MURMUR // Issue 22 // August 2019
Manchester’s monthly newsletter
MURMUR
issue twenty-two // August 2019
Editors: Olivia Havercroft, Nicole Peeters Huw Spencer, Tom Waring & George Odysseos Design: Lisa Lorenz Print: Team Trident Press
Georgia is a PhD History student at the University of Manchester researching female photographers during the Vietnam War. She also draws comics! Follow her via Insta @bedsheetsdiar y
hello@murmurmcr.com
Welcome to MURMUR, Manchester’s monthly guide to radical, independent & inclusive goings-on. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive a digital copy of MURMUR, extended articles, reviews on gigs, zines, places to eat and some literary surprises. www.murmurmcr.com
L I S T E N SAT 03 08 Pearl City ‘Gold Metal Money’ EP Launch @ Soup Kitchen
Unapologetic, experimental pop from two Manchester lion-hearts. This duo has come a long way since we first got to know them as Bernard + Edith in 2012. Pearl City’s long awaited first EP echoes working class identity, mental health and artistic growth during this exciting journey of Gold Metal Money. Cherry on top: the incredible dancer Black Haine will perform live (check Down By The Tree to get a taster)! Support comes from Iceboy Violet. £6, 7 - 10pm
SAT 10 08 Gross Indecency w/ Christeene @ The White Hotel
Ah, words - words can hardly summarise the tantalising powers of our only queen that is Christeene! Enjoy this 12 hour rollercoaster ride of pure queer, psychedelic, screamo-punk-pop spectacle. Don’t you even try and label it - embrace the inexplicable powers of butt-shaky self-expression. Brought to you by legends Body Horror, Bollox & Fat Out. There might be a bouncy castle. £16.50, 8pm - 8am
Illustration: Georgia Vesma
SAT 17 08 An Uncomfortable Evening @ Retro Bar
Iceboy Violet, Algernon Cornelius, and whathappenedonthatisland invite you to an evening that challenges heteronormativity and toxic masculinity. Retro Bar has long been a hidden spot for anti-cap culture and will now be the stage for the audio productions of these three grime, hip-hop and live electronic sorcerers. This event follows a rigid safe space, zero-tolerance policy - no to racism, sexism, homophobia, and all the other bollocks! £3, 7 - 11pm
THU 22 08 Robert Sotelo, The Birthmarks, Bunny Hoova & Secret Admirer @ The Peer Hat
Exquisite, unruly sonics by a mixing of local and not so local (Glasgow) staples. Expect nothing but feelings, prepare your heart for sobbing, weeping, summersaults. Attend or regret for the rest of your life. £6, 8.30 - 11.30pm
D A N C E FRI 02 08 Macrodosing @ Golden Lion
No typo, just a little excursion of local ambient heroes Microdosing to Todmorden! It’s their first (and maybe last, who knows!) do at the cultural Tod-hub Golden Lion with all the goodness from Manchester teleported to the rural countryside. In addition to Sophie K, Princess Anna and acidhousedeathsquad you may also expect geese, pool table action and chill vibes from another dimension. FREE, 7.30pm - 2.30am
SAT 03 08 Silvia Kastel, Sofay, BFTT @ Soup Kitchen
Soup presents you a delicious platter of cutting capers DJ powers. Both Silvia Kastel and Sofay are bound to take you by the hand into the capricious depths of their genrebending tune rucksacks. Prepare for a free fall through clouds of dancehall, techno, ambient and some other surprises. Support/warm-up comes from Leeds based BFTT. Triplewhammy! £5/7, 11pm - 4am
FRI 09 08 Psychedelic DiscoTech: DJ Paulette @ The Carlton Club
Psychedelic deep house, techno and a smidge of disco: enjoy DJ Paulette - one of the finest in the world (trust us, we saw her blow up the Orbit stage a Bluedot in July) in the wonderful audiophile cosmic beauty of the Carlton Club. £8, 7.30pm - 1.30am
SAT 10 08 Do ONE @ The Carlton Club
Manchester’s own custom-built sound system inspired by David Mancuso’s infamous 1970s NY Loft parties makes its glorious return to the Carlton Club to raise funds for local charities AND enhance your happiness in one go! Sonic bliss. Before 10pm £5 later £7, 8pm - 1am
FRI 23 08 Horse Meat Disco @ The Refuge
The infamous party starters Horse Meat Disco are back in Manchester for the third time to kick off Manchester’s Pride! The boys will be back down in force at Refuge for all your disco needs. From £14, 10pm - 4am
SUN 25 08 Kiss Me Again w/ LOFT @ Soup Kitchen
This is a ALL-inclusive queer celebration of diversity and no other
murmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmur
than the legend that is LOFT has the honour to round off the alternative Pride celebrations this year. As good KMA tradition dictates, all profits of their Pride special will go directly to Manchester’s irreplaceable LGBT Foundation - dig deep and dance much! £8/9, 11pm - 4am
SAT 24 08 & SUN 25 08 High Hoops Pride Weekender: Peach, Eris Drew, Wes Baggaley @ The White Hotel Celebrate life & love High Hoops style, with music to put a smile on your face - all weekend. Featuring a bunch of MCR’s most talented DJs - and some very special guests! - including the ball of energy that is Peach, the legendary Wes Baggaley, the most beautiful soul of all DJs Eris Drew, and our favourites Kiss Me Again. Powered by the inimitable House of Decay! £12 - 25, Sat 11pm - 7am; Sun Midnight - 6am
SAT 31 08 80 Decibels Pride Special @ Partisan Collective
Round off Partisan’s Pride celebrations by attending this party organised by 80 Decibels - a party for parents, carers, guardians, small friends and bigger friends. It promises to be a hoot, with face painting, a dress-up station, and - Drag Queen Story Time!!! Music will be provided by MIXSTRESS [Rebecca.Never. Becky], Thirsty Girls Collective, and All Hands On Deck. This event is childfriendly. Donations, Midday - 5pm
D O SAT 03 & 17 & 31 08 Alexandra Park Car Boot Sale @ Alexandra Park
August means it’s time for Whalley Range’s famous annual car boot sale, taking place along the beautiful Lime Walk in Alexandra Park. Get your hands on some cheap second-hand goods, or, if you have something to sell, just show up at 9am with your vehicle (£20 for cars and £30 for vans, including £5 deposit). FREE, 10am start
SAT 03 08 Out Front @ All The Shapes
Prestwich’s good life hotspot, All The Shapes, warmly invite you to their mid summer street party.
Rare Mags travel all the way from Stockport to bring you their magnificent pop-up shop, whilst Balearic Social vinyl wizard, Andy Pye, supplies a summery soundtrack that will catapult you straight into a tropical hammock - a delicious Margot’s Pizza slice in one hand, refreshing bev in the other. FREE, Midday - Midnight
SUN 04 08 Niamos & Hulme Community Garden Centre Bazaar @ Hulme Community Garden Centre Roam around the bushes and tents in the Hulmes garden oasis and get lucky browsing the stalls and offerings of over 30 Manchester indie businesses and traders. All your audiophile needs will be covered by NoSpace, Yolanda Ribas, Me Gusta, and Matt Hartless & the Maverick 7. Veggie and vegan friendly grub is available too. As a special treat, Stitched Up invite you to take part in their wardrobe surgery workshop - helping you to upcycle, reuse and jazz up your preloved robes (£3 suggested donation) FREE, midday - 5pm
SUN 04 08 0161 Community BBQ @ Islington Mill
Kicking off their ‘month at the mill’ - a month of events that include boxing, films, games and performances - the 0161 Community will be hosting a summertime BBQ and meet-andgreet. Get your sunscreen on and head on down! Anything you can bring will be much appreciated but do let them know. This is how communities are made! FREE, 2 - 7pm
TUE 06 08 AMP Workshop @ HOME
Join the Accessible Music Workshop (AMP) for music lovers and music makers aged 18-25 with different abilities and additional needs. This session will explore different musical genres with the opportunity to make, play, and enjoy the sounds and beats. FREE, but booking required, 6.30 - 9.30pm
SUN 11 08 Clic Fête @ The Carlton Club
A family friendly afternoon/evening with music, games, food, a twister tournament, silent auction, tombola and raffle. All in aid of CLIC Sargent - a charity supporting children, teenagers and their families affected by cancer. £6, 4pm - midnight
murmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmur
WED 14 08 Pride LGBTQuiz+! @ Partisan
Time to reflect on the achievements of the LGBTQAI+ community – with a quiz raising funds for Village Angels (a charity looking after the visitors of Manchester’s Gay Village). £0.50 - £3,7 - 9pm
SAT 17 08 Poor Lass Live @ The Federation
Poor Lass is a brilliant zine and podcast that shares the stories of people growing up or identifying as working class. They are presenting an afternoon of talks and readings from the zine on the topics of identity, education, arts and culture. Join the discussions, grab a sandwich & make new friends! FREE, 12.30 - 6.30pm
SUN 18 08 Peterloo March for Democracy 200th Anniversary @ Whitworth Park
It’s easy to forget that the rights we enjoy today as citizens were won through the struggles and protests of those who came before us. But what better way to honour the words ‘Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living!’ than by joining the PCS Union’s very own (protest) Samba Band as they march from Whitworth Park to Albert Square to mark the BiCentenary of the Peterloo massacre. A timely but fun reminder of what has been, and what we still need to do. DONATIONS, 11.30am - 2.30pm
WED 21 08 Pride Is A Protest @ Partisan
Meet like-minded folk at Partisan for some collective banner-making to get ready for the parades and events of Manchester Pride. Pride has started and still is a protest against the oppressive structures inflicted on us all by our cis, heteronormative society. Let’s not forget this and support each other in getting our voices heard, express ourselves, and create a better future for us all. FREE, 7 - 9.30pm
A R T THU 01 08 - SUN 29 09 David Lynch: My Head is Disconnected @ HOME
Take a trip into the mind of one of contemporary culture’s most radical and visionary figures, as HOME hosts the first major UK exhibition of work by pioneering film director and artist David Lynch, featuring over 60 weird and wonderful works dating from the late 1960s to the present day. FREE; Mon - Sat: midday - 8pm, Sun: midday - 6pm
in today’s cultural scene, such as racism, homophobia and the lack of safe spaces. After the screening, stay for the party featuring performances by dance collective House of Ghetto and music from DJs Jae & Night and Lil’Fee & Veba. £5, 9pm - 3am
MURMUR EATS
Grapefruit Coffee 2 School Rd Sale M33 7XY, £
This gorgeous coffee shop has just opened, only a 5 minute walk from Sale train station. Their “Halloumi, sesame-roasted kale, lemon tahini and date sandwich” is one of the delightful sounding sandwiches on offer, alongside some beautiful cakes! Join us in paying them a visit!
FRI 30 08 0161 Presents: Óglaigh Rojava (Rojava Volunteers) Film Screening @ St Kentigern’s Social Club
Mon - Fri 7am – 4pm Sat 9am – 4pm; Sun Closed
W A T C H THU 15 08 No Pride in Prisons: Criminal Queers @ Partisan Collective As LGBTQIA+ people continue to be targeted and criminalised, join Partisan for a screening of Criminal Queers – a wild & camp prison-escape story starring the legend that is Angela Davis. Learn more about the issue and find out how we can act in solidarity with LGBTQIA+ people affected by the Prison Industrial complex. FREE for members, 7 - 10pm
SUN 18 08 Blue Velvet @ HOME
When a clean-cut young man discovers a severed human ear in the grass, his quest to solve the grisly mystery leads him into the terrifying underworld of his own home. Lynch exposes the dark underbelly of wholesome, small-town America in one of his quintessential works. The murmur lot are divided on whether this film is a masterpiece or unnecessarily violent - there will be time to reflect in the post-film discussion! £5/9, 1 - 4pm (further screenings (no discussion though) on Tues 20th, 8.15pm & Weds 21st, 1pm)
SAT 24 08 Superbia presents: Vogue @ The Refuge
Deep
in
After New York Pride and BFI Flare, Deep in Vogue finally arrives in its hometown, Manchester. Directors Amy Watson and Dennis KeighronFoster explore vogue and ballroom culture in the North West, and address key issues still prevalent
The ongoing revolution in Rojava has inspired comparisons with the Spanish Civil War in terms of the solidarity of international volunteers fighting there. Manchester’s own 0161 crew will host the city’s premiere of this documentary about 3 Irish volunteers who joined the YPG (the mostly Kurdish People’s Protection Units) and took part in ecological and civic projects in the region. The film is in the Irish language with English subtitles and will be followed by a talk on modern internationalism. Seating is limited so please book! DONATIONS, 7 - 10pm
W O R D WED 07 08 Peter Barlow’s Cigarette @ Gullivers
This is a PBC fundraiser featuring the inimitable John Wilkinson and lots of local vocal gold by a mix of the best open mic voices in town so don’t miss out! Keep future Peter Barlow’s Cigarette events free to all by chipping in. All proceeds of ticket and pamphlet sales will go towards paying the performers. £2, 7 - 10pm
WED 14 08 No Matter #3
@ The Castle Hotel A night of words by womxn featuring the irreverent and visceral stylings of Verity Spott, the animalistic abstraction of Ellen Dillon and the lucid consciousness of Mira Mattar. FREE, 7.30 - 10.30pm
THU 15 08 A Sting In The Tale @ Hulme Community Garden Centre
Family-run storytelling club, A Sting In The Tale, is going on an excursion into the green wilderness of Hulme with traditional tales from around the globe in a campsite atmosphere. Stories from the floor, erm... earthy ground, very welcome. £5, 6.30pm
SAT 17 08 Black & British @ Mansfield Cooper Building
Historian, broadcaster, and filmmaker David Olusoga in conversation with Manchester Histories Festival chair Hannah Barker give us insight into Black British history from Roman to present times. They put events in relation to other national and international goings-on with a strong nod to protest and freedom movements. FREE, 2 - 3pm
MURMUR REVIEW Our favourite zines at Northwest Zinefest Sunday 28 th July 2019 Best Practise
is a London zine we first read a couple of years ago and were super glad to see it represented at NW Zinefest this year. Best Practise serves as a political and creative outlet for conversations about our experiences of work - both good and bad - a topic we tend to avoid talking about in the pub, but nonetheless a huge part of daily life and crucial to our mental health. It’s very important Best Practise exists!
Brown Girls Do It
A project by Alicia Evans and Iqra Choudhry, Brown Girls Do It is a beautifully illustrated, engaging zine about race and intersectional feminism. Check out their podcasts, too. They’ve just hit a total of 5000 listens (!) Our favourite episodes: the one with Aimée Felone, co-founder of inclusive children’s publisher Knights of Media, and Mariam Khan, who’s putting together a new anthology of essays by Muslim women called ‘It’s Not About The Burqa’.
Pen Fight
is a queer and feminist bookshop going strong since 2015. They distribute zines, badges and other self-produced artwork on topics such as gender, sexuality, mental health, and food. Pen Fight have just moved towards online-only distro. Browse away at fairs or digitally at
www.penfightdistro.com
murmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmurmur