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 HootandThe 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.
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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 LeedsNight and Day Cafe in ManchesterSerge of KasabianCredit: 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.
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“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.
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“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].
Elbow get behind campaign to save Jodrell Bank from closure
Danny Jones
Manc band Elbow are among the latest to get behind the campaign to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from closing permanently.
The Greater Manchester natives famously played a sold-out gig at the important scientific and cultural landmark for a very special live album recording well over a decade ago, and know all too well the site’s national and, indeed, global heritage.
Choosing the Observatory and the rare chance to perform a show in the shadow of the world-renowned James Lovell Telescope, it probably remains one of their most significant standalone UK date ever.
With that in mind, the local lads have been left just as worried by the news of its impending closure as everyone else, and have therefore issued a fresh appeal to help keep it open.
Posting a timely statement on social media, the group wrote: “Jodrell Bank has long been close to elbow’s heart. In 2012, the band played beneath the Lovell Telescope for one of the most memorable shows in our history.
“The recent news that funding for the e-MERLIN radio telescope network is set to end in 2028 puts the future of the scientific work at Jodrell Bank under serious threat. It is a remarkable place, with an extraordinary history, and one that continues to play an important role in science, culture and education.”
In addition to reliving clips and images from the historic live set all the years later, they also pointed people towards their ‘elbow – Live at Jodrell Bank‘ album documentary, which has now been made available online for the very first time as part of wider efforts to raise awareness around the cause.
Directing people to key online resources shared by the institution and astrophysics centre itself following their unfortunate update late last month, the push to not only find the funding but sustain support for the facility continues to ramp up throughout the world of science, arts and industry.
For anyone who somehow missed the news – 2028 being the current deadline handed down as per budget cuts across the sector – concerned parties here in the North West and all over the country have since started petitioning to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from shutting down for good.
In addition to being described as a “huge blow” to the field by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), some have even gone so far as to describe the decision as a form of “vandalism” when it comes to research and British culture as a whole.
Having also served as the host venue for the annual bluedot Festival since 2016, the multi-genre science and arts celebration could soon be forced to find a new home.
The battle is far from over yet, and the community has time to rescue Jodrell Bank Observatory from its fate, but it will take lots of money and more notable public figures to make it happen.
Once again, you can do your bit by signing the petition mentioned above right HERE.
Featured Images — Emma Farrer (via Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group
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All Greater Manchester boroughs to have 24-7 night buses from next month as new services launch
Emily Sergeant
Extra night buses, new routes, and more frequent bus services are being rolled out across the Bee Network at the end of this month.
You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy, and now plans to introduce these from September onwards have been confirmed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), along with a series of other measures.
Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford will all get a 24-hour bus service by next month, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.
It’s expected that once the new services have launched, it will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.
Some of the other changes set to be introduced from next month include a selection of brand-new bus services, and more frequent buses during the day and at the weekends.
All Greater Manchester boroughs will have 24-7 night buses from next month / Credit: TfGM
There will also be better connections overall to key employment and leisure destinations like Manchester Airport, Trafford Centre, MediaCity, Middlebrook Retail Park in Bolton, Kingsway Business Park, and Logistics North.
“The Bee Network belongs to the people of Greater Manchester and it needs to work for every community,” explained Mayor Bev Craig.
“As we build it, we’re listening and responding to what residents want with the biggest set of improvements we’ve ever made in one go.
🚌 More improvements are on the way across the #BeeNetwork.
36 service changes will benefit around 740,000 people across Greater Manchester, helping more communities access reliable, convenient public transport.
“We’re bringing night buses to every borough, launching new routes and ensuring buses run more often in the mornings, evenings and weekends. In doing so, we’re making it easier than ever for people to get around the city region by bus, but we’re also supporting our businesses, whose staff and customers need a reliable and safe way to reach them.
“Almost three quarters of a million people live within walking distance of a bus route we’re improving over the next few months, and we’ll continue improving connections for even more communities based on the feedback we get.”
Daisy Jackson -
18th July 2024 
