News

The Manc Group launches Audio North platform to showcase music scenes across Northern cities

Our new music-led platform will include artist interviews, gig reviews, music news, concert announcements, historical video features and much more.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 18th July 2024

The Manc Group has launched a new Audio North platform, created to showcase the music scene across all cities and towns in the North of England.

Through video-led content, Audio North will deliver artist interviews, backstage venue secrets, concert highlights, music-inspired vox-pops, live-streamed events and much more, bringing the thriving music scene in the north of England to life on social media.

Through The Manc Group’s websites, Audio North will also bring readers gig announcements as they happen, venue updates, festival line-ups, music reviews, artist stories and more. 

We’re already behind pages including The Manc, The Hoot and The Sheff, covering cultural news from Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield and the surrounding areas. 

With a combined 2.3 million followers across our social media platforms and a million website users each month, the group is now dedicated to showcasing the best of the music scene up North. 

Audio North is all about championing local and visiting talent to the Northern region, including The Manc Group’s home cities plus neighbouring icons like Liverpool, Newcastle and beyond. 

It’s about celebrating the region’s rich musical histories, from Oasis and The Beatles to Pulp, Take That, Pulp and more, while demonstrating to the world that the North is still king of the music industry. 

Building on existing partnerships with the UK’s leading venues including the AO Arena in Manchester and the First Direct Arena in Leeds, as well as smaller grassroots venues, plus a long-standing partnership with StreamGM, the new channel will celebrate and amplify British Northern music. 

Video series that will launch with Audio North will include ‘Short Stuff’, 60-second videos delving into the histories and origins of local music scenes; ‘On The Street’, chatting to music lovers on the streets and in the queues outside venues; and ‘Audio Meets’, where rising stars and established artists will give their own insights into the music industry, plus an ongoing partnership with Spill The Sound. 

Audio North at the First Direct Arena Leeds
Audio North at the First Direct Arena Leeds
Night and Day Cafe in Manchester
Night and Day Cafe in Manchester
Serge of Kasabian
Serge of Kasabian
Credit: The Manc Group

Abbie Bartlett, head of brand at The Manc Group, said: “We’re so proud of our northern roots and our home cities, and especially the world-famous music scenes that exist here. 

“From The Leadmill to the AO Arena, Night & Day Cafe to the First Direct Arena, The Cavern Club to Brudenell Social Club, we can’t wait to show off all the places and events that make the North such a vibrant and lively place to live. 

“Nothing can compare to the buzz of seeing live music, but we hope through Audio North we can provide the next best thing to being inside an actual concert.

“It’s about time we change the London-centric narrative around the UK’s music scene and bring all eyes up North.”

Here’s an example of the kind of exclusive content you can expect from the newly unified entertainment brand and music outlet:

Laura Graham, StreamGM’s Producer said: “The North has always produced a rich source of incredible music, and StreamGM has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with The Manc Group because we share an innate passion, pride and dedication to the region’s music scene.

“Having worked with The Manc Group on a number of very successful music and cultural campaigns over the years, StreamGM is thrilled about the launch of Audio North, and we are here for it! 

“Together, StreamGM and Audio North will promote the diversity and global acclaim of our local music and culture. This will include exclusive, collaborative content with two of StreamGM’s biggest online music series: Spill The Sound – a northern indie music show presented by Louise Schofield that platforms renowned and breakthrough talent, and MainRoom; our live-streamed underground clubbing series that brings grassroots northern dancefloors to living rooms across the world, featuring exciting new DJs and club nights from across the region.”

Audio North launches on Thursday 18 July – you can follow it on Instagram HERE. 

For more information and to share local music news, email [email protected].

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image — The Manc Group

News

More than 100 ‘unsafe’ counterfeit Labubus seized in Oldham

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson 104 counterfeit Labubus have been seized

More than 100 counterfeit Labubus and accessories have been seized in Oldham, the council has announced.

The Labubu dolls – a plush collectible with giant smiles and bunny ears – have been seized because they are fake, and unsafe.

The haul of 104 Labubus has been given a street value of between £800 and £1000 – but if they were the real deal, they’d be worth more than three times as much.

The poorly-made figures were being sold for a fraction of the price of a real Labubu, which are manufactured by Chinese company Pop Mart (it’s set to open its second Manchester store in the Trafford Centre next week).

Oldham Council’s Trading Standards team said it seized the counterfeit Labubus from local businesses and found that they were unsafe and poorly made.

Officers raised concerns about the safety of the dolls, which had small parts such as eyes, hands and feet broke off easily, creating a choking hazard.

What a genuine Labubu should look like. Credit: The Hoot Leeds

They were also missing legally required safety marks such as the CE or UKCA labels, and lacked the name and address of a UK supplier, which is another legal requirement.

Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing, said: “Oldham Trading Standards carries out regular checks to help keep unsafe products off the shelves. In this case, these counterfeit toys failed safety standards and have now been removed from sale.

“We know it can be tempting to buy toys that look like a bargain, but parents need to be extra careful. Fake toys like these may be cheaper, but they can put children in real danger if they’re not made to strict safety standards.

“If anyone has concerns about toys they’ve purchased, or if they see unsafe products on sale locally, we’d encourage them to get in touch with Trading Standards through the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.”

Read more

Featured image: Oldham Council

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Council publishes list of central Manchester roads set to be resurfaced this summer

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A list of roads in Manchester that are set to be resurfaced before the summer is out has been published.

Manchester City Council recently asked residents in the region what their priorities were for their community and what issues they wanted to see tackled – and for many, the answer was the quality of the road surfaces.

Since then, the Council says it has been ‘engaged’ in a long-running programme of improvement works throughout the borough.

Now, with just over a month of the summer season left, it has been confirmed that some vital resurfacing works are due to start over the coming weeks in north and central Manchester, bringing a range of improvements to key district roads along with it.

First up, from Saturday 9 August, Hollinwood Avenue is to be resurfaced.

The Council has published a list of Manchester roads that are set to be resurfaced this summer / Credit: MJ Richardson (via Geograph)

Anticipated to take six weeks to complete, this work will be carried out during weekend closures from 8am-5pm, with the road remaining open during the working week.

The closure area will be between Greengates Roundabout and the Oldham boundary at Owler Lane, and a signed diversion route will be in place while work is carried out, and access for residents will be maintained at all times. 

Then, starting from Saturday 16 August, resurfacing works will begin on Moss Lane East, between Alexandra Road and Princess Road. 

Work will take place between 7am and 5pm on weekdays, and 8am and 5pm on weekends, and during the works, the road will be completely closed – with a signed diversion route in place and access for residents maintained. 

As always, disruption is expected and the public is encouraged to plan ahead / Credit: Mylo Kaye (via Unsplash)

These works are expected to take six weeks to complete, and as with all resurfacing projects, residents should expect some disruption and may need to plan ahead.

The Council is aiming to keep disruption to the public at a minimum, where possible.

“We know how important it is to our residents that key roads are well maintained, which is why were glad to be able to deliver this latest round of improvement works,” commented Councillor Tracey Rawlins, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment, and Transport at Manchester City Council.

Read more:

“I’d like to thank people ahead of time for their patience during the course of these works and would advise them to check when closures will be in place and where the diversions are.”

You can find more information on the resurfacing works on the Council website here.

Featured Image – Pix4Free

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