A week where the nights are continuing to draw in and anyone with SAD will start to feel the strain. And a week where I struggled to find a decent amount of good stuff going on in the city – so you’re stuck with this lot. Enjoy.
A Night of Pulp @ Underdog
Saturday 14th October
Okay so I’m a massive fan of Pulp so this evening at Underdog gets an inclusion in this week’s round up. Not only that – it’s been a real struggle to fill this bad boy up this week, it just seems that the city’s event organisers must all be in Magaluf this weekend or something. This Night of Pulp is exactly what you’d expect, which is why I have to pad this paragraph out with inane ramblings. Pulp, indie, electro, drinks, dancing – you know the score.
Underdog, Black Dog Ballroom, 11-13 New Wakefield St, Manchester M1 5NP
0161 236 4899
blackdogballroom.co.uk/nws/underdog/
Play Expo Manchester 2017
Saturday 14th & Sunday 15th October
Over at EventCity this weekend you’ll find one of the biggest arcade, indie and retro games shows in the UK, with over 1000 consoles, computers and arcades for you to get your sticky mitts all over. There will be pretty much everything you could ever want in terms of video games, including ET for the Atari, Superman 64 for the N64 and even Rise of the Robots for the MegaDrive. All classics I’m sure you’ll agree. As well as all the games there will most likely be a load of people dressed up as some weird stuff, as well as talks and exhibitions from people in the industry.
DM17 Film Season: A Clockwork Orange
Sunday 15th October, 6pm
As part of the Design Manchester Festival, they will be showing the highly controversial film A Clockwork Orange at The Dancehouse on Sunday. There’s some mental stuff in the movie, most of which I can only usually talk about with my mate Darren Beattie, and not within a family friendly round-up of the week’s events. It’s fair to say that the film is absolutely brilliant though and one of Kubrick’s best. The screening will be introduced by the Anthony Burgess (the geezer who wrote the book) Foundation in conversation with Paula Benson, the editor of ‘Film + Furniture’ website.
The Dancehouse, 10A Oxford Rd, Manchester, M1 5QA
0161 237 9753
www.thedancehouse.co.uk/
Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat @ Palace Theatre
From Tuesday 17th – Saturday 21st October
Continue to line the pockets of outrageously modest Gollum-look-a-like Andrew Lloyd Webber by getting tickets to see Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Palace Theatre this week. Even though someone, somewhere can’t spell colour correctly, you should be in for a good show, with X-Factor winner Joe McElderry putting his million-pound recording contract to good use as the titular Joseph. I’ve never seen the show myself, and I haven’t got a clue what it’s about – presumably it’s about a bloke, called Joseph, who’s got himself some colourful clobber. Is it Jesus’ dad Joseph? Although actually, he’s not really Jesus’ dad is he?! Watch it and find out for me.
Palace Theatre, 97 Oxford St, Manchester M1 6FT
0844 871 3019
In Conversation with Matt Lucas @ Stockport Plaza
Tuesday 17th October, 7pm
Lovely Stockport will play host to Matt Lucas, comedian and bald man this Tuesday who is in town with his ‘In Conversation’ show. I don’t think you’ll actually get the chance to have a conversation with him – probably more of a Questions and Answer session where you can ask questions such as: ‘What was ‘Come Fly With Me’ all about?’ and ‘What was ‘Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire’ all about?’ and ‘What was Little Britain series 2,3 and 4 all about?’. He seems like a good lad though, and used to work with Vic & Bob all the time so he’s probably a right top geezer.
Stockport Plaza, Mersey Square, Stockport SK1 1SP
0161 477 7779
stockportplaza.co.uk/
Under Glass @ The Lowry
From Wednesday 18th October
Half art installation, half strange voyeurism, Under Glass will be heading to The Lowry as part of the Manchester Science Festival from Wednesday. It’s all rather difficult to explain, but it’s a performance piece where “audiences will be invited on to the stage to encounter seven glass containers holding eight performers” – what they are going to be doing – I suppose you’ll have to go and find out for yourself. We put up a more comprehensive piece about this a few weeks ago – here it is if you’re interested. https://manchestersfinest.com.temp.link/arts/under-glass-art-under-the-microscope-at-the-lowry/
The Lowry, Pier 8, The Quays, Salford M50 3AZ
0843 208 6000
https://www.thelowry.com/
Life Drawing Evening @ BrewDog
Wednesday 18th October
What better way to spend a Wednesday evening than to sit in a boozer and draw something while other people draw something too? Well to be fair I can think of loads of things to do, but most of them involve taking my clothes off. Unfortunately I doubt there will be a naked bloke sat in the middle of the room at this Life Drawing Evening, although it would definitely spice things up a little bit. Taking place from 7.30pm, BrewDog suggest you bring your own drawing materials – if you’re a serial killer and this involves either blood or faeces – stay at home please.
BrewDog, 35 Peter St, Manchester M2 5BG
0161 832 1922
brewdog.com
We Are Rockeoke @ The Pen & Pencil
Thursday 19th October
I’m actually a big fan of karaoke and enjoy getting right royally battered and getting up to blast out some Bon Jovi – sounding like a cat crying because it’s just been put in a wheelie bin. Remember that?! Anyway, it’s a lot of fun unless someone stitches you up and puts your name down without you knowing – which has happened a couple of times – worst of all when I was forced to sing ‘Coming Home for Christmas’ in The Millstone. Pen & Pencil are hosting a Rockeoke night which is actually brilliant – instead of singing to a TV screen on your own, you get to be the singer of an actual, proper band! It’s great trust me.
The Pen And Pencil, Fourways House, 57 Hilton St, Manchester M1 2EJ
0161 660 3303
thepenandpencilnq.co.uk
