The beauty of dance music, more than anything else, is its power to bring us together.
The right mix, dropping at the right moment, can create a real sense of unity on the dancefloor, a moment of abandon where you dance side-by-side as one with people from all walks of life and feel free to express yourself without inhibitions.
Still, it’s surprisingly quite rare to see much about dance fans who live with disabilities – that viral video where Steve Aoki launched a cake into a crowd surfing, wheelchair-bound fan’s face aside.
It’s even rarer to hear about artists with disabilities enjoying life from the other side of the decks – but that’s exactly what 20-year-old DJ Jake Smith is doing.
Jake DJs in the VIP tent at Creamfields. / Image: Jake Smith DJ
Jake pictured partying with friends. / Image: Jake Smith DJ
A DJ for around about six years now, he’s played sets at nightclubs in Ibiza and at the legendary UK dance music festival Creamfields and even had national airplay for his track ‘So Real’ on Radio 1.
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“I used to dream about having one of my tracks played on BBC Radio 1,” he told The Manc.
“I listen to Radio 1 every week and it was an honour to have a track broadcast on one of the biggest radio stations in the world.
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“I won’t ever forget my first-ever play on Radio 1-the buzz will stay with me for a while haha. This just proves that if you have a disability, you can still achieve anything like anyone else.”
A student of music production at South and West Cheshire College, he doesn’t just mix – but makes his own tunes too.
He also lives with cerebral palsy, a condition that can affect movement and coordination that is caused by a problem with the brain that can develop before, during or soon after birth. Not that he’s letting that stop him from pursuing his dreams.
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Jake poses backstage with one of his biggest musical inspirations, techno DJ Patrick Topping. / Image: Jake Smith DJ
Jake tells us he has a team of PA’s and a supportive family who help him with daily tasks, whilst his dad and manager support him with attending gigs and festivals.
Having first fallen in love with dance music after listening to bangers in the car with his dad, he decided to give DJing a try for himself, only to find “a real passion and joy in music.”
Here in Manchester, he’s played some of the city’s coolest music venues – including Yes, Joshua Brooks and Stage & Radio, whilst in his hometown of Cheshire, he’s played the VIP tent at Creamfields, Nu Flava, and supported K Klass at Chester 7’s.
He’s also played nightclubs in Ibiza like Plastik and Ocean Beach, and had a number of his mixes played on Kiss FM radio – having initially won a 30-minute mix competition, he was soon invited back by the station to play again.
Video:Jake Smith DJ
Speaking to The Manc on how he feels when he plays out live, Jake said: “It’s like nothing else.”
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“I love performing live to an audience, the feedback you get from people is always amazing.
“To see the energy in the crowd and people dancing and having a great time to my mixes is really uplifting.”
Asked what he thinks of Manchester’s crowds in particular, he added: “The audiences in Manchester always bring so much energy to the gigs. The atmosphere is incredible.”
“Everyone is always up for a good time.”
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Inspired by artists like Danny Howard, Hannah Laing, Sorley and Patrick Topping, Jake tells us that he is currently working on some of his own new music which is yet to be released.
Jake poses alongside Manchester production and DJ duo Mark Richards and James Eliot, AKA Solardo. / Image: Jake Smith DJ
Asked what advice he would give to anyone else wanting to get involved in the music industry, he’s full of enthusiasm.
“Go for it! Work hard and if things don’t work out the first time… don’t give up. Most importantly have fun.”
Jake has created a mix for The Manc Audio‘s new weekly Mini Mix Friday series which you can listen to below.
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This summer, he plans to head over to Ibiza again and says that Creamfields ‘may also be on the cards’. To keep up with where he will be this season, make sure to check out his social pages – as this is where he’ll announce any upcoming gigs.
Feature image – Jake Smith DJ
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Nelly announces massive Manchester gig on Where The Party At Tour
Daisy Jackson
Hip-hop star Nelly is heading to Manchester on his upcoming Where The Party At Tour, celebrating the 25th anniversary of his debut album Country Grammar.
The Hot In Herre singer and rapper has announced a run of shows across the UK and Europe for next year.
Those include a massive gig at the AO Arena in Manchester, where Nelly will perform hits from across his career.
He’s lined up some huge support acts to join him on the UK leg of the Where The Party At Tour too, including Eve, Fabolous, Jermaine Dupri and St. Lunatics.
Expect to hear chart-topping hits like Hot In Herre, Dilemma, and Ride Wit Me, in a show that he promises will be ‘packed with surprises’.
Nelly is a multi-platinum, three-times Grammy Award-winning entertainer and entrepreneur, who very recently landed a gig as a special guest for Janet Jackson’s Together Again Tour.
His newly-announced 54-date tour will take him across New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Europe, and the United States, kicking off on 21 March 2025.
Nelly said: “Yo, ‘Where Da Party At Tour’ we are taking this tour worldwide – I got my folks with me Ja Rule, Jermaine Dupri, Eve, the St. Lunatics, and Fabulous — so you know it’s all 2025… LETS GOOOOO..!!! Da Party AT…!!”
Nelly will be at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday 7 June 2025.
General sale tickets are available from 10am on Friday 13 December, with various presales live from Tuesday 10 December.
Lidl are offering a reward for their Liam Gallagher plaque to be safely returned
Danny Jones
Supermarket chain Lidl are desperate and in dire need of our help: they’re offering a reward to whoever safely returns one of their most treasured possessions – a Liam Gallagher plaque.
If you don’t remember the rather silly story from earlier this year, Oasis’ soon-to-return lead singer did plenty of poking fun at the Co-op Live‘s opening date being pushed back and multiple cancellations.
The iconic frontman ultimately ended up playing his four nights at the state-of-the-art arena with no issues, but as a tongue-in-cheek testament to his joke that’d he play a “gig in Lidl” if the venue wasn’t ready in time, the German-founded group erected a plaque in memory of the gag.
However, Lidl’s beloved Liam Gallagher plaque has since gone missing but rather than launch a full-scale manhunt, they’re trying to keep up the festive spirit and instead offering a pretty significant reward to the person that brings it back to them.
Don’t look plaque in anger – we need your help! 🚨
Our Liam Gallagher plaque in Manchester, honouring the gig that almost happened, has gone missing! 📷 Can you help us bring it home in time for Christmas?🎄We've got a £500 Lidl voucher ready and waiting in exchange for its safe… pic.twitter.com/VYr5RygttT
Although leads on the missing bit of royal blue metal are scarce, the plaque that was hung outside their Newton Heath store back in June disappeared this month.
Not only was it an amusing bit of history for the brand but the sign itself actually became a bit of an ironic but nevertheless genuine tourist attraction, with people grabbing snaps next to it and it even featured on the Manchester Taxi Tour itineraries.
This little plaque was actually just the start of a weird love affair between the two; back in October, Lidl also dropped an absolutely perfectly placed advert right in front of a giant poster of Liam Gallagher’s Berghaus ad campaign in the centre of Manchester.
Very good indeed.
All that being said, they really would love to be reunited with the memento of their relationship, so much so that they’re offering a whopping £500 to spend in Lidl vouchers for its safe return.
Credit: James Speakman/PA Media Assignments (supplied via Lidl GB)
Just think of all the nonsense you could buy in the ‘Middle of Lidl’ aisle, a.k.a. the best part of the whole shop.
Those who have any information on the whereabouts of the Liam Gallagher plaque should email the following address: [email protected]. The Burnage brothers aren’t holding grudges anymore and neither are Lidl.
Let’s bring Liam home for Christmas. As you were x
Georgina Pellant -
28th May 2022 
