The historic Plaza variety theatre and super cinema in Stockport town centre are hosting The Stockport Music Story Concert, celebrating the town’s storied musical history from the 1960s all the way up to the present day— and it’s coming next month.
An Art Deco marvel of Greater Manchester, The Plaza has held all manner of shows since it first opened the best part of a century ago, from the classic pantomimes of your childhood days to stand-up, countless movie screenings live music and more taking place within its beautiful walls.
Now though, it is that very same local musical heritage that Stockport‘s premier theatre is focusing on with its latest event, as The Stockport Music Story Concert is set to trace the town’s roots from the glory days of the legendary Strawberry Studios to its present-day heroes like the Blossoms.
As the Plaza put it: “Join us on a musical journey featuring the classic tracks of 10cc, Blossoms, Joy Division, The Beatles, The Hollies, Inspiral Carpets, The Toggery Five, Wimple Winch, Brian & Michael and many more…”
As if this wasn’t already an enticing enough trip through time, this isn’t just a fun Manc music history lesson: there will be performances by local artists including Clint Boon, Fuzzy Sun and Kyla Brox; Pete Maclaine, The Tall Faces, The Maddocks; The Glass Hearts, Joe Beard and Chris Millward from The Purple Gang, as well as Mick and Tim Coleman and Take Note Community Choir.
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The evening will also feature special performances from the children of Vernon Park Primary School, Great Moor Junior School and St Winifred’s School Choir. Wholesome stuff.
Taking place at 7:30pm on Thursday, 14 September, with support from the Arts Council England Lottery Fund in collaboration with Stockport Town of Culture, British Drum Co., Seven Miles Out Records and Stockport Music Map, tickets start from just £13.20. You can grab yours HERE.
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Stockport continues to be on the up — even Andy Burnham knows it.
Featured Image — Wikimedia Commons/Stockport Plaza/The Manc Group
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Robyn: The Sexistential Tour – Co-op Live, Manchester | Review
Lonnie Bowes
There are pop stars, and then there is Robyn.
There’s something about the Co-op Live that still feels new, but last night it felt like it had been waiting for a show like this. The Swedish icon brought her long-awaited Sexistential Tour to Manchester, and from the first beat drop, the arena was hers.
Opening with a wall of robes, strobes and a euphoric rush of synths. Robyn didn’t so much arrive as materialise – already dancing, already fully committed. The production was immense; towering LED rigs, carefully crafted lighting, and a stage that somehow managed to feel intimate despite the sheer scale of the room. It was a proper spectacle.
Images: The Manc Group
The setlist drew from across her catalogue, weaving newer material around the bangers with real care. Honey felt celestial. With Every Heartbeat did what it always does. And when the opening bars of Dancing On My Own finally landed, the roar that met them was something else entirely – the kind that gives you goosebumps on the back of your neck. Even if you’ve heard the song a thousand times it still landed it like it was the first time.
What strikes you most about Robyn, though, isn’t the production or even the songs. It’s how real she seems up there. She throws herself into every lyric, dances like nobody’s watching, and radiates a kind of joy that feels hard-won rather than performed. In an era of very calculated pop, that matters.
The Sexistential Tour is exactly what it promises – big questions about love, loneliness, and what it means to just exist, set to some of the best pop music ever written.
Manchester, she owned us and I think we are all okay with that.
Manchester institution ‘a little emotional’ after receiving a visit from rock icon Hayley Williams
Daisy Jackson
Rock icon Hayley Williams has been spotted shopping at Manchester institution Afflecks.
The legendary independent retail emporium said it was ‘feeling a little emotional’ after its halls were graced with rock royalty.
And not only did the Paramore frontwoman and acclaimed solo singer-songwriter come for a browse, she even gave Afflecks a shout-out on stage later that night.
Hayley Williams headlined two solo shows at Manchester Academy on Monday and Tuesday this week.
The shows are in support of her third studio album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party.
And despite being known globally as one of music’s best lead vocalists, this is actually Hayley Williams’ first solo tour (her previous dates were cancelled because of Covid).
While on stage in front of fans last night, she said: “I’ve learnt some Mancunian, and I’ve been to Afflecks!”
It sounds like she’s as lovely as she is legendary, with Afflecks saying that the star hung around to chat and take photos.
Sharing photos of the star inside the building, Afflecks wrote: “So a very special visitor stopped by Afflecks yesterday…
“A huge thank you to Hayley Williams for taking the time to visit us, say hello, and pose for a photo. She was so super lovely, kind, and welcoming, and to top it all off she even gave Afflecks a shout-out during last night’s show.
“Safe to say we’re feeling a little emotional about it. Thank you again Hayley for supporting Manchester’s small businesses.”
Danny Jones -
14th August 2023 
