The man behind the murals: We spent the day with Akse P19
A Smiths fan, a doctor, a chemist, a vinyl collector, a Breaking Bad enthusiast, a family man, and a humble intellectual. We spend a day with Akse P19 and discover what shaped one of the greatest modern artists in Manchester.
“The Jack Nicholson one is just back there,” our driver tells us, jerking a thumb behind his shoulder.
The sphinxlike Manchester street artist, Akse P19, is whizzing us through a rain-whipped Northern Quarter in his car; spray cans rattling at our feet whilst his iconic mask rests on the backseat alongside me.
He’s generously offered to transport us through the monsoon-like weather to see his latest painting, answering questions about his urban graffiti whenever a mural flashes into view beyond the blurry windows.
It’s only a five-minute journey, but we still manage to pass three of his paintings en route; proof that Akse is ubiquitous in Manchester. He has spent decades colouring the city’s red brick walls with dazzling, lifelike murals of musicians, athletes, poets, actors, fictional characters and Mancunian heroes. It’s the kind of art that strikes a chord and makes your chest puff with civic pride.
His decades’ of work – coupled with the explosion of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter – has seen Akse earned rightful recognition as one of the most important creative figures in the region.
However, until now, his backstory has remained something of a mystery. This is the man behind the mask.
“Paint gets on everything…”
With such a hybrid background, Akse could have settled almost anywhere in the world. So, we should be grateful he chose Manchester as his canvas.
Despite his Vietnamese heritage, a syrupy French accent and a Basque-speaking family, Akse has built a connection with Mancunia that runs deep – as his murals help to shape the atmosphere of the city.
The artist arrives at Teacup Kitchen for our interview in his familiar specs and paint-splashed trousers… but also a jet-black hoodie sporting a giant gold bee.
“I thought, for The Manc, this would be a great choice,” he chuckles.
The only thing that’s missing is his mask; which he eagerly straps to his face before our photographer starts snapping away later in the day.
Akse is eager to keep his personality separate from his work. Preserving his image – cap, glasses and mask – is important to him. He wants the images to speak for themselves and retain the enigmatic aura that has helped him gain so much attention in the first instance.
As we talk, Akse catches me eyeing the crispy outer shell that’s wrapped around his phone.
“Masking tape,” he clarifies.
“To protect it from the paint. You see, here…”
He flips the device over and runs his index finger over an invasive purple smear on the casing.
“Paint gets on everything.”
Mess is par for the course in this occupation. But it’s only when we quiz Akse on his working hours that some of the additional challenges of artwork become clear.
“There’s no 9-5. You can’t really have a routine in this job,” he explains, a thin smirk spreading across his lips.
“Sometimes, I’m able to go to the shop and get things to eat, but often there are no breaks.
“I should bring my own lunch, really. But I’m just not organised enough to do that.
“You can’t always choose your hours, either. If I’m doing a personal mural and it starts pissing down, I can just go home and come back again another time. One day doesn’t really make a difference.
“But if it’s commissioned, I have to finish it by a certain date. You have a deadline.
“With the Harry Maguire one, for example, it rained all day and I was completely soaked through. When it gets wet, the spray paint dries out quickly, too. So working in the bad weather can be very difficult.
“But it is worth it. This is me.”
“30 years later, Akse is what I’m known as…“
Akse’s amazing artwork invites all kinds of questions. But there’s one burning query we have to resolve before going any further into the aesthetics.
Where did that name come from?
“Golden Axe,” the artist explains, taking a long sip of his latte.
“It was a video game in the eighties.
“At the time, my English was not very good, but I liked the way it sounded. I just switched the ‘x’ for the ‘ks’.
“I never thought people would actually call me by that name. It was just for flow and style of the tag at the time.
“But now, 30 years later, this is what I’m known as.”
But what about the P19 bit?
“That’s the crew I am part of,” he explains.
“A graffiti artist called PEST formed it back in the Paris suburbs – which is where I grew up.
“There are about ten to fifteen members of the collective. Most of them still work in Paris today.
“In the late eighties/early nineties I got into hip-hop – which introduced me to the graffiti scene in France.
“I moved to the UK in 1997 to study chemistry – which actually comes in useful, working with paints! I went to MMU and did an MSc and PhD before I found a job in science. I worked for 15 years as a project manager after that – but I kept painting all that time.
“When I arrived in Manchester, I was on my own and didn’t know much about the graffiti scene.
“But soon I got involved with Eurocultured, a festival organised by Spearfish taking place by Oxford Road Station that invited artists from all around Europe.
“That’s how I ended up doing more street art.”
It was back in 2012 that Akse met the curators of The Out House – an organisation that provides space for artists around the Northern Quarter.
This encounter, combined with the rise of social media, saw the Akse name spread further and wider than he ever could have hoped for…
“As a chemist, I really enjoy Breaking Bad, so doing Heisenberg was quite special.”
The Out House is an organisation that guarantees there’s always a space for artists to flex their creative muscles.
“You don’t choose who will be painting with you,” Akse’s explains.
“The scene isn’t that big, so you know all the other artists, more or less. You meet many of them at events. If they are local, you’re likely to work with them at some point.”
Akse also does his own personal artwork in the city, obtaining permission from the owner of the building, the landlord and/or property management companies before he shakes up his spray can.
He specialises in photorealistic portraiture, but out of the hundreds of pieces he’s composed over the years, is there one he’s particularly proud of?
“The Heisenberg piece was really popular. As a chemist, I really enjoy Breaking Bad, so doing that one was quite special for me.
We ask if there are any murals he’d like to make in the future, and Akse doesn’t have to think long about his answer.
“I have a list of a few subjects I’ve been wanting to paint for a long time,” he confirms.
“One of them was Marvin Gaye – which I have just finished.
“I did it as commission for Soul Coffee which is opening in Ancoats.”
He asks us if we’d like to see it.
A few minutes following a resounding ‘yes’, we find ourselves climbing out of Akse’s car and stepping into a cafe under construction.
On the left wall is an incredible monochrome painting of Marvin Gaye – wearing his trademark hat and gazing up at the ceiling.
“This is a great place to be a part of”
Before posing beside the sketched singer, Aske retrieves a huge stack of Marvin Gaye vinyls from his car and starts flicking through them, thinking carefully about which one he should choose.
He picks one, raises it slowly, puts it back, plucks another record from the pile, and then returns to his original choice.
“This one, I think, will be better,” he mutters.
He wants the picture to be perfect. Like Walter White, Akse doesn’t do half-measures.
Since touching down in Manchester many years ago, Akse moved around the outskirts of the city whilst finding his feet, juggling his painting with a career in project management.
Today, he’s settled with a young family and pursuing his artwork full-time.
“Manchester is a good size, it’s convenient to get around. I’m a fan of the music scene here. I always used to like The Smiths – and that was before I even came here!
“The city has everything I need, really. Except the weather.
“The last twenty years it has kind of boomed, bringing in a lot of new businesses and creatives.
“There’s a lot here now. It’s a great place to be a part of.”
Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms, a swimming pool and more near Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
There’s a million-pound Victorian-style mansion that has 10 bedrooms and its own personal swimming pool just outside of Greater Manchester.
Just like the childhood nursery rhyme, “There were three in the bed and the little one said… there’s another seven beds, roll over!” or at least that’s how they remember it in this character property.
Located in Warrington, less than an hour away from Manchester city centre, this property is a semi-detached Victorian property built in 1860, with 10 bedrooms and its own private swimming pool, all spread across four floors.
As soon as you enter the foyer, your eyes are drawn to the sleek silver chandelier before you notice the grand staircase, which feels like a piece of living history.
Inside this Victorian mansion with 10 bedrooms and a swimming pool near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market)
The ground floor hosts two of a whopping 10 bedrooms alongside a teal-toned farmhouse-style kitchen and that extremely impressive swimming pool with its own built-in projector.
In the kitchen, the focal point is the large wrap-around kitchen unit, which is accompanied by a variety of hanging lights and a big central island.
On the way to the swimming pool, there are a handful of lockers identical to those found in a leisure and as you enter the room, your eyes are drawn to the island-inspired feature wall.
Venture upstairs to the first floor and you’re greeted by five spacious bedrooms with one having its own en-suite while the rest share a main bathroom.
Each of these bedrooms follows a completely different design style, with the largest following a muted grey palette with pops of yellow thanks to the artwork and bed accessories.
The grand staircase and one of ten bedrooms inside this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
As you go upstairs again, you’ll find (you guessed it) even more bedrooms, three to be exact, with the standout
The stand-out of this second floor is the navy-walled bedroom with a vintage vanity unit, patterned floor-to-ceiling curtains and a similarly dark-blue rug to match its four walls.
Another flight of stairs and you’ve finally reached the top of this property, and there’s an LED-lined ceiling and a neutral bedroom colour scheme of greys, whites and everything in between.
There are various amenities nearby, including three schools and three train stations… for if you get fed up of strolling around your four-floored ten-bed, swimming pool-owning mansion.
Two contrasting bedrooms found within this Victorian mansion near Greater Manchester / Credit: On The Market
We know this property may not be in the price range and might not be affordable for a lot of readers, ourselves included, but we can dream, right?
You can check out this Victorian mansion and flick through even more pictures of this property – Snooping never hurt anybody? Official site HERE.
As always, make sure to check out The Manc‘s property page to check all the other stunning structures currently on sale/in progress across Greater Manchester and in the nearby North West.
Beat-Herder Festival 2025 – a magical weekend of music, madness, miniature worlds and more
Emily Johnson
Some festivals give you good music. Some give you great crowds. And a very rare few create a world so immersive, you forget you’re even at a festival; the cult favourite Beat-Herder Festival does it all – and then some.
Tucked into the Ribble Valley countryside in the Lancashire town of Clitheroe, The Beat-Herder Festival isn’t your average weekend of tents and tunes.
It’s a handcrafted, mind-bending wonderland built by a small crew of dreamers who clearly love what they do and want you to feel the same.
Whether it’s your first time or your fifteenth, the moment you step through the gates, you know you’re in for something special
Then there’s Hotel California, not just an Eagles reference but a site where you could catch a full-on rave in a wild west saloon, as well as The Parish Church: a gothic fairytale where choirs turn into choons and the altar doubles as a DJ booth.
One of the weekend’s highlights came tucked inside The Beat-Herder Working Men’s Club, where The Clone Roses had the entire crowd bouncing with their uncanny tribute to The Stones.
When ‘I Am the Resurrection’ dropped, it was hands-in-the-air euphoria; a true pinch-me moment. Ian Brown might as we have been on the stage, the way the crowd were going wild.
And it wasn’t just music. The Working Men’s also hosted ‘Beat-Herder’s Got Talent’, which is a chaotic and charming mix of poetry, dragon dancing, comedy sketches and more. Heartfelt, hilarious and very Beat-Herder.
Truly immersive worlds
Venture deeper into the wonderful world of Beat-Herder and you’ll find entire miniature towns within the festival. There’s a literal high street, complete with its own tattoo parlour, barbers, a swap shop and even a secret swimming pool.
We’re not going to disclose its location, but let’s just say if you find a dodgy-looking wooden gate and hear splashing on the other side – knock twice and bring a towel…
Late-night mayhem
As the sun went down, the party really came to life. The Beyond Tunnel was your portal to new dimensions, opening out into a maze of secret stages and psychedelic visuals.
From psytrance at The Sunrise Stage, to bassline chaos at The Laundrette and candy-coloured chaos at Bubba Gumma, it was a rabbit hole of sound you never wanted to leave.
Then there was The Temple – a fire-breathing stage that became a haven for breakbeats, jungle, techno and house. Tim Reaper’s set here was a standout for us – fast, furious, and euphoric.
And just when we thought the night was over, we found ourselves at a secret 3am b2b set with Tim Reaper and Samurai Breaks that blew us away – two talented DJs that had the crowd wanting even more despite the sun quite literally rising on the next day.
Another hidden gem was The Ring, an intimate open-air arena where we caught Jungle pioneer Goldie, alongside Sheffield’s own Silva Bumpa and Soul Mass Transit System for a bass-heavy b2b set that rattled your bones and lit up the crowd.
Then there’s The Factory – a steel-clad rave bunker pumping out electro, acid and heavy techno deep into the night. Dancing inside while the rain pelted the tin roof added a layer of gritty industrial magic – proper spine-tingling stuff if you’re into that sweaty, underground energy.
And just when you think you’ve seen it all, along comes Fowler’s Garage: a chaotic, petrolhead fever dream of a stage where you can literally dance on top of cars. DJs spin sets from inside the vehicles, cooking up a storm from the front seat while the crowd parties on the roof.
It’s unhinged in the best way possible and one of the most unique spaces you’ll ever rave in.
Power and the people
What really makes Beat-Herder feel different is the people. There’s an unspoken code of friendliness here – everyone’s up for a chat, a laugh, or a spontaneous dance. You could spill your pint and end up making a friend for life. That kind of energy is rare, and Beat-Herder wears it like a badge of honour.
The merch stand has that signature hand-crafted feel. All of the merch is hand-printed, with designs that feel like proper collector’s items rather than throwaway souvenirs. We spotted punters proudly repping Beat-Herder tees from as far back as 2012 – testament to how deep the community pride runs here.
Even on the way out, with vans and cars getting stuck in the mud, everyone mucked in to help push – proof that the Beat-Herder spirit sticks with you long after you’ve left the gates. Just a bunch of lovely people all getting together to have a good time and make memories for life.
Credit: Andrew Whitton
Fantastic fancy dress
Saturday brought the iconic fancy dress theme – this year, the letter G. And wow, did people go for it. Giraffes towered above the crowd, Gnomes danced in groups, Gardeners handed out seed packets, and one hero turned up as ‘Garbage’, wearing an actual dustbin with a lid strapped to his head. We laughed for a full five minutes.
Final thoughts from the fields
Even though Beat-Herder was slightly scaled down this year due to budget cuts, it never once felt like anything was missing. If anything, it brought a tighter, even more magic-filled experience. The attention to detail, the creativity, and the atmosphere are still unmatched – a reminder that this isn’t just a festival. It’s a fully fledged world of its own.
If you’re looking for something different – stick this one at the very top of your list. But be warned: once you’ve been, you’ll never stop going back.
Tickets for next year go on sale on Thursday, 31 July, and you can be ready to grab your tickets HERE.
You can guarantee you’ll see us at back-to-back Beat-Herder Festivals again in 2026.
Gareth Lloyd -
8th December 2019 
