Best known for unique house, minimal sound and groove-fuelled parties, the local label is partnering with one of the city’s leading mental health charities to raise funds at a time when mental health has never been so important.
According to ONS figures, more than 42 per cent of people said their mental health has suffered during the pandemic.
Off the back of yet another lockdown, there are concerns these figures may not improve.
So, with the damaging impacts that lockdown has had on people’s wellbeing, it’s vital that charities like Mind can continue to provide the support they do.
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Whilst we’re getting more and more reminders to check up on our loved ones throughout the pandemic, the Animal Crossing team are encouraging us to take a minute to think about others, too.
With their livestream at the weekend, the boys hope to raise some cash and awareness whilst having a lil’ boogie at the same time.
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The Animal Crossing crew will be joined by Michael James, Motus DJs and You&Me’s Josh Baker for 12 hours of vibes, direct from their brand-new never-before-seen venue The Loft.
To mark the occasion, they’ve also launched a limited-edition fundraiser t-shirt featuring those iconic Animal Crossing graphics.
The design highlights the idea that people may be struggling behind the smile they might put on.
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All profits will be donated to Mind – and you can grab one here.
Animal Crossing’s Olli Ryder said: “The question is: ‘how are you today?’
“A message to friends and family that is too often forgotten, yet the current impact has more meaning than you can ever appreciate.
“A spare moment from your day can change someone else’s for the better.”
Catch the main event on Saturday 28 November from 12pm – 12am over on the Animal Crossing Facebook and YouTube channels.
Most of all, don’t forget to ask:‘How are you today?’
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Slipknot announce huge Manchester gig on UK and European tour
Sophie Smith
Heavy metal legends Slipknot have just announced a massive tour, which will include an arena show here in Manchester.
The 2024 European and UK headline run promises to bring ‘an energy you’ve never experienced before’, the American rockers have said.
They’ll also bring Scottish heavy metal group Bleed From Within on the tour as support.
Slipknot’s tour will mark 25 years since they first performed in Europe and includes three stops up north, with a show at the Co-op Live arena in Manchester as well as gigs in Leeds and Glasgow, The Hoot reports.
Having released six albums, the band are well known for their ‘explosive’ energy and theatrics on stage, producing nuu metal sounds influenced by the likes of Kiss and Limp Bizkit amongst others over the past few decades.
The full details of the tour are yet to be released, but it is expected that the band will cover a range of hits, spanning right from their 1999 self-titled album to So Far, The End, which was released in 2022.
Speaking of the tour, Slipknot co-founder Clown said: “It has been 25 years since we first played on the continent, and we’ve been back ever since.
“The memories I have from all those times are life changing, and we’re ready to make more. I’m so excited to bring our 25th year anniversary tour to Europe and the UK. Be prepared for an energy you’ve never experienced before. It’s happening.”
Slipknot will perform at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on Tuesday 17 December 2024.
Slipknot 2024 tour dates in full
Thursday 5 December 2024 – Amsterdam, Netherlands - Ziggo Dome
Friday 6 December 2024 – Dortmund, Germany – Westfalenhalle
Sunday 8 December 2024 – Stuttgart, Germany – Schleyerhalle
Wednesday 11 December 2024 - Zurich, Switzerland – Hallenstadion
Thursday 12 December 2024 – Paris, France – Accorhotel Arena
Saturday 14 December 2024 - Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena
Sunday 15 December 2024 – Glasgow, UK – Ovo Hydro
Tuesday 17 December 2024 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Arena
Wednesday 18 December 2024 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Friday 20 December 2024 – London, UK – O2 Arena
Tickets go on sale on Friday 15 December 2023 at 9am, and pre-sale the day before. You can register for pre-sale tickets or join the queue on Friday via LiveNation here.
Chatting with DJ Fabio ahead of ‘A History of Jungle, Drum and Bass’ with Grooverider and The Outlook Orchestra
Danny Jones
Ahead of their upcoming tour next year, we got the chance to one-half of legendary DJing duo, Fabio and Grooverider, who’ll be coming to Manchester early next year.
‘The Godfathers of Drum and Bass’ were there at the very start of it all and have been able to see how the genre, along with offshoots like jungle, has evolved over the years — so it’s only right that they be the ones to deliver a real education to ravers and newcomers this January.
Bringing their ‘History of Jungle and Drum & Bass‘ to the Manchester Academy on Saturday, 13 January, 0161 is just one of three places that have been chosen for the limited run of shows and, as Fabio told us on the call, it because this city has a rich relationship with the genre and pioneering underground music in general.
So you’ve got the tour starting in the New Year and it’s a very limited run of shows — what can you tell us about what you’ve got in store?
What we’ve got in store is the best of live drum and bass and something very unique. It’s a great show and honestly, even if I wasn’t involved in this I’d go along and definitely enjoy it.
It’s everything that we expected and with a project like this, it’s not something that’s not really been done before, especially not with an orchestra of this size, anyway.
We want it to sound authentic and that’s what’s happened with the band; The [Outlook] Orchestra‘s amazing, the musicians are great and it’s a very entertaining two hours.
How have you found building this as a full production with the Orchestra and fine-tuning everyone’s performances on stage?
Well, over the course of our careers in general, it’s just got a lot tighter and we’ve all got a lot more confident. You’ve got to remember when this all started we’d never done anything like it before, you know — we’re DJs and we were on BBC Radio 1 for 14 years and then Kiss for seven.
Public speaking is a completely different thing than speaking in front of a mic, so that was really daunting at first, I’ve got to say; the first one we did I was really nervous and we still get that sense of anticipation, but where it was a bit around the edge at the start, the audience didn’t know that and now I’d say it’s almost 100% the way we want it.
We’ve been doing it two years now and, yeah, it’s just a process of tweaking those fine margins and getting your timings right — when you’ve got 40 musicians, even if you’re a millisecond off it can kind of throw everything.
Sounds like you’ve really nailed it. The idea of a ‘History of Jungle and Drum & Bass’ — how far back are you going into the genre and how do you think it’s changed over the years?
So we go back to 1992. It’s crazy for us to think that was 31 years ago, but yeah, we’re going right back to the beginning and we literally break up the set into years: ’92-93, 94-96 and so on into the 2000s.
I think it has changed over time and you can certainly hear it when you compare the likes of the first track we do, Johnny L’s ‘Hurt You So’, which is kind of like jungle techno, to the modern-day stuff which gets on the radio now, it’s different. But that’s the great thing about both genres, they move on real quick.
Say if you’re a drum and bass head now and took a year off and then came back, you’d be like, ‘What is this?’ but drum and bass is always like that, every single year.
It’s going through a great time at the moment, probably the best in three decades. It’s bigger now than I think that it’s ever been and I think it’s because it’s been accepted by the public get it; they understand it more and it’s less of a niche.
People have always known about house music but now people actually recognise the big names like Chase and Status, Pendulum and so on. It’s in a very healthy place and I know some of the real purists are a little bit p*ssed and feel it’s gone a bit commercial but the underground scene is still there and I don’t think that will ever die.
DJ Fabio (right), Grooverider and The Outlook Orchestra are set to school Manchester on jungle and all things drum and bass.
Yeah, and I suppose that’s what the beauty of events like these is you can play to both of those crowds. Do you find the audience has that mix?
Well, that’s why we’ve tried to get that fine balance between big tunes that your everyday, casual listener will recognise as well as keep some underground stuff in so the real ‘heads’ can come and dive into it.
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It’s been very deliberate and we’ve sat down to really think about how to strike that combination and it’s another thing that’s been done really well.
And, obviously, you guys are London kings but how big a role do you think Manchester has played in the scene and how it’s progressed?
Oh man, it’s always been really important. Going back to A Guy Called Gerald who was one of the first truly big English producers, when people listened to ‘Voodoo Ray‘, even the Americans thought was a guy from New York and he’s a bit of an unsung hero really.
He made some of the first jungle tunes as well, so we’ve always felt the influence and link with Manchester, especially over the last 10 to 15 years when it’s been really, really strong here.
You know, you’ve got DRS and, of course, had Marcus Intellect, God bless his soul, who always flew the flag for Manchester, you know what I’m saying? And, um, you know, there’s a really healthy, uh, seed in Manchester.
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Strategy, Dogger, Mindstate: a lot of those guys are very important to drum and Bass and a lot of them grew up knowing each other as well, which is cool. We’ve also got Jenna G in the show and not only is she from Manchester but she’s one of the real highlights of the show, she’s absolutely amazing.
Also, it’s really important that we put on a good show because the Manchester music crowd know their sh*t as well — you can’t really con them.
Absolutely, and in terms of artists right now, whether they’re from Manchester or elsewhere, who’s really exciting you at the minute?
I mean, the staple is obviouslyChase and Status who have helped get [the genre] some radio play to the point where there were four drum and bass tracks in the top 40 just last year. Absolutely insane.
Hedex and all those guys are also helping grow the underground scene but, honestly, there’s too many names to mention that lifting up others so we’re in a real good spot at the minute.
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Are there any favourite Manchester venues that come to mind?
Band on the Wall — I LOVE it in there and, of course, Warehouse Project which is basically flying the flag for drum and bass across Britain right now. WHP is possibly the hottest venue in the UK so, yeah, Manchester was always a no-brainer and we’re really looking forward to coming there.
Nice, and lastly, if you could describe the upcoming shows in three words what would they be?
It was a pleasure chatting with Fabio; both he and Grooverider are not just radio veterans but drum and bass royalty.
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From the glimpses we’ve caught of what the set looks and sounds like with the full might of The Outlook Orchestra behind them, this thing is going to be blockbuster.
There are still tickets left to see all three live at Manchester Academy on Saturday, 13 January HERE.
Hannah Starkie -
26th November 2020 
