When we take a look back at the past 18 months, it’s difficult to see another industry that’s taken a harder hit than the Night Time Economy.
As the reality of the COVID-19 crisis began to set in back in March 2020, nightclubs and culture venues were forced to close their doors and largely remain shuttered until merely a few weeks ago, and while theatres and live music venues were able to reopen for short periods of time to stage performances, this had been under strict restrictions around capacity, movement, mask wearing, and social distancing to keep people safe.
Those ongoing restrictions, combined with “insufficient sector specific financial support from government”, at one point meant that the sector and its supply chains were at real risk of collapse.
A dedicated group of cross-party MPs, peers, and leading industry figures even had to come together in December 2020 to establish an All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to represent the best interests of the sector – which it said had been particularly under-represented politically, and undervalued both culturally and economically by government.
The group stated that the Night Time Economy had “borne the brunt of COVID restrictions”, and that it believed the crisis was an “existential threat” to the industry.
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“The sector has faced enormous challenges, and thousands of bars, nightclubs, and live events businesses are at risk of collapse,” Labour MP for Manchester Withington Jeff Smith said at the time the AAPG was formed.
To put it simply, it wasn’t looking good.
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And for a region with a cultural footprint as significant as Greater Manchester’s, and a proud tradition of music, arts and entertainment – with music tourism alone having been said to generate £169 million for the local economy pre-pandemic – it truly could have been devastating.
But when the final stage of the government’s roadmap to lifting lockdown was confirmed to commence from 19 July, venues were finally given the long-awaited green light to reopen as normal, and the struggling industry could breathe a collective sigh of relief.
While reopening may have been the goal, the challenge was far from over though.
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Our venues arguably needed support from the community at this time more than ever, and so to make sure were doing our bit to help Greater Manchester get back on its feet, The Manc teamed up with multi award-winning streaming platform StreamGM last month to show some serious love and support to the region’s renowned theatres, nightclubs and live music hubs with the launch of SeeGM – a digital campaign to shine a bright spotlight on many of the amazing events, club nights, gigs and shows in our region.
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The aim of the #SeeGM campaign was to inspire residents to revisit their favourite haunts, buy tickets for future events, and safely experience more of the region’s vibrant culture and nightlife.
“Greater Manchester is the city of 24-hour party people,” our Brand Director Anna Gledson said on the launch of the SeeGM campaign last month.
“We hope with everyone’s support, our region’s venues will be thriving again very soon.”
We were keen to encourage people to take to social media to post both their happy memories of times spent at gigs, shows and events gone by, as well as share their first experiences of heading ‘out-out’ after 19 July, all while promoting being kind and respectful to staff, other audience members, and partygoers.
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We did this through a dedicated social and editorial content strategy that involved the views and suggestions of our audience of over one million loyal Mancunians across our social media platforms – touching on everything from the best nights out in Greater Manchester, to some of the best arts and culture events to visit this summer.
We also had the pleasure of speaking to some leading industry figures for the SeeGM video series to get their take on why Greater Manchester’s nightlife is so world-renowned.
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Speaking on the wealth of content created for the SeeGM campaign over the last month, Laura Graham – co-founder of StreamGM – said: “For the SeeGM video series, we interviewed different people who curate, promote, perform, or work in these places and ask them about reopening, what safety measures they have in place and why they think Manchester is the best for nightlife and culture.
“We got some real insight, charisma and heartfelt quotes from our interviewees, and this helped to raise awareness and remind people why Manchester is just a cut about the rest.
“Our grassroots venues, nightclubs and performance spaces are helping us heal emotionally from the pandemic through enjoying shared experiences and being able to socialise properly again.”
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Touching on the success of the campaign, Laura added: “It’s been ace getting positive feedback from local operators about SeeGM and so good to see people out in these places having a blast and dancing together again.
“A huge thank you to everyone who took part in the campaign for helping make SeeGM so much fun to create.”
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The #SeeGM campaign may be drawing to a close, but Greater Manchester is still thriving.
So, what can you keep doing to help? Well, as the region continues to open up and adapt to the new normal over the next few months, the support of residents will still be as important as ever, so make sure you experience all the region has to offer as safely you possibly can, while respecting staff, surroundings, locals and fellow partygoers – and most of all, keep making Manchester proud.
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Don’t forget to check out all our content from the #SeeGM campaign over on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as on themanc.com.
There’s a big listening party for Taylor Swift’s new album happening in Manchester this week
Emily Sergeant
One of the biggest, if not the biggest, popstars in the world right now will be releasing a brand-new album this Friday, and there’s a dedicated listening party happening in Manchester especially for the occasion.
In case you aren’t a Swiftie, or you just generally weren’t aware, Taylor Swift announced back in early February that she would be unleashing her eleventh studio album, titled The Tortured Poets Department, on the world on 19 April.
Just like anything the 34-year-old singer-songwriter does, the surprise announcement of the new album – which is a follow-up to her 2022 critically-acclaimed and GRAMMY award-winning album, Midnights – pretty much broke the internet when it happened, and her dedicated fans have been counting down the days ever since.
Now, after months of eagerly waiting, the big day is finally happening this Friday, and in a bid to properly mark what a massive day it will be, one popular Manchester venue has decided to host a dedicated listening party, so that Swifties can unite under one roof and celebrate the special occasion together.
Fairfield Social Club (FSC) which has recently opened its doors in the heart of Manchester city centre, is inviting fans to “gather with your closest Swifties” and head on down to its Green Quarter venue this Friday for a night that’s “dedicated to Tay Tay and her legacy”.
Not only will you get to hear The Tortured Poets Department in full from start to finish surrounded by dozens of fellow fans, but there’ll also be a bunch of other Swift-themed activities too.
There’s a big Taylor Swift new album listening party happening in Manchester this week / Credit: FSC
These include a Taylor Swift pub quiz with questions to all about her life and groundbreaking career to test your knowledge, friendship bracelet-making sessions, and just the chance to share the love and swap stories with other Swifties.
If all of that didn’t sound brilliant enough as it is, there’s also set to be a selection of themed cocktails to sip whilst you spend time ruminating on what Taylor meant in the lyrics of her songs only released a few hours prior.
Oh, and the best bit? FSC promises there “won’t be a Scooter Braun in sight” on the night.
The Tortured Poets Department Listening Party is taking over Fairfield Social Club this Friday 19 April from 7pm right through until 10pm – with tickets now on sale setting you back just £6 each, and already selling fast.
Novo Amor brings a studio-perfect production and performance to Manchester’s New Century Hall
Danny Jones
Friday night’s gig at New Century Hall was one of those where you’re so stunned by the show that you’re left wishing the act in front of you was Manc so you could claim them as you’re own – but sadly Novo Amor is a Welshman and we had to give him back.
The stage name for the highly impressive multi-instrumentalist and producer, Ali John Meredith-Lacey, in truth seeing him for the first time here in Manchester proved that the Novo Amor really is the sum of many talented parts.
Much like Bon Iver in that sense and in style, sound and approach to making music, for without Justin Vernon and co. there would be no Novo, one of our first worries was that he would be unable to carry over the level of production and sound design heard on the albums to the stage performance.
That’s where his full band came in, who ensured not only that the whole thing sounded virtually studio-perfect but took a step beyond what we ever thought we’d get to hear at a Novo Amor gig. And it all started with Ed Tullet performing under his own stage name Lowswimer for the opening act.
Lowswimmer supporting Novo Amor in Manchester (Credit: The Manc Audio)
Anyone who listens to Novo will likely be aware of the little sub-group of artists that all swim in the same circle, from Ali himself to the likes Gia Margaret, Sean Carey (part of Bon Iver) and Yvette Young, to Hailaker – Tullet being one-half opposite Jemima Coulter – as well as Lowswimmer and several others.
He might have only played a handful of songs with only a guitar, including a couple of beautiful Hailaker tracks, but it was more than enough to leave an impression of the very sincere artist who clearly has a massive influence on all of those around him.
Explaining that this would be his second to last show perform with Novo Amor due to health issues and the general toll of touring, having helped write, record, produce and play the bulk of music ever put out under that name since day dot, it was a fittingly sombre and intimate warm-up.
However, even in delivering the more stripped-back set we were already half expecting from the headliner, we almost managed to get both sides of this little mini-music community: the quieter acoustic stuff where big vocals moments are left to shine, and they did, as well as the real deal.
There was even a moment when tiny embers began to flicker as if you were listening to the guitar around a campfire.
When Ali and the rest of his band finally walked out on stage, with Ed himself receding back into what looked to be the more comfortable position just outside of the spotlight, it suddenly dawned on us that it wouldn’t just be a few folky guitars and some nice piano playing.
After the Lowswimmer’s ironically low-lit stage had somehow managed to hide a quietly better-budget backdrop, the stage suddenly began to light up as Novo Amor wandered on to pick up their instruments and play and from here on out we were just as captivated by the lights and effects as we were the music.
Be it thin but sharp white lines tracing the borders of light boxes like a weird game of snake; solid blocks of electric blues, warm yellows and moody reds appearing on perfectly-timed musical cues or dots delicately twinkling into a slow-moving constellation, each song felt like an experience.
Not sure we’ll ever get over seeing this track being introduced in such a stunning way and in a venue as eye-catching as New Century:
Novo Amor stuns Manchester with ‘Same Day, Same Face’, fresh from his new album Collapse List at New Century.
Similar to Ed when he was busy tuning his guitar, Ali let on that his talent lies in bringing these intricately built-up tracks to life not only in record form but in translating them for the live shows too, choosing to ask ChatGPT for some ‘on-stage banter in the style of Novo Amor’ to fill the gaps.
Truthfully, as much as both parties said they were ‘not good at this kind of stuff’, he did a good job at handling the short lulls between songs by letting people ask questions, daft or not, as well as making sure water got to those feeling faint in the hot room. Everyone was fine, don’t worry.
In fact, when one girl seemingly passed out nearer to the front of the crowd as he came towards the end of fan favourite Halloween (you have no idea how gorgeous that song sounds with a full room of people singing it back, by the way), he still managed to check on her whilst quietly playing the outro. A total pro.
Those were the three key letters here in every sense the more we think about it; be it the effortless professionalism in recreating what you hear in your headphones down to the tee and then some live, or the production levels and simple but striking set design behind them, it was verging on surreal.
We might not have been anticipating such a put-together set and overall level of production both in terms of sound and the often mesmerising visuals but we don’t know why, because we absolutely should’ve.
This is what you get when you put a group of extremely talented musicians and multi-instrumentalists together in one place. They might make highly complex, heavily layered and often delicate sounds with electronics and technology playing a big role, but they also know how to ramp it up for an audience.
All we can pray is that the next time Novo is back in Manchester he brings at least one half of Hailaker along again and maybe a surprise showing from another corner of this collective.
A special shout-out has to go to Ed as well; we have no shame in admitting that watching Ali looking on at his long-term creative partner and mate with a smile as he signed off his time with the live band by belting out the final tune had us welling up.
Novo Amor might not be from Manchester but we want him back soon.