Manchester club night Swing Ting is ending after 13 years
Swing Ting has been an integral part of the fabric of Manchester’s underground music scene for over a decade. Now it's coming to an end, but there's time for one more dance
After thirteen years of throwing dances in the city, Manchester party, label, and club night Swing Ting is preparing to hold its last.
Known for playing a huge mix of genres from afro bashment and UK funky, to old school garage, soca, bassline, funk, and soul – the iconic Swing Ting parties will officially come to an end in December, with the date of the final dance set for Saturday, December 18.
First founded in 2008 by Ruben Platt and Balraj Samrai, like many a good Manchester club night Swing Ting began life as a radio show and series of student house parties before becoming a ‘proper’ club night.
Moving through many different incarnations over the years, after outgrowing student housing the dances graduated to a tiny place on Oxford Road called Scubar (now a church), before moving to a night at The Attic, then a karaoke bar called Charlie’s, before finally settling down in the Soup Kitchen basement – hosting regular monthly nights from 2011-2019.
Swing Ting at its Soup Kitchen basement home, where it played near-monthly club nights for almost a decade / Image: Swing Ting Swing Ting founders outside ScuBar, where it all began / Image: Louis Reynolds / Swing Ting
Its founders also launched a record label in 2014, building up an international profile with a slew of global releases and shows that saw them gain recognition from Resident Advisor and be awarded FACT Magazine’s label of the year gong in 2016.
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But now, it’s been confirmed the party, club night, and label id ending for good in 2022 – with the team breaking the news on social media on Thursday.
The post said: “Saturday 18th December 2021 at SOUP will be the last Swing Ting party. Following this event, Swing Ting productions, promotions and label releases will come to a close in 2022.
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“It’s been an amazing 13 years and we never knew how much we’d be able to achieve! We feel now is the right time to bid farewell. Massive thank you to everyone who’s supported us in any way whatsoever.”
Samrai, Jon K and Chunky at Swing Ting’s home Charlie’s in 2011 / Image: Swing TingFounders Balraj and Samrai outside Charlie’s, Swing Ting’s home from 2010 to 2011 / Image: Louis Reynolds
Loyal fans of the label, club night, and collective were quick to share their sadness as the news, with many pouring into the comments.
Fellow Manchester musician Jenna G said: “Amazing stretch, huge respect to ya’ll can’t wait to see what comes next for everyone.”
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BPM founder Tunde Adekoya also commented, saying: “One of the Manchester goat’s… will forever live in our hearts and minds ♾. Looking forward to all your futures.”
The flyer for the last Swing Ting dance, which takes place in December 2021 / Image: Swing Ting
Over the past thirteen years, Swing Ting became an integral part of Manchester’s underground music scene – with its founders passionately channeling soundsystem navigation, throwing some mega parties, and producing some anthemic tracks under the Swing Ting moniker.
Launched at a time when the clubbing scene in the city looked very different from how it does today, Swing brought together huge swathes of the city’s underground scene – championing a huge mix of genres and encouraging the careers of up and coming local artists.
Saturday, 18 December will see the collective throw its last party in the Soup Kitchen basement before they bring their musical partnership to a close in 2022.
An entirely resident-led affair, doors will open at 9.30pm and close at 4am. Tickets will be £5 on the door or £3 for members.
Feature image – Swing Ting
Manchester
Manchester City’s Nathan Aké donates piano to grassroots music venue
Thomas Melia
Footballer and Manchester City star Nathan Aké has donated a piano to an iconic city centre grassroots venue in Manchester.
To celebrate ‘International Piano Day’, the Dutch defender has teamed up with legendary instrument-makers Casio by donating a state-of-the-art piano in one very lucky music venue.
Aké and Casio are donating pianos across the UK through their joint project titled ‘Playing For Change’.
The iconic grassroots venue that’s receiving this prestigious instrument is none other than Band on the Wall, which has been pumping out live music under this name since 1975.
Processed with VSCO with kp5 presetProcessed with VSCO with kp5 presetCredit: Supplied
This new addition will help the venue as a whole, but more importantly, it will come in very handy for their Saturday Music Club.
Running every weekend, this session helps young people discover music and develop their skills, now via the fantastic PX-S7000 Casio piano.
Band on the Wall is a much-loved and adored Manchester city centremusic institution, and they aren’t the only place benefitting from the Manchester city star and Casio.
So far, 12 disadvantaged schools in the UK have benefitted from this joint effort from Aké and Casio, all of which were surprised with their very own digital piano.
This newest partnership won’t come as a surprise to fans of the Man City centre-back, as he’s been known to play the piano since teaching himself in 2020, and now he’s spreading his love of music to communities nationwide.
Neil Evans, Head of Casio EMI, commented:“It’s exciting for us to support Band on the Wall with a gift of a brand new Privia piano.”
“We’re hoping it’s used often and inspires people into learning the piano and increasing their access to the joys of music, which is at the core of Playing For Change.”
As for Aké, while he might be sidelined for the foreseeable following surgery on a fractured foot, the Netherlands international will hopefully be able to get lots of practice playing those keys.
Featured Images — Publicity Picture (via Supplied)/pantkiewicz (via Flickr)
Manchester
Cult favourite food spot Desert Island Dumplings is set to close their Manchester shop
Danny Jones
A much-loved Manc spot is bidding a reluctant farewell, and to be honest, we’re not ready to say goodbye to Desert Island Dumplings either, as it’s been announced that they’ll soon be closing.
What started as a lockdown idea has gone on to become a cult favourite of the city centre and among vegans in the area, with countless foodies heading to their quiet little third-floor corner.
Delivering the gutting news at the start of this week on social media, founder Lucy Linford had to assure fans that this sadly isn’t an April Fool’s before going on to share a lengthy and stirring statement.
Taking up ten whole slides and numerous paragraphs in what is one of the most emotional Instagram posts the local hospitality industry has seen so far this year, she confirmed that Desert Island Dumplings will be closing in the coming months.
She began by stating, “This news might come as a shock to you”, adding that “we’ve rolled with the punches these past couple years of years and the shop is busier than ever”, but insisted that closing this particular chapter “is the right decision”.
The little dumpling shop that could hasn’t just been one of the most popular vendors inside Afflecks, an iconic Manchester attraction all of its own – it’s also gone through so many steps to get to where it is now, and it’s a local independent story that you can’t help but admire.
From the days of serving as a little pop-up at cricket grounds and various other street food stalls to establishing a dark kitchen in Liverpool, enjoying stints at GRUB, Sadler’s Cat, Ancoats General, Stretford Food Hall and more before settling down in the Palace’s emporium, it’s been a joy to watch.
Before explaining the reasons behind shutting up shop, Lucy wrote: “Thank you to every single person who has supported to Desert Island Dumplings over the past five years.”
We were left particularly moved and inspired by the recollections of the period shortly after she went “full-time-dumplings”, spending her hours learning about business, “trying to concentrate through webinars, scribbling words like ‘dividends’ and ‘GDPR?’ into notebooks.”
This part of the real hard work that you hardly ever get to see but that so many of those who start out with a dream to make it in the sector have to struggle through, and we couldn’t have more admiration for her graft if we tried – and look what it led to.
It’s also worth reminding the waves this place as made in terms of plant-based dining not just in Manchester but the North West and beyond, standing proudly as ‘the UK’s first vegan fusion dumpling joint’ and not sacrificing on flavour one single bit.
The brand even went on to pitch to Aldi, and you’ll be glad to hear that this isn’t curtains completely: Lucy and co. will still be serving right up until the last day, and as she prepares to take on a Masters up in Edinburgh, the dumps, noods, hash browns plus all the rest of will be a big hit in Scotland, no doubt.
As for the final chapter here in Manchester, the team will be bringing back some beloved specials and fan favourites, not to mention “putting on a few fun farewell events” ahead of their final day on 15 June.
Put simply, Lucy says she’s “loved every second of it”, and so have we. She signed off by adding, “Nothing good lasts forever but memories do.” We urge you to read the post in full, it’s really touching.
Make sure to give them a visit whilst you still can, and thanks again to Desert Island Dumplings for filling our bellies so many times. We hope to stumble across you in Scotland one day.
Georgina Pellant -
19th November 2021 
