The minds behind Greater Manchester’s trailblazing United We Stream (UWS) have launched a streaming platform to showcase region’s emerging and established talent to the world.
Hosted at Digital City Festival on April 12, StreamGM aims to build on the incredible achievements of UWS – which was launched in lockdown to raise funds for the creative sector.
The platform proved to be a wild success – reeling in millions of viewers and raising £583,000 throughout its run.
StreamGM will be picking up where UWS left off – offering a soapbox for singers, dancers, musicians, poets and artists across GM.
Andy Burnham – an early backer of the project – said that Stream GM would “play an essential role in our recovery throughout 2021.”
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The Mayor of Greater Manchester stated: “Many venues will not be able to reopen fully until the second half of the year.
“So, by prioritising digital development such as this, we can continue to support our culture sector so they can later support us all through our personal recoveries from what we have experienced through the pandemic.”
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Poet Tony Walsh performing in Our City Speaks on United We Stream
Whilst showcasing local talent, StreamGM will also include specialised ‘hands on’ industry experience for young people in the production and promotion of digital broadcasting.
Greater Manchester Night Time Economy Adviser, Sacha Lord said: “In an incredibly hard year for many, United We Stream Greater Manchester provided moments of escape and joy and I’m incredibly proud of all we achieved.
“It’s now time to look to the future and, as we start to gradually unlock, how some of the partnerships and projects developed during 2020 adapt to complement live events.
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“StreamGM is a perfect example of this, providing a platform for emerging Greater Manchester talent to perform to global audiences, taking talent beyond venue walls, helping our amazing city-region emerge from the pandemic in the strongest possible position.”
Driven by a shared love of music and culture, StreamGM will continue to “bang the drum” for Greater Manchester from its launch at Digital City Festival – an annual event series exploring what makes a leading digital city.
Production for the festival is based at state-of-the-art studios in Salford’s Media City with all events broadcast online.
DJ Woody – United We Stream 24 hr The Hacienda House Party
StreamGM will kick off proceedings at Digital City Festival on April 12 with a thrilling audio-visual DJ set from DJ Woody – who wowed audiences with his performance during UWS’ NYE Hacienda House Party.
Manchester Jazz Festival, Showhawk Duo and Jodrell Bank’s Blue Dot festival favourites ’Science in the House’ will also be turning in performances on the StreamGM virtual stage.
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A StreamGM panel will be hosted on April 13 – featuring UWS Global founder Lutz Leichsenring; Hacienda legend Graeme Park; Tom Besford from English Folk Expo, DJ Rebecca Swarray, Artistic Director of the Met David Agnew and United We Stream/StreamGM’s producer Marie-Claire Daly.
The festival finale on April 22 will host the first ever StreamGM talent showcase.
Digital City Festival Director, Martyn Collins said: “We’re delighted to have StreamGM curating the entertainment for our delegates at Digital City Festival. Despite lockdown, the amazing United We Stream project showed that innovation, creativity, music and performance could still be created, shared and enjoyed by all.
“Using digital as the core platform and reaching a global audience, StreamGM is perfectly in sync with Manchester’s digital city status and also recognising that people are at the heart of everything we do.”
To join Digital City Festival, register for access here.
For more information about StreamGM, visit the official website.
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Pair jailed after filming themselves driving over 130mph before killing man in fatal Manchester collision
Emily Sergeant
Two men who filmed themselves driving at speeds of over 130mph before a fatal collision earlier this year have now been jailed.
20-year-old Uways Hussain, of Marley Road in Manchester, has been sentenced to 11 years and eight months in prison, while 23-year-old Usmon Mahmood, of Buller Road in Manchester, has been sentenced to 12 years and nine months.
Their sentences follow a night of what Greater Manchester Police (GMP) called ‘dangerous driving’ around the South Manchester area, which started at around 11pm on the evening before the collision.
The vehicle – a Volkswagon Golf – belonged to Mahmood, but he allowed Hussain to drive the vehicle at high-speed throughout the night.
On the evening prior to the collision, beginning at around 11pm, Hussain and Mahmood were driving recklessly around the South Manchester area.
According to police, the pair filmed themselves consistently travelling at speeds of over 100mph on 30mph roads, and in several cases, theyvreached over 130mph and seconds before impact, were recorded at 139mph.
Recorded footage also showed them running red lights and weaving through traffic with no regard for the safety of other road users or pedestrians.
At one stage during the night, the pair stopped at a petrol station, where footage shows Mahmood inhaling from a balloon in the passenger seat, while later o Hussain can be seen doing over 100mph and also appearing to be inhaling from a balloon while driving.
The fatal collision happened at around 4:36am on Monday 9 March 2026 at the junction of Green End Road and Kingsway, where the victim – Sylvester Abayomi, 50 – was on his way to work and entered the junction on a green light, believing it was safe to proceed, but was then struck by the car being driven by Hussain, which had travelled through a red light at extremely high speed.
Sylvester Abayomi / Credit: GMP
Immediately following the collision, GMP received several emergency calls and an automatic alert from Hussain’s Apple Watch saying he had been involved in a collision.
During this alert, both men could be heard discussing plans to flee the scene and attempting to decide what evidence they needed to remove from the vehicle. They were also heard discussing reporting the vehicle as stolen, and shortly afterwards, they booked an Uber to escape.
Emergency services attended the scene, but sadly, despite their best efforts, Sylvester sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead.
GMP says it received its first report of the incident at 4:37am,, and within 12 minutes the pair had been located, caught, and arrested by officers.
DC Thomas Johnson, from GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, described the incident as ‘one of the most extreme cases of dangerous driving we have encountered’.
It’s also believed that this is one of the first times in the country where a passenger has been convicted for aid and abetting causing death by dangerous driving.
Featured Image – GMP
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Stockport band Blossoms set for BIG return to Leeds Festival this year
Thomas Melia
Blossoms have just announced their big return to Leeds Festival, as the four-day music event continues to impress with its stacked lineup.
They might have a ‘Joke About Divorce’ from time to time, but when it comes to entertaining a Leeds Festival crowd, Blossoms take it very seriously, having played at Bramham Park three times in the past decade already.
The Stockport band have captivated audiences since the rise of standout track ‘Charlemagne’ and more recently with the addition of their fifth studio album, Gary, named after an eight-foot fiberglass gorilla.
Known for always putting on a stellar performance, Tom, Joe, Charlie, Myles, and Josh are bringing a brand-new set to Leeds when they visit this August bank holiday weekend.
As well as releasing new music, Blossoms are making a big return to Leeds Festival 2026 / Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Currently, Leeds Festival 2026 has seven headline acts spanning all genres from Dance and EDM to Pop and Rap with the likes of Charli XCX, Raye, Dave and more topping the bill.
The Stockport five-piece are featured alongside three other insane artists as ‘Special Guests’, appearing next to Skepta, Sombr and Role Model.
Also listed on the lineup are rising stars like R&B vocal powerhouse Skye Newman, pop princess Jade, Merseyside indie rockers The K’s and Wigan-formed The Lilacs with more to be announced.
Although nothing is confirmed yet, this upcoming Leeds Festival set from Blossoms will contain high energy and obviously all their biggest and best bangers from across their four chart topping albums as well as new music.
Whether you’re there for ‘Your Girlfriend’ or ‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry’, one thing’s for sure, you’re guaranteed to have an absolutely spectacular night.
Blossoms are making their big return to Leeds Festival 2026 which is taking place from 27 to 30 August at Bramham Park with tickets live HERE.
The Manc -
24th March 2021 
