Gigs & Nightlife

An absolutely tiny party bus has started doing trips around Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 6th December 2021

Sometimes, for a big night out, you just need to book yourself a stretch limo, or a party bus with a built-in dancefloor, to take you to your destination.

But now there’s a new party vehicle doing the rounds of Manchester, and it’s a little bit out of the ordinary.

It might be for a big night out but it’s certainly not a big ride – this is a converted Fiat 500.

The tiny car has been fitted with neon lights, a top-of-the-range sound system, and even a bar in the boot.

Teddy with the tiny party vehicle. Credit: Supplied

It’s been created by Boe Vodka and launched last weekend with Love Island star Teddy Soares as a VIP passenger.

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The tiny party car is doing 10 trips to Boujee bar this weekend, which are available to book online.

Love Islander Teddy said: “What makes a great night out is banging music, great drinks and an epic atmosphere – and Boë has somehow packed all of that into a tiny Fiat 500.

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Teddy crammed in with some passengers. Credit: Supplied

“Travelling to the club used to be the low-tempo part of the night, now I’m not sure you’ll want to get out!

“A night out for me includes a couple of vodka and cokes, my go-to drink, and plenty of rap and R&B music, the perfect soundtrack to any good night, guaranteed to get me on the dancefloor.”

Read more: Tyson Fury fans joke that his career is ‘in the gutter’ after drainpipe art unveiled in Morecambe

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Carlo Valente, director at Boë, said: “We know our customers live for the weekend and want to own the night, so what better way to do that than by stepping into our Fiat 500.

“Complete with neon nights, an amazing sound system and a discoball, you can arrive in style at the club, or house party, to continue the partying.”

It’s been created to launch Boe’s new vodka range, which includes Pink (tart raspberry and white chocolate), Azzura (kiwi, watermelon, cucumber and mint) and Dark Fruits (colour-changing mix of blackberry and blackcurrant).

Book your slot with Boë’s Fiat 500 party car at eventbrite.co.uk.

Featured image: Supplied

Gigs & Nightlife

Fontaines D.C. announce massive return to Manchester on new European tour

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Fontaines D.C. are heading back to Manchester on their new European tour

Fontaines D.C. have just announced their biggest headline tour to date, including a massive arena gig here in Manchester.

The wildly popular Irish rock band are set to play a whopping 20 arena shows across Europe and the UK this autumn.

The tour has been announced in celebration of their upcoming fifth studio album, Dopamine Chamber, which is set for release this October.

Fontaines D.C. will hit the road just five days after the album drops, kicking off their European tour in Lisbon on 21 October.

Then they’ll make their way over to the UK, with shows in Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham and London.

Fans in their home country of Ireland are told to stay tuned for live news very soon.

As we speak, Fontaines D.C. are warming up to play one of the country’s biggest festivals, with headline slots at Reading & Leeds Festival.

They’ve already released Marianne, the first single from their new album, and frontman Grian Chatten says of the album: “The album itself is a dopamine chamber. You step inside and we test these different mind- or mood-altering pieces of music on you.”

The new record has been recorded between London, the English countryside, and Palermo, where Chatten recorded vocals in a makeshift booth built from mattresses and cushions.

He said: “There’s a poignant sense of us being on the brink of some other kind of form of humanity, or non-humanity.”

Tickets will go on general sale at 10am on Thursday 3 September, with pre-sale live from 10am on Tuesday 1 September.

You can access tickets for Fontaines D.C. in Manchester HERE.

Fans who pre-order Dopamine Chamber from the official store by 6pm on Monday 31 August will gain access to the UK pre-sale.

Fontaines D.C. UK tour dates in full

  • Friday 20 November – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena
  • Saturday 21 November – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
  • Sunday 22 November – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
  • Tuesday 24 November – Leeds, UK – First Direct Bank Arena
  • Wednesday 25 November – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Friday 27 November – London, UK – The O2 Arena

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Featured image: Elizaveta Porodina

Gigs & Nightlife

Independent Manchester band describes ‘absolutely massive’ moment The Cure wore their band tee on stage

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Reeves Gabrels from The Cure wearing a The Empty Page t-shirt on stage in Manchester. Credit: Aaron Law

The Empty Page, a fiercely independent band in Manchester, have described the ‘insane’ moment they saw their band tee up on stage with The Cure.

The group have had a surreal run of attention from some of alternative music’s biggest names – but seeing The Cure’s Reeves Gabrels wearing their t-shirt in front of 25,000 people was something else entirely.

The Manchester band were among the thousands of people watching The Cure at Wythenshawe Park when the legendary group took to the stage – then frontwoman Kel Page noticed that something up there looked a bit familiar.

“You don’t notice at first, and then you start going ‘That looks like – hang on, that really looks like one of our t-shirts,” Kel said.

“Then you’re zooming in on your phone, and we just absolutely lost our heads.”

The shirt was indeed theirs, being worn on stage by The Cure’s Reeves Gabrels – turning an already huge Manchester show into an unforgettable moment for a fiercely independent local band.

“Honestly, we’ve experienced cool stuff, but I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that,” she said.

“I’m stood in a field with 25,000 people all looking at a screen, with a dude that I absolutely adore, wearing my band’s t-shirt. Endorsements don’t really come bigger than that. Literally bigger, because of the size of the screen.”

It’s a huge moment for The Empty Page, an alt-punk group formed in Manchester, who will play one of their biggest shows to date at Manchester Academy 3 next month.

The band is made up of Giz on guitar and Steve Kent on drums, with Kel Page as lead vocalist.

The Empty Page's t-shirt on stage with The Cure
The Empty Page's t-shirt on stage with The Cure
The Empty Page’s t-shirt on stage with The Cure. Credit: The Empty Page

Kel said: “The Cure are probably one of the most influential, brilliant bands of all time, and one of my favourite bands of all time. It’s just wild. I keep thinking it’s not real and I’m gonna wake up, because it’s such a weird thing to happen.”

The moment is the latest in what has been an extraordinary run of attention for the Manchester band.

“For something like this to happen is really cool, and it kind of comes after a long line of really cool things.”

A reel from The Empty Page was shared by Courtney Love, while Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson subsequently began sharing and commenting on their posts, as well as sending them messages of support. Then came Juliette Lewis.

When the actor and singer started sharing The Empty page’s music, Kel said: “This is f**king batsh*t. I cannot believe that THE Juliette Lewis is saying my band is good, this is absolutely crazy.”

“For Reeves from The Cure to wear our t-shirt on stage in Manchester is just insane,” she continued.

“That Manchester Cure gig is one of the hugest things to happen in Manchester for a while, especially for alternative gothy kind of punk/post-punk people.”

The Empty Page will play Manchester Academy 3 this September. Credit: The Empty Page
The Empty Page will play Manchester Academy 3 this September. Credit: The Empty Page

The Empty Page are a fiercely independent band, and have put on their own gigs, booked their own tours around the country and released their own albums on their own label. They don’t have the financial backing or industry infrastructure that many emerging artists rely on.

“We’re almost DIY to a fault,” Kel said. “We do everything ourselves. We don’t have big connections, we don’t have loads of money and rich famous parents, and we don’t have a record label or a manager or a social media company.”

Already, The Empty Page has noticed an uptick in sales on their t-shirts, with Kel saying it ‘feels like it’s becoming a bit of a cult merchandise item’.

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But ultimately, the hope is that the attention leads people beyond the t-shirt and towards the music itself.

“I just hope it means that people will check us out, because we’re a really good band, and if you like The Cure there’s a chance you’ll like us.”

The Empty Page will play Manchester Academy 3 on 24 September, following a run of sold-out shows – tickets are on sale now HERE.

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Featured image: Aaron Law

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