Clubs in Liverpool, Manchester & Leeds: May 2016
Our clubbing highlights across Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds for May, which brings sunshine, outdoor parties and even sweatier basement dancefloors to the North.
Club nights in Manchester this May
Hidden continues to prove itself as one of our favourite clubbing dens on Fri 6 May, as we get a visit from techno superduo Karenn, aka the collaborative efforts of Blawan & Pariah (£15). Joined by Berlin’s Sigha and Project 13’s Divided, it’s looking to be a good ’un.
The next day it’s another corker from the Banana Hill stable, who’ll be blessing us with the Manchester debut of Dutch production duo Umoja down in the Soup Kitchen basement (£7). Known for their experimentation with beats from Africa, South America and beyond, expect a mashup of sturdy grooves and lifting, sunny world sounds.
Speaking of which, on Fri 13 May it’s time for another instalment of Awesome Tapes from Africa at The Deaf Institute (£10), where everyone’s favourite cassette collector will be celebrating his special tenth anniversary – as always, via the untrodden avenue of the finest hidden gems that the African music network has for us.
Two equally viable shouts on Sat 14 May, with trustworthy party-starters Selective Hearing throwing Ilian Tape’s Zenker Brothers into the mix at Hidden for an extended set alongside residents Cleric and Reflec (£13.50) (listen to the bros’ playlist that they put together for us last year), while Ruf Dug’s Dancers Wanted returns to Soup Kitchen on the same night for an undulating, underground and sweaty good time – on this occasion with added Antinote Records boss, Zaltan (£7), who’ll no doubt come armed with his usual bounty of unearthed rarities.
It’s back to Hidden again on Fri 20 May, where Levon Vincent heads a lineup also featuring DJ Deeon, Anton Fitz, Bobby Ganoush and others (£15), before the month begins to bow out on Sat 21 May with the So Flute boys, who’ll be bringing Garth Be (£6) along with them to The Whiskey Jar.
May clubbing in Liverpool
303 celebrate their third birthday on Sat 7 May, taking to their spiritual home at Williamson Tunnels with groovemeister Daniel Avery in tow, who’ll be playing all night long to keep those celebratory vibes riding high into the small hours (£13).
On Sat 21 May, it’s time, surely, to mark the onset of summer out in the Constellations garden with the first of three MODU:LAR Open Air sessions, kicking things off with tINI, Julietta, Funk E and Piticu (£22.50).
And because the good people of Liverpool also deserve a fix of Awesome Tapes from Africa just as much as their Mancunian brethren, the afro-centric DJ and global hero will be popping down to 24 Kitchen Street for an appearance on 28 May (£12).
Don't miss: The Garden Party in Leeds
Meanwhile, we’re looking forward to the return of The Garden Party after its first iteration at The Faversham at the beginning of the month. For round two on Sun 29 May, the party branches out to Canal Mills for a one-off special at the venue, enlisting the likes of DJ Koze, Ame, Bicep and more for an all-dayer of tunes, food, drink and art (£30).