We’re into our first full week of February now, and there’s so much to getting up to across the region and beyond.
Sure, January was a bit of a slog… but now that a fresh new month has graced us with its presence, the Greater Manchester social calendar is really starting to become packed full of a wide range of events and activities you can get yourselves stuck into over the coming weeks.
If you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do, we’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide this week.
Here’s some of our recommendations.
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Manchester Open Exhibition 2024
HOME
Monday 5 February – 28 April
Manchester Open Exhibition 2024 / Credit: HOME
Manchester Open Exhibition is back for the third time in our city.
Taking place every two years down at HOME, the Open Exhibition is the biggest celebration of Greater Manchester’s creative talent, and sees HOME’s Gallery walls filled with 480 artworks created by the people of our region that have been specially-selected by a panel consisting of art experts and community representatives.
Open to all, the Exhibition brings together artwork including paintings, prints, photography, sculpture, ceramics, digital and mixed media, video, audio, and so much more.
Hamilton: The Story of Tonight / Credit: Danny Kaan (via Supplied)
Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is celebrating Manchester hosting the multi award-winning cultural phenomenon Hamilton for the very first time with a photography exhibition showcasing moments both on and off stage.
Open for free to the general public until the end of February, Hamilton: The Story of Tonight offers a glimpse into the journey of the musical that captured the imaginations of audiences in our city.
20 photographs taken by Hamilton’s production photographer, Danny Kaan, are currently on show.
Did you know there’s a huge gaming event currently happening in Manchester?
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP is back for more in 2024 down at the Science and Industry Museum, and it’s taking ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming every weekend.
There’s everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more to get stuck into, and each ticket includes unlimited play all day.
It’s that time once again… the Six Nations is back.
With the international rugby tournament having officially kicked-off last Friday (2 February), we thought it would be only right to put together a list of the very best places in Greater Manchester to head on down to and catch a game.
After all, we don’t want you scrambling around to find places showing the action, we just want you to sit back and enjoy the games.
Read our round-up of the best places to watch the Six Nations here.
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Did you know there’s currently 15,000 free cinema tickets up for grabs this month?
It’s all part of Escapes – a new project supported by the British Film Institute (BFI) and National Lottery funding that’s giving everyone the opportunity to “enjoy the big screen experience” and “discover independent cinema”.
The thousands of tickets are now available across the UK for completely free of charge, and there’s a handful of Greater Manchester cinemas taking part.
Escapes / Credit: Unsplash | A24
So whether you’re someone who prioritises a trip to the cinema, someone who treasures a visit but only on a special occasion, or someone who’s just keen to discover more, there’s a free ticket to see brand-new wrestling biopic film, The Iron Claw, with your name on it
Back by popular demand, The Black Friar’s ‘Pie Festival’ has returned for 2024.
There’s nothing that sounds more inviting on a cold January evening than a lovely warming pie, right? So when we heard that The Black Friar’s now-annual Pie Festival was making a 2024 comeback, we have no shame in admitting we did a little dance.
Now in its third edition, the Salford restaurant has brought back the parade of meat and gravy, sweet and savoury, and all things pie and pastry-encrusted – with something for everyone on the menu.
Best of all, not only are there some enticing flavours on offer, but they’re also only £10 each.
Madagascar The Musical has arrived in Manchester this week.
Based on the DreamWorks animated film of the same name, Madagascar The Musical invites audiences along on a journey with “all of your favourite crack-a-lackin’ friends” as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves on an unexpected journey to “the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar”.
The show will be taking to the iconic Manchester Opera House stage from Thursday 8 – Sunday 11 February, and there’s still a few tickets up for grabs if you fancy it.
Chinese New Year 2024 / Credit: Fabio De Paola / PA Wire (via Supplied) | CityCo & Manchester BID
The legendary Dragon Parade is set to make its way through the city centre once again this weekend, as Manchester gets ready to celebrate Chinese New Year 2024.
Marking what will actually be the ‘Year of the Dragon’ itself, there arguably couldn’t be a better time for the city’s iconic and Dragon Parade to make a return to the streets of our city, and bring a spectacular show of colour and light along with it.
Not only that, but Chinatown will be home to a live performance stage, a fun fair, and loads of stalls serving up tasty and authentic street food across the weekend too, while Manchester’s famous traditional red lanterns can also be seen adorning trees all around town.
You can find out more about everything happening for Chinese New Year this year here.
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00s Brunch
Brickhouse Social
Saturday 10 February
00s Brunch / Credit: Brickhouse Social
Brickhouse Social has announced that it 00s-themed brunch is back by popular demand.
The Manchester social hub is inviting music lovers down to enjoy 90-minutes of bottomless pizza slices, fizz, bottled beers, and select cocktails on its ooftop terrace every Saturday over the nexr couple of months – with a resident DJ playing all the best tunes from the 2000’s.
Tickets will set you back £33pp, and there’s two Brunch sittings available, so you can opt for 1-3pm, or 3:30-5:30pm.
Fancy watching the Super Bowl this weekend, and want somewhere to catch all the action in Manchester?
This Sunday is officially ‘Super Bowl Sunday’ for NFL fans.
Super Bowl LVIII is officially happening this Sunday 11 February, and with the NFL scene getting bigger in the UK each year, it’s understandable that more and more Mancs are getting keen to watch the action live into the early hours of the morning.
But, first things first… you’ve got to pick where you want to be come kick-off.
Luckily, there are a whole host of sports bars in Manchester city centre that will be showing Super Bowl LVIII right through till it finishes at around 3am UK time, and we’ve picked about a dozen places you can hunker down with some good grub and plenty of pints to watch it.
Read our round-up of the best places to watch Super Bowl LVIII here.
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Featured Image – HOME | Fabio De Paola / PA Wire (via Supplied)
What's On
New app launches taking music fans on an immersive AR tour around Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The history of Manchester’s globally-renowned music scene is now being celebrated through the launch of a unique new app.
Manchester Music Mooch is an app that takes you on an immersive journey of the city’s iconic musical heritage locations, all while giving emerging artists a platform to shine.
Made possible through The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, and by using the power of Augmented Reality (AR), the app takes music lovers on an interactive trail across five grassroots music destinations.
The app was created by MediaCity-based Dig Media and award-winning app developers, ArcadeXR, ahead of an expected 1.3 million music tourists arriving in Manchester this summer.
It was developed in collaboration with Manchester Digital Music Archive, Salford University, Toasted Productions, and the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), as well as with support by Visit Manchester and ABID.
Some of the famous grassroots music sites featured on the toor included like Tony Wilson Place, Band on the Wall, Fat City Records, and the Roadhouse.
Influential music spots in the Oxford Road Corridor like Manchester Academy, Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), and the former BBC building, can also be explored on the tour, as well as influential clubs in the Gay Village.
Loads of well-known and upcoming musical names will be providing the narrative for the tour along the way, such as DJ Paulette, Rowetta, Luke Una, and even Middleton-born singer songwriter JP Cooper.
A new app has launched and it’s taking music fans on an immersive AR tour around Manchester / Credit: Supplied
The app’s launch comes as the city celebrates a sensational summer of live music, with a whole series of music-themed activities taking place across the city as part of Manchester City Council’s MCR Live ’25 campaign – including Wild In Art’s Music for the Senses art trail.
“Manchester’s music history is globally renowned, but the city often struggles to convey its story cohesively,” commented Simon Marsland, who is the founder of app creators, Dig Media.
“With Dig Media’s expertise in media production, archiving and technology, alongside extensive local and international music networks, we’re spearheading a resilient way of sharing Manchester’s musical legacy never done before.”
The Maccabees’ Orlando Weeks on Gavin and Stacey, Glastonbury and comeback tour
Thomas Melia
UK indie band The Maccabees announced their comeback tour earlier this year alongside a very impressive All Points East headline date.
Since rocking into the music scene in 2007, The Maccabees have a Mercury Prize nomination to their name as well as three UK top 40 singles and one chart-topping album ‘Marks To Prove It’.
Just last year, the band ingrained themselves into UK pop culture for eternity thanks to the inclusion of their single ‘Pelican’ in the finale of the much-loved TV classic Gavin and Stacey.
The Maccabees have been a staple in British culture and indie music alike, and it’s safe to say fans were overjoyed when the news of a comeback tour was announced.
The Maccabees are coming to O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester on 21 and 22 August.
After nearly a decade apart, the lads are ready to hit the road again with a string of UK tour dates, which are in preparation for their huge All Points East headline date at the end of August.
Lead vocalist for The Maccabees, Orlando Weeks, sat down with us to talk reuniting with fellow bandmates after almost a decade, as well as all things Glastonbury and the upcoming All Points East headline slot.
Orlando Weeks from The Maccabees | The Interview
The Maccabees have played Manchester almost 20 times since entering the music scene in 2007. What is it about our Manc crowds that keeps pulling you back?
Manchester has a musical heritage, which means there are enough venues that we can come back to so many times and people not be sick of us. The crowds are great, it’s always a good gig and always a good night out.
Having that kind of heritage and pride in your city makes it the kind of place [bands] want to come back to.
This will be the band’s first time playing O2 Victoria Warehouse, and after playing a variety of Manchester City centre music venues, how excited are you to be playing this one for the first time?
I’ve had friends that’ve played it, and everyone said that it’s a good gig. I have no doubt it’ll be good.
Due to incredible demand, you’ve had to add a second date after the first show sold out – what’s it like for you hearing news like this?
The original offer for us was to play All Points East, and so when we got that, it made up our minds to play these summer shows.
Getting to play once in Manchester will set us up [for this headline slot], and getting to play twice will set us up even better. I love being in Manchester anyway, so to have a little bit longer to have a wander and a drink is great.
What was it like getting back into the rehearsal process with the rest of the band after nearly 10 years of not performing or touring together?
It’s very odd how powerful muscle memory is. It’s crazy how quickly all of the songs, structures and playing came back to us.
When we used to play, I invented so many completely useless little triggers for me to help remember lyrics or a chorus that I’d get stuck on, and I still remember those foot taps and placements that bring it all back.
Felix [White] boasted before we even started rehearsing that he remembered everything off by heart, and he could go straight into a gig. To be fair to him, it’s amazing how much his brain has retained.
At your first show in nearly a decade at The Dome in London, you created artwork to raise funds for theMS (Multiple Sclerosis) Society. Will fans be able to buy your artwork and support this charity at both the Manchester dates?
There will be an MS charity stall as well as one for Doctors Without Borders. If you’re reading this or coming to either of the gigs and have anything that you can contribute to either of those charities, then we as a band would be extremely grateful.
This 2025 tour sees support from indie rock band, Sorry – how excited are you to head out on the road with this talented group?
The Maccabees have always been very lucky to travel around the world with other bands who are amazing, and Sorry are definitely part of that list.
You have a reason to get down early, because if you’re a fan of The Macs, you’ll be a fan of Sorry. I can guarantee that you’ll have a good time.
The Maccabees are taking part in some of the biggest events in the British music calendar[Glastonbury, All Points East]. How does it feel to have such immense support nearly 20 years into your career?
20 years in and 10 years off. There are a few people who aren’t in the band but have been such a big part of it, even through the 10 years that we weren’t really doing anything. They would say if you ever did wanna do something, there’ll be people there.
I just didn’t know that [The Macabees reunion] would be as popular as it has been. It’s very hard to explain or get your head around, really.
On the topic of Glasto, how surreal was it to be playing this major music festival for the third time?
I think we’ve been at least four times, maybe five times.
Headlining ‘The Park’ stage was special, and it was also the first time my son came and saw me on a stage singing. It was a great ‘take your son to Work Day’. We had Florence [Welch] coming out and singing with us, too.
I’ll remember all of The Maccabees’ Glastonbury experiences, but I think that’s the one I’ll hold onto for the longest.
Speaking of surreal moments, your song ‘Pelican’ featured in the finale of British favourite, Gavin and Stacey. How did this opportunity come about?
I think Matt might’ve texted me, but it was Christmas and I was swept up in all sorts of celebrations. We got a lot of messages after it aired because an insane number of people watch the show.
It’s all thanks to James Corden and Matt Horne, who have always been fans from early on. It was very flattering and very nice to be part of [Gavin and Stacey].
And finally, after playing Manchester so many times, are there any shops or special spots that you always make sure to visit when you’re in the city?
I remember when we were in Manchester last time for ‘The Farewell’ tour, I’d started running by then – and I loved the canals.
Usually, I defer to local friends and I’ll just let them take me to whichever pub or place they recommend – Wherever they go, I go.
The Maccabees are set to play two nights at O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, and there are still tickets available for their second date HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd February 2024 
