Carl Cox presents Awesome Soundwave (live), O2 Victoria Warehouse
When: 15 September, 10pm-4am
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House & Techno titan Carl Cox brings his Awesome Soundwave concept to Manchester for the very first time. Witness Carl in a never seen before setting as he debuts his new LIVE performance in the heart of Manchester for a show that is set to hit global festival stages in 2023.
90s Baby Classical with 17-piece elemental orchestra, Albert Hall
When: 30 September, 8pm-1am
Get ready for a spectacular 90s night with some of the best artists and vocalists from the era. This unique show includes a full 17-piece elemental orchestra performing live alongside the artists this autumn.
Green Island Festival VI, Hulme Community Garden Centre
When: 17 September, 12-9pm
Green Island Festival is an immersive event located within the famous Hulme Garden Centre, connected to the innovative Niamos Radical Arts centre and just a skip away from the heart of Manchester.
This community-inspired event serves as a sanctuary from a hectic urban lifestyle. For many, this will be an opportunity to discover the beauty of the garden centre that has been a cultural epicentre, and community hub in Manchester for decades.
Manchester Mind Body Spirit & Yoga festival, Bowler’s Exhibition Centre
When: 24-25 September, 10am-5pm (last entry 4pm)
Spend the day or maybe the weekend, wandering around our amazing exhibitors, covering all aspects of Mind Body Spirit & Yoga. Get a tarot reading, reflexology treatment, a spot of retail therapy.
This event will have 120 fabulous exhibitors, will have 2 areas of inspirational talks and workshops, a YOGA Zone, onsite catering, including vegan and vegetarian, free parking for over 600 cars, free wifi, 2 minutes from Junction 9 of the M60.
Craig Charles Funk & Soul Club ft. The Plimp, Band on the Wall
When: 24 September, 9pm-3am
Legendary actor, host and broadcaster Craig Charles of Red Dwarf, Robot Wars and Coronation Street fame is also one of the UK’s best-loved Funk and Soul DJ’s. He returns to Band on the Wall this month with a special guest appearance from The Plimp.
Mica Millar Heaven Knows album launch, Albert Hall
When: 25 September, 7-11pm
Join Mica Millar for her hometown album launch at Manchester’s iconic Albert Hall performing her brand new debut album ‘Heaven Knows in full, with her eight-piece live band – a show not to be missed by fans across the Northwest with special guests support from Cherise (Live) and DJ Chaise (DJ Set).
Libero w/ Mike Morrisey, Luke Welsh, Dan Costello and Brodyr, The Lockup
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The Lockup in Salford hosts an end-of-summer day and night party from Libero this month. As the first limited capacity show organisers have thrown in a long time, it’s expected to sell out quickly. One that house, minimal and tech house fans won’t want to miss.
Hit & Run x Calm Sessions: Last of the summer whine day party, Six Trees Kitchen
When: 17 September , 1pm to 10pm (last entry 4pm)
Bringing together a mix of big name heavy hitters and local favourites, Hit & Run team up with Calm Sessions for its ‘last of the summer whine day’ party at Six Trees Kitchen in Trafford. Catch sets from P Money, Sicaria Sound, Sparkz, Chimpo and Disaffected amongst others.
How a cult classic game helped create the sound of Blossoms’ new album
Danny Jones
More specifically, their soundtracks, as in a recent chat with the Blossoms boys, we found out that their upcoming album was at least partly influenced by a beloved PlayStation 2 classic from 2006.
This is just more proof that you really can find inspiration in just about anything.
Yes, even if only in part, an old video game that many of you may have played back in the day is somehow connected to the latest and technically still yet to be announced release.
We’ve heard of groups such as The 1975 trying to make an album that sounds “as if John Hughes had directed a movie about our lives”, and Red Rum Club leaning further into the growing Western aesthetic with almost every outing, but we never thought we’d hear of a record born out of a love for Bully…
The lads actually touched on that whole ‘still TBC’ when we spoke to them at their studio in Stockport, joking not just about divorce but how they’re baffled by the whole ‘are they working on new music?’ speculation in the media. “Well, yeah, we’re a band – that’s what we do for a living”, as they put it.
But back to the point at hand: lead guitarist Dewhurt’s affection for Bully, a cult favourite PS2 title released by Rockstar Games – the same people behind Grand Theft Auto (GTA) and Red Dead Redemption – and the score behind it, essentially served as a seed for the feel of their newest work.
As he explained above, before being expanded on by frontman and primary lyricist Tom Odgen, they were fortunate enough to be in possession of the details for one half of a duo they both admire: Young Gun Silver Fox, a.k.a. British artist Andy Platts and US multi-talented instrumentalist, Shawn Lee.
Lee also just so happens to be the composer of the original Bully video game soundtrack.
Ultimately, this all came about because Josh contacted him over email simply to praise the game’s music (sure, when he was a teenager, we promise), and only took them until the last year or so to put two and two together. Small world, eh?
Oh, the nostalgia.
It has since occurred to us that we’ve come across him before, too.
For us, it was when playing the first Tales From The Borderlands (a spin-off of the popular action role-playing looter-shooter series that has since been turned into a Hollywood movie), which features his song ‘Kiss The Sky’ and ALSO enjoyed in our late teens.
It still continues to baffle us how things can come full circle like this.
As it turns out, his music appears in various pieces of pop culture, and with Tom professing his love for the funky, bass-forward 80s vibes of Lee and his partner Platts’ stuff, he was then roped in as part of the production team on the hypotheticalBlossoms LP number six. Not that we know anything about that…
What has now come out of all this is the previously alluded to lead single entitled ‘Joke About Divorce’, the music video for which dropped last month.
‘Joke About Divorce’ our new single is out now! We love this record, we recorded it live to tape at Tilehouse Studios with Shawn Lee producing. The second we got the mix back it felt like an instant Blossoms classic (if we do say so ourselves)!
We’re still not sure whether or not this is just the first finished song from the project, the opener or indeed even a title track; all we know is it’s another catchy creation from the Stopfordians.
But yeah, in a roundabout way, somehow that ‘problematic’ game that our parents and teachers complained about when we were kids, either by sheer chance, serendipity or perhaps the divine will of the audio gods, appears to have served as a kind of sonic sapling for a fresh era of the local outfit.
Sadly, we have very little else to offer you in terms of information regarding the ‘as yet confirmed’ next studio release from the Blossoms, but we can tell you we’re very much looking forward to hearing what comes next – especially live.
In case you missed it, they’re headlining this year’s edition of NBHD Weekender music festival at the end of the month; you can see the rest of the lineup down below.
Featured Images — Rockstar Games/Audio North/Press shot (via Go! Entertainment)
Feature
Inside Tyga, as a Manchester favourite changes its stripes for a new era
Danny Jones
We recently had the pleasure of visiting Tyga, Manchester city centre’s latest Indian restaurant, which has taken the place of former local favourite, Asha’s.
The Peter Street spot had always been a great place for a curry and progressive takes on the nation’s staples, often pulling inspiration from the Rajasthan region, but now the unit is the start of a new chapter.
In truth, the food was always pretty damn good here – often truly great, even – as we found out the last time we reviewed it; however, it’s clear that there’s been a greater honing of the concept.
Put simply, Tyga is trying to elevate what the team already did so well, whilst adding an extra layer of fine-dining refinement.
@the.manc Peter Streets Indian spot Tyga, has had a serious glow-up, bringing a more refined, fine-dining take on Indian cuisine while keeping all the bold flavours at the heart of it. The 24-hour slow-simmered lamb shank is an absolute must, as is the butter chicken which just melts in your mouth. 😍 It’s not just about the food here though, with an extensive cocktail list that brings theatre to the table, they’re the perfect accompaniment to your table full of scran. It’s the perfect spot for date night, celebrations, or when you just want to seriously impress someone over dinner. 🍸 Get it booked. 📍 47 Peter Street, M2 3NG #themanc#tygamanchester#manchesterfoodie#manchestercurry#wheretoeatinmanchester♬ original sound – The Manc
You hear sentences like a ‘contemporary twist on cuisine’ and ‘modern approaches to classics’ recycled quite a lot, and we get it: it can be a great way to get across that you’re trying to push culinary tradition(s) forward, but it often feels a bit of a throwaway term that’s used far too much.
That being said, while there’s definitely a feeling of familiarity to this recently refreshed foodie lineup, this is one of the times and places where it actually seems like that phrase means something.
While the building and stunning venue itself might have stayed largely the same, bar some knick-knacks being swapped for a few different tiger-based decorations, the authentic clay-pot lamb, ‘Tyga’ prawns, salmon tikka, and Vepudu spiced stir fry show some real innovation.
A lot of these might be rooted in a kind of food we know very well here in Britain, but these latest iterations in recipes and experimentation with their components result in some very cool creations.
The ember wings were smoky and moorish in a way that we’ve not had in a restaurant like this before, and the lamb chops alone were worth ordering by the wheelbarrow full.
Small plates have also been thrown into the mix more seamlessly this time around, too, as have some of the Indo-Chinese options that feel less like a footnote now and, instead, like a continuation of the tweaking and trying out new things seen throughout the rest of the offerings.
Even the vegetarian/vegan section of the menu has been lifted in certain aspects, too, with previously popular dishes being brought back better and more beautifully presented than ever.
Before we forget, a special shout-out goes to those beetroot dill patties.
Speaking of presentation, although they might have simplified some stuff (such as the okra fries that simply need to be dumped on the table and be devoured in seconds by gannets like us), as mentioned, plenty of other bits have been levelled up.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that they’ve just been voted alongside some fellow standout spots by the Asian Catering Federation.
They’ve never shied away from a bit of pageantry, and nothing has changed in that respect.
Everything from the plating to even giving you a rotating water jug that revolves on a single point and never spills has a bit of flair, without being too much or straying into gimmicky territory.
Most importantly of all, whether you want a classy room for your next date night, somewhere intimate the next time you go out for tea with your partner, or still fancy a more banquet-style feast for you and your mates in the form of the updated ‘Maharaja’s Grand Platter’, Tyga can turn its paw to any occasion.
The Manc -
12th September 2022 
