City centre food hall, supermarket and entertainment space Hello Oriental is hosting a huge Hip Hop Karaoke event later this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the beloved music genre. Hip hop, karaoke and scran? Dreamland stuff.
Serving up everything from pan-Asian street food to fresh baked goods, cocktails and more, Hello Oriental is now mixing up its already stellar lineup of Sunday brunch events for 2023 with this cool live music new concept — and you know full well you’re getting involved.
Hip Hop Karaoke, founded by DJ Rob Pursey with host Bobby Champagne Jr and a team of seasoned hip-hop aficionados, has helped thousands live out their rap fantasies over the last decade.
After first launching at Boxpark in London back in 2001 and appearing at numerous festivals and venues worldwide, these two hip-hop pros are now bringing the renowned brand to Manchester to celebrate 50 years since the genre took the music world by storm back in the ’70s.
Credit: The Manc Group
Taking place on the popular Circle Square spot on Sunday, 1 October 2023, there’ll be hundreds of songs to choose from. Whether it’s old-school bangers from the 80s and 90s, or the latest joints from Drake, J. Cole or Kendrick Lamar, there’ll be something in the playlist for your to belt out.
ADVERTISEMENT
‘Regulate’, Nate Dogg and Warren G is our pick — simply has to be done.
Describing what you can expect from the event, co-founder Pursey, says: “Hip Hop Karaoke is a euphoric, addictive experience and definitely something to cross off the bucket list. It’s your chance to experience what it’s like to feel real crowd energy as they take on the rhymes of their favourite rappers.”
ADVERTISEMENT
If you weren’t sold already, here’s what a typical Hip Hop Karaoke night looks like:
Hip Hop Karaoke will obviously be prioritising getting people on their feet early doors and making sure brunchers get up on stage to deliver their flawless bars in front of their adoring fans, but there’ll also be the usual food and drink vendors available on the day.
From noodles, Chinese roasts with rice, bao buns, dumplings and countless other items on the menu, you’ll be as spoilt for choice on food as you will be with the tunes.
ADVERTISEMENT
Tickets go on sale from 20 August and you can sign up for the mailing list to hear about the first release and to make sure your name is first on the karaoke call sheet.
As for how long this party is going to go on, well, that’s up to you now, isn’t it?
Featured Image — The Manc Group/Hip Hop Karaoke (via Instagram)
Eats
New pie shop with Indian-inspired fillings opens at Greater Manchester train station
Emily Sergeant
At long last, Patel’s Pies – the proper pie shop with Indian-inspired fillings – has got its very own site, and we couldn’t be happier about it.
The business is already a familiar name (to the blue half of the city, of course) thanks to its matchday spot outside the Etihad Stadium, but now, Patel’s Pies will be serving its delicious savoury bakes to the people of the Heatons too – with its brand-new pie shop now opene at Heaton Chapel train station.
Here you’ll find their legendary curry pies with homemade pastry – filled with the likes of keema, butter chicken, and beef madras.
You can grab hot and cold pies to take away, all setting you back an affordable £5.95 each.
Patel’s Pies is now open at Heaton Chapel train station / Credit: The Manc Group
From 11am-2pm, you can also get your hands on the lunch deal, which is any pie, masala mash, spiced mushy peas, and gunpowder gravy.
Patel’s Pies has teamed up with Manc legends Gooey, so you can grab the bakery’s famous cookies and doughnuts here too.
There’ll also be local beers and canned drinks up for grabs.
All pies will set you back an affordable £5.95 each / Credit: The Manc Group
Inside, the shop keeps things traditional, complete with classic pie warmers on the counter and hand-painted signage by Cactus Sign Painting, giving the space the feel of a proper old-school pie shop with a modern twist.
Announcing the new venture, Steve, the owner of Patel’s Pies has said: “We’d love for you to come down, say hello, and support our new venture. It’s our very first day, so please bear with us as we get settled in, we can’t wait to serve you all.”
Patel’s Pies is open now at Heaton Chapel Train Station on Tatton Road South.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Eats
Trendy Ancoats wine bar Blossom Street Social to close after six years
Emily Sergeant
Trendy neighbourhood wine bar Blossom Street Social has announced its closure after nearly seven years serving the Ancoats community.
Blossom Street Social first opened its doors back in 2019, just months before the country – and the res of the world – was plunged into the COVID-19 lockdowns, but despite all the challenges during the early days, this wine bar went on to become a true staple of Ancoats life – hosting events, exhibitions, wine tastings, and everything in between.
But now, the owners have had to make the heartbreaking decision to close, saying they’ve ‘danced our last dance, played our last record, and poured our last glass of wine in Ancoats.’
Announcing the news in a statement to social media this week, Blossom Street Social said: “Blossom Street Social closes its doors after six and a half years at the heart of the Ancoats community.
Blossom Street Social has announced its closure after six years / Credit: The Manc Group
“When we opened in 2019, just months before the world changed forever, we couldn’t possibly have imagined the journey ahead. Through lockdowns, uncertainty and everything that followed, we somehow managed to build something that became far more than a wine bar.
“Wine was always at the heart of what we did, but so were the conversations, the music, the art and the community that grew around it.
“We’ve hosted tastings, exhibitions, launches, celebrations, social sessions and countless memorable nights. We’ve introduced people to wines they’d never tried before, watched friendships form and shared in some truly special moments.
“We’ve watched first dates become engagements, engagements become marriages, and couples return with babies in tow. We’ve celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, new homes and countless milestones alongside you. We’ve shared conversations, laughter, music and moments that mattered from our little corner of Ancoats. We will never forget them.”
The team then went on to thank ‘every customer, artist, DJ, supplier, collaborator and friend’ who became part of their story.
The owners also gave a special thank you to the staff members who stayed ‘to the very end’ and ‘showed up when it was hard’, admitting that they couldn’t have done it without them all.
Danny Jones -
7th August 2023 
