Fresh off the back of his double award win at the Drum and Bass Awards 2021, Manchester-based DJ and producer, Bou, is killing the scene right now.
Last weekend, he picked up the award for Best Producer for the second year in a row, as well as Best Track for his collab with fellow Manc drum and bass legend Trigga with “Veteran VIP”.
He managed to take a break from his New Zealand tour this week to squeeze us in for a quick chat about what he’s up to at the minute.
Not only has he been busy swiping up industry awards, Bou has had his head down with the launch his own record label, Gossip – and its first release is out today.
“I’ve been visualising Gossip for over two years,” he told Audio. “Getting the right team together to make the dream come to life – having Dale, Hedex, David & Wilf around me – has helped me so much in making this happen and I can’t wait for the future of it.”
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“I have tons of unreleased bangers that I’ve kept for this label. From huge collabs with legends like High Contrast to dubs from myself that people have been after for the last three years – and also talks of my first album on there. I have so much to release and create, and it’s finally time.
“My first release on the label is “Cous Cous”, with the talented Inja. I’ve been sat on this tune for around a year and a half, so I can’t wait to get it out. Plus, we had a wicked livestream and music video to premiere, so keep an eye on that.”
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Looking back on Bou’s career so far, it’s been packed with highs and he’s still only 24-years-old.
He first got a taster of drum and bass when he went to a rave in some woods in Rivington with his mates when he was 15 – and he instantly became hooked on the genre.
So, he set about learning to DJ and produce and cites Shy FX as one of his early inspirations. But it was the legendary station Bloc2Bloc that helped him find his spot on the Manchester scene.
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The guy behind it, Jack Banner, helped put Manchester’s bass music on the map and was streaming online long before the pandemic-induced livestreams came along.
Any up-and-coming drum and bass or jungle artist in Manchester is likely to have passed through the Bloc2Bloc HQ at some point, Bou being one of them.
“I met so many people [at Bloc2Bloc] who are into drum and bass,” said Bou. “Having a community of people that relate to what you want to do is massively important, in my opinion. Jack has helped myself and many artists grow so much. Huge respects to him.”
Now, Bou is on track to becoming one of the most exciting producers on the scene at the minute. His recent awards speak for themselves. But his secret to success is taking your time with productions and releases, as you’re always learning and improving.
“I feel like my sound is always developing and maturing the longer I make music. And my taste is always changing,” he said. “One of the main things I love in drum and bass is there is so many ways to express yourself when making it, it’s something you don’t find in a lot of other genres.”
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He’s got a load of tours and festivals all around the world planned for the post-Covid comeback.
Currently touring New Zealand, he’s played alongside some familiar Mancunian drum and bass faces like Tonn Piper this week, headlining in front of a 4000-strong crowd in Christchurch. Something he says is still so surreal.
But despite global success, Bou still manages to stay humble. And it’s only a matter of time before he becomes one of the biggest names in the genre – if he isn’t already.
If you’re into drum and bass, keep your eyes on Gossip because there’ll be a lot going down on the label very soon.
Listen to “Cous Cous” on our New Manc Audio playlist now here.
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Stay up to date with music and events around Manchester with The Manc Audio.
Featured image: @rhysbelding/IG
Music
Pussycat Dolls at Co-op Live – tickets, times and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
American girl group Pussycat Dolls have reunited for a UK tour, stopping off at Co-op Live in Manchester with their powerhouse pop anthems.
Releasing their first LP in 2005, this pop girl group have a variety of radio hits to their name like ‘Don’t Cha’, ‘When I Grow Up’ and ‘Buttons’.
Over the years, the Pussycat Dolls lineup has gone through significant changes with this latest reunion comprised of Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberley Wyatt and Ashley Roberts.
The trio even released some brand-new material to coincide with the announcement of their UK and EU tour titled ‘Club Song’.
Now the girls are about to put their Doll Domination to the test as they bring their PCD Forever Tour in arenas across the nation.
Gig guide – Pussycat Dolls at Co-op Live, Manchester
Doors for Pussycat Dolls at Co-op Live open from 6pm with a start time listed of 7pm with Lil’ Kim and rising girl group Deja Vu kicking things off.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you can get home and loosen your ‘Buttons’, hopefully before the clock strikes twelve.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Nickelback announce massive Manchester gig on new world tour
Daisy Jackson
Nickelback have announced a massive world tour, which will include a night at the Co-op Live in Manchester.
The Canadian rockers will be performing here, with a setlist of their biggest hits as well brand-new music.
Nickelback have announced the Everything Under The Sun Tour in support of their upcoming 11th studio album of the same name.
The tour follows their record-setting Get Rollin’ world tour, and will once again take them to venues across North America, Europe, and Australia.
Formed in Hanna, Alberta, the band made up of Chad Kroeger, Ryan Peake, Mike Kroeger and Daniel Adair, have sold nearly 65 million albums worldwide.
Best known for rock anthems including Rockstar, Photograph and How You Remind Me, Nickelback have built up a huge global following over the course of their career.
The group have sold nearly 65 million albums worldwide, and achieved billions of streams across digital platforms.
The upcoming tour will see the band celebrate their new album, Everything Under The Sun, and they’ll be kicking off the UK leg of the tour in Leeds before performing in London, Birmingham, Glasgow, and eventually Manchester.
They’ll be supported on the tour by Don Broco, an English four-piece featuring Rob Damiani, Simon Delaney, Tom Doyle and Matt Donnelly, known for their genre-defying sound and dynamic approach to modern rock.
Tickets will go on sale via artist presale from 10am on Tuesday 13 October, before general sale kicks off at 10am on Friday 16 October HERE.
Hannah Starkie -
7th May 2021 
