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This Manchester club has been shortlisted as one of the best in the UK

DJ Mag has shortlisted Depot Mayfield as one of the UK's best nightclubs for its 2022 list

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 30th November 2022

In a coup for the city’s clubbing scene, a huge venue in Manchester has been shortlisted as one of the best of its kind in the UK by this year’s DJ Mag awards.

Depot Mayfield, the home of Manchester’s infamous party series The Warehouse Project, is the only club in the north of England to make the shortlist – sitting alongside London venues Fabric, KOKO and Printworks, and Glasgow nightclub SWG3.

First opened in 2019, the 10,000 capacity venue has been home to some huge events – including MIF and Skepta’s mind-blowing futurist rave DYSTOPIA987 and Manchester Pride’s inaugural music event  Pride Live, as well as innumerable shows for WHP over the past few years.

With three separate stages – Depot, Concourse and Archive – it has been home to an eclectic run of Warehouse Project shows, attracting ravers and gig-goers of all musical persuasions.

Image: WHP MCR
Image: WHP MCR

Now it has been recognised as one of the best large venues in the UK as part of the annual DJ Mag awards, widely considered to be one of (if not the) biggest authorities on the UK dance music scene.

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The award ceremony takes place this December 15 in London’s The Steel Yard, in what is the first IRL award show since the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.

This year marks the 16th edition of the awards, an annual celebration of UK talent. Positioned as a counter-balance to the global Top 100 DJs poll, DJ Mag’s Best Of British awards are a chance to shine a spotlight on the homegrown talent that continues to place the UK scene at the forefront of electronic music.

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Image: @anthonymooney via WHP MCR
Image: @anthonymooney via WHP MCR

The 2022 nominations are split across 22 categories, and the awards show in December will also see the return of three editorial choice categories, Outstanding Contribution, Innovation & Excellence and Game Changer.

Also shortlisted in this year’s awards is Manchester’s ‘Baddest of them all’ producer and DJ Interplanetary Criminal, whose BOTA remix with Eliza Rose went viral this year and hit number one in the UK singles charts this September.

Read more: Hot Chip announce huge live Manchester show at The Warehouse Project

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Interplanetary Criminal is up for two awards this year – Best Producer and Best Track – showing that Manchester is still at the forefront of the UK music scene, decades after its Hacienda heydays.

You can see the full list of DJ Mag’s 2022 awards and nominations below.

Best DJ

Anz
Djrum
Palms Trax
Patrick Topping
Tiffany Calver

Breakthrough DJ

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Fleur Shore
Girls Don’t Sync
KILIMANJARO
Mozey
TAAHLIAH

Best Live Act

aya
Bonobo
Fred again..
Krust
The Comet Is Coming

Best Producer

Congo Natty
Dance System
Interplanetary Criminal
Loraine James
M1onthebeat

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Breakthrough Producer

Breaka
CeeBeaats
Meg Ward
Nia Archives
Soul Mass Transit System

Best MC/Vocalist

Bandokay
MC Chickaboo
Ivorian Doll
Knucks
Novelist

Breakthrough MC/Vocalist

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Bemz
Chinx (OS)
Iceboy Violet
Jim Legxacy
ShaSimone

Best Label

AD 93
ec2a
Phantasy Sound
Trick
XL Recordings

Breakthrough Label

All Centre
Over/Shadow
Pretty Weird
Sondela Recordings
Time Is Now [Shall Not Fade]

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Best Album

DJ Q ‘Est. 2003’ [Local Action]
Hagan ‘Textures’ [Python Syndicate]
Hudson Mohawke ‘Cry Sugar’ [Warp]
Kelly Lee Owens ‘LP.8’ [Smalltown Supersound]
TSHA ‘Capricorn Sun’ [Ninja Tune]

Best Compilation

PinkPantheress ‘to hell with it (Remixes)’ [Parlophone]
V/A ”Club Entry’ Vol. 1′ [Borne Fruits]
V/A ‘Hospital Mixtape: Lens’ [Hospital Records]
V/A ‘Luke Una Presents É Soul Cultura’ [Mr Bongo]
V/A ‘Touching Bass presents: Soon Come’ [Touching Bass]

Best Track

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Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal ‘B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)’ [Warner Records x One House]
Hamdi ‘Skanka’ [DUPLOC]
Joy O ‘pinky ring’ [XL Recordings]
LF System ‘Afraid To Feel’ [Warner Music]
Nia Archives ‘Baianá’ [HIJINXX / Island]

Best Remix/Edit

KH ‘Looking At Your Pager’ [Ministry of Sound/Three Six Zero]
Michael Bibi ‘La Murga (Michael’s Midnight Mix)’
Nick León ‘Xtasis feat. DJ Babatr (Pearson Sound Remix)’ [TraTraTrax]
Tessela ‘Hackney Parrot (Bailey’s Techno Tool)’
Tirzah ‘Tectonic (FAUZIA Remix)’ [Domino]

Best Rap Album/Mixtape

CB ‘A Drillers Perspective 2’ [mayowahd]
FLOHIO ‘Out Of Heart’ [AWAL]
Horrid1 x Sav’O ‘Violent Siblings’ [CGM Records]
Jeshi ‘Universal Credit’ [Because Music]
Loyle Carner ‘hugo’ [EMI]

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Best Rap Track

Darkoo ‘Always feat. Black Sherif’ (Prod. by Albert kweku Koranteng) [Atlantic Records UK]
Giggs x Tiny Boost ‘The Family’ (Prod. by RichMadeRecords) [Self-released]
Kojey Radical feat. Lex Amor ‘War Outside’ (Prod. by Swindle & Kztheproducer) [Asylum Records UK]
LD x C1 ‘Hillside Demons’ (Prod. by JS OTP & Hilzz) [24 Hour Ent]
Nemzzz ‘2MS’ (Prod. by Wydsonni) [Motown Records UK / EMI]

Best Radio Show

Emma Jean Thackray, Worldwide FM
Ellie Prohan, KISS FM
Felix Joy Breakfast Show, SWU
Pure Spice with DJ Manara, BBC Asian Network
Soup To Nuts, NTS

Best Large Club

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Depot Mayfield, Manchester
fabric, London
KOKO, London
Printworks, London
SWG3, Glasgow

Best Small Club

Colour Factory, London
Night Tales, London
Strange Brew, Bristol
Sub Club, Glasgow
Ulster Sports Club, Belfast

Best Club Event

Club Blanco
Distant Planet
PXSSY PALACE
Teletech
Small Talk

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Best Festival

Houghton Festival
Naked City Festival
Otherlands Music & Arts Festival
Outlook Festival UK
Queen’s Yard Summer Party

Best Boutique Festival

Field Maneuvers
Freerotation
KALLIDA Festival
No Bounds Festival
Watching Trees Festival

Underground Hero
Recognising the champions of grassroots music communities

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Double O & Mantra
Jeremy Sylvester
Lo Shea
Man Power
Sarah McBriar

Feature image – WHP MCR

Audio

Sarah Harding breast cancer study has helped save over 80 women

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

A life-saving study set in memory of Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding has seen her lasting legacy extend far beyond music, as now women across the country are getting cancer tests more frequently thanks to the research.

Funded by The Christie, The Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal began its first phase of the BCAN-RAY (Breast Cancer Risk Assessment in Younger Women) back in May 2023.

Led by Dr Sacha Howell, who was Harding’s consultant, the work explores risk factors and creates personalised early screening options for women as young as 30.

This is extremely important as currently women are only invited for routine breast screenings every three years from 50 onwards. Awareness and being proactive are just as important as research.

Sarah Harding has a mural dedicated to in her memory situated in her hometown of Stockport.
Sarah Harding, who passed away in 2021, has a dedicated mural in her hometown of Stockport.
Credit: The Manc Group

The studies set up in Sarah‘s legacy are vital now more than ever as breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women aged 35-50 years in the UK.

These more frequent and routine checks from a younger age will be vital, especially since an estimated 10,000 women a year are diagnosed under 50. 

The BCAN-RAY study has recruited 500 women aged between 30 and 39 years old, who have had their risk assessment appointments.

Out of this number – 404 patients have been given their risks – 316 as ‘average risk’ and 88 were found as ‘increased risk’.

88 were found as ‘increased risk’ with 58 of these receiving telephone calls to discuss further implications and discuss strategies to reduce this such as diet, exercise and medication.

So far 18 women have had their first mammogram, with no recalls or cancer identified. Following this, each woman is offered regular screening every year until their NHS breast screening starts at age 50. 

Dr Sacha Howell commented, “We’re really confident that we have a system that is working, from the results so far, which is great news, these findings mean that we may be able to offer personalised ways to predict and prevent breast cancer more widely in the population in future”.

Just last year, Girls Aloud embarked on their first tour together in a decade and each night of the show featured a glorious tribute to the Stockport-born star.

Girls Aloud featured a glorious tribute to Sarah Harding each night of the show.
Girls Aloud featured a glorious tribute to Sarah Harding each night of the show.
Girls Aloud featured a glorious tribute to Sarah Harding each night of the show.
The lovely Sarah Harding singing to Manchester one last time.
Credit: Audio North

In 2022, The Christie art and relaxation room received a wonderful makeover from proceeds raised at the Primrose Ball organised by Girls Aloud.

Within this room, visitors can find a lovely framed picture of Sarah Harding with the quote, “The darkest nights produce the brightest stars” and with all the work accomplished so far, we couldn’t agree more.

If you would like to show your support and help fund this life-changing research set up in Sarah’s legacy, you can donate HERE.

Read more:

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

Featured Images – The Christie (supplied)

Audio

Music TV show Spill The Sound has announced a brand new series

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia New Spill the Sounds series 2025

Manchester-based music TV show, Spill The Sound, is back with its latest series filmed at The Yard, featuring plenty of exciting indie and alternative music faces.

Hosted by Louise Schofield and, Spill The Sound evokes the good old days of music TV shows incorporating styles from Popworld, Snub TV and Granada TV’s ‘So It Goes’.

The series itself is produced by Laura Graham of StreamGM, Greater Manchester’s multi-award streaming and media platform, who create and broadcast the show.

As an official partner with Audio North, this brand aims to spotlight creative voices across Greater Manchester and helped launch an industry careers podcast just last month.

Throughout March, the latest season of Spill The Sound (STS) will be bringing three episodes centred around some independent artists with very unique styles.

Listeners will be able to hear the likes of Andrew Cushin, The Guest List, Dirty Blonde and Megan Wyn, all of which have achieved incredible things while on the rise.

One of these names should be very familiar as indie rockers The Guest List have seen themselves featuring in our ‘Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month’ series back in October.

Another big get for the show is Andrew Cushin, who’s been mentored by none other than Noel Gallagher and already appeared on the bill as a supporting act for the likes of Paul Weller, Louis Tomlinson and many more.

Alt-rock duo Dirty Blonde are also featuring in this latest series and it’s no surprise either as they’ve already seen a buzz in the UK airwaves with praise from BBC Radio 1 and Radio X.

The latter of the newest lineup isn’t one to ignore either as Megan Wyn has been hailed as the ‘woman to watch’ by Clash Magazine and is set to support Alanis Morissette.

The Guest List playing hook-a-duck throughout their Spill The Sound interview.
The Guest List playing hook-a-duck throughout their interview.
Credit: Spill The Sound (supplied)

Every episode has been filmed at local music venue, The Yard Manchester, which provides the perfect space for these lighthearted interviews and spectacular pared-down performances.

This music platform has hosted and promoted lots of local talent including Antony Szmierek, Red Rum Club, The K’s, Hi Sienna and Seb Lowe, just to name a few.

The latest series of Spill The Sound kicks off with Andrew Cushin on Wednesday, 19 March with the remaining two episodes released in three-day instalments.

You can give it a watch when each episode goes live exclusively on StreamGM HERE or via the STS YouTube channel down below:

Read more:

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

Featured Image – Publicity Picture (via Supplied)/Audio North

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