A handful of Manchester’s most-popular hospitality names are joining forces to bring a series of entertainment events to neighbourhoods across the city next month.
To celebrate the launch of its ‘Remarkable Neighbourhood’ summer incentive, Kentucky handmade bourbon brand Maker’s Mark has rallied together some of Manchester’s best-loved bars and restaurants to head across the city and serve up their take on the brand’s signature Gold Rush Cocktail from Monday 1 August.
Cocktail masterclasses, live music nights, quiz nights, Kentucky food pairing events, and bar takeovers will also be on their way to the city’s residential hotspots over the next few weeks.
Founded on Maker’s principle to “make it remarkable”, the series of Remarkable Neighbourhood events will be taking place all throughout August in some of the city’s sought-after areas like the Northern Quarter, Ancoats, and Deansgate.
Arcane and Elnecot are two of the Manchester bars serving up takes on the Gold Rush cocktail / Credit: Supplied
Popular bars Speak in Code, Whisky Jar, and Arcane are just a few of the heavy-hitting names from the city’s hospitality scene that will be serving up their own twist on the Gold Rush Cocktail – which, if you’re unfamiliar with, is made up of a base of Maker’s Mark very-own bourbon, citrus, and a honey syrup.
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Neon Tiger, Nam, Jimmy’s, Mecanica, Escape to Freight Island, Edinburgh Castle, Blind Tyger, Sandinista, and Elnecot are the other bars and restaurants taking part.
The Maker’s Mark ‘Remarkable Neighbourhood’ series starts on Monday 1 August / Credit: Supplied
In an ode to the Manchester worker bee – which has been a key emblem for the city for over 150 years – Maker’s has chosen to partner with local Manchester honey producers, The Finest Honey Company, for the sweet nectar that’s such an important part of the cocktail.
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The worker bee also represents Manchester being a hive of activity and a symbol of unity – which is exactly what the ‘Remarkable Neighbourhood’ incentive is all about.
And if all of that didn’t sound sweet enough as it, residents can also head on down to Escape to Freight Island at Depot Mayfield every Thursday throughout August, where Maker’s will be taking over the tropical urban space, the Plant Room.
There’ll be a special cocktail menu and food partnership with Freight Island’s outdoor BBQ partner – Mayfield County Smokehouse.
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You can expect cocktail masterclasses, quiz nights, live music, and more all month / Credit: Maker’s Mark
“I am so excited for Maker’s Mark to be partnering with such incredible hospitality venues in such a vibrant city like Manchester this summer,” said Nicole Sykes – UK Brand Ambassador at Maker’s Mark – ahead of the upcoming event series.
“It will be a fantastic opportunity for us to connect with the communities at the heart of the city, and spread our love for bourbon in the UK.”
Edinburgh Castle and Nam’s take on the Gold Rush Cocktail / Credit: Supplied
The Remarkable Neighbourhood special cocktails and event series is running from the 1 August – 1 September, and here’s a full rundown of all the events you can expect:
1 August – Maker’s Monday at Arcane
4 August – Maker’s Mark x Escape to Freight Island launch event, with samples from Mayfield County Smokehouse partnership and Maker’s Mark cocktails
4 August – Flying Dutchmen Cocktails takeover at Speak in Code, sponsored by Maker’s Mark
10 August – Americana Quiz Night at Jimmy’s
11 August – Maker’s Mark x Escape to Freight Island live music takeover
14 August – Bourbon and Blues night at Whiskey Jar
18 August – History of Bourbon with Maker’s Mark wax dipping at Escape to Freight Island
22 August – Maker’s Monday at Arcane
23 August – Edinburgh Castle Maker’s Mark tasting and wax dipping
25 August – Maker’s Mark x Escape to Freight Island bank holiday warm-up
There’ll also be a Bao and Bourbon special to enjoy at Nam throughout the whole of August.
Featured Image – Supplied
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A dedicated anime, movie and gaming concert with a live orchestra is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
Calling all self-proclaimed otakus, cinephiles and gamers: a huge concert experience will see dozens of musicians bring classic anime, film and gaming soundtracks and scores to life later this year, right here in Manchester.
The city is no stranger to events celebrating these beloved kinds of media, but you’ll struggle to find another bringing all of them together in one place.
Brought to us Mancs by KIN Music Entertainment, a locally founded arts, events and music label, this celebration of all things pop culture – and specifically, the music tied to it.
Entitled ‘The Kin & Fushigi Anime, Film & Videogame Orchestra’, this passionate collective serves as not only a platform for rising artists but also to hear some iconic sonic moments like never before.
KIN have created a large-scale live concert experience which will bring together a 25-piece pop orchestra made up of emerging professional performers and conservatoire graduates.
Aside from the impressive total of people behind this production to begin with, they also form an immersive hybrid orchestral and live band capable of bringing.
Speaking on the upcoming date, KIN Entertainment said in a statement: “We wanted to create the kind of live experience that many anime and videogame fans in Manchester have been waiting for — something cinematic, emotional and community-driven that brings these sound worlds to life with the energy of both an orchestra and a live band.”
Kin was founded by bassist, composer and ensemble performer Alejandro Urbina Diaz, who first brought his talents and wider interests over from Mexico to the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) here in the city centre at the age of 23.
Citing Manchester’s multiculturalism and cosmopolitan cultural fabric as a big part of his inspiration, he and his team have ended up carving out this niche for themselves, and now they’ll be playing this beloved music to Mancs at none other than the O2 Ritz.
Credit: KIN Music Entertainment (supplied via Academy Music Group Digital)
With new arrangements inspired by anime, cinematic and videogame culture, not to mention orchestral and even rock crossover twists – including both vocalist and rhythm sections, by the way – it’s set to be a highly unique experience that most will have never come across before.
This event itself is suitable for audiences aged 14+, although under-16s must be accompanied by an adult, and it’s taking place at the Ritz on Sunday, 26 July.
We’re not going to spoil any more details about the show for you, so which particular pieces of pop culture they reference will just have to be a surprise…
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via AMG Digital)
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You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Manchester’s Deansgate
Daisy Jackson
There’s a brand-new menu of smokehouse-style BBQ dishes being served up on a sunny terrace on Deansgate.
Motley, the neighbourhood bar and restaurant on the corner of John Dalton Street, has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen.
That means they’ve got a whole load of new dishes, slow-cooked over hickory wood, that are bringing a taste of a Deep South BBQ to Manchester city centre.
The smokehouse-style meats are all seasoned in-house and cooked for hours, for a perfect fall-off-the-bone experience.
It might be an authentic American smokehouse menu, but it’s firmly British too, with most products locally sourced.
You can now get Deep South-inspired BBQ dishes on Deansgate / Credit: The Manc Group
Motley are calling on local suppliers like Althams Butchers (established since 1856) for their meat, plus greengrocers R Noone and Son, and Cheshire Farm for their real dairy ice cream.
Signature dishes on the new menu at Motley include slow smoked brisket, seasoned in Motley’s signature rub before being slow-smoked for more than eight hours.
There’s also a beef short rib with a chimichurri sauce, and a pork belly strip that’s seasoned with sage and onion and finished with a panko breadcrumb crust.
And for the veggies, there’s a vegan smoked veg kebab with courgette, mushrooms, bell pepper, sweet corn and red onion drizzled with homemade BBQ sauce.
Motley has added an authentic smoker to its kitchen / Credit: The Manc Group
Prices across the board start from just £16, served with beef dripping fries, rainbow slaw, pickles and homemade beef gravy.
As for small plates, you can expect short rib bonbons, homemade corn bread, spicy chicken wings, bang bang cauliflower, mac and cheese, and frickles.
House favourites like steak, vegetable hash, salads, and burgers will remain on the Motley menu.
Victor Gonzalez, food and beverage manager at Motley, said: “Our new signature smoked dishes are all crafted and seasoned in-house then slow cooked for hours over hickory wood to create rich and smoky melt-in-your mouth flavours.
“From our slow-smoked brisket to our home-made sides, everything has been carefully crafted to bring an authentic taste of the deep south to Manchester and we can’t wait for guests to try it.”
Motley can be found at 2 John Dalton Street on the corner of Deansgate in the city centre.
Emily Sergeant -
1st August 2022 
