Manchester record label Scruff of the Neck has launched their brand-new music festival in the city centre, Year’s End, as dozens of up-and-coming bands from the North and beyond are set to close out 2023 in style.
Debuting this December, the inaugural Year’s End Festival is 0161’s newest metropolitan music event, promising nearly 50 different artists playing across eight different beloved stages in central Manchester, all within the space of less than 24 hours.
The day-night festival will be taking place along the city’s iconic Oxford Road Corridor, considered not only student central but home to some of our most iconic venues where countless bands and solo acts have made their name and continue to play to this day. Here’s the final lineup for Year’s End 2023.
Playing across the following locations — The Bread Shed, Canvas (two rooms), The Deaf Insitute (also two rooms), Hatch, Thirsty Scholar (indoor and outdoor) and Zombie Shack — each gig will be just a short walking distance from another and boast a capacity of 2,000 guests in total.
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If you’ve ever been to any of these venues, be it the legendary Deaf Institute or the shiny new surround that is Circle Sqaure‘s Canvas bar, restaurant and events space, you’ll know that each of them offers up their own unique charm.
Better still, with a host of Scruff of the Neck bands signed up like BLOXX, Shambolics and All the Young, plenty of local acts such as The Covasettes, UNO MAS and Cassia just to name a few, as well as big names in general like The View, there is going to be some serious talent on display.
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Set up not only by Scruff but with the help of BBC Introducing, Fatsoma; Marshall, 42nd Street and music-fuelled beer brand, Signature Brew, there is a lot of collaboration and celebration of the ‘up-and-coming’ about this exciting new event — that’s what we like to hear.
Credit: Lewis WolstenholmeCredit: Scruff of the Neck
While early bird passes (which cost just £15) have already sold out, there are still plenty of tier one general release tickets available for £20 before tiers two and three drop at a different price point.
It goes without saying that you need to be quick if you don’t want to miss out on Manchester’s newest music festival. Each ticket grants you access to every single venue all day and night long, plus a free wristband that will get you into the afterparty. You can grab yours HERE.
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Year’s End Festival kicks off at 12pm and will run until 11pm on 9 December, followed by the afterparty which will be hosted by none other than Scruff of the Neck themselves, who’ll be on decks until late.
The label’s founder, Mark Lippmann, is tipping the unique music industry and community concept as the perfect way “to end the year with one big blowout and a chance to spend quality time together whilst enjoying our artists before the music industry Christmas break.” We couldn’t agree more.
See you there. In the meantime, there’s plenty of gigs on the schedule for the rest of the month:
Featured Images — Year’s End Festival/Scruff of the Neck
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‘Disappointed’ Olivia Rodrigo issues statement to Manchester fans after Co-op Live postpones gigs
Emily Sergeant
Olivia Rodrigo has issued a statement to her Manchester fans after her run of gigs at Co-op Live have been postponed.
The US singer-songwriter was due to perform two massive sold-out shows tomorrow and Saturday (3 and 4 May 2024) here in Manchester at the city’s newest venue, the now-troubled Co-op Live, as part of her GUTS world tour – but, due to what has been referred to as “ongoing venue-related technical issues”, these gigs are now the latest in a long line of postponements.
New dates will be announced as soon as they’re confirmed, Co-op Live assured ticket-holders.
Co-op Live said in a statement: “Due to an ongoing venue-related technical issue, the scheduled performances of Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour on 3rd and 4th May are being postponed. Ticket holders can either hold onto their tickets or obtain a refund from their point of purchase.
“We deeply apologise for the significant inconvenience this will cause for many.”
We deeply apologise for the significant inconvenience this will cause for many.
The Drivers License singer also took a moment to assure her presumably-disappointed attending fans that she too was “disappointed” by the situation.
In a statement shared to her 37.2 million followers on Instagram yesterday, Olivia wrote on her Story: “Hello! I’ve been having such a great time in Europe so far and I’m soooooo disappointed that we’re unable to perform in Manchester due to ongoing venue-related technical issues.”
The 21-year-old told Manchester fans that “we’re doing our best to reschedule” the shows.
Olivia Rodrigo has issued a statement to Manchester fans after Co-op Live postpones her gigs / Credit: Olivia Rodrigo (via Instagram) | The Manc Group
Her statement continued: “You can hold onto your tickets for further info or request a refund at your point of purchase. More info will be sent directly to ticketholders.
“I’m so bummed and I really hope to see you all soon.”
As previously mentioned, the massive arena was supposed to open for the first time to the public last night with a performance by US rapper, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, but it was called off at the eleventh hour and fans were turned away from the doors just minutes before they were meant to open.
Co-op Live has now confirmed that the reason for the cancellation was due to a piece of the HVAC (air conditioning) system having “separated from the ductwork”.
Because of this, rigorous testing on the rest of the system now needs to take place before fans can safely be welcomed inside.
The next expected show on the Co-op Live schedule is Keane on Sunday 5 May, before beloved Manchester boyband, Take That, play a massive run of shows from 7-11 May and extra dates on 11 and 12 June.
Featured Image – Publicity Picture
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Everton manager Sean Dyche randomly pops up in the music video for Blossoms’ new single – and he’s great
Danny Jones
Did anyone else think they’d ever see Sean Dyche make his acting debut in the role of a Northern crime boss in a silly little music video for the Blossoms?
No, us neither but that’s the bizarre alternate reality we’re living in, apparently.
Blossoms are currently working on the fifth studio album and have already released their lead single entitled, ‘To Do List (After The Break-Up)’, but now they have a new song out as well, with a rather amusing music video to go along with it and somehow Sean Dyche has found himself the star.
The Stockport band teased the curious collaboration in April, giving us just short glimpses of the Everton manager and former Burnley boss with very little explanation – all we know is that it looked funny and it was.
Sean Dyche sends the five of us on a mission in our new single What Can I Say (After I’m Sorry) out Wednesday 1st May ⏰ pic.twitter.com/WcDdfgAD1m
Sean Dyche stars as the boss in the music video for Blossoms’ latest single, ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?’ As you do.
Dyche is still busy trying to finish the Premier League campaign as strong as possible after successfully navigating the Toffees to safety even in spite of their points deductions this season, but it sounds like keeping them up has given him enough time to moonlight as an actor.
Sending the indie five-piece on a mission to collect something of value (yes, that’s all the info we have at this point as the story is still to be continued), it looks like the Kettering-born coach has a larger role to play in whatever this narrative turns out to be.
Playing what can only be described as some kind of semi-Manc mafia figure on the hunt for a very valuable piece of art, i.e. a big giant gorilla statue – one that many Stopfordians spotted being lugged around various parts of the borough –
They also shared a little bit of BTS footage from the shoot for the music video last week. Some lovely head-bobbing and unassuming surroundings here:
As for the track itself, it’s a bit of stylistic change for the lads who’ve mastered their 80s-tinged indie formula over the past decade but it’s an absolute pop and is already stuck in our heads.
Revealing that they’ve collaborated with contemporary funk, disco and electronic icons Jungle on the track, it doesn’t take too long to hear the influences. Look forward to hearing it at Wythenshawe Park this summer.
You can watch the music video for ‘What Can I Say?’ and the ginger-goatee’d football manager extraordinaire in full character HERE.
He’s not the only footballing figure who’s made an entertainment crossover recently either.
So, Erling Haaland is now a character in Clash of Clans… 👀
Bit random, we know, but it's a funny little trailer. 😅