A group of partygoers with a “genius” hack to help their friend get around the dress code at one of Manchester’s most popular bars have gone viral on social media.
In the short 14-second clip – which was posted to video-sharing platform TikTok by photographer and videographer Rachael Silvester (@rachsilvester) yesterday – one of the lads from the group appeared to have been denied entry to the city centre nightlife spot due to wearing a pair of white trainers that were not deemed suitable for the venue’s dress code.
After he was refused entry to the bar, one of the other members from the group of clever clubbers took her black socks off and helped to pull the socks over his trainers until it looked like he was wearing a completely different pair of shoes.
At the end of the video, the lad appears to have successfully got passed the bouncers and can be seen dancing the night away in his ‘new’ shoes.
The video caption read: “When the bouncers didn’t let you in because you wore white trainers.”
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Although the the name of the venue was not revealed in the video itself, many locals identified the venue as the Manchester branch of popular restaurant and bar chain Revolucion de Cuba on Peter Street, and this was later confirmed by Rachael in the comments several times.
In less than 24-hours since posting, the video has racked up over one million views and close to 300 comments on TikTok.
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A group of partygoers with a “genius” hack to help their friend get around the dress code / Credit: TikTok (Rachael Silvester – @rachsilvester)
The hack has been called “genius”, “iconic”, and the ideal example of “friendship” in the comments under the video, alongside people who couldn’t believe the hack actually worked, and others who just don’t understand why certain footwear denies entry.
One TikTok user asked: “Wth is wrong with white trainers?”, which got over 60 replies from other people also not seeing the issue.
Other people were quick to point out however that the hack is not necessarily new, with one person commenting: “Did this roughly about 20 years ago, so glad to see it still works.”, and another added: “I remember my husband doing this in the 90s and 00s.”
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“Oldest trick in the book,” another commented.
Another handful of comments also likened the situation to a scene from an episode of iconic 00s sitcom The Inbetweeners, where Simon is refused entry to a nightclub because of his trainers and ends up swapping them with a homeless person so he could get in.
“Should have found a homeless person to swap with,” one personal comically commented.
The venue was identified as the Manchester branch of popular restaurant and bar chain Revolucion de Cuba / Credit: Revolucion de Cuba Manchester
After it was confirmed that the venue in question was Revolucion de Cuba, lots of other people commented that they have too been in the exact same situation before, and one person even said: “Revs de Cuba has to be the only place in Manchester that still has this Stone Age policy.”
Regarding dress code in the venue, a statement on Revolucion de Cuba’s website reads: “A good night out is about feeling great and looking glamorous, so get your glad rags on. It’s a smart affair, so we’d just ask you to avoid casual garments such as sportswear, vests and fancy dress. We also want to see some fancy footwork from you, so leave behind the trainers, pumps and branded footwear and bring along your dancing shoes.
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“Joking aside – we operate a strict door policy and thus reserve the right to refuse entry if we feel you do not meet the dress code.”
So, you can’t say they weren’t warned.
Featured Image – TikTok (Rachael Silvester – @rachsilvester)
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Neighbourhood Festival’s return to the city centre is looking great with after revealing second wave
Danny Jones
Neighbourhood Festival’s city centre all-dayer is returning to Manchester for 2026 after a year off, and with the second wave of the lineup having just dropped, it’s looking very promising.
Following teasers over the past month or so, it didn’t take long for us to figure out that NBHD Festival was coming back, especially with the Weekender in Warrington having taken a similar hiatus in 2024.
However, when festivals like these take time out, it can be easy to worry whether or not they’ll lose momentum or come back stronger.
Judging by this follow-up batch of acts alone, there’s no doubt NBHD Fest ’26 will be another cracker.
As you can see, as well as the fast-rising grungey alternative and garage rock quartet, KEO, being announced as one of the first big hitters on the list, there are some other familiar names on the lineup.
Especially for us Mancs.
With both Bolton and Altrincham youngsters, Florentenes and The Guest List, both joining the roster, as well as the likes of Bury-born ‘rockabilly’ revivalist Elliot James Reay also featuring on there, there’s a good deal of local talent to be enjoyed as always.
That goes for the regional delegation in general, too, with the likes of Jos River heading back up this way from her base in London, and Leeds’ fittingly named indie four-piece, The North, also booking a slot.
We’ll admit there are plenty of bands and artists coming up from the capital for the all-day festival, but at least they know where the UK’s real home of music is.
For instance, we’re buzzing to see the Red Rum Club boys returning to the NBHD stage once again – they never disappoint, and there are so many other guaranteed top performers on the bill. And that was just this year’s Weekener…
It’s worth reminding, once again, that since its inception in 2016 (yes, it really has been a decade now), Neighbourhood Fest has continued to serve as a proper launchpad for the next wave of superstars, not just here in the North West but across the country.
We still remember seeing the likes of Sam Fender, Holly Humberstone, Declan McKenna, Mahalia, The Lathums and more – some for the very first time – on these city centre stages, and it’s crazy to see how big some of them have gone on to become.
Set to take over some of Manchester’s most iconic venues along the Oxford Road Corridor once again, this is, without a doubt, one of the best dates for independents on the annual live music calendar.
Hosting a total of 11 stages on Saturday, 17 October, for a full day of live music, tickets for this year’s Neighbourhood Festival are on sale now right HERE.
And if you’ve already sorted yours, why not read our review of NBHD Weekender ’26 down below to get you in the mood for the next two editions.
Major DJ forced to pull out of Parklife festival on doctor’s orders
Thomas Melia
A well-known techno and trance DJ will no longer be playing at Parklife this weekend, he’s announced, with just one day to go until his major set.
Anyone heading to Heaton Park over the weekend for Manchester-based festival, Parklife, may notice the lineup looks a little different after one distinctive DJ has pulled out due to doctor’s orders.
Marlon Hoffstadt, who also goes by the moniker ‘DJ Daddy Trance’, was expected to play out on the Matinée stage on Saturday 20 June from 6.30pm – 8pm.
The Germany-based act was taking to the decks right before Manchester’s own Morgan Seatree, who has become recognised for his material which is an ode to house music and is likely to be one of the busiest sets of the weekend.
Hoffstadt had two gigs this weekend; the first being Parklife in Manchester and the second Fête de la Musique in Paris, both of which he has since pulled out of in a newly-published social media announcement.
The Berlin-born music maker has reluctantly called off these upcoming appearances and justified his decision by saying: “As much as I hate missing shows, I need to put my recovery first”.
To much dismay, Hoffstadt received doctor’s advice who deemed him ‘currently not fit to fly’ following surgery, urging him to rest and recover.
Marlon posted today: “I’m so sad to have to share this, but unfortunately I won’t be able to play Parklife in Manchester and Fête de la Musique in Paris this weekend.
“I recently had a surgery and, following my doctor’s advice, I’m currently not fit to fly and need rest and recover.
“I know many of you made plans and were looking forward to it, and I’m so sorry to let you down.
“As much as I hate missing shows, I need to put my recovery first so I can get back to doing what I love as soon as possible.”
As much as the presence of this world-class performer will be missed, there’s still plenty of notable names set to make their mark on Parklife including Zara Larsson, Calvin Harris, Skepta and more.
The outdoor big music weekender has established itself as a rave haven with mainly dance artists and DJs making up its lineup through a variety of curated b2b sets and live performances.
If you’re after immersing yourself in some jungle music, Bradford-native Nia Archives will have you transfixed over at The Valley with her jungle-heavy tunes from 6.30pm – 7.30pm or there’s three more stages to take your pick from.
We’re sure that anyone eager to see the ‘Hands Up In The Sky’ producer live may be frustrated by this brand-new social media announcement however as Hoffstadt mentions it’s so he can “Get back to doing what I love as soon as possible”.