What's On Northwest 10-17 Mar: Cosmosis

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.

Cosmosis
Victoria Warehouse, Manchester. Sat 12 Mar, 2pm

What began as an intimate but ambitious mini-festival in Antwerp Mansion now strides into its third year with an impressive confidence, graduating to the colossal Victoria Warehouse. This year's Cosmosis Festival offers five stages of psych and alt heavyweights – think The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Brian Jonestown Massacre (read our interview with Anton Newcombe), Sleaford Mods, Allah-Las, K-X-P, of Montreal (pictured), The Raveonettes, Holy Wave, The Lucid Dream, Deafheaven, PINS and more.

Photo: Jayjay Robertson

Bill Ryder-Jones
Arts Club, Liverpool. Thu 10 Mar, 7.30pm

Formerly of The Coral but now making waves with his own solo venture, local-boy-done-good Bill Ryder-Jones has been receiving a steady stream of praise from us for yonks now. Luckily, he's continuing to churn out the good stuff with latest record, West Kirby County Primary, which sees his minimal folk-rock come into its element. We like, and you'll like too.

Photo: Stuart Moulding

Mantra Warehouse launch
Mantra Warehouse, Manchester. Sat 12 Mar, 11pm

We're all still pretty stoked with latest party palace Mantra Live, but this weekend sees the launch of its exciting new sister venue, Mantra Warehouse. Located in the same complex, the 700-capacity underground warehouse space will be christened by Covert residents and guests, who'll be playing through 'til 6am – we suggest you head over to the Skiddle page and sign yourself up for a free ticket; it'll be a tenner if you don't.

Havana Club Rumba Sessions: La Clave
FACT, Liverpool. Sun 13-Mon 14 Mar, times vary

In this feature-length documentary, king of the airwaves Gilles Peterson teams up with his old mate Ade Egun Crispin Robinson to explore rumba's continued significance in a country where a carefully preserved past sits alongside innovation – as well as its ties with the African diasporic communities and influence on contemporary club culture. This screening features a Q&A with Robinson, who also boasts credits as producer.

Vintage Home Show
Victoria Baths, Manchester. Sun 13 Mar, 11am

Get your mid-century furniture fix this weekend as the Vintage Home Show rolls into town – to the stunning, Grade II listed Victoria Baths, no less. Along with a highly coveted 60s sideboard here and there, you'll also find 50 stalls peddling vintage textiles, ceramics, lighting, kitchenalia and art, Ercol, G-Plan and other sought-after names, plus all kinds of retro and kitsch knick-knacks from the 1930s-1970s.

ADVERTISEMENT | Flat Death monthly exhibition tour
Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool. Sun 13 Mar, 2.30pm, free
Exhibition runs until Sun 3 Apr

Through photographic projects by Edgar Martins and Jordan Baseman, Open Eye Gallery's current exhibition Flat Death presents two series of work that invite us to reflect on how we deal with death, both as a society and individually. Exhibition tours are led by curator Thomas Dukes, and are a great opportunity to discuss the show with others. Arts professional Angela Samata joins Thomas to lead this exhibition tour. Angela sits on the All Party Parliamentary Group tackling suicide prevention in England and Wales and presented the BBC documentary Life After Suicide, which has recently been recognised with a Mind Media Award.

Photo: Flat Death, Open Eye Gallery, 2016 © Ted Oonk

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An Evening with Alexei Sayle
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Thu 17 Mar, 7.30pm

Sayle is a comedian, actor and author originally from Anfield whose comedic path was forged back in those bleak days of Thatcher's Tory government (nothing like a bit of history repeating itself, eh?), and who has since gained a strong rep on the UK's alternative circuit. He's heading to the Phil for a gig on home turf, following up his best-selling debut, Stalin Ate My Homework, with his memoir, Thatcher Stole My Trousers. Political lols aplenty.

Illustration: Kate Copeland

SICK! Lab
Contact Theatre, Manchester. Until Sat 12 Mar, times vary

You may think that, as the biennial SICK! Festival takes its year out, its organisers are just kicking back with a brew; but they've been busy plotting a four-day exploration of identity and trauma with SICK! Lab. Combining performance, discussion and presentations, the programme shines a light on the challenging experiences we live and die through, featuring performances from Kim Noble and Bryony Kimmings and a core day titled 'On the Couch' with speakers including Lemn Sissay (pictured), Professor Anthony Redmond and others. Read our full preview here.

Ludovico Einaudi
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Thu 10-Fri 11 Mar, times vary

Credited as one of today's leading composers, busy making classical music accessible and, dare we say, mainstream, Ludovico Einaudi's emotive neoclassical tunes have soundtracked many a BBC ad and film – notably the brilliant French flick Intouchables. He makes his way to Liverpool for the world premiere of his first full-scale piano concerto, Domino, ahead of sold-out shows in Manchester.

Photo: Ray Tarantino

The Curse
Three Minute Theatre, Manchester. Thu 10-Sat 12 Mar, 7pm

A bold new play by Jane Bradley (founder of charitable organisation championing writing by women, For Books' Sake), The Curse explores menstruation, mental health, sexuality and women as monsters, and originally debuted as a ten-minute short last year before Arts Council England stepped in with funding for a full-length piece. Nice one. Expect to witness teenage frustration, anger and confusion unfurl – no doubt something we can all remember from our not-so-distant pasts.

unfold
FACT, Liverpool. Fri 11 Mar-Sun 12 Jun, times vary

Shoot for the moon and land among the stars with a sensory exhibition from acclaimed Japanese artist Ryoichi Kurokawa, whose first solo UK show, unfold, uses visual and sonic art and real space data to showcase the birth of stars. There's also a free (booking required) artist talk with Kurokawa and the astrophysicist who advised on the project, Vincent Minier, on Sat 12 Mar at 12.45pm.

Image: Courtesy of studio Ryoichi Kurokawa based on scientific data from CEA Paris-Saclay (Galaxy Collision)

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