Parklife has just dropped the line-up for this year’s festival, with some absolutely massive names heading to Heaton Park in 2023.
The much-loved local festival will be welcoming headline performances from local boys The 1975, plus Moston’s very Aitch.
One of this year’s most-talked-about producers, Fred Again, is also among the headliners, plus all-time greats The Prodigy.
Parklife 2023 will also see Mercury-Prize winning Little Simz performing.
There’ll be an iconic collaborative show from hip-hop pioneers Wu Tang Clan + Nas: NY State Of Mind, playing together for the first time on stage in the UK.
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Parklife 2022. Credit: Jody Hartley
Every year, Parklife attracts tens of thousands of music-lovers to Heaton Park for a weekend of live music and the biggest names in dance, electronic and hip-hop.
This year’s event is set to take place on 10 and 11 June.
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Parklife will be expanded to 10 stages in 2023, with takeovers from the likes of Glitterbox, XXL, BBC Radio 1 Dance, DnB All Stars, Worried About Henry and more.
Looking ahead to his first major UK Festival Headline performance, Aitch says: “Buzzin to be headlining Parklife this year! It’s been one of my main goals since I started music so for it to be happening now at this point is unreal. I don’t care what happens after this, I’m happy.”
The Parklife 2023 line-up also includes performances from NxWorries (Anderson Paak. & Knxwledge), Skrillex, Becky Hill, Raye, Peggy Gou, an exclusive Michael Bibi b2b Jamie Jones set, Rudimental (Live), Self Esteem, Chase & Status (DJ), Confidence Man, FLO, Carl Cox, Overmono, Jon Hopkins, Nia Archives, Andy C, Annie Mac, Eliza Rose, LF System, Honey Dijon, JYOTY, JPEGMAFIA, Knucks, Shygirl, Mall Grab, Fisher, DJ EZ, The Blessed Madonna, Charlotte De Witte, Mimi Webb, Meekz, Hybrid Minds, TSHA and many more.
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More than 200,000 people have registered for pre-sale, which will begin at 10am on Thursday 2 February.
Any remaining tickets will go on sale at 10am on Friday 3 February.
Day tickets are priced from £85 plus booking fee, with full weekend tickets at £129.50 plus booking fee.
For more information and to get tickets, head to parklife.uk.com.
Featured image: Anthony Mooney
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Local music student issues appeal over stolen saxophones just months after graduation
Danny Jones
A local music student has issued a heartbreaking appeal after two of his saxophones, one of which possessed a deep sentimental attachment, were stolen in Manchester not long after graduating from his degree.
Conor Parker-Delves, who only recently finished his undergrad degree at the Royal Northern College of Music, has dreams of performing professionally, but a sad twist of fate now means that he’s currently without the key tool he needs to make a living.
Having worked so hard up to this point in completing his studies, the 22-year-old was left gutted when the pair of extremely valuable instruments were stolen from his car after parking it in the Longsight area.
The still green graduate believes the items were originally kept at an address just south of Whitworth Park, along with some of his other stolen belongings, which he says were nearly resold on the high street in Moss Side.
Credit: Handouts (via Conor Parker-Delves)
What’s more is that one of these saxes belonged to his late granddad on his mother’s side, who sadly died when he was very young, and he’s been proudly playing it throughout his childhood. A gut-wrenching loss not just for him but for his family.
Speaking to The Manc, he said: “I have played on that sax ever since his passing and have kept the legacy alive. Losing this sax means losing him, and I am going to fight against this as hard as I can for as long as I can.”
A worn silver Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone (serial number: 240580) and a tenor sax of the same brand (SN: 91928) are estimated to be worth a combined £12,000 – funds a fresh graduate like Conor simply doesn’t have.
Given the connection to his grandad, it’s safe to say that he’s not ready to give up and say goodbye to the priceless heirloom, and being stuck without any means of playing is just cruel.
Unfortunately, Greater Manchester Police have already closed the case despite a “promising lead” that looks to have been exhausted, and now he’s been left with no other option than to issue a renewed appeal to the public.
It may only be a slim chance, but the London-born aspiring musician is hoping that the woodwind duo can be recovered, acknowledging that it is “much easier for the saxes to be handed in if they are come across” rather than be replaced.
Things are hard enough for artists these days as it is, especially those who have already spent their time and money uprooting their lives and moving to a big new city like Manchester.
We encourage anyone with any potentially useful information to get in touch and/or report to GMP online, via the non-emergency 101 number, or get in touch with Crimestoppers anonymously.
Fingers crossed we can get the tools of Conor’s craft and his grandfather’s before him back safe and sound – can you help?
Yet another major Deansgate Locks nightlife spot has closed in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Deansgate Locks is set to lose yet another of its nightlife spots, with Ark confirming it will be shutting its doors ‘within weeks’.
The multi-room, multi-storey, multi-genre nightclub has been part of the canalside development for more than a decade, having first opened back in 2014.
At that time, Deansgate Locks was arguably Manchester’s leading nightlife destination, drawing hundreds of students and party-goers to its mix of venues.
The railway arches have been home to iconic clubs and bars including Baa Bar, Lola Lo, Revolution, and Sugar Buddha, as well as The Comedy Store.
But with news that Ark Manchester is closing too, it leaves only Popworld left at what was previously one of the city’s hottest destinations.
In a statement shared with the Manchester Evening News, a spokesperson for Stonegate said: “The hospitality sector continues to face significant challenges.
Ark Manchester will be closing for goodIt leaves Deansgate Locks with just one venue
“After careful consideration, and despite our best efforts, Ark Manchester is no longer commercially viable and we have taken the difficult decision to close the venue.
“Our priority is to support our hard‑working team during this time, and we would like to thank them for their commitment and dedication. We would also like to thank our guests and the local community for their support over the years.”
It’s believed that Ark Manchester will close on Deansgate Locks in the next few weeks.
Daisy Jackson -
1st February 2023 
