What's On North 23-30 Jun: Summer Arts Market
Obviously the most important think you'll do this week is vote in the EU referendum. So DO THAT. Then you can get on with that sociable life you lead with the Summer Arts Market, the iPlayGaming Festival at Constellations and other such frivolities.
Each week The Skinny team hand pick a selection of the best events from the Northwest cultural calendar to provide you with this here top ten guide to the most exciting goings on for the week ahead. From gigs, plays, and exhibitions, to spoken word, pop-up foodie events, and one-off film screenings, we give you the insider's guide to things to do in Liverpool, Manchester and beyond every Thursday morning.
Summer Arts Market
St George's Hall, Liverpool. Sat 25-Sun 26 Jun, 10am
We're v. excited to be heading on over to the Summer Arts Market, armed with our very own stall of talented, Skinny-endorsed illustrators, featuring Josie Somner, Jess Ebsworth, Emma Brown Owl, Holly Bagnall and Anthony Jaycott across the weekend. To help you with the other 100 or so local artists, designers, makers and creative types also making an appearance, we've also produced a very handy preview of who we're looking forward to checking out.
Photo: Samantha Jervis Pottery
WARP Festival
Whitworth Park, Manchester. Sat 25-Sun 26 Jun, 12pm
The Whitworth is holding a two-day family-friendly festival of art, music and 'the unexpected' behind the trees (ooh er) to celebrate the major new sculpture in the park by Turner Prize-nominated artist Anya Gallaccio. Joined by Whitworth Young Contemporaries, Walk the Plank, Kaleidoscope Orchestra, Unity FM, hip-hop troupe Cul De Sac and others, the weekend will feature free music, performance and workshops, and welcome visitors to experience Whitworth Park in a whole new way.
iPlayGaming and Grill Festival
Constellations, Liverpool. Sat 25 Jun, 7pm
Multiplayer gaming meets street food and booze with this weekend’s iPlayGaming festival, a party that comes complete with some of your favourite console games from the last 30 years – from Mario Kart, Sonic the Hedgehog, Duke Nukem and Street Fighter to Pro Evo, Super Smash Bros, Call of Duty and FIFA. Compete in tournaments or simply take it at your own pace in the gaming areas, beer in hand.
Photo: Justin Gardner
Happy Meals
Soup Kitchen, Manchester. Fri 24 Jun, 7pm
We caught Glaswegian synthpop duo Happy Meals earlier this year at Sounds From the Other City, and while the dust has barely settled from that, we’re already primed for our next fix. This time they’re taking their pounding European cosmic disco down to the Soup Kitchen basement for an intimate Friday night party, though in the meantime you can check out our interview with them from the days of their critically acclaimed debut, Apéro.
Photo: Alexander Bell
Hebden Bridge Arts Festival
Various venues, Hebden Bridge. Fri 24 Jun-Sun 3 Jul, times vary
Hebden Bridge Arts Festival kicks off this week, celebrating the area’s extraordinary community spirit while also paying homage to its industrial heritage (this year through a ‘Trouser Town’ theme). For its 23rd year, 2016’s highlights include the Sarah Cracknell-fronted indie-pop group Saint Etienne, award-winning writer and broadcaster Simon Armitage (pictured), artwork InsideOutHouse by Hilary Jack, a festival-wide tree trail, exhibitions and much more.
Photo: Paul Wolfgang Webster
ADVERTISEMENT: Moonlight Flicks
Various venues in Chester, West Kirby and Frodsham. Tue 5 Jul-Sat 27 Aug
Tuesday 5 July sees the opening screening of Chester’s season of open air cinema Moonlight Flicks, which runs five nights a week until the end of August. A lineup with everything from Dirty Dancing to Mad Max: Fury Road will be screened against the backdrop of the city’s ancient walls. Moviegoers can order pizzas to be delivered during the film, or bring their own picnics and fizz. See the full programme here. Tickets for Moonlight Flicks are £8.50, with screenings in Roman Gardens, Chester; Ashton Park, West Kirby; and Castle Park, Frodsham.
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Hidden Free Party
Hidden, Manchester. Sat 25 Jun, 11pm
After opening just half a year ago, Hidden’s become one of Manchester’s favourite venues, having fast secured itself a place on our clubbing map thanks to over 50 great parties in that short space of time. If you’ve still not been down yet (or wouldn’t mind an excuse to return) this weekend provides ample opportunity with a no-frills free party soundtracked by the Hidden residents. Certainly no bad prospect for those still waiting for pay day.
Jacaranda Records' 1st Birthday
Jacaranda Records, Liverpool. Sat 25 Jun, 2pm
Jacaranda Records are one! And to say thank you for a great debut year they're firing up the party with three floors and 12 hours of entertainment from 2pm. Along with a Mellowtone showcase on the ground floor featuring live sets from Thom Morecroft, Nick Ellis and Edgar Jones, down in the basement there will also be comedy from Hot Water Comedy Club, poetry from Salt Water and more, along with 10% off all vinyl throughout the day.
Red Cup Film Party
Gorilla, Manchester. Sun 26 Jun, 3pm
Unleash your inner frat boy with RAD Screenings’ Red Cup Film Special, featuring three nostalgic films to make you stop thinking about things like gas bills and mortgages (LOL, us neither), and start thinking about things like BEER BONGS and MAKING OUT! Escapism comes in the form of Dazed & Confused (pictured), Old School and, the one your teenage years were freaking built on, American Pie.
PAWS
Studio 2, Liverpool. Mon 27 Jun, 7pm
Glaswegian alt-rockers PAWS head south of the Scottish border to bestow us with some of the nation’s finest pop-punk, all in honour of their new album, No Grace. This one’s also one of our Liverpool gig highlights for this week, so it seems you’re being doubly advised to go see the noisemakers in action; an imperative, rather than a mere recommendation. Sorry for being bossy.
Photo: Ingrid Mur
Rooftop Rumble All-Dayer
Big Hands, Manchester. Sat 25 Jun, 3pm
Only Joking Records, Gold Soundz, Family Tree and Fuzzkill Records join forces this weekend for the Rooftop Rumble All Dayer over on the roof of Oxford Road's favourite dive bar, Big Hands. Honing in on local Northern talent with live sets from Beach Skulls, Fruit Tones, HUSH, Mold and Thee Mightees, you’ll also find names from further afield including Stockton-on-Tees’ Girl Sweat, Glaswegian-based The Bellybuttons and garage punk outfit Audacity all the way from the USA.
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