forwards, we will play our part by bringing some spectacular live music to our stages, supporting the cultural economy and returning world-class live music to the nation.”

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The Stoller Hall
The Stoller Hall

She continued: “Most of us aren’t doing much travel at the moment, so this programme will bring sounds from around the world to audiences, as well as music from the best of our homegrown talent. This is the first step on the road to recovery, and there’s a long way to go, but it’s a huge milestone,

“Not just for us, but for the whole live music industry. 

“Our autumn-winter programme is always a busy one, but this year it will be more emotional than we could ever have imagined.”

So, what’s in store for audiences from next month then?

Launching The Stoller Hall ‘Broadcasts Series’ is a celebration of the best of British brass, as the British Horn Society present a recital by Ben Goldscheider and Huw Watkins streamed live on Sunday 1st November, and then on 18th November, British concert pianist Murray McLachlan – who has appeared as concerto soloist with many leading UK orchestras – will perform a live of Beethoven piano sonatas in honour of the composer’s 250th birthday year.

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The Stoller Hall will be also hosting a series of three concerts with Manchester Camerata, and will be blending physical and virtual audiences to embrace the best of Manchester’s music scene within the programme.

Performing for both socially-distanced in-venue audiences and live stream ticket holders are 2019 Parkhouse Award winners, The Lux Trio.

The award-winning group – which was formed in Berlin by pianist Eunyoo An, violinist Jae Hyeong Lee and cellist Hoon Sun Chae – has performed all over the world and received an array of awards including the first price at Gasteig Musikpreis competition in Munich, the Alice-Samter-Stiftung Kammermusikwettbewerb in Berlin, and the Artsylvia Foundation chamber music audition in South Korea.

Their first album on the Korean label O’ New World Music was released in 2018, and they will be one of the first live European acts in The Stoller Hall programme on Thursday 26th November.

The European leg of The Stoller Hall’s world tour will take audiences on a journey through Polish classical music.

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British violinist Jennifer Pike MBE – former BBC Young Musician of the Year award winner – will perform pieces celebrating her Polish roots, and Manchester Collective – one of The Stoller Hall’s ensembles in residence, known for creating intimate and captivating live music experiences – will perform work by remarkable Polish composer Górecki, for an exclusive audience in the venue only.

You can book tickets to events, find more information, and familiarise yourself with all COVID-secure procedures via The Stoller Hall website here.

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Watch adorable Lottie, 7, wowing crowds at Manchester Carnival on stage with Serani

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

A tiny singer has ended up as one of the stars of the show at Manchester Caribbean Carnival after she was pulled up on stage by dancehall singer Serani.

Little Lottie, at just seven years old, belted out a verse of the star’s hit song No Games while the huge crowd cheered and danced.

And Serani was so impressed with her, that he’s now got back in touch and asked her to feature on his new song, and treated her family to a day out in London with him.

Videos of the heartwarming exchange at Carnival have been widely shared on social media, with one video earning more than 6.2m views on TikTok at the time of writing.

In the below video shared with The Manc, Serani is seen crouching down to her eye level, before asking the young girl for her name and telling her she is ‘so sweet’.

Lottie then grabs his arm and whispers in his ear that she doesn’t know all the words, to which he responds: “You don’t need to know all of it baby, just sing for the beautiful people of Manchester.”

After a brief hesitation, Lottie, wearing a pink tie-die dress, starts belting out No Games – and the crowd absolutely erupts.

Serani then starts singing the lyric ‘It’s, it’s, it’s Serani’ – but is interrupted by Lottie shouting ‘LOTTIE’, much to the delight of the onlookers.

Read more: The neglected Moss Side ginnel that’s been turned into a plant-filled art gallery

Once she hits her stride, there’s no stopping the tiny star, who had all of Alexandra Park in the palm of her hand.

Thousands of people have shared their love for the adorable moment on social media.

Comments have included ‘GET IT LOTTIEEEEEE’ and ‘LOTTIE MASH UP DI PLACE’.

Another person wrote: “The way her confidence shot up when everyone hyper her.”

Someone else said: “Wow the way I felt that energy thru the phone like POW.”

One user commented: “Love the crowd hyping up the boss girl! She’s got fantastic taste in music too!”

Serani has since said: “She is the star, she just took over the stage, she’s so sweet.

“I never thought the video would get so big but the views just kept growing and growing.”

Featured image: Supplied

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You can rave inside the empty Grade-II listed Victoria Baths in Manchester this autumn

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Ever wondered what it’s like to dance the night away inside an empty swimming pool?

Well, there’s no need to wonder any longer, as Manchester‘s music lovers are invited to become a part of the city’s partying history later this year when the iconic Grade-II listed Victoria Baths hosts three day raves that are set to be headlined by some world-renowned DJs and famous names on the house, electronic, and techno music scene.

The Victoria Baths takeover comes as JBM Music – the team behind popular city centre venue, Joshua Brooks – launch a new series of ‘Manchester 360’ events this November.

Already gearing up to be a “weekender like no other”, the historic Victoria Baths – which dates back to 1906 – will be kitted-out with an immersive 360° sound system and killer light shows that will fill the venue’s stunning architecture with an atmosphere it’s never seen before.

Victoria Baths was once described as “a water palace” and called “the most splendid bathing institution in the country” – but it’s soon set to take on a whole new life as bathing will turn into raving on the first weekend in November, with three talented DJs in the international electronic scene lined-up across the three days of parties.

Event organisers are promising to take partiers to “another realm”.

First up is local hero Darius Syrossian, who is no stranger to playing packed out and sweaty dance floors with his edgy and straight-up house sound, and he’ll then be followed by another UK legend Lee Burridge – the man behind ‘All Day I Dream’, with his own zoned-out and hypnotic take on house.

Then last but not least, French titan Dimitri From Paris will cook up dazzling disco and filter house sounds that are packed with soul and colour. 

Dimitri From Paris and Lee Burridge are two of the famous names headlining the day raves this November / Credit: Supplied

Manchester 360º: Weekend Takeover is coming to Victoria Baths on Friday 4, Saturday 5, and Sunday 6 November 2022, and you can now join the waitlist to get exclusive ticket access before they are released to the wider public next week.

You can find out more and join the waitlist for tickets here.

Featured Image – Supplied

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