Ramona and The Firehouse is launching an in-house radio station this week as part of a huge new live entertainment programme at the venue, designed to champion and support independent musicians and artists across Manchester.
Kicking off on Wednesday 26 January, ‘Ramona Radio’ will host a weekly live radio show from its Swan Street venue – broadcasting a weekly party with guest DJs, servers and the crowd going ‘On Air’ live from the Tipi.
The first event in the new series will see legendary house selector Tristan Da Cunha take to the decks – bringing his expansive genre-spanning vinyl archive along with him.
The venue on Swan Street will launch its own radio station. Image: Ramona and The Firehouse
Promising depth and breadth across a range of genres, house music fans can look forward to hearing some rare gems and genre-defining cuts played out as part of the honorary Glastonbury resident’s set.
The radio show will be hosted by Ramona and The Firehouse’s very own music curator Jonjo, and as part of the new programme whole sets will be streamed live, supported with a new weekly podcast.
Following on from the Wednesday night radio show launch, the venue will be running parties throughout the week as it launches its new programme ‘The NIght Village’ – with further sets coming from the likes of Onipa, Dance Regular and Manchester art-rock band Everything Everything.
Image: Ramona and The Firehouse
The Ghanian/ London-based afro-futurist collective Onipa will bring their signature high energy performance to Ramona fusing Afrobeat, UK Jazz and electronic music for Thursday night’s ‘Campfire Live’, whilst local champions Everything Everything can be expected to bring their usual blend of alternative and indie to the Tipi later this week.
The performances will mark the start of a new musical chapter for Ramona, which has already made a name for itself by channelling the techno culture for which Detroit is known from within its sister bar restaurant, The Firehouse.
The sister venue also hosts weekly ‘runway parties’ in its bar every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with local dance crews acting as the stars of the show – with performances ranging from garage two-step superstars, Dance Regular, to the vogue inspired flamboyance of House of Ghetto.
Ramona Radio will launch this week. Image: Ramona and The Firehouse
Speaking on the upcoming new music programme launching this week, head of music and entertainment at Ramona and the Firehouse, Jonjo, said: “We’ve been curating independent UK-based electronic, jazz and world music since we opened the doors.
“Moving into 2022 we’re ready to take things up a notch with our first bands from the continent, an upgraded sound system and the best up and coming acts and labels every week. And all for free – surely the city’s best kept secret”
At the new late-night parties, music lovers can easily flit between the two venues – soaking up the atmosphere in both, free of charge.
Image: Ramona and The Firehouse
Guests can also enjoy Detroit-style pizza, a killer collection of margaritas plus other inventive and beautiful dishes like their chargrilled chicken, truffle tots, Detroit hot wings and ultra cheesy garlic bread.
To find out more about the upcoming music events, check out the full programme for the Night Village launch weekender below.
Ramona and The Firehouse Night Village Launch Weekender – Full Programme Thursday 27th January: Campfire Live @ Ramona presents Onipa Arthouse – Dance Regular @ Firehouse presents The Broken Beat – Garage-Dance Crew
Friday 28th January: Everything Everything DJ Set @Ramona Firehouse Presents Vogue – House of Ghetto
Saturday 29th January: Supernature Disco + Joe Redmore (WHP) [email protected]
Sunday 30th January So Flute @Ramona
Sunday 30th January Mikey Don @Firehouse
Feature image – Ramona and The Firehouse
Audio
Soft rock heroes Foreigner announce UK tour including big Manchester gig
Thomas Melia
Foreigner are bringing their soft rock classics over the waters and to the UK as they embark on a new tour which features a Manchester stop.
Formed in the 70’s, Foreigner are a British-American rock band known for their catalogue of soft rock, including hits like ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ and ‘Cold As Ice.’
These rockers have gained a newfound following of late thanks to their music making an appearance in an array of yet more contemporary TV shows like Stranger Things, Euphoria, Wednesday and more, having been heard in plenty of films over the years.
This UK tour marks the band’s return to Manchester after four years – and no, you’ve not got ‘Double Vision’: they are in fact revisiting the same iconic arena they played back in 2022, AO Arena.
The band may look a little different on their next visit as Kelly Hansen, former vocalist of Foreigner, has stepped down after 20 years and has handed the reins over to the equally impressive Luis Maldonado.
This newest gig announcement, set for 2026, will celebrate a landmark 50 years since the band formed back in 1976, and you can expect to hear all their greatest hits.
Foreigner are no strangers to the charts with a chart-topping album and single as well as five Top 40 hits and five Top 40 albums – I guess you could call them the ultimate ‘Juke Box Hero’.
The band were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame back in 2024, and to celebrate, they played their timeless classic ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ with pop singer Kelly Clarkson performing alongside.
Whether you’re there for ‘Urgent’, ‘Double Vision’ or ‘Waiting For a Girl Like You’, the New York-formed rockers will be smashing out their variety of anthems at AO Arena next year.
Now, Foreigner are coming back to Manchester and the AO Arena on Thursday, 18 June, with tickets for the gig going on presale this Wednesday, 3 September at 10am GMT.
As for general admission tickets, they will be available from the same time on Friday, 5 September – you can get ready to grab yours right HERE.
They’re not the only rock legends booking big Manc arena gigs recently, either.
Featured Images — Press shot (supplied)/Jim Geuther (via Vinyl Records Gallery)
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Aussie punk rockers and cult favourites Amyl and the Sniffers announced biggest Manchester gig yet
Danny Jones
Australian pub rockers and punk outfit Amyl and the Sniffers have announced their biggest Manchester headline show to date, and we CANNOT wait.
In case you hadn’t guessed, we’re pretty big fans here at The Manc Group.
The cult favourites have made a big splash on the music scene over the past couple of years, playing big festival slots at the likes of Glastonbury and R&L Fest 2025, winning over new fans in the process. We had a feeling they were bringing some big to our shores…
I mean, you could argue they made it fairly obvious where it was going to be held, but it was still a cool little teaser campaign, nevertheless.
That’s right, Amyl and the Sniffers have booked the O2 Victoria Warehouse – an ideal venue for any heavy gig – later this year, following the big poster going up outside the venue in Trafford Park last week.
Fronted by frenetic frontwoman Amy Taylor, they’ve grown a strong following outside of their home country of late, not only winning multiple Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards but picking up gongs from the NME, Kerrang and more since 2022.
They received plenty of accolades for their sophomore record, Comfort To Me, and collected even more for their latest album, Cartoon Darkness, which they’ve been touring pretty much ever since.
It’s that same project that they’re bringing to Victoria Warehouse this autumn, with the punchy ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ performers almost nailed on to sell out the 3,500 capacity venue.
Tipped as a ‘one-night only’ experience, with support from Floodlights and The Menstrual Cramps, this should be a tasty one.
Aussie rock and indie really is having a moment right now, with the likes of Spacey Jane and Royel Otis both set for big Manc gigs this year too.
The early access window opens from 10am this Wednesday, 3 September, with general admission tickets live from the same time the following Friday (5 Sep). Besides the sold-out Ally Pall show, this is their very LAST headline gig of the year, don’t miss it.
You can get ready to grab yours for 22 October right HERE.
In the meantime, why not watch the moment Amy joined Fred Again in the flesh for a live set over in Sheffield last month?
Georgina Pellant -
24th January 2022 
