This morning the iconic Manchester party series The Warehouse Project (WHP) has revealed its final show for its 2023 season.
The final show is an absolute corker, seeing the series conclude with a curated show from Leeds-born, Manchester-bred record producer, DJ, and songwriter Nia Archives on Friday 8 December.
The BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year has put together a belting line-up, bringing together the likes of Shy FX, Skream, underground UKG and Asian revivalist Yung Singh, a debut Special Request B2B Clipz, and more for the series’ final show of the season.
Awarded BBC Music Introducing Artist of the Year last year, Nia Archives is set to return this season with her very own debut curated show at The Warehouse Project, UP YA ARCHIVES.
Image: Nia Archives
Image: Nia Archives
No stranger to the Depot Mayfield domain, Nia Archives released a spooky ‘Off Wiv Ya Headz’ remix of Yeah Yeah Yeah’s ‘Heads Will Roll’ earlier this year which was born out of her Halloween set at The Warehouse Project last season.
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A true champion of the DIY spirit and one of dance music’s most exciting prospects, Nia Archives is set to bring her unique sonic palette to the warehouse – taking over the three stages of Depot, Concourse, and Archive.
Joining Nia on the nightwill be the UK’s finest and freshest talents across DnB, jungle, dubstep, and UKG – including the likes of Shy FX, Skream, Yung Singh, Interplanetary Criminal, salute, a special debut b2b set from Clipz and Special Request, and more announced below.
Commenting on her first UP YA ARCHIVES at The Warehouse Project, Nia Archives, said: “Am so buzzin to curate ‘UP YA ARCHIVES’ at The Warehouse Project in December!!
“Manchester is a special place to me and am so gassed I’ve got to book so many of ma favourite artists + DJ’s to play alongside me, can’t wait! Tickets on sale Friday @ 10am!!”
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The Warehouse Project and Sports Banger collaboration
Image: Sports Banger
The Warehouse Project has also announced this morning that it has joined forces with London’s independent label and provocateur Sports Banger, which has taken the party and fashion scenes by storm since its conception in 2013.
This 2023 season marks an exciting collaboration as founder, curator, and raver Jonny Banger has designed a capsule collection for WHP23 merchandise.
The Sports Banger x WHP23 merchandise will drop as a limited run featuring heavyweight hoodies and crewneck t-shirts.
Clothing will be available to purchase on-site from this weekend, Friday 29 September, at WHP merchandise stall across the remaining shows this season. Some proceeds from the sales will go to charity partners – Manchester South Central Foodbank and Mad Dogs Homeless Project.
This year also sees Sports Banger embark on a new project as the genre-defying, boundary-breaking fashion collective is set to publish an illustration book Sports Banger: Lifestyle of the poor, rich & famous to celebrate the irreverent brand’s first ten years featuring archive images and essays. The book is due for release on October 26.
Commenting on the collaboration, the man behind Sports Banger, Jonny Banger, said: “This is an exciting project for us, to collaborate with one of the UK’s long-standing club series.
“We look forward to launching the first capsule collection for WHP23 which features some core Sports Banger designs with a nod to The Warehouse Project and its home city Manchester.”
Featured image – Nia Archives
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More artists added and stage splits confirmed for Neighbourhood Weekender 2026 lineup
Danny Jones
Two waves for NBHD Weekender’s 2026 lineup have now been officially confirmed, and Greater Manchester leads the way in terms of headliners, with local music legend Richard Ashcroft and Stockport’s finest, Blossoms, both already confirmed for the big slot on the main stage.
Now THAT is how you follow up a comeback.
Yes, Neighbourhood Weekender always promises a healthy dose of Northern acts on the lineup, including plenty of Mancs, scousers and others from Cheshire and the region at large, but to get two much-loved music artists from our boroughs topping the 2026 bill is an absolute treat.
With other noteworthy appearances in the Kaiser Chiefs, DMA’s, Jamie Webster, Example and many more on there already, it feels like next year’s festival is shaping up to be a potential all-timer, with a second wave of acts being added and the stage splits now set.
As you can see, the first pair of waves of the NBHD 2026 lineup includes returning crowd-pleasers like Shed Seven, Razorlight and The K’s, as well as other additions like rising stars Basht., Better Joy and North West favourites, The Kairos, as well as fellow Manc lads, M60.
Other acts that also caught our eye include our own natives like Arkayla, The Guest List, Luvcat and The Covasettes, just to name a few, as well as rising ‘Britainicana outfit’, Westside Cowboy, who just so happen to star on our most recent round-up of what we’ve been listening to.
In fact, there are a few past Manc bands of the month features on this lineup, not to mention more nearby names in Lucvat, The Royston Club, Keyside, Nxdia and so on, who are all well worth earmarking ahead of the stage splits being announced.
As for the headliners, indie heroes Blossoms need no introduction; nor does Wigan’s most famous musical son, with Ashcroft riding a real resurgence at the moment – he’s also one of our artists of the month, naturally.
In fact, confirmation of both Ashcroft and his Oasis Live ’25 support act partners, Cast, being booked for Warrington’s Victoria Park and the next NBHD Fest comes after the 54-year-old confirmed a fellow hometown band for some very big shows of his own.
This coming May Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday 23-Sun 24 May 2026) is shaping up nicely, and we can’t wait to see what else is new to the festival site this year.
General admission tickets are already available, and new for this year, there will also be different payment plans via their website.
You can grab your tickets HERE. See you in the fields!
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)/Audio North
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Dispute over Manichester now ‘resolved’, say Mounfield family
Danny Jones
The family of the late, great Manchester musician, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, have said that the drama surrounding the highly-anticipated tribute festival in his name, Manichester, has now thankfully been settled.
Now the focus can once again return to remembering him as best as possible.
Following plenty of talk about the project following his passing late last year, a live music festival honouring Mani was finally confirmed in March, and the reaction following the event’s announcement has been unsurprisingly phenomenal.
Well, at least for the most part, as there was also some confusion over whether or not Manichester was still a charitable effort as advertised, with son Gene Mounfield disputing claims online. Fortunately, it all seems to have been put to bed now.
On behalf of the boys, and as their legal guardian, I want to thank everyone for the kind messages and concern for their wellbeing. There was a misunderstanding regarding the upcoming Manichester tribute concert, but we’re pleased to share that everything has now been resolved. pic.twitter.com/j8jEMrFzsD
Being organised by Madchester.com and locally-founded fashion label, GIOGOI, the debut edition was said to have the total blessing of Mani’s family, including his brother, Greg Mounfield.
It was also said that the funds raised by the show would be going to the legendary Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassists’ twins, George and Gene, but the latter recently argued that “nothing” was going to either him or his brother and that the news was “dropped” the plans just a fortnight prior.
Gene also said that “if it was a charity gig it would be at Co-op [Live] or Heaton Park, and it would be done by SJM [Concerts]”: a Manchester-based promoters and events company.
All of this was also wrapped up in ever more paper talk and sensationalism, as some were reporting that Noel and Liam Gallagher, as well as other members of Oasis, would be surprising fans as the still yet to be revealed ‘major headliner’.
These rumours have since been quashed, as has whatever miscommunication caused the misunderstanding between the parties concerned, and we are now back to simply looking forward to seeing an already stacked lineup here in the city centre this May.
Damon Minchella of Ocean Colour Scene (a fellow bassist who also tours with Richard Ashcroft) is helping organise and will also be performing on the night itself. As for the surviving Mounfields, they went on to add in an accompanying Instagram post: “We would also like to express our gratitude to PH.
“It means a great deal to all of us that so many people loved Mani enough to give their time and energy to honour his memory in this way. We are genuinely touched by the support.
“It has been an incredibly difficult few years for the boys and for our whole family. We hope this event will bring some much‑needed joy and create new, positive memories for everyone who cared about him.
“With love and thanks – The Family”
It goes without saying that we can’t wait for this city and Greater Manchester as a whole to honour a Manc icon and are looking forward to another year celebrating the thing that never fails to bring us all together: music.
Georgina Pellant -
27th September 2023 
