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The Manc -
28th April 2020
The Manc -
28th April 2020 What's On
Spooky steam trains will be back travelling through Greater Manchester this Halloween
Emily Sergeant
Spooky season will soon be on its way, and one of Greater Manchester’s most-popular Halloween events is returning.
What’s Halloween without East Lancashire Railway‘s (ELR) eerie ghost trains at this point?
Generally selling out each year, the heritage railway’s Halloween Ghost Trains always prove to be top of the Halloween bucket list for people looking for ‘loads of spooktacular fun’ once the scariest time of year rolls around, and 2025 is expected to be no different – especially as there’s set to be ‘fresh twists and new surprises’ to celebrate ‘Year of the Bat’ this year.
Those brave enough at lending the Monster Squad a helping hand at banishing ghosts and ghouls will be whisked away on a haunted steam engine through the atmospheric Greater Manchester countryside.
You’ll be greeted by legendary monster hunter, Dr Hurtz Von Driver, who’ll first share tales of his terrifying adventures before deciding if you have the right stuff to join the Monster Squad.
If you make it, you’ll then get to join Count Brian the Vampire, his trusted henchman Bogeye, and the rest of the team on a chilling adventure.
In this year’s event, the railway will be transformed with elaborate decorations and eerie lighting, and visitors are encouraged to ensure that ‘no ghouls fly under the radar’.
If you’ve got the guts for the ride of a lifetime, then you’ll first start with a haunted house walkthrough, all before you hop on a 60-minute spooky steam train ride through the Irwell Vale and back.
As you take in the autumn sights and delights of the local countryside out the historic steam train’s windows, there’ll be lots of spooky entertainment and music along the way, and, as it always is each year, screaming and singalongs are to be expected too – and encouraged – as this is all part of the experience.
Families are also encouraged to ‘show off your spookiest fancy dress’ on the day, and if you make it to the end, then a goody bag for every child ‘full of tricks and treats’ awaits.
The Halloween Ghost Trains are happening over an extended weekend in late October to early November, running from Thursday 30 October to Saturday 1 November – and tickets are now on sale starting from just £14 per person.
Read more:
- Scare City returns to abandoned North West theme park for another year of terror this Halloween
- A horror film that’s so scary it made people faint is now available to stream in the UK
- Heaton Park to host dazzling new immersive light trail this winter
Find out more and grab your tickets here.
Featured Image – ELR
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ENHYPEN at AO Arena, Manchester – They really do ‘Go Big or Go Home’
Thomas Melia
K-pop boyband ENHYPEN paid a visit to AO Arena in Manchester for a career-first headline European arena tour titled ‘Walk The Line’.
The music capital of the North had another dose of cultural enrichment from a well-respected K-pop act, four months after Taemin paid a visit to give us some ‘Advice’.
Last night marked K-pop group ENHYPEN’s first-ever visit to Manchester, the UK and Europe as a whole, so it was no surprise the crowd was ready to get ‘Loose’ as they took to AO Arena.
The lights dimmed, the fans screamed, and it had finally dawned on Manchester that it was officially ‘En-O’Clock.‘
It’s a bouncy bassline, synth-stinted number also known as ‘Brought The Heat Back’ that kicks the show off, and on a day when our city was surprisingly warm, this three-minute performance was very fitting.
‘Future Perfect (Pass the MIC)’ had the crowd quite literally jumping for joy, ‘Given-Taken’ saw a similar response, while a personal highlight was ‘Bite Me’.
With lyrics like “Come here and get some” and “Just come over and bite me”, this song follows a perfect pure-pop formula that works every time; it’s hard to ignore.
‘Your Eyes Only’, which makes reference to the previous hit “You can bite me / You can play me”. Did we like this song? “Ya, ya, ya, ya, ya” we did.
Disco belter ‘Sweet Venom’ had the crowd captivated for just under three minutes with its “Swe-hee-hee-t” earworm lyrics in every chorus.
An extended electronic synth introduction plays out as the staggered-vocal single, ‘XO (Only If You Say Yes)’ begins, and it’s easy to see why this is a fan favourite.
Whether it’s the fact that it has an easy-to-follow but incredibly addictive chorus or due to it featuring on the soundtrack for the Netflix rom-com and To All The Boys I Loved Before spin-off, XO, Kitty.
Following this was the 2010s-reminiscent ‘Bad Desire (With or Without You)’, which felt like a callback to ex-boyband star Justin Timberlake and his return with magnum opus ‘Mirrors’.
This song warranted such a roar of cheers and applause that the band decided to give it a second play later in the set, although this time they opted for the English version, which was equally appreciated.
During interactions with fans between songs, ENHYPEN discuss what they recognise Manchester for, stating, “This city is really famous for its football”.
Instead of declaring their support for the reds or blues, the band opted for a smart and conscious, “We’ll leave it there” – well played, boys.
‘Paranormal’ signalled that this night of incredible dance-packaged music was coming to an end, but ENHYPEN’s version of an encore is much different to any other musical act.
These seven singing sensations decided to play not just one or two songs before saying goodbye to the Manchester crowd, they opted for five plus – phenomenal.
Read more:
- TikTok star turned pop star Addison Rae announces gig in Manchester
- US rising star Reneé Rapp announces huge Manchester arena gig as part of European tour
- The top 13 biggest gigs in Manchester music history
Closing the show with a song aptly titled, ‘Go Big or Go Home’, it’s safe to say the crowd at AO Arena in Manchester certainly got the memo.
We’re slowly getting into the K-pop hype, and in the meantime, feel free to give us more boy bands like we’re still in the ’90s/Noughties.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images – BELIFT LAB (via Supplied)
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