DJs from Manchester’s iconic club The Hacienda are returning with a new gig series that lets concertgoers get up close and personal.
The Hacienda might be one of the greatest pieces of Manchester music history, and now people can relive it all over again with a new experience that is bringing clubbing back to its original roots.
Running across 2025, party people have multiple opportunities to relive the high life of traditional clubbing in a venue situated in the heart of Manchester city centre.
Well-established pub and frequent club-night host, Joshua Brooks, is bringing back The Hacienda but on a much more personal level, not like the Warehouse Project event hosting around 10,500 fans.
‘The Hacienda: All Night Long’ is a bi-monthly residency starting in February with a performance from Graeme Park followed by a packed lineup of incredible music makers and lovers.
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The original Hacienda club in its hay-day / Credit: Jon Shard.
The next event after the initial launch is in April with David Morales on the decks throughout the evening with good tunes and usual sleek style.
Greg Wilson is taking up a slot in June known for his work in dance music and the ‘re-edit movement’ which is still shaping music today.
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Keeping spirits high and vibes even higher, in August, attendees are in good company with your night soundtracked by Manc legend DJ Paulette.
Finishing off a phenomenal run of music mixing events is K-Klass who are notorious within the music scene for working with musical forces like Whitney Houston and Rihanna. The group even first met each other in The Hacienda!
Each event will include an extended set up to six hours long (or even more, if you’re lucky).
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Graeme Park putting on a show.K-Klass in their element behind the decks.Credit: Supplied
This run of live DJ sets are set to be an unmissable experience, partly due to the fact that there is a ‘No Photos, Just Music’ policy to help people live their life in real time and not through a digital device.
This rule is put in place by event organisers so that people can relive or first-hand experience an original club setting with no distractions and fully focus on the music being played out across the venue.
Graeme Park said of Haçienda – All Night Long: “A long time ago, in a nightclub, far, far away, I started DJing in a dark booth in the corner of a dark room, in a dark nightclub.
“I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but over the next few years I learnt my craft by DJing all night long. Back then, it was all about the music and the crowd with the DJ being the person in the corner playing the tunes that mattered.
“This is why, after more than 40 years on the decks, I’m really excited to be back at the fabulous Joshua Brooks in February for another All Night Long session where I can play an extended DJ set in intimate surroundings, close up and personal with a superb sound system and an enthusiastic crowd right in front of me.
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“Last time we were all connected through the music and I can’t wait to do it all again.”
If you fancy celebrating clubbing in its truest form guided through the night by some Hacienda greats, you can grab tickets HERE.
Deansgate’s FREE three-day spring street festival is back at Great Northern Warehouse next month
Emily Sergeant
A three-day outdoor festival full of food, drink, and live music is returning to hidden city centre street in a couple of weeks time.
Back by popular demand for its fifth year in Manchester, after bursting onto the scene with huge success back in 2021, Great Northern Warehouse, has announced it’s hosting its three-day outdoor festival, Deansgate Mews Festival, once again in 2025 – with market traders, al fresco dining, and so much more on the lineup.
Just as the name suggests, the festival will take over Deansgate Mews – a hidden street nestled just above the city’s main thoroughfare, Deansgate – over the late May bank holiday weekend, and is completely free to attend.
Deansgate Mews Festival will celebrate all the eclectic independent food and drink businesses on the street.
Providing the sunshine shows its face, you’ll be able to pull up a pew and enjoy the finest wines, cocktails and sharing plates from The Mews, book a table with Another Hand, or dine out on impressive Thai dishes at Siam Smiles.
Sponsored by Manchester’s AO Arena, festival organisers say visitors should also expect to get stuck into a lively outdoor celebration of authentic grassroots music venues – with 40+ talented artists and creatives across four stages curated a number of renowned by live music venues, and recording and production studios in Manchester.
This year, there’s also a ‘Mini Mews Festival’ being added into the mix too.
Deansgate’s free three-day spring street festival is back at Great Northern Warehouse next month / Credit: Supplied
Taking place in Great Northern Warehouse‘s atrium space, and organised in partnership with Little Northerners, the Mini Mews Festival means families wanting to enjoy the all the festivities at the main event will also be able to entertain their children while they visit.
And in true Mancunian spirit, festival organisers will be collecting donations for Forever Manchester – the only charity that supports community groups and activity across Greater Manchester – over the three-day event.
Deansgate Mews Festival is returning this late May bank holiday weekend, kicking off from Friday 23 and running through to Sunday 25 May.
Featured Image – Supplied
Gigs & Nightlife
There’s a FREE jazz festival coming to Manchester this summer
Thomas Melia
Manchester is about to get blessed by the music gods this summer as our annual free jazz festival is making its way to the city centre very soon.
Whether it’s the rich and creamy vocals of Raye that feel like a warm embrace or the lively and energetic horns of Ezra Collective that get you on your feet instantly, jazz is beloved among us Brits.
Jazz aficionados and music lovers alike are welcome to rejoice in the resounding rhythms of this special genre for free as Manchester Jazz Festival returns for an equally special anniversary.
This iconic festival, commonly abbreviated to MJF, has been blasting out triumphant horns, piano riffs, vocal scats and more for a whopping 30 years, and they’re inviting everyone to party with them.
Manchester Jazz Festival is returning to the city centre this May.This year, Manchester Jazz Festival are celebrating their milestone 30th birthday.Credit: Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)
Manchester Jazz Festival is taking over First Street with tonnes of family friendly activities, food and drink vendors and, of course, lots of live music.
So much live music that they don’t just have one stage; in fact, this summertime festival will be spread across three different stages with a sweet selection of over 20 different bands too.
This year sees the event running across three dates next month, all aimed at featuring the very best homegrown contemporary jazz artists, with a showcase for rising stars on the final day.
We got to see the likes of Nubiyan Twist, adopted Manc favourites Conor & The GreensKeepers, Mercury Prize-nominated Corto Alto and tonnes more last time around.
The first batch of activities that will be taking place on 16 May include crafting with the geniuses from Plant, an ‘interactive Alice in Wonderland show’ and even a free yoga session.
Of course, there will be plenty more announcements and updates to follow, but this is already set to be a vibrant and exciting three-day party dedicated to keeping everything groovy.
In order to keep Manchester Jazz Festival ‘jazzin up your summer since ’96‘, they rely on donations to make the event accessible for all, support northern artists and keep running incredible creative projects.
That’s why, to celebrate this festival’s milestone birthday, a ‘£30 for 30’ campaign has been set up to raise money for the charity, which you can contribute to as you like.
Manchester Jazz Festival is returning for 2025 throughout First Street and further out into Manchester city centre from 16-18 May; best of all, as mentioned, the large majority of shows are completely free with no prior booking required.
However, if you’d like to keep attending events such as this, once again, you can pledge a donation to their ‘£30 for 30’ campaign, and it really does make a big difference.
You can check out the full lineup and events programme HERE.
MJF 2025 is set to be packed with all the usual groovy tunes and fun activities.Smiles all round, especially when you’re watching live entertainment at this impressive festival.Credit: Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)
Thomas Melia -
27th November 2024 
