UK and Manchester nightlife institution, The Warehouse Project, has announced its first-ever international event series and it’s shaping up to be truly unforgettable.
The iconic Manc music series and collection of club nights is now entering its 17th anniversary and after delivering a truly wonderful comeback calendar in 2022 (their first full year back at it post-pandemic), The Warehouse Project is now taking their legendary brand on the road — or, more accurately, overseas.
Officially detailed earlier this month, Warehouse Project Rotterdam is set to take place from Friday, 28-Sunday, 30 April and much like its home here in Manchester, WHP RDM will be taking place a massive disused warehouse currently being kitted out with all the necessary facilities to put on an amazing night.
Popping up in RDM Rotterdam, the largest pre-WWII shipbuilding and repair facility in the Netherlands and one of the biggest in Europe, you can already see how insane this place is going to look.
People are already starting to secure their tickets for the massive inaugural event, with weekend passes from £150 and full three-day package deals also available from £299 per person and final accommodation packages on sale now.
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WHP are also helping punters sort both payment and travel plans. Train and coach operators are offering pick-ups from £90 and can be booked direct; plus, return flights start from around £100 with routes to Rotterdam, Amsterdam Schipol (then a short 20-minute train) and Eindhoven (plus 1-hour train) now available. Again, all more than reasonable given the value of the overall package you’re getting.
With massive artists like DJ EZ, Kerri Chandler, Peggy Gou, Seth Troxler and even a Bicep DJ set included among the long list of acts, not to mention several special guests still yet to be unveiled, WHP RDM isn’t just their flagship international event, it could go down as one of their greatest ever.
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Just look at that line-up. Get us to Holland right now.
Better still, a series of boat parties and general after-parties organised alongside nightlife institutions Toffler and 360 Degrees have also been announced to pack out the bank holiday weekend with non-stop action, including sets from Interplanetary Criminal and much-loved Dutch DJ, Luuk Van Djik.
To be honest, we’re not fully sure we’re even ready for how incredible this weekend is going to be but one thing is for sure, there is no way this will be Warehouse Project’s last international event.
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Dubbed as the next must-visit destination in Europe, Rotterdam has lots in common with Manchester, from its rich industrial past, legendary status dance and club culture; urban design and architecture, and, of course, its trademark waterways. We couldn’t think of a better way to take WHP global.
You can secure your spot at Warehouse Project Rotterdam now by paying a £50 deposit HERE. This is going to be something special.
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.
Danny Jones -
28th February 2023 
