Popular culture
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It’s been a cruel cruel spring and summer for us all but you don’t need my take on all that’s going on, (if you do, I’ll create a bespoke ‘my take’ just for you – brace yourself…). I’ve missed the arts, the thrill of live theatre, music, performance, just life in general playing out without
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The world of music, in particular our own very special part of that world, here in Manchester, was recently rocked and hugely saddened by the news that hugely acclaimed, simply stunning, vocalist, Denise Johnson, had passed away. Best known for the two albums she recorded and toured with Primal scream in the 90s, Screamadelica and
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There’s light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel, my friends. We all know the worries and concerns for the theatre, and indeed arts and entertainment industry as a collective. But as 4 July becomes some sort of D-day, a heralding of freedom, venues who have been left out of the loop
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I’ve only been to the basketball once in my life before (I know, shame.on.me.) Started off low-key at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn, with the Brooklyn Nets. I had no clue what was going on. Not entirely helped by being in the nosebleed section. See, I know basketball words. One minute there was seemingly some
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As a child i was terrified of the poem, The Lion and Albert, by Marriott Edgar. Set at a ‘famous seaside place called Blackpool’, it was all literally a bit close to home for me (growing up in a small village about 3 miles out….) It still haunts me. Anyway, I’ll just leave that here
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The press release promised a run-down B&B which doubled as a swinger’s club, a gambling man, a fortune teller and an elderly deviant. My immediate thoughts turned to Benidorm. It’ll be leopard print, ‘bosoms’, nudge nudge wink winks, Carry On Abroad (at home), that glorious feature length film that took the cast of Are You
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I’ve been to a basketball game and I really enjoyed it. A million ‘mehs’ sound out across the land by those who have been to a million games and don’t feel the need to advertise it. The point is (and there is a point) that I had to go to Brooklyn to do so. And
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Charlie Chaplin. He was instrumental in my phonics education. He was. And clearly on my cultural radar, and thus important to me, at a very young age (thank you mum and dad). 5 years old and engaged in a word game with my parents. The rules being thus – say the initials of a famous
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It’s something we’ve known for a long time – there’s a lot of talent in our region but it’s not just the household names I’m talking about. Thanks to a project called The Twenty, people who dwell in the city of Salford will be provided with the exciting opportunity to turn their creativity into a
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If you haven’t yet heard that Back to the Future The Musical (no less) is coming to Manchester’s Opera House on 20 February 2020, great Scott, you’d better make like a leaf and get outta here! Yes, I did that homage and I’m very proud of my little self… Starring Olly Dobson as Marty McFly
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Dickens, eh? Have you ever noticed the sheer amount of old English pubs which boast the accolade that Charles Dickens once drank there? It’s a wonder he got anything done. Well done he did and one of the things wot he done was David Copperfield. And now Armando Iannucci did done it too. Read my
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Whilst works, appreciation, opinions and afforded gravitas come in all shapes and sizes, art should be inclusive and HOME is bringing this ethos to life by celebrating the amazing talent of Greater Manchester. In the first region-wide exhibition of its type, HOME welcomed submissions from all across all 10 boroughs, for the inaugural Manchester Open
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I’m as guilty as the next person at taking our streets of Manchester and Salford for granted. Focused squarely on not tripping over my own feet (the great tumble of St Annes Square of 2003 – never forget), or striking out straight into the path of a tram, I, alongside many residents, workers and visitors
honorary manc 