It can be quite hard to believe, but we’re now 12 weeks into lockdown in the UK amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and we’re set to be here a little while longer.
This time last year, the term COVID-19 was a concept that meant nothing to the world.
Of course it didn’t and that’s because it didn’t even exist, but now though, you’d be pretty hard push to find anything uttered more than COVID-19. There’s no denying that it’s brought a new way of life, but it’s one the world has come to adapt to as the months have gone on.
Whether the weeks have felt long and lonely, or have passed by in a flash, we’ve continued to adapt.
The UK government has set out its lockdown exit roadmap, which will see normality begin to resume to what it once was, and the country is moving through these phases as time progresses, but there is still a long way to go.
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For many of us, we wouldn’t have got this far without our ‘lockdown heroes’ and here at The Manc, we feel like now is an appropriate time to acknowledge that. The country has collectively come together to pay gratitude to the health heroes, critical carers and key workers that have been putting their lives on the line during the crisis, but we all have someone closer to home and our hearts that deserve a mention.
So, we took to Facebook and Instagram to ask you, our loyal audience of Mancunians – ‘Who has been your personal hero throughout lockdown and why?’
We received hundreds of replies to our question on both social plaforms, so we unfortunately haven’t been able to include every single one in this article. Instead, we chose to feature a few that seemed to resonate the best with our audience and received the most interactions overall.
Are you keen to give your shoutout?
There’s still time give thanks to those who have got you through this unprecedented time, so please do share your stories with us over on Facebook or Instagram.
They deserve it.
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to the gov.uk website here.
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Feature
Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to | November 2025
Danny Jones
Well, well, well – it’s nearly the end of the year, and we’re on to our second-to-last round of local music artists based in and around Greater Manchester that are getting us excited for this year.
2025 has been ‘the year’ of many bands, some of whom are still well and truly riding the wave of popularity from the previous calendar, to be honest. But it’s also been unreal for new releases and ones to watch.
Never more so than here in our region, as we Mancunians – whether through birth, relocation or eventual adoption (if you love this place, it’ll love you back) – remain the most prolific musical hub in the UK, perhaps on the planet.
Squirm at our sincerity/perceived hyperbole all you want; we mean it, and we have five more artist suggestions for you to prove it. Let’s get stuck in.
Greater Manchester music you need to check out
1. TTSSFU
We’re kicking things off in Wigan this month: the first of our monthly artist picks is the curiously named TTSSFU, which is the stage name of 21-year-old native, Tasmin Stephens. The guitarist for fellow local band, Duvet, this new project has quickly caught our attention for all the right reasons.
It’s been labelled as DIY shoegaze, and while we don’t disagree with the description one bit – even the fairly melancholic, introspective, longing, ‘tragic youth’ content of the lyrics sort of fit that mould – but it doesn’t quite do the heavily textured sonics and techniques justice.
While singles like ‘Forever’ feel more like a familiar indie-girl alt-pop track (it actually made us think of Hazel English meets Soccer Mommy, specifically), that’s one note in the wide wall of sound she builds in her recent release, Blown. We’d suggest ‘Call U Back’ and ‘Being Young’ as stops two and three.
Now, if it’s more of those shoegazey influences that you want, Pins have been going at it since 2011 and arguably feel a little less abstract/more subtle in their approach, but they still deserve way more credit for the nevertheless impressive and experimental work they’ve been doing in the genre for over a decade.
Hot Slick, which dropped during the pandemic, was their most electronic and quite literally digital outing to date, and while admittedly not our favourite, it did show they had plenty of room and keenness to push in different directions, and it looks like it could be paying off at the start of this next chapter.
They returned this past September with their newest single, ‘I’ll Be Yours’, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed diving back into their world and seeing what else they have in their locker. That mini-marching drum on its own has gotten stuck in our heads, but we still love listening to ‘LUVU4LYF’ and their tune with the one and only Iggy Pop. Yes, really…
There’s always something fascinating about musicians who’ve actually been around for donkey’s years but have never made little more than a relatively small catalogue, especially when they’re this good. Proud Mary should tell you everything you need to know from their name alone, but it comes in spades.
A Manchester-born blues and folk rock band formed in 1998, we’ll confess we never stray too far from their self-titled debut – which is now approaching its 25th anniversary and is delightful from start to finish – but there is still a very rich albeit short discography to be enjoyed here.
If you’re just looking for the most well-known tracks, you can’t go wrong with ‘Very Best Friend’, but we also like a couple from their last album, Songs From Catalina, like ‘Space and Places’, and ‘Hats Off’ could trick anyone into thinking it was classic bluegrass straight from Kentucky – only it’s Manc.
Never gets old this one.
4. pyncher
Our penultimate pick for November’s artists of the month is the promising alternative quartet, pyncher. We’d heard smatterings of them throughout this year, but having finally now sat with their debut album, Every Town Needs A Stranger, we’ve fallen headlong into a full-on love affair.
Starting out as another underground post-punk outfit looking to make their mark in an increasingly saturated sect of the current British alt-rock scene, it’s their punchy, straightforward but satisfyingly jangly, irreverent style that not only puts us in mind of contemporaries like Seb Lowe, but has totally won us over.
The swagger feels VERY rock and roll, the vocal delivery almost feels like it takes the piss out of polished singing, and as for recommendations, ‘Back to the Country’ is the perfect introduction to their sound; ‘Dirty Feet’ almost starts like an alternative guitar-driven skat and feels very post-modern, and ‘Steely Dan’ might be our most replayed song of the last few weeks full stop.
5. Still Blank
Lastly, we’re pleased to report that the Spotify algorithm properly did its job this time by suggesting not only related groups/similar-sounding acts on the artist’s radio, but actually giving us one that we became so quickly enamoured with that we dove right down deep into the rabbit hole.
We’re talking about Still Blank, whose unique blend of laid-back yet soulful vocals, layered guitars and pedals, with drowny ambience, nods to everything from The Durutti Column and Radiohead – ‘Arpeggi’, specifically – to early New Order and more, it’s a dreamy, synth-soaked mix we can’t get enough of.
Set up by multi-talented Jordy from Hawaii and guitarist Ben, who’s from right here in 0161, we could genuinely and wholeheartedly recommend every song on their debut record for a different reason. The more we listen to it, the more we struggle to land on any real semblance of our favourites; it’s nigh on impossible because.
Along with pyncher, this might be one of the most perfect debuts we’ve had the good fortune of coming across in god knows how long. For once, we’ll save you the lengthy, verbose descriptions – just listen to it and prepare to have little else in your ears for the foreseeable.
We hope you enjoyed this latest round-up of Greater Manchester music, both new and old, and you can rest assured we’ll be back again for one final edition for 2025 at the same time next month.
And, as always, please do give us your own suggestions in the comments, as we’re always on the lookout for exciting talents worthy of making the monthly Audio North list.
You can see who we picked out last month down below.
The Bodorgan Inn – The amazing staycation with its very own pub inside
Daisy Jackson
The day starts with a leisurely breakfast around the breakfast bar. Then there’s a bit of a kick-about in the garden. A quick BBQ for lunch before heading to the pub, for an afternoon of Guinness, darts, pool, and a pub quiz. In the evening, it’s a three course dinner, followed by a film with popcorn and pick n mix in the cinema.
Oh, did I mention you’ve done all of this without actually leaving the house?
That perfect day could very easily be your reality (along with more than a dozen of your mates) at this unbelievable house in Wales.
The Bodorgan Inn is a former, historic public house that’s been carefully converted into a home that up to 24 guests can stay in – and they’ve kept part of the working pub inside.
That means that guests can pour themselves a pint, watch the football, have a game of darts, sit around the fireplace, and even use a urinal, all without setting foot outside the front door.
As well as its own pub, the Bodorgan Inn has 10 beautiful bedrooms – some enormous, traditional ones with bay windows looking across the countryside; others modern rooms with en-suites that wouldn’t look out of place in a boutique hotel.
The Bodorgan Inn has its own pubYou can have the bar stocked for your arrivalHost a pub quizPlay pool and dartsAnd generally enjoy your evening in your own private pubPlay at being the bartender
The house can comfortably fit 12 people in every single room at once (we tried it), whether you’re tucked around the kitchen table catching up over a cuppa or dressed up to the nines for dinner in the grand dining room.
You can also all easily fit into the pub, which is split across two rooms; the garden, which has ample outdoor seating; and the snug – the biggest snug I’ve ever seen – with a huge TV, PlayStation, fireplace and comfy couches.
In fact, the only place we couldn’t all fit at once was the hot tub on the terrace in the back garden.
It’s not just the physical space, either – it’s all the extra bits included in your stay, like having ample champagne flutes for everyone, loads of Guinness glasses, and more than enough mugs, plus two dishwashers and a glass wash to help with the clean-up.
Bedrooms in The Bodorgan Inn
It’s extremely hard to tear yourself away from this fabulous home, so we called in a private chef to cook dinner for the group, served up in our own stately dining room after we’d hosted a pub quiz.
And there was a little taste of home thanks to a giant tray of Buttercup’sbanana pudding, and batched cocktails from Stray.
But if you do want to head out, the Bodorgan Inn is in a lovely spot, surrounded by the countryside of Anglesey and a short drive into the village of Rhosneigr, where walks can take in the beautiful sand dunes.
The Bodorgan Inn with Birch StaysThe huge gardensThe nearby village of RhosneigrThe Manc team on the beach in Rhosneigr
Also, handily, the Bodorgan train station is directly opposite the house, whisking you along to Holyhead in one direction or to Bangor and along the North Wales coastline in the other.
Every inch of the Bodorgan Inn is stylish, luxurious, and comfortable, as well as being packed with fun touches and added extras.
If you book with Birch Stays, you can pop extra details onto your booking like having a keg of your beer or cider of choice in the pub, arranging a cocktail-making kit, bags of pick-n-mix for the snug, disposable cameras, and even Christmas decorations.
Movie night in the snugDinner with private chef Meals by ChrisBrought Stray bar with usAnd a Buttercup banana puddingTeam breakfastThe Bodorgan Inn is dog-friendly too (this is Tiger)
We loved the way the house is big and varied enough for groups to splinter off at times too – some watching sport in the pub, others having a glass of wine in the garden, some watching The Traitors in the lounge.
Whether it’s a Christmas do, a stag or hen party, a full family gathering or any other large group occasion, The Bodorgan Inn is well worth considering.
You can see more and book your stay with Birch Stays HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
10th June 2020 
