There is other stuff going on elsewhere too though, so if you’re lactose intolerant and single – you’ll be fine.
Circus Extreme
Starts Friday 9th February
What could be better than the circus? Pop ‘Extreme’ on the end of it and you’ve got an event that aims to blow the socks off even the most cynical teenager. Featuring an array of ‘extreme’ stunts including high wires, a ‘double wheel of death’, trapeze stuff, backflips, handstands, firing a long bow with your feet and even some guy putting his head in the mouth of a hippo (probably) – it’ sure to get your heart racing. Mostly because nobody wants to see someone slip and fall to their death, or get their head run over by a big motorbike, but rest assured – this lot are professionals. The likelihood of anything like that happening is only about 50-50, whereas if it was your mate Darren in the ASDA car park pissing about with his moped – he’s almost certainly going to make a tit of himself.
National Pizza Day
Friday 9th February
One of those days which are all over Twitter with a #hashtag, and presumably just made up by the board of directors of Chicago Town, National Pizza Day is pretty much the perfect excuse to gorge yourself on quite possibly the greatest food known to man. I’ve eaten pizza everywhere in the world and by far the greatest was (surprisingly) over in India in Goa. Their wood ovens and tireless dedication to dough created some of the best pizzas ever. Either that or it had been 3 months since I’d had one and even a floppy Ristorante would have been delicious. Not sure. Anyway, go out today and pick up one of 100 free pizzas from the guys down at Dogs ‘n’ Dough. Go Go Go.
J Dilla Changed My Life: 12th Anniversary at PLY
Saturday 10th February
Cruise on down to PLY this Saturday from midday and you can catch the 12th Anniversary of legendary tribute – J Dilla Changed My Life. Any fans of hip-hop will know what to expect, as this all-day party kicks off with some of the greatest tracks around, all inspired by a bloke hailed by many as the best RnB and Hip-hop producer of all time. So, you’ve got the tunes. Check. All you need now is the drinks and the grub. Well, there will obviously be some lovely PLY pizzas flying around, as well as plenty of special cocktails for the day, but there’ll also be serving up doughnuts courtesy of the NQ’s Bawd Bakery to get your chops around. I’ll be there with my mate Steven Pankhurst so if you see us, come on over. Oh and it’s FREE!
Preloved Vintage Kilo Sale
Saturday 10th February
Clobber. Come and get your clobber here. It’s as simple as that really. If you’re tired of walking around Primark, dodging a load of kids and whinging boyfriends, sick of rooting through the charity shop clothes bank in ADSA car park in the middle of the night then this Vintage Kilo sale is perfect for you. It’s £15 for a kilo of clothes – and judging by the photos, and indeed every other kilo sale I’ve ever been to – there’s going to have to be a lot of filtering through the shit stuff to find something that’s even remotely wearable. Expect to spend at least an hour here, pushing aside those jumpers with teddy bears on to locate that 1976 band t-shirt that will look perfect with your cut-off jeans when you go to Parklife later this year.
La Discotheque at Albert Hall
Saturday 10th February
It’s back and it promises to be bigger and better than ever. It’s La Discotheque at Albert Hall baby! One of the most extravagant and exciting nights in Manchester’s calendar, there’s a cracking line up in store including a Cassius DJ set, Purple Disco Machine, Luke Unabomber and the one I’m most looking forward to – Nicky Siano’s Hallelujah Disco (with live gospel choir). Get your ticket below, but if you don’t feel like going out or opening your wallet – here at Finest we will be LIVE streaming La Pisscotheque – a rave in the bogs downstairs – from 11.30pm on our Facebook page.
Flashdance at The Palace Theatre
Starts Monday 12th February
Even though she is an absolutely atrocious welder who would have been laid off years ago, that woman out of Flashdance sure can dance. Her prancing about skills are some of the best, up there with 70’s Travolta, Michael Flatley and Carlton out of Fresh Prince of Bell Air. There is one unsettling bit in the film though, at her final audition, where she transforms into a skinny black man while doing some breakdancing – I wonder how they will pull that off on stage?! I’ve heard the production is proper decent and will likely have you up in the aisles dancing and singing like a knob so get yourself down to the Palace and check it out.
Pancake Day
Tuesday 13th February
If there was ever a more annoying day in the Gregorian Calendar I’d say Pancake Day was it. Everyone seems to just go absolutely crazy over a bit of flour and milk, eat too much and then complain about being fat and greedy. Pancake’s aren’t even that good – you have to cake them in Nutella, ice cream and crumbled up KitKat’s in order to make them palatable. But as you’d expect, the city’s establishments are getting in on the act and there’s plenty going on. We should have a round-up on the site at some point in the next couple of days but before then you should consider Cottonopolis‘ excellent Dorayaki specialities (pictured above), FREE pancakes in Don Giovanni, Common and Black Dog and even a special Indian Dosa day at Bundobust.
Valentine’s Day
Wednesday 14th February
There’s not much to say about Valentine’s Day that you don’t already know of course. It’s a day when you have to reach into your wallet and spend a shit load of money just to show someone that you love them. It’s annoying because every other day of the year you can just say it and they are satisfied. Valentine’s Day you actually have to do something – very annoying. Of course, the city will provide plenty of places to go with your Valentine and it’s all here in this handy round-up. Alternatively, if you’re single and want to do something to take your mind off it – here’s another list. Finally, if you don’t want to put your hand in your pocket – enter our competition to WIN a meal for 2 and some bubbly at Albatross & Arnold.
