Best clubs in Manchester and Liverpool this Easter
Time to get giddy with the best bank holiday of the year, where you can thank the Church for not one but two days off from the daily grind. We've picked out the best club nights for the long weekend – from Todd Terje and Tama Sumo to alt-parties at A-Bound Festival.
Todd Terje
The Garage, Liverpool. Fri 25 Mar, 10pm
Unrivalled king of modern disco, anything Todd Terje touches somehow always turns to feelgood electronic gold. The Norwegian DJ and producer's upbeat, bouncy approach to music will have you instantly forget the miserable sod you really are, and accordingly embrace springtime and all the zippy optimism that comes with it this Easter. Also, while we're on the case, it's pronounced 'Tur-yeah'.
Audio Farm Festival Roundup
Antwerp Mansion, Manchester. Sat 26 Mar, 3pm
Partake in a day and night of urban festivalism as Audio Farm fills the grounds of Antwerp Mansion with an outdoor party dome, a chilled beats shack, circus performances and fire shows, food, stalls and art installations. On the music and DJ roster you'll find the likes of Flamingus (playing a live set), Bradford Dave and Asher Jones, Jock Lee, Pete Mangalore, Cy Humphreys, Leah Floyeurs and Moid, who'll take you though everything from slamming house and techno to the mellower realms of trip hop, funk and disco.
Tama Sumo
24 Kitchen Street, Liverpool. Fri 25 Mar, 11pm
Berghain mainstay Tama Sumo is respected as much for her work outside of her clubbing environs as she is for her skills behind the decks, thanks to her active engagement in politics and speaking out against homophobia. But the Berlin-based DJ is also known and celebrated for the emotive strength and deep bass she charges into her house and techno sets, meaning her trip to Liverpool should be a good 'un.
A-Bound Festival
Islington Mill, Salford. Until Sun 27 Mar, times vary
Promising a fusion of unorthodox music and interactive arts events, the good folk behind A-Bound Festival have also accounted for the dance-hungry of Manchester throughout the Easter bank holiday weekend, with a 6-hour set from Optimo on Fri 25th, a High Hoops-hosted night featuring Antal, Damiano Von Erckert, Joy Social and Ruf Dug on Sat 26th and a hefty all-dayer from Supernormal that takes you through 'til 3am on Easter Monday.
Looking for more to do this Bank Holiday? Read our Easter events guides for Liverpool and Manchester.
Hustle x Suncébeat Boat Party
Albert Dock, Liverpool. Sun 27 Mar, 2pm
Liverpool's waterfront goes all Ibiza this Easter with a boat party hosted by disco night Hustle and Croatia's Suncébeat, and while the murky waters of the Mersey may not rival the azure tones of the Balearic isles, the line-up comes fairly close, with British-Ghanaian soul singer and DJ Andrew Ashong and Scandinavian producer Opolopo soundtracking the day-to-night do.
HomoElectric
Antwerp Mansion, Manchester. Fri 25 Mar, 10pm
The city's favourite all-embracing alt party, bringing together the city's LGBT community and anyone who prefers no pretension with their house, disco and outsider pop, HomoElectric has long been synonymous with a bank holiday weekend in Manchester. This Easter, alongside Raf Daddy (2 Bears), Manchester's Gina Breeze makes her debut, plus Lucy Locket and residents Will Tramp! and Jamie Bull.
Circus Bank Holiday Special
Camp and Furnace, Liverpool. Sat 26 Mar, 2pm
The magical thing about bank holidays is that, without the confines (or responsiblities) of the average working week, you can do outrageous stuff like crack a stubby open at 2pm. This you'll be able to do at Circus's bank holiday all-dayer at Camp and Furnace, where names on the bumper bill include Marco Carola, Yousef, Leon, The Martinez Brothers, Lauren Lo Sung, Guy Gerber and more, or if you can't wait for that, the venue's also playing host to Why So Serious's Bad Friday the night before. Or, do both. Outrageous.
Dixon and Âme
Albert Hall, Manchester. Fri 25 Mar, 9pm
This special all-night-long b2b set sees Berlin's Dixon team up with deep house duo and fellow Innervisions bosses Âme, a pairing that'll smack the walls of the Albert Hall with some of the finest house sounds that Deutschland has to offer. Such clubbing dynamite will probably ensure this event sells out – when it does, you'll have to keep an eye on the Facebook page for returns.
Honorable mentions
Worthy shout-outs also for You&Me at Hidden (Thu 24), So Flute at The Whiskey Jar (Sat 26), Pariahs at Soup Kitchen (Thu 24), a fundraiser for Pete Simpson at Texture (Sat 26), Patrick Topping at Gorilla (Sun 27) and Dance 88/89 at Victoria Warehouse (Sun 27) in Manchester, along with Detlef at Buyers Club (Thu 24), Generate Reunion at Arts Club (Sat 26) and a 303 Easter special at Constellations (Sun 27) in Liverpool.
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