Rugby World Cup Final
Saturday 2nd November
Even if you’re not a fan of rugby or even sports in general – I can imagine you’ll still be going bonkers as England stroll to victory this Saturday against South Africa in the Rugby World Cup. Okay, so it probably won’t be a ‘stroll’ but it should be a fantastic match and a chance for the lads to show their mettle against one of the most consistently strong rugby nations out there. The kick-off is at bloody 9am (the game is in Japan) so you’ll have to get up early to watch it. If you want to go out and watch it in a boozer – head on over to Dive NQ for the ultimate experience.
90’s BABY Halloween @ Albert Hall
Saturday 2nd November
The 90’s were a bonkers time. The internet was still in its infancy and if you were lucky enough to get an AOL CD-ROM through your door and your Packard Bell PC had enough Intel MMX Inside to run it, you were free to go on Yahoo! chat rooms and play Solitaire with a bloke from Austin, Texas without the danger of all of these perverts that exist on there now. It’s also a time when ALL music was bloody brilliant – not like the rubbish you get on Top of the Pops nowadays. The 90’s were a true music revolution and if you agree – head to the Albert Hall this Saturday because a load of old ‘stars’ from the era have taken a holiday from the check outs at Tesco to head down and play all their hits.
Me Gusta at Wilderness Record Store
Sunday 3rd November
Continuing their ‘Sunday’s at Six’ series, Wilderness Records welcome the absolutely bloody brilliant Me Gusta to the store this Sunday for an evening of extensive DJing that’ll blow your socks off. Me Gusta are a multicultural collective, aiming to promote unity through music and dance, by bringing together all of their different backgrounds and cultures and banging them out through some speakers. It’s free – you’d be bonkers to miss out.
Frank Skinner @ Opera House
Sunday 3rd November
One of the first proper books I ever read (in other words not a kid’s book or something they make you read at school) was Frank Skinner’s autobiography and I must admit that it’s a mucky, mucky read. His life has been pretty bonkers and I suppose that’s what helps provide the material for most of his stand-up. It’s something that he’s not done for a while, instead spending time on rubbish telly shows and acting in Doctor Who, so it should be a welcome return to form for the lad.
Sunday Brunch Club with Beatnikz & Alvarium
Sunday 3rd November
Now listen here, this is an exceptionally brilliant Brunch Club at Beatnikz this week and I’m here to tell you why in 3 little words. Butties and Beer. Here we have an event that celebrates the bonkers delight that is 2 thick pieces of bread filled with literally anything you can dream of. And Beer. So you’ve got Alvarium who specialise in Vegan butties and Beatnikz who specialise in all things wet and boozy. The perfect match.
Bonfire Night
Tuesday 5th November
Whenever I used to try to explain Bonfire Night to foreigners visiting the UK they’d always look at me as if I had gone absolutely bonkers and if you think about it – we probably have. We have a night celebrating the murder of a man, a man who probably had very little involvement in the plot to blow up Parliament, but was just too stupid not to get caught. In return everyone makes an effigy of him each year and burns him all over again. It’s a big barbaric. Oh, but look – pretty fireworks. That reminds me actually, anyone who films a firework show on their phone – come on. Stop it. There’s LOADS of places to celebrate this Bonfire Night, including the obligatory show in Platt Field’s Park, as well as a huge one in Heaton Park.
Breakout Manchester’s Charity Day
Wednesday 6th November
If you ever needed an excuse to give Breakout a go the Charity Day is exactly that. ALL takings on the day are being gifted to 5 Manchester-based charities so not only can you be having fun, you’re doing some seriously good deeds at the same time too. Charities include, Manchester Pride, Early Break UK, The Christie Hospital, Forever Manchester and finally Every Month. There’s 2 locations to choose from and 15 different bonkers rooms of varying degrees of difficulty but the same amount of fun. Get involved – be a nice human.
Bar Hütte @ Spinningfields
From Thursday 7th November
Bar Hütte is back again this year and they’ll be ramping up the ski experience to the next level with even more Christmas-themed fun and frolicking. There’ll (of course) be the obligatory ski-themed chalets in which you can drink hot mulled wine, drink lager and generally get all snug and warm while you go bonkers singing Christmas tunes on the ‘carol-oke’ machines. They also serve up hot gin and tonics here – which I’ve had before and can confirm – are spectacularly good.
Christmas Markets
From Friday 8th November
Oh goody. It’s that time again. Christmas. Well, not exactly – it’s still bloody November but that’s not going to stop the people from getting what they want. And the people want hot mulled wine, they want Yorkshire pudding wraps, they want those huge sausages and they want wooden toys that they can buy as presents for people they don’t like. Love them or hate them, the Christmas Markets are a regular fixture on the city’s calendar now so you can either embrace them and go bonkers with glee, or stay well away and not acknowledge their presence. You decide.
