The Skinny Student Handbook - North 2016

.CO.UK

THE SKINNY STUDENT HANDBOOK

INDEPENDENT

CULT U R A L

J O U R N A L I S M

www.theskinny.co.uk | @theskinnynorth 2016–2017

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2016 – 2017

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Contents

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Your guide to the year’s top cultural events.

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How to get started in music, from forming a band to putting on gigs.

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Uni + alcohol + Snapchat = nudes. If you’re gonna send ’em, send ’em right.

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Artists! Don’t put on a crap degree show.

We’ve got some tips.

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Cooking on a budget doesn’t have to be depressing. Our Food editor tells all.

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Get acquainted with some of the North’s best DJs and club nights.

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Dress to impress with our completely totally 100% infallible fashion hacks.

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It’s possible to be a cinephile without being a jerk. Just listen to our Film ed.

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One-night stands: how to have them in prudish old England.

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Grab the best seats in the house for the North’s most exciting theatre.

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There’s no better time to travel than now.

Make the most of it.

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Bluff your way through the literary canon with our cheat sheet.

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From pubs and clubs to museums, galleries and bike cafes, let our city guides be your, ahem, guide to Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester.

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Some unorthodox money-saving tips from our in-house joker. You’re welcome.

STUDENT HANDBOOK

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CREDITS Editors: Lauren Strain & Rosamund West Designer: Kyle McPartlin Production Manager: Sarah Donley Contributors: Felicity Benefutuis, Simon Jay Catling, Charlotte Davies, Jamie Dunn, Dan Fielding, Will Fitzpatrick, Jess Hardiman, Edy Hurst, Laura Maclean, Kate Pasola, Will Reid, Peter Simpson, Jennie Tsai, Megan Walsh Sales & Marketing: Caroline Harleaux, Mat Parry, Issy Patience, Grant Cunningham, Sandy Park, George Sully Illustrator: Veronica Grech Maps: © OpenStreetMap contributors, CC-BY-SA (openstreetmap.org) RADGE MEDIA Editor-in-Chief: Rosamund West General Manager: Kyla Hall Publisher: Sophie Kyle

@TheSkinnyNorth @TheSkinnyNorth @theskinnymag Get in touch: E: hello@theskinny.co.uk T: 0131 467 4630 P: The Skinny, Studio 104, Islington Mill, 1 James St, Salford, M3 5HW The Skinny is the North’s largest independent entertainment & listings magazine, and offers a wide range of advertising packages and affordable ways to promote your business. Get in touch to find out more.

E: sales@theskinny.co.uk All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the explicit permission of the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the printer or the publisher.

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2016 – 2017

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STUDENT HANDBOOK

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Heads Up Your month-by-month guide to the year’s best events, from music festivals to carnivals, foodie feasts to Pride. The academic calendar never looked so good September Once you’ve lapped up all of the requisite mayhem that arriving at uni entails, you’ll no doubt need bringing back to life with a laugh at Liverpool Comedy Festival (16 Sep-2 Oct), before making mum proud by checking out some iconic #art – specifically, Tracey Emin’s My Bed (at Tate Liverpool from 16 Sep), which you may find relateable. Then, brace yourselves, it’s back to it as the UK’s most famous club season The Warehouse Project kicks off (Manchester, 23 Sep-1 Jan). The Skinny is also throwing some pretty special events, with a party in Leeds (Belgrave Music Hall, 21 Sep), a gig Manchester (The Deaf Institute, 24 Sep), and film screenings in Liverpool (Small Cinema, 14 & 28 Sep).

Indy Man Beer Con

Tracey Emin, My Bed, 1998

October Once you’ve had a few jars at Indy Man Beer Con (Victoria Baths, Manchester, 6-9 Oct), it’s time to take a big bookish bite out of some culture with Manchester Literature Festival (7-23 Oct) – or Chester’s equivalent (8-23 Oct) – before catching some classic horror flicks at Grimmfest (Printworks, Manchester, 6-9 Oct). Light Night Leeds (7 Oct) provides a stunning twilight spectacle, but October’s unmissable favourite is Beacons Metro, the metropolitan music festival taking place in various venues across Leeds (27 Oct-7 Nov).

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LISTINGS

Hookworms at Beacons 2013

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November Liverpool’s LGBT arts festival Homotopia returns to pack the whole of November (30 Oct-1 Dec) with international theatre, music, dance and more, while Manchester Animation Festival (15-17 Nov) at multi-arts venue HOME will prove perfect for anyone interested in TV, film, art or design. Leeds’ creative types can get their fix with comic art festival Thought Bubble (1-6 Nov) before the third annual High & Lonesome Festival (Brudenell Social Club and Left Bank, 19-20 Nov), which features sets from The Low Anthem, Steve Gunn and BC Camplight, among others.

to the Winter Arts Market (3-4 Dec) in the beautiful St George’s Hall, where you can pick up some gifts for friends and fam including screenprints, textiles and homeware, all from local designers and makers.

Manchester Beer & Cider Festival

The Low Anthem

December Before your first term draws to a close and you sink back onto the sofa for revision procrastination galore, you’ll want to get into the spirit with the Christmas markets in Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester, where it’s all about mulled wine, bratwurst and eating your body weight in cheese samples. If you’re in Liverpool, pair that with a trip

January January’s a notoriously placid one as everyone settles into a month-long hangover after festive overindulgence. You’re still up for a beer though, obvs, so try Manchester Beer & Cider Festival (Manchester Central, 19-21 Jan). For something a little less boozy, check out PUSH cross-arts festival at HOME in Manchester (16-28 Jan), where a programme of performances, workshops and discussions will help you get to grips with the local creative scene; or catch the last few days of The Hepworth Prize for Sculpture exhibition (until 22 Jan) — it’s the UK’s first prize for sculpture and an excuse to visit the beautiful Hepworth Wakefield gallery. Finally, Chinese New Year (28 Jan) brings the month to a jovial end, with the cities’ Chinatowns leading the way for parades, markets and events.

Christmas Market

2016 – 2017

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LISTINGS

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April If you like interesting theatre then you’ll want to check out the programme for Transform, a great independent festival that takes over several venues in Leeds as well as outdoor spaces. Music fans are covered with Live at Leeds (29 Apr) and Salford’s Sounds from the Other City (30 Apr), an all-dayer that fills pubs, clubs and railway arches with one of the most unusual and exhilarating line-ups you’re likely to see all year – thanks to expert curation by Manchester and Salford’s greatest DIY promoters.

Gwenno at Sounds from the Other Ciy 2016 LightNight Liverpool

February One of Manchester’s favourite celebrations of LGBT culture returns, as Queer Contact festival serves up several days of theatre, music, dance, comedy, art and more. Wanderlusting students can get an adrenaline hit from the touring Banff Mountain Film Festival, which stops off in Leeds (Town Hall, 2-3 Feb) and Stockport (Plaza Cinema, 4 & 18 Feb) for a cinematic ode to action-packed sports and stunning, far-flung landscapes. Of course, there’s also Valentine’s Day, providing an excuse for the horny among you to do your thing. ‘Your thing’ being candlelit dinners, obviously.

March If you’re running out of energy on the final stretch before Easter break, this month you can refuel yer brain and body at some of the most creative events in the area. Manchester’s homegrown FutureEverything (22-25 Mar) is an exploration of groundbreaking advances in digital technology, media and art and is way more exciting than that sounds, usually with a daring music programme, while Threshold (31 Mar-2 Apr) is Liverpool’s super-inclusive grassroots festival of independent music, art and creativity.

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LISTINGS

Threshold 2015

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FutureEverything

May Music fest season continues with one of the country’s biggest pop-punk and rock festivals, Slam Dunk, in Leeds; Dot to Dot in Manchester (26 May), with a huge programme of the freshest acts; and the somewhat more mainstream Liverpool Sound City, which mixes big and local names with a growing industry conference – probably worth heading along if you fancy working in the music business. Meanwhile, one of the most magical nights of the year takes place on 19 May, as LightNight illuminates Liverpool. Loads of the city’s arts spaces stay open late with special events and exhibitions, and the programme of one-off commissions and performances grows every year.

June What’s that bittersweet feeling? Oh yeah, it’s the weirdness of being simultaneously relieved exams are over and totally lost now you don’t have to spend every night in the libe. Best thing to do is party. You could start at Parklife (Heaton Park, Manchester, 10-11 Jun), which pulls in big names like Snoop and Kendrick and has become a sort of unofficial end-of-term blowout, and keep going at Liverpool’s Positive Vibration festival of reggae or the awesome Africa Oyé (the UK’s biggest free celebration of African culture, in Liverpool’s Sefton Park 17-18 Jun). Of course there’ll also be your official union parties, and Leeds Ball is among the biggest in the country – usually with a Radio 1 fave as headliner.

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July The big event this month is Manchester International Festival (29 Jun-16 Jul), which happens biennially and fills the city with new commissions from major artists working across all forms. This is the first edition under new artistic director John McGrath, who is really ace. It’s also Fringe preview season, so you’ll be able to catch loads of great stand-up and sketch comedy across Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester as local comics try out their shows on the run-up to Edinburgh. And if you’re skint, head along to Unity Day, a big free community festival in Leeds’ Hyde Park, or Liverpool International Music Festival – the Summer Jam (20-23 Jul), a weekend of music in Sefton Park, is always free.

August The annual Pride festivities come to a triumphant end with Manchester Pride across the August bank holiday weekend (Leeds Pride is usually early August, and Liverpool Pride at the very end of July).

Look out for numerous fringe parties and club nights as well as the official parades. Leeds Festival is a rite of passage for some, but if you prefer to avoid flaming projectiles then you could dance up a storm at the 50th anniversary of Leeds West Indian Carnival or Manchester’s Caribbean Carnival instead. Then it’s back to the noodles for you. theskinnny.co.uk/things-to-do

LISTINGS

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Credit: Wes Foster

Jen Hingley, False Advertising

Northern Exposure: Getting Started in Music We ask some industry regulars from Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester for their tips on getting started in music Words: Will Fitzpatrick

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s you’ll no doubt be fed up of hearing, university presents a time for new beginnings. New friends, new responsibilities… maybe even a new city.

Perhaps you’ve been packed off to the other end of the country (or further) with visions of honours scrolls and prosperous careers; maybe you’ve even told yourself that you just want to knuckle down and ignore the various temptations that the student lifestyle offers in excelsis. Or, more likely, you’re ready for a minimum-three-year piss-up.

It’s also a great opportunity to fully immerse yourself in music: the one time of your life when your housemates are less likely to ask you to turn

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it down than to suggest an experiment in crosshallway crowdsurfing.

Whether you’re in Leeds, Liverpool or Manchester, you’ll swiftly come to realise that there’s no shortage of gigs, clubs, venues, record shops or festivals – so why not go one step further and get involved yourself? Whether you’ve got your eye on playing shows, spinning sounds that set the dancefloor alight or even operating in some sort of shadowy behind-the-scenes role, throwing yourself into the scene is a piece of piss.

But don’t just take our word for it; we asked these local heroes for some insider tips… ▶

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Starting a band: Jen Hingley, False Advertising

“ You’ve just got to put yourselves out there and talk to people” Jen Hingley

How were your early experiences of playing live?

We’ve had a lot of great live experiences, our first gig being one of them. I could tell you about how much we’ve improved since we played at Deaf Institute last year [a gig co-promoted by The Skinny] but I stand by that performance – we were ready for it! The biggest issues for me have tended to be related to not being able to hear myself.

Has the scene in Manchester changed since you started out?

It’s become smaller and friendlier, but just because we know more people I suppose! In reality it’s probably become bigger and more daunting, but you’ve just got to put yourselves out there and talk to people.

What advice would you give to someone starting a band in 2016?

Wait until you’re totally ready before sharing anything. If you’re not playing gigs yet or releasing music, then why would anyone follow you on Twitter or Facebook? Wait until what you have is 2016 – 2017

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Balraj Samrai

Photo: Louis Reynolds

How did False Advertising get started?

We’d all played in a band together a few years ago, but that ended after about three gigs. Shortly after that Chris and I decided to form a new band that was 100% DIY – where between us we would selfproduce and self-release all of our music, as well as create all of our own artwork and music videos.

Oh and we both wanted to play drums.

We didn’t realise how long it would be to get good enough at all of these things though – there was about a year and a half between us coming up with the idea for False Advertising and the day we shared Wasted Away online. But having all that time to craft, rehearse and record really helped us figure out what kind of band we were and get confident.

100% finished, then launch everything on the same day alongside some nice photography (all of our first press shots were done on a self-timer, by the way!). If it’s good and you’re strict with yourself then doing it that way will excite people. falseadvertising.bandcamp.com

DJing and club promoting: Balraj Samrai, Swing Ting How did you first get involved?

I started collecting records and DJing at house parties in sixth form. This continued into university before I started playing at other events around the city. I didn’t really plan to get into promoting but felt I picked up a few pointers from other promoters, like-minds and DJs in the city so decided to give it a go with friends who shared my enthusiasm for music.

Tell us about Swing Ting.

[Fellow Swing Ting DJ] Platt and I wanted to start a party where we could play music like garage, grime, dancehall, rap and bassline in an accessible environment. We kicked this off in 2008, in our final year of uni. This then built up to the point where we were doing monthly sessions at Soup Kitchen (our current home) and playing lots of new and ▶

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Photo: Amy Carter

unreleased music. Joey B, Fox and Murlo joined the fold, and in 2014 we decided to start the label wing of Swing Ting to give an outlet to fresh sounds.

What were your early experiences like?

There were ups and downs. Sometimes we were too ambitious – trying to put a party on midweek or overspending beyond our budget, but we learned from these mistakes; I still see this as part of the journey. Super-positive nights that spring to mind are the first session – a massive success, which featured Jon K, Illum Sphere and Joey B. Having Seiji play at Charlie’s Karaoke Bar felt like a pivotal night as it brought a lot of different people togther from around the city, and our seventh birthday bash in December featuring The Large was an extremely lively affair from start to finish.

What are the most important factors for a good club night?

A good club night should flow, feel welcoming and be accessible to people whatever their background, but also look to challenge expectations.

Logistical essentials are great sound, door staff, bar staff and security.

What advice would you give to someone starting out as a DJ in 2016?

Be individual and uncompromising in what you choose to select. Dig deep and work hard to make sure you’re on people’s radar. Don’t get drawn into doing gigs just for ‘exposure’ as this can be a slippery slope. Promoters should invest in you, so be patient and wait for the right gigs to find you.

Good luck! swingting.com

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Promoting gigs: Gem Prout, Fancy Claps Promotions Why did you start promoting?

I first ventured into putting on gigs when I was living in Cornwall at the age of 16 – I helped my friend put on punk bands at a local pub. When I moved to Leeds in 2007, I decided to do it myself!

The DIY scene is something I really wanted to be part of – it’s just really exciting being able to get bands that you love to play, and letting others discover music they may not have heard before.

Did you know much about putting on shows at first?

When I first started, I knew it would be a learning curve by going alone. It wasn’t easy at first, simply because I was new to Leeds and I was taking a chance by putting on mainly out-of-town bands, but the Leeds scene is extremely welcoming and encouraging, so had it not been for that I might not have kept putting on shows for this long.

Were there any mistakes along the way?

The first gig I put on in Leeds was a little scary, particularly when I realised that I had to set up the PA myself, run the bar, organise the bands and man the door all on my own! The gig actually went well in the end, but I should have communicated better with the venue so that there were no surprises on the night. I also remember that part of the band’s rider included ham sandwiches and because of the venue’s vegan/vegetarian ethic, they had to take them outside. I definitely learned a lot that evening!

Tell us about promoting in Leeds.

In Leeds we are absolutely spoilt with the amount ▶

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of DIY promoters, putting on all sorts of musical endeavours: Cops and Robbers, Night Fortress, PLS TXT, Scene Better Days, Bad Owl, Tally Ho, Queer We Go, Bomb the Twist, Le Petit Machines and Keri Morgan, just to name a few! It rarely feels like people are in competition with each other. I feel that it’s important to be supportive – rivalry is not conducive to a scene.

What advice would you give to someone promoting their first show in 2016?

Hurry up! 2016 is nearly over and you want to give yourself plenty of time to promote the gig properly.

Oh, and enjoy it! facebook.com/fancyclaps

Starting a record label: Philip Rourke, EDILS Recordings How did EDILS get started?

EDILS was originally a booking agency which started out in 2003 – I basically started it to try to get my band on the DIY touring scene, and two years down the line I was booking some of my favourite bands. The label started in 2011: my best friend James and I thought some of the established bands I had made links with over the years could do one-off releases to coincide with tours.

Tell us about the label.

The philosophy is simple and I daresay the same as most labels: release and work with bands we love. We do small runs of products, in-house PR,

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and try to book shows for bands we work with. If bands are happy with that then it’s all cool. Bigger labels can offer loads more, obviously – perhaps DIY labels are a good starting point to get in with the right scene, and get your release pushed to people who will genuinely take an interest in it.

How did it go when you first started?

We found it really easy at first, to be honest. The first three physical releases sold out quickly due to the bands being on tour – we got lucky. We’ve made mistakes, of course. They’re a learning curve. We mistakenly got over 100 Double Echo CD cases made with the wrong track order on the back! We lost a lot of money on that, but the album was a big success.

Recently we’ve worked with Flying Nun Records on a release, and we receive submissions all the time from bands who are fans of our back catalogue. In particular I’m very proud of the UK bands we’ve worked with: Death Masks, Zola and currently Ice Baths, Slushy Guts and Day Flower. All amazing bands.

What should a good label do?

First of all, a good label will put in the effort for the band. Go the extra mile and put in as much effort to pushing the release as the band have writing it.

I’ve learned a lot from Bleeding Gold Records over in the US. It’s such a beautiful label; Roger who runs it is super-organised and just wonderful to work with. I think they have a perfect model for a DIY label – their products are amazing.

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What advice would you give to someone starting a DIY label in 2016?

Make sure you have endless amounts of time.

Don’t do anything you are not 100% sure of. Be prepared to lose money. Make sure you have endless amounts of time. edilsrecordings.bandcamp.com

“ Make it your focus over everything else... or get a real job and have fun with your mates instead” Rob Whiteley

Tell us about getting set up at Whitewood.

I started out borrowing a friend’s 16-track Fostex tape machine (computers were not powerful enough in those days) and desks, and treated the recording as a live gig. I used to work in venues as a sound engineer and toured with bands, but I was always drawn to the studio. I got a degree in sound technology from LIPA in 2003 and then in 2008 decided to go for broke with Whitewood, losing out on more regular live work but ultimately letting me do what I wanted to do and being my own boss.

Were there any other studios, engineers or producers that you looked up to?

My favourite records at the time were made by Ryan Green, Bill Stevenson, Steve Albini and Mark Trombino; it was mainly their sounds (which I often had no idea how to achieve) that I was looking to emulate. The whole idea of production (as opposed to engineering, two very interlinked areas) came later – I sat down with one of my favourite 2016 – 2017

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Photo: Nick Bojdo

Working in a recording studio: Rob Whiteley, Whitewood Recording Studio How did you get started with studio work?

I went down the less traditional route of forming a band, learning about live sound, and then started recording my friends’ bands and mine. It’s a very competitive part of the industry – everyone has a mate that will record for free.

producers, J. Robbins, when his band played in Manchester and learned a lot. Today there’s an incredible amount of information on the net, and streaming services make it easy to listen to a wealth of music/production. The only way to learn is to record though.

Has the industry changed since you started out?

The cost of really decent recording equipment is a lot less these days, though we at Whitewood still believe that some of the classic sounds are linked to certain (usually pricey) equipment. This means that bands can make perfectly decent recordings for very little money (compared to the pre-computer times).

What advice would you give to someone starting out in sound recording in 2016?

Try and get an internship at Abbey Road. Think about whether you have the same dedication as any artist needs to have for their discipline (no spare time or cash to speak of for the first 10 years). Put the 10,000 hours in and hopefully you’ll have a very rewarding career. Make recording your focus over everything else... or get a real job and have fun with your mates instead. whitewoodrecordingstudio.com

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The Art of Sending Nudes Uni + alcohol + Snapchat = nudes. Here’s Deviance’s guide to baring it all without accidentally ruining your life Words: Felicity Benefutuis

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aking the perfect nude is hard work, and an under-appreciated art form. The meteoric rise in popularity and spread of cyber-nudes is a credit to millennials – my own pictures have had a reach of three continents, which I attribute to both vanity and industriousness. I treat my nudes like the artwork that they are; I’ve even been known to give workshops in how to take the perfect birthday-suit selfie.

While sending naked portraits to romantic interests is by no means new, it’s easier than ever to do so thanks to the likes of Snapchat. Combine digital developments with the unlimited privacy, casual sex-positivity and alcohol to be found at uni and it’s no wonder we’re all photographing our arses for one another 24/7.

Though they are a wonderful tool in LDRs, for treating trustworthy sex-pals and generally for encouraging body positivity, our enthusiasm for taking nudes has, unfortunately eclipsed our wisdom. But fret no more, fresher. I’m here to demystify the world of nude-sending in the hope that I can change the lives of horny smartphone-owners around the globe.

Do I need consent?

Er, yes. No matter how lovely you think your genitals are, it is not fair and not legal to force someone else to look at them. Furthermore, never allow some prick to pressure you into taking a naked photo. because a) that’s bullshit behaviour and b) a nude is at its best when it is taken out of pure pride and vanity.

Will this come back to haunt me when I’m rich and famous?

While it’s abundantly clear that Snapchat’s primary function is to spread consequence-free snaps of your nips, the dreaded screenshot somewhat clips your wings.

A well-founded fear is of exposure; every time I’ve made the rookie error of firing off a picture which includes my face the question looms. Nude-leaking is very much a possibility, and a consequence to 2016 – 2017

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consider seriously. Hopefully legislation will change and these vengeful, pervy bastards will be brought to justice. In the meantime, remember this is you at your most confident, in your young and sexy prime.

But the point remains, guys and gals: NEVER. INCLUDE. YOUR. FACE. What if my nudes affect future relationships?

Good question. Should your new partners be aware that X number of picture recipients have seen your perfectly illuminated butt? Short answer: no, you don’t need to tell anyone about what you did with another consenting adult. Anyone who tries to shame you for past exploits is not worth your time.

“ NEVER. INCLUDE. YOUR. FACE.” Is it ever OK to recycle nudes?

Occasionally when you have unveiled yourself as a sexual being, recipients can become demanding as you are expected to be perpetually horny and willing to deliver explicit goods. It’s boring and difficult to bang out sexy pictures on command; feel free to archive and repurpose your best nudes. They are your intellectual property and you are not a machine.

Should I feel guilty about using a filter?

Often there’s an element of guilt in sending flatteringly orchestrated body pictures. I’ve occasionally wondered whether it counts as catfishing to send pictures of my bum living its best life (it only looks quite that perky if I lie on my side and practically fold in half, which is not a posture I’m prepared to maintain).

The best response to this is that that is your body and in that moment, at that angle, it really did look that good.

DEVIANCE

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How to do a Good Degree Show Hey art student! You want your degree show to be totally amazing right? We’ve got some tips and we’ve got some gripes and hopefully the combination of the two will create a useful guide you can use to make your degree show a wonderful place for all of us Words: Rosamund West Illustration: Veronica Grech Go to the degree shows This may seem obvious but evidence suggests it is not. More on that later. Go to all the degree shows. Go to as many as you can reach across the country. Gauge the level of work and the variety of techniques and the time you’re going to need to put in (hint: it’s all the time).

Don’t worry about the grade Take a risk. Focus on your practice and on creating something authentic. The most important thing is that you display your vision in its truest form, and that you use this opportunity to stretch yourself. Marking something as subjective as fine art is inherently flawed, and frankly no one will care about your grade by the time the degree show opens.

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Know your privilege This is a unique opportunity of access to equipment and training and space and time that you won’t have after graduation so make the most of it.

Departmental confusion We’ve all seen the degree show where someone has clearly wanted to do jewellery, ended up in painting, then continued to make jewellery but without the actual technical training in how to do it. They’ll quite often end up retraining after graduation, which just seems like a waste of a painting degree. If your heart lies in a different department, work out how to get into it. Unless literally everyone is telling you you’re terrible at it, in which case you might be best placed to listen to them. ▶

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THE SKINNY 25/08/2016 15:38

Befriend your peers Get to know people in your year and the years above you, look at their work, understand what they are doing. The purpose of this is twofold – one, talking to people about art and establishing your creative network is one of the main points of art school. People will literally never ask you what you got in your degree in the real world, it’s the peer review and brain rewiring that happens in the process of your time at college that makes an art school education of incomparable value.

Two, it means you’ll be familiar with what’s been done before and that means you won’t make the same godforsaken show that’s been made every year for time immemorial and might actually create something of relative originality.

Don’t be a cliché As longstanding degree show attendees, the Art department of The Skinny have noticed a few repeated themes over the years and we would like them to stop, quite frankly. It’s got to the point where we’ve made bingo cards of degree show tropes, and we’re sharing them covertly with other art world familiars. Imagine you’d spent a year slaving over your show and then on opening night realised bastards like us were sniggering and Instagramming and ticking things off on a crudely made bingo card. You’d be devastated right? That’s why we’ve decided to share our sage advice with you now, before you’ve committed any of these terrible cliches. We’re nice like that.

THINGS TO AVOID MAKING Granny’s Living Room The classic has got to be Granny’s Living Room.

The scrupulous recreation of your granny’s living room in a degree show space, complete with gas fire and some sort of rocking chair, terrible red striped wallpaper and an oil painting of a Scottish landscape.

We get it – you’re young, you’ve been asked to make work about something that matters profoundly to you and not that much has happened to you at this point. You loved your granny – that is understood. But please, please don’t recreate her living room in intricate detail. It happens every single year, sometimes twice in one show. And we take photos of it and we laugh at you. Is that a fitting tribute to your granny? Is it? Also it’ll probably earn you a third.

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Shit latex “It’s so bodily.” No, it’s not. Stop pretending you’re setting the world alight by saying some latex is a vagina. We’re way beyond that, as you would know if you’d paid attention in your lectures.

Shed shed shed Shed that was previously outside, displayed inside with documentation of its previous position outside. This is an odd one because it can work in the right circumstances, but it happens a lot and it’s probably down to Simon Starling. Employ with care.

“ Stop pretending you’re setting the world alight by saying some latex is a vagina” Bad taxidermy It is not enough to just throw in a stuffed badger and hope that makes the viewer ponder deeply upon their own mortality. You have to do something really interesting with that badger to make the work worthwhile and ensure that your mockery of that poor creature’s corpse isn’t futile.

Also think long and hard before embarking on any amateur animal stuffing. We’ve all seen enough taxidermy gone wrong at this point and it ain’t pretty.

The Room of Rotting Meat Again, this is used as a shorthand for mortality and an attempt to shock the viewer. Not going to happen mate, this crowd has seen it all.

Plagiarism You might have just heard of Karla Black, but that doesn’t mean your viewers don’t know her. Let’s not waste everyone’s time yeah?

So there you have it. All the information you need to make a banging degree show. You’re welcome. theskinny.co.uk/art

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Rudy’s Pizza

A Slice of Life

We offer up some foodie advice, but keep it simple by sticking to the dual student lifeforces: pizza, and beer Words: Peter Simpson

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or most students, their university lives will be the first time they have any real control over (or responsibility for) their diet. Oh sure, we’ve all thrown a strop and gone in a bit of a huff over what’s been served up for dinner, but that’s a hard trick to pull when you made the dinner yourself. Not impossible, but hard to do. This lack of experience, juggled alongside the fellow joys of budgeting and time management, leads to the understandable temptation to cut corners, and opt for easy solutions that seem like a good idea at the time but just end up as culinary disasters. Well, we won’t stand for it. You’re a smart bunch, and you can do better. No we are not taking this too seriously, thank you very much.

The fact of the matter is your new city is packed with great indie food and drink, and a lot of the time it isn’t that expensive, or even that pretentious, so you should just go and eat and drink it all. We don’t have space to talk about

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literally everything, and we’re sure you’ll get the point after we’ve given a couple of examples.

Allow us to go all ‘cooler older brother’ on you, and focus on two student staples: pizza, and beer.

PIZZA Really, you lot should be making your own pizza. It doesn’t require a lot of ingredients, it’s quite cheap, and it’s one of those culinary skills that looks dead impressive once you get the hang of it. Do look up some web tutorials on getting your dough right and for the best way to cook your pizza (here’s a hint: you’ll need a good frying pan). Don’t try to do that ‘spinning it above your head’ thing unless you want to spend the next few days picking chunks of damp flour from behind the sofa.

If you really can’t bring yourself to make the stuff, but still want to wolf down a slice or two, you’re probably thinking of hitting up one of those pizza ▶

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chains that spend loads of cash on marketing and getting a guy to bring you pizza. There are probably a few of their menus sitting on your table just now, tempting you with their bright colours and shit puns.

Well, don’t be suckered in. For one thing, look at the prices; you are supposed to be a student, not the scion of some cash-rich dynasty trying to burn the inheritance by overpaying for bad pizza.

Once you get out of the ‘buy one get one free’ and ‘£1 pizza with about a million asterisks’ deals, you’ll find that charging high double digits for what is basically flour, water, cheese and tomato is how they make up for all that advertising.

But there’s a better reason than our vague antiThe Man sentiment, and that’s that you’re in a big city, packed with great pizza. Go out and see that city, and grab pizza along the way; you’ll get out of the house, have a better slice, and you might even learn something. Probably not, but still, could happen.

Across the North, there are an embarrassing number of options for pizza-lovers. Manchester residents could join the crowds at Rudy’s in Ancoats for super-authentic and incredibly reasonable Neapolitan-style pizza, or head to Slice in the Northern Quarter for a by-the-piece offering from a pair of Rome-trained pizzaiolos. If you really like your pizza, or just want a good excuse to bunk off from that tutorial, head up to Altrincham’s Market House for incredible wood-fired pizza courtesy of Honest Crust.

Liverpudlians could do far worse than heading to Maguire’s, the venerable pizza bar and DIY 26

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gig venue. The gigs in the back are varied and exciting; the pizza out front is friendly to both veggies and vegans, as well as tasting boss.

Tribeca’s two spots on Smithdown Road and Berry Street are reliable options at either end of town, and Nightcrawler’s NY-style slice bar is drumming up decent attention on the former site of MelloMello. If you’re the multi-tasking type, American Pizza Slice can throw out pizza to suit every occasion across their three locations. They’ve got great on-the-go, sit-in and takeaway options all ready and waiting for whenever the pizza rush hits.

BEER There haven’t been many better times to enter the world of drinking than right now. The smoking ban allows you to nip to the pub without having to burn your wardrobe or honk on a can of oxygen afterwards, and the craft beer boom means you can get very nice beer basically everywhere for not all that much money. It’s almost certainly all downhill from here – best get to the bar before we move on to artisanal alcopops or redo that trend of all of our drink garnishes being on fire.

With that in mind, here are two very important words to remember when it comes to beer – false economy. Yes, you could go down to the shop and grab a four-pack of cheap, big-name lager, and it’ll cost you X. However, that beer may well look, smell and taste like piss, and no-one wants that. Spend a little bit more – and we’re

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talking tens of pence per drink here – and you can get yourself some local craft beers that don’t remind you of urine, but are instead packed with flavour and intrigue. If you think you don’t have the money, you do; you’re just being a cheap bastard.

If 20p is going to be the difference between paying your rent or not, maybe don’t go to the pub in the first place. That’s a ‘life hack’ for you.

“ If you think you don’t have the money for good beer, you do; you’re just being a cheap bastard” So don’t drink bad beer, and don’t go to crap pubs either. We know that we just said “oh you’ve never had it so good,” but the pub trade is having a bad time right now with premises shutting left and right. It turns out all those smoking old men from earlier were drinking the entire time. Without customers, pubs can’t stay open, so go to them.

And if those two nuggets of solid advice weren’t enough, here’s another: if you don’t know what

you want, ask the bar staff for their suggestions. If they can’t provide any, you’re probably in one of those crap pubs from the previous paragraph.

Good bars employ people who like and know about beer, and they’ll steer you right, especially once you have a couple of favourites you can use as reference points. That said, they aren’t bloody psychic, so talk to them.

One great place to talk beer, and try loads of great local stuff in one hazy evening, is a beer festival, and the North has a couple of absolute crackers on its calendar. Manchester’s Indy Man Beer Con in October brings together dozens of independent breweries under one big roof at Victoria Baths, alongside a host of great indie street food vendors and foodie types from across the region. Over in Leeds, similar fun can be found at the Brew-denell Beer and Ale Festival in January.

You’ll never guess where it is, unless you do the most basic amount of research. Alright, it’s at the Brudenell.

If you’re looking for a tasty beer to enjoy at home, the North’s indie bottleshops can help you find your new favourite beer in no time at all. Leeds’ Tall Boys Beer Market is packed with great indie beers from across the region and beyond, while it’s a similar story at Beermoth’s shop in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Over in Liverpool, Ship in a Bottle in Whitechapel features over 400 beers from all over the world at any one time. 400. If you can’t find one you love, you might just not like beer at all. Nah, that can’t be it – guess you’d better keep looking. theskinny.co.uk/food-and-drink

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THE SKINNY 25/08/2016 15:44

Yousef

Best Selector Some introductory listening from some of the North’s best DJs and producers

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t The Skinny we regularly ask our favourite producers and local DJs to share a playlist of indispensable tracks. They might choose old classics, current obsessions or tip-offs of future talent: the result is always an illuminating ride, taking us deep into our selectors’ musical tastes and listening habits.

We’ve gone back through some recent charts from Northern DJs to cherrypick some cuts for you to explore, spanning everything from techno to industrial, Sheffield hip-hop to Liverpool psych – an ultimate playlist, if you will. Stick it on while you’re getting ready to go out, or use each track to delve further into the scene. Listen to the full playlists at theskinny.co.uk/clubs/dj-charts

Yousef created one of Liverpool’s most relentlessly successful clubs in the form of Circus (as well as associated label Circus Recordings), and has worn many hats during his career: DJ, producer, remixer, promoter... you name it. See details of Circus’s next parties at circusclub.co.uk Hoodz Underground How Do You Feel?

[Trackshicker, 2006] Chosen by thatmanmonkz

“Hoodz were like Sheffield’s Wu-Tang Clan! They dominated the local hip-hop scene in the 90s and Floorplan 00s, and this is a great piece of social commenSpin [M-Plant, 2016] tary from them. On a different day I could have Chosen by Yousef picked one from any number of tracks...”

A resident of Sheffield since the 90s, Scott Moncrieff – aka thatmanmonkz – is the boss of record label Shadeleaf Music and one of the “I’m a huge fan of Robert Hood, especially in his Floor- city’s finest producers. He’s also a champion of plan guise. His brand of techno has a housier edge to Sheffield’s lesser-known cuts; as he says, “there it and helps connects the dots in my sets – most has always been a lot more going on here than Floorplan records are great DJ tools that simply sma- just indie and bassline house!” Visit shadeleafsh it. I’ve played this track every set since early May.” music.com ▶

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CLUBS

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The Mel-O-Tones Burton Buzz [Probe Plus, 1985] Chosen by Ade Blackburn

phy. A very focused and talented artist with a very special take on industrial and ethnic music.”

One of Manchester’s finest techno double acts with a penchant for the industrial, Andrew Bowen and Dimitri Ploumpidis (aka AnD) are producers, DJs and – crucially – sound designers, “Liverpool’s finest really deliver with a slab of de- issuing aural explorations through their 100%-vinyl only imprint Inner Surface Music. Learn more mented psychobilly. Out on the Probe Plus label at soundcloud.com/innersurfacemusic in the mid-80s, they never got the attention they deserved but there’s still time yet.”

Afrika Bambaataa & Ade Blackburn founded the band that would Soulsonic Force become Clinic – one of Liverpool’s finest exports – back in 1984. They began to make a name for Planet Rock themselves in the late 90s with a trio of immacu[21 Records, 1982] late singles on their own Aladdin’s Cave of Golf Chosen by Greg Wilson label, marrying proto-punk twang and Velvet Underground scuzz filtered through dub, psy“Planet Rock is a seminal record in the true sense of chedelia and primitive electronica. Catch one the term. It drew a line between the past and the fuof their exploratory gigs or DJ sets near you. Info ture. Once that record had been made there was no at clinicvoot.org turning back – it was headlong into the computer age.”

Hailing from Wallasey, Greg Wilson made his Muslimgauze name playing soul music at two of the most fabled Shadow of Hope clubs in the North, Wigan Pier and Legend in Diminishing Manchester. He keeps a personal blog reflecting on archival and current recordings – essential [Muslimtapes, 1996] reading for anyone interested in clubbing history Chosen by AnD – and in 2014 set up a label, Super Weird Sub“Manchester massive! One of the city’s biggest ever stance, to release primarily ‘balearicpsychdelicdubdisco’ music: superweirdsubstance.com talents, without a doubt. Muslimgauze was introduced to us about eight years ago, and his world is The Volcanos almost overwhelming due to his extensive discogra(It’s Against) The Laws of Love [ARCTIC, 1965] Chosen by Richard Searling Another stalwart of the Northern Soul scene, Richard Searling earned a reputation playing at the legendary Wigan Casino and Va-Vas in Bolton.

When we asked him to reminisce, he chose this Volcanos tune as one of his defining records of that time: “Va-Vas was very modern and with such a small dancefloor and, on the face of it, it should not have worked. However, there was nowhere else, so the timing was perfect! From those days I have fond memories of titles like Laws of Love (The Volcanos), Easy Baby (The Adventurers) and Tainted Love (Gloria Jones).” These days you can find him hosting three specialist soul shows, including Friday nights (10pm-midnight) on BBC Radio Manchester. Details at richardsearling.co.uk theskinny.co.uk/clubs

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Night Lives When the surplus foam is all dried up and your traffic light’s been permanently set to red, here’s where you should party the rest of the year Big ones In Manchester, The Warehouse Project dominates the clubbing calendar. A series of giant nights beneath Piccadilly Station, it runs from September to New Year’s Day and presents the biggest names in electronic music. Many of the acts playing already sold-out nights at WHP will grace Liverpool and Leeds too, with established hosts in the former including Circus, and an equivalent venue in the latter being Canal Mills.

Unlike its Manchester cuz, Canal Mills is still a relatively intimate affair, retaining an underground feel and repping most corners of alternative dance. There’s also the atmospheric Williamson Tunnels in Liverpool, which hosts sellout nights from Detroit legends and co; and promoters Freeze are known for persuading heavyweights like Bonobo and Michael Mayer to play in the ruins of the Bombed-Out Church.

Tuneful ones In Leeds, the passionate and risk-taking lot at Butter Side Up – usually operating out of Wire – arguably have the more underground side of house locked down. Selective Hearing are responsible for much of Leeds and Manchester’s techno output, while new kids on the block Covert are giving them a run for their money with seriously good parties at Mantra Warehouse in Ancoats.

Everybody’s new favourite venue Hidden, a retired textile mill, has wiped the floor with bookings the past year, while in Liverpool promoters Hot Plate and mUmU bring the euphoria on the regular. For global sounds with roots in house and disco, check out Banana Hill, largely in Manc but playing here, there and everywhere.

Heavy ones While dance music has an iron grip on all three cities every weekend, the weeknights are refreshingly less 4/4. Juicy’s cheap and very cheerful hip-hop party packs them in like clockwork (every Wednesday at Manchester’s 2016 – 2017

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Joshua Brooks and every Thursday at Liverpool’s Shipping Forecast during term time). Leeds has led the way in grime outside of London and does a nice line in all things heavy: relatively new venue The Old Red Bus Station has become a hotbed of jungle, drum’n’bass and rave.

Transcendental ones The local scene is so healthy that you might be surprised how quickly some of your favourite ‘underground’ artists get snapped up by the big promoters, but pioneering spirits keep pushing things forward nonetheless. In Manchester, those out for a truly mind expanding experience will find themselves at Islington Mill, or at infrequent but otherworldly parties like Wet Play. In Leeds, Cosmic Slop has a similar vibe; the speciality is vinyl-only jams covering funk, boogie, house, soul, vintage disco and whatever else feels right in the moment. Look out for Shipley’s cult Golden Cabinet, too: an early evening experiment in a community centre, programmed so Leeds dwellers can catch the last train home after bracing sets by punishing aural explorers. theskinny.co.uk/clubs

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Fashion Hacks Make your own face masks out of porridge and PVA glue!

Turn those jeans into really unflattering hotpants! Fed up of getting rubbish advice when it comes to saving money?

Here at The Skinny we like to keep things a little more real Words: Jess Hardiman DON’T listen to the fashionistas They’re the ones who told you to run out and buy capes (!?), wear neon and scrape your hair into tiny little man-buns. They may seem srsly fash at the time, but these people are not your friends, and they really don’t have a freaking clue. Ab Fab’s a parody for a reason.

DO buy kids’ clothes Quick tip for you here: children’s clothing isn’t taxed. What a way to screw the system! Stick it to the man! You’ll be best off going for the plainer pieces (‘Cheeky Little Monkey’-type slogans are nauseating even on children), like stripy tees from the little boys’ section in Primark that cost £2, and will look exactly the same as ‘grown-up’ ones under a dungaree dress or over some jeans. Kinda.

DO buy kids’ shoes In the same vein, many children’s shoe retailers stock styles up to size 5 or 6 – handily, the size that many of us wear (mostly women’s footwear we’re talking about here, we’d imagine). And in a somewhat timely twist of fate, it also seems trainers with light-up soles are back in fashion!

If you’re a total tit, that is.

DON’T underestimate how lazy you are We don’t want to be the ones to kill your creative dreams, but let’s face it, not many of us are particularly adept with a sewing machine… and the rest of us can’t be arsed. Don’t buy pieces you have to re-work if you know it won’t happen, and if you do, keep it simple – new buttons on a cheap cardi can sometimes make all the difference, for example – and save the bigger ventures for Halloween.

DO use your student discount Boy, you’ll miss it when it’s gone. Use it at ASOS, 34

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Topshop, Topman, Urban Outfitters et al., though if you’re in a smaller, independent shop, don’t be afraid to ask if that’s the lowest price they can do.

If they look at you like the tight-fisted cheap bastard you truly are, you’ll lose only your pride – and frankly, you don’t need that for adult life anyway.

DO rely on classic staples Fast fashion straight-up sucks if you’re on a budget. Sometimes it’s not so bad to be basic – think like the French and stick to Breton tops and skinny jeans, which will work for decades to come. Standing out from the crowd is overrated and, er, bloody costly.

DO buy pre-loved Second-hand clothes that someone may or may not have died in? You’ll get waaay over that once you’re broke. If you’re going to go vintage, try Blue Rinse in Leeds and Manchester or Pop Boutique in Liverpool, or if you’re heading down the charity shop route, remember to be picky; charity shops in well-to-do areas will have the good shit you’re after. Just remember to wash it first, yeah?

DO repeat outfits You’ll soon realise everyone’s too busy looking at themselves to realise you wore the same thing yesterday. In short: play on people’s vanity. It’s one of the few things you can always rely on. Deep.

DON’T go to the sales Sounds counter-intuitive, no? But you’ll end up buying some really weird stuff that’s in the sale for a reason. Sometimes sale-shopping is better online, as you can leave bits in your virtual basket for long enough to realise how gross they are. And if they still make the cut after an hour or two? Go wild. theskinny.co.uk/fashion

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A Guide to Student Cinephilia Don't fool yourself into thinking you'll have time to watch the whole 15 hours of Berlin Alexanderplatz after you graduate. Now is the time to get properly lost in movies before gainful employment gets in the way Words: Jamie Dunn Watch films: lots of them Step one is to expand your palate. You may have rocked up to halls with an Empire subscription and a Netflix account, but chances are you’re ignorant of vast swathes of film history. Don’t let this fact dishearten you: you’ll never see all the great films by the pantheon directors, and your ignorance will increase with each passing year as dozens of movies are added to the ‘canon’ (you’ll be lucky if you can see all of them). In fact, this is cause to rejoice: no matter how many movies you watch there will always be new ones to discover.

Work out what you don’t know Locate where the gaping holes in your film knowledge lie. Who are the major directors you’ve managed to avoid over the years? Which nations’ cinema are you patchy on? Don’t just assume 2016 – 2017

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that there are no great films from Senegal or New Zealand or the Philippines. Watch a few, and expand your horizons.

Join your university’s film society The film society isn’t the sexiest of organisations fighting for your patronage during freshers’ week.

The film society won’t be throwing the coolest parties or organising adventurous weekends in far flung locations. But for a movie lover, it’s paradise. You see, watching a film isn’t really complete unless you get to debate it with other movie-nuts on loop until you’re all thrown out of the venue or lose the will to live. One of the two.

Take over your university’s film society Of course, your film society may be run by idiots whose idea of inventive programming is a Quentin ▶

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Tarantino double bill or an Alejandro González Iñárritu retrospective. No need to sit idly by and be subjected to Reservoir Dogs for the 15th time – take a leaf out of the Parliamentary Labour Party’s playbook and form a coup. You’re sure to find support from fellow obnoxious cine-geeks with an aversion to the dude canon.

Start your own film club Of course, if your coup fails you can also set up your own film night, either on campus or at a local indie cinema, art space or bar sympathetic to your love of quality film. Not only do you instantly become head programmer, you also have the opportunity to learn innumerable skills, from marketing to social media to dealing with distributors to negotiating film rights to writing programme notes to hosting the event. In other words: all the know-how you might ever need to land a full-time gig as a film programmer.

“No matter how many movies you watch there will always be new ones to discover” Read all you can about cinema It’s a fallacy to think that everything ever written down is available online. Plenty of great film writing has been digitised, but the majority is still entombed within dusty volumes and yellowed periodicals. Luckily your university has these buildings that are filled with books. Go rummaging through your uni library’s leather-bound copies of Movie; curl up with books on your favourite director or star; discover the art of textual analysis with Victor Perkins’ Film as Film; be introduced to Andrew Sarris’s take on auteur theory in The American Cinema; get riled up with the ecstatic writings of Pauline Kael; read Molly Haskell for an unflinching and unforgiving examination of the female image on screen. Read, read, read.

Write all you can about cinema Often the only way to find out what you really think of a piece of art is to get your ideas down in words.

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Films that you enjoyed while watching may not stand up to scrutiny when you try to articulate their qualities, while a work that leaves you cold on first watch might crystallise in your mind through the act of writing. Start by keeping a diary of everything you watch – and write something about it. It doesn’t need to be an essay. Start small: a few lines, a few words. Get creative: try writing a review in the form of a haiku.

Share your writing This writing can be for your own personal consumption, but there’s a whole world out there who may welcome your thoughts on film. Join Letterboxd (basically Facebook for film-nuts) and share your writings there. Better yet, start a blog.

Once you’ve a healthy collection of reviews and features, use your writing as a way of getting accreditation to film festivals. Build up a readership and you’ll be eligible to attend press screenings of films weeks before they come out. You might even want to send examples of your writing to The Skinny – we’re always on the lookout for sharp new voices.

Be cinema’s saviour “It feels a little like end of days for independent cinema,” wrote Jason Wood, artistic director of film at HOME, Manchester, in Sight & Sound magazine’s 2015 roundup. Wood isn’t the first to air these concerns, and he won’t be the last.

However: you, cinema’s future audience, can be the saviour of indie cinema! Seek out your local purveyor of quality film. Take advantage of the student discount on offer. Become a member.

Be on first name terms with the bar staff and ushers. Drag your friends to Tarkovsky retrospectives and late night cult screenings. Don’t let indie cinema die.

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A Freshers’ Guide to One Night Stands Deviance picks the brains of sex blogger Cheryl Kaye (HornyGeekGirl), The Vagenda co-founder / editor Holly Baxter and our own faithful contributors to bring you a (sorta) comprehensive guide to no-strings boning. YOU ARE WELCOME. Interview: Kate Pasola Illustration: Veronica Grech

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ithout relegating your freshers’ experience to a montage off The Inbetweeners, it’s very likely that for many people, a move out of the family home and into the condom-littered world of halls means but one thing: a foray into the world of one night stands. And because we live in the most ridiculously prudish and conservative island under the sun, it seems nobody has a fucking clue how to have a one-offer safely, successfully and somewhat sexily. Let’s talk about this.

Costume parties: both friend and foe Yes, roughly 87% of freshers’ nights out are themed and sure, costumes are ice-breakers. But it’s worth factoring in whether your outfit’s going to be a bearable state-of-affairs the next morning as you saunter home. Slut-shaming can GTFO, but take it from someone who was once forced to walk through the most open plan and highly populated part of uni dressed as ‘Buzzfeed’ the day after Hallowe’en (complete with handmade ‘FAIL!’ signs) – just think about it.

“ It’s your body and you can pull down the shutters whenever you damn please”

Boning beats Pick the shag-tracks wisely. Do not leave this to fate with an untested Spotify playlist; you’ll only find yourself getting down to some obscure Justin Timberlake throwback. Nobody wants that. Not even Justin Timberlake. We asked HornyGeekGirl (Sex Blogger and protegé of Girl On The Net) for recommendations, and she’s of the opinion that rock and metal is a winner; “the louder stuff can be good for drowning out sex sounds if you’re worried about being overheard by people. Jazz can be really good for changing up rhythms during oral sex.”

Establish a code A simple mutual move between you and your crowd. Flash them a sly thumbs up / air punch / robocop to let them know you’re keen on the person you’re with. Then, wait. If they’re good mates, they’ll let you know if you’re gonna regret it / look slightly too tequila-soaked to go home with someone and drag you away to dance to M.I.A. Paper Planes. Again.

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Consent Down to your kegs but not sure whether your co-pilot’s into it? Check out their body language.

Are they reciprocating the intimacy? Do they seem content? Have they confirmed they’d like to have sex with you? Are they sober enough to make decisions for themselves? Wicked. Are they wasted, chanting Flo Rida at you while losing

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consciousness, or letting you know they’d like you to stop? Make sure they’re safe, happy and let them sleep, pal. Maybe even make them a cuppa.

“ Jazz can be really good for changing up rhythms during oral sex” Cheryl Kaye

Equally, down to your kegs and realised you’re not into it? That’s totally cool. Your clothes are right there, just pop ‘em back on, give a hearty salute and head home to sleep off your hangover. It’s your body and you can pull down the shutters whenever you damn please.

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Shake off the slutshamers It’s over to Holly Baxter for this one: “Gossip can be vicious, there’s no doubt about that, and I think it has to be a real effort of personality to overcome it and be unashamedly who you are. I think one of the most powerful things I was ever told was that if someone asks you a question you know they want to know for gossipy reasons, just smile and ask, ‘Why do you want to know?’ That immediately puts them on the back foot and exposes them for the gossip-monger they are... Above all, remember university isn’t forever – and halls are for even less time. Branch out into extracurricular activities if you need a break from a claustrophobic environment – and always remember that you can lock the door, turn off your phone and lie in bed with a Pot Noodle and Friends reruns on your laptop if it all gets too much. I used to do this at least once a month.” Hear, hear. theskinny.co.uk/sexuality

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Theatre 101 As a student, you have three years in which to fully live out the drama of life; and if you fancy taking that to the stage, in the North you’ll be spoilt for choice. Here’s our guide to how to get the most out of theatre in your region Words: Jennie Tsai & Lauren Strain WHERE TO SEE GREAT THEATRE The West Yorkshire Playhouse is Leeds’ premier venue for modern theatre, hosting everything from scratch nights to internationally renowned touring productions. Top tip: cast and crew often hang out at the neighbouring Wardrobe, in case you want to make some handy connections!

Nearby is the Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre, which offers a programme focused on contemporary dance.

Also in the city centre is the double whammy of the Grand Theatre & Opera House, which also houses the beautiful and intimate Howard Assembly Room. The former hosts big stage shows from the likes of National Theatre and resident companies Opera North and Northern 44

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Ballet, while the latter presents cutting-edge and fringe theatre alongside contemporary music.

On campus, stage@leeds is Leeds University’s public performance space supporting new work. If you’re looking for brand new acting and writing talent, this is your first port of call!

Back in town, the Carriageworks Theatre has a truly eclectic programme spanning comedy, dance, live literature and more.

Liverpool has a fantastic reputation for theatre, and its individuality as a city can definitely be seen in the variety of spaces it is home to.

Stalwarts include the Everyman in the bohemian Georgian quarter, and its sister venue the

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Playhouse on Williamson Square. Both the- atres stage classics and support new writing.

The Unity Theatre, on Hope Place, is just a stone’s throw away from the Everyman. It’s a smaller, more intimate venue which stages community-led theatre, often with a radical and experimental slant.

Another place worth visiting is just around the cor- ner on Mount Street: the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA), where you can often catch good student productions.

For more conventional performing arts in the form of ballet, musicals and family shows, there’s the Empire, a grand old-style theatre on Lime Street. The Royal Court and Epstein also offer varied programmes of comedy, musicals and drama.

The theatrical arena is just as interesting and eclectic in Manchester. HOME at 2 Tony Wilson Place presents a stylish and challenging mix of contemporary theatre with an emphasis on new work. Meanwhile, Contact on Oxford Road is a multi-disciplinary arts centre and innovative performance space, focusing especially on nur- turing the creativity of young people.

The distinguished Royal Exchange is housed in a stunning Grade II-listed building on St Ann’s Square and is an excellent place to see quality productions of the classics, including Shake- speare, Ibsen and Chekhov, as well as revivals, contemporary drama and up-and-coming writing.

The Palace Theatre on Oxford Street hosts touring productions including opera, ballet, musicals and concerts, and the Opera House on Quay Street also offers popular entertainment.

The Lowry in Salford Quays, named after the artist LS Lowry and housing the largest public collection of his work internationally, offers a wide range of performing and visual arts within 2016 – 2017

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two main theatres and a studio space. It’s located in a distinctive landmark building, with a fabulous waterfront setting.

Finally, you can catch the best in fringe theatre, comedy and new writing at The King’s Arms pub in Salford, which has two atmospheric theatre spaces in its attic, and at the tiny, kooky Three Minute Theatre (or 3MT) in Afflecks Palace in the Northern Quarter. Waterside Arts Centre in Sale and Z-arts in Hulme are also worth checking out for multi-arts, community-minded shows, while brand new on the scene with an interesting, inclusive programme is Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats.

THE KEY LOCAL COMPANIES There’s a ton of independent writing, producing and performing going on in all three cities, but we’ve picked out a few key theatre companies to acquaint yourself with.

In Leeds, Opera North, Northern Ballet and Phoenix Dance are the biggies, producing lush stagings of classic and modern opera, inventive dance and all kinds of storytelling-through-movement between them.

Red Ladder Theatre have been going for nearly 50 years and fight for the voices of ordinary people. Slung Low aim to make adventures rather than performances – and they create them outside of conventional theatre spaces.

In Liverpool, keep an eye on news from the Lantern Theatre: having been the city’s key fringe venue for the last few years, sadly it was recently forced to move out of its home and, at the time of going to print, is looking for new premises.

Whatever happens, we’re sure its directors will find a way to continue presenting and promoting exciting young theatre.

Liverpool Network Theatre Group and Black Box Theatre Company are both long-established local companies, while 20 Stories High are a truly pioneering group who work with young people from excluded communities, emerging and world-class artists. Their work is amazing. You should also check out Tmesis Theatre, who produce very inventive physical theatre and run the annual PhysicalFest, the only festival of its kind in Europe.

In Manchester, New Live Theatre, Square Peg, Monkeywood and Shred are just a few of the

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SOCIETIES TO GET INVOLVED IN Leeds Leeds University: Theatre Group: luu.org.uk/groups/theatregroup Music Theatre Society: luu.org.uk/groups/musictheatre The Opera Society: operasoc.co.uk Open Theatre: luu.org.uk/groups/OpenTheatreSociety

Leeds Beckett University: Drama and Live Theatre Society: leedsbeckettsu.co.uk/ groups/drama-and-live-theatre

Liverpool Liverpool University: independent theatre companies to check out.

Box of Tricks are heralded by The Stage as ‘a theatre company to watch’. They commission, develop and stage new plays in Manchester and the North, and tour nationwide.

Word of Warning is a chameleonic programme of theatre and performance from the great minds behind hÅb, an organisation that produces and develops boundary-pushing live work. Quarantine, meanwhile, are perhaps the best-known experimental producers in the region – they make visceral original work that often involves members of the audience and public.

Student Theatre (LUST): liverpooluniversitystudenttheatre. weebly.com Drama Society (LUDS): liverpooldrama.co.uk

Liverpool John Moores University: Drama Society: facebook.com/groups/JMUDS

Manchester Manchester University: Drama Society: manchesterstudentsunion.com/groups/ drama-society-umds Musical Theatre Society: ummts.co.uk

Manchester Metropolitan University:

HOW TO GET THE CHEAP SEATS Most places offer student ticket deals and discounts. You can use your NUS card at the majority of theatres including West Yorkshire Playhouse and Leeds Grand, and some theatres have further initiatives for students.

HOME have seats priced from £10, and students can see most shows with super-advance tickets at £5, though availability is limited and these tickets can sell out fast.

The Royal Exchange’s student scheme, meanwhile, is kind of legendary: they release 100 £6 theatre tickets every Friday night.

At Everyman and Playhouse students can get standby tickets on the day of performance for just £6, if there are seats available.

Ten tickets at just £10 are also made available at 10am on the day of selected Everyman shows.

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Genesis Theatre: theunionmmu.org/organisation/templates/ society/7535 MMUsical Theatre Society: theunionmmu.org/organisation/ templates/society/8233

Salford University: Almost Famous Theatre Company: salfordstudents.com/ groups/almost-famous-theatre

There are also some great initiatives for young people run by the established theatres, perhaps chief among them Young Everyman Playhouse, a youth arts programme operated by Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse that encompasses acting, writing, directing, producing, technical skills and more. Investigate your local theatres to find out what schemes, workshops and night classes might be available. theskinny.co.uk/theatre

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Holidazed and Confused The long summer holidays of university offer an opportunity for travel that will go unmatched until your retirement. How do you make the most of the time on your limited resources?

We asked The Skinny team for advice. Some of it was useful.

Words: Faye Cation

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veryone says students are super hard-up, but with the combination of loans and part-time work and no tax and student discounts, you may find you’re equally badly off when you’re in fulltime entrylevel employment post-graduation.

So make the most of that scant resource, time, and get yourself adventuring.

How do you choose where you’re going to go when the world is at your fingertips? You could start by letting the transport cost dictate your choice and take it from there. Our production manager recalls, “I once booked a Megabus sleeper to Paris for £3 return, it was horrendous but Paris was alright.” It’s often been said that Paris is alright. If you’d like to see for yourself, head to the Megabus website. When you’re there you can follow in the footsteps of backpackers across the ages and stay in the Shakespeare & Company bookshop. They let people stay in exchange for a bit of working in the shop and a lot of talking about literature. Other accommodation can be a bit pricey, even for fleapit dorm beds.

Continental Megabus also offers choices beyond Paris. Destinations include Lille, Rotterdam, Cologne, Brussels and Barcelona. You can get the cheap rates because you’re a student and can travel when everyone else can’t. Take advantage of it.

Another good source of cheap transport is Skyscanner’s ‘Everywhere’ feature, which lets you find the cheapest flights from any location for any given dates. It takes the pressure out of picking somewhere, introduces you to places you might not otherwise consider and makes it dead cheap into the bargain. Be flexible – look at flights into one city and out of another nearby one; our Food editor went to Bremen and Hamburg a couple of years ago, largely because it was £50 cheaper to do both than just fly in and out of one or the other.

Interrailing has long been a rite of passage, and with the looming Brexit threatening the re-

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introduction of visas maybe a means of travel that allows you to take full advantage of the Schengen zone is the way forward? Students get a discounted rate and you choose your zones and your timeframe. It’s a good idea to limit your zones – you might think you can travel from Amsterdam to Istanbul overland in three weeks but realistically that’s going to mean skipping over a lot of amazing things in between.

“ I once booked a Megabus sleeper to Paris for £3 return, it was horrendous but Paris was alright” Sarah Donley

The beauty of the rail and ferry travel you access on your interrail pass is the opportunity to explore a country slowly, to go to places you haven’t heard of and appreciate life away from the tick-’em-off tourist trail. Another reason to take advantage of the interrail pass now is that under 25s get in free or cheap to many of Europe’s finest galleries and museums. You’ll be kicking yourself if you try to get into the Prado at age 26 and realise you could have saved yourself $$$.

From a practical point of view, in this time of madly fluctuating exchange rates it may be a good idea to get a currency card, like the Caxton FX card or the Travelex Supercard. Put pounds on it from your UK bank account, then use it like a regular debit card when you’re away. “You get a better deal on exchange rates, you don’t get stung by the

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Credit: Roman Boed

bank for £2 plus 2% every time you want to use a cash machine, and you don’t have to carry wads of cash around with you like a luddite or drug dealer,” says our digital editor. “I used mine all over the world with no problems, you update the balance via the app, your transactions all show up right away; it’s boss.”

Hang on a minute, we’ve been talking about cheap travel and we haven’t even mentioned hitchhiking? “I did some hitchhiking when I was still a student, which cost me zero pounds! We went during Easter break, took a tent and some oat cakes and persuaded truckers to drive us to southern Spain,” says our Scotland music editor. “It was lovely. We met delightful people who made us sandwiches and let me ride their horse!

The only oversight we made was accidentally camping in the Pyrenees one night, and waking up to find our tent frozen solid…”

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Another Skinny staffer fondly remembers a different trip across Europe. “I hitchhiked to Morocco and raised money for a charity doing it and so the travel was free... except when we accidentally invaded a pimp’s turf in suburban Barcelona and made his lovely prostitutes very angry and we had to get out of there very quickly.”

Tread carefully while hitching, folks. There is a bright side though: “Also most of the people we hitched with brought us food and drinks and gave us drugs and booze.” The take-homes are: avoid the pimps, take the free booze, know your altitude.

Maybe you want to do more with your summer, to go back to nature and work as a volunteer doing something you’re unlikely to be able to do again? Our general manager has the batshit answer. “I volunteered with the Scottish Wildlife Trust on the Isle of Eigg in the Western Hebrides for a month one summer, that’s ▶

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a pretty sweet way to enjoy some of the most beautiful scenery in Scotland and have BBQs on the beach every night for free. Basic caveats, you’ve gotta spend at least four hours each day wandering the shores counting eggs in nests, throwing a scythe at some unruly bracken or, if you’re really unlucky, doing the sunset bat counts. Sounds fun but if you’ve ever been to the Western Hebrides in summer you’ll know the midges are absolute murder. You have to wear a full midge (beekeeper) suit, which at least ten of the buggers will somehow get in, not be able to find a way out again and eat you alive anyway.”

Maybe you’d like to travel on the cheap while hanging out with your mates and pursuing your dreams? “Virtually all my travel over the last decade has come through touring in DIY bands,” says our music editor of the North. “It can be a pretty cool and relatively cheap way to see the world (and virtually guarantees you’ll meet locals / end up somewhere with beer at the end of every night).

Admittedly it does make for whistlestop tours of most places, so it’s worth picking sights you wanna see in advance.

“Our petrol/van hire were covered by the money we earned each night (budget sensibly to break even), and we were fed at most venues AND sorted with somewhere to crash. So our money only went on one or two meals a day, booze and other bands’ records, basically.” Living the dream.

Finally, as the 19th-century French writer Xavier de Maistre discovered in his seminal work Journey Around my Room, sometimes travel is about the journey, not the destination. Perhaps your best option is to fully explore your locale rather than running off on some foreign jaunt you can’t possibly afford? “When I was young I hitchhiked from somewhere in Edinburgh to Easterhouse. I forget why.

I was drunk,” says an unnamed staff member.

We do not recommend drunken hitchhiking from Edinburgh to Easterhouse, but every experience makes for a story and now’s the time to start accumulating them.

Credit: Klim Levene

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The Bookworm’s Guide to Bluffing Haven’t read the literary canon?

Don’t worry – you can cheat

The Actually Great American One The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (1963).

Words: Will Reid

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s any English student who paid attention at ALevel knows, all written output of the last 200 years – when subjected to even the most sophisticated literary theory – basically comes down to sex and death. Death, and sex. Sometimes deathly sex. And occasionally sexy death. Some books are about a bit more than that though, so to help you through any lofty conversations you might find yourself in at society parties, here’s a quick briefing on some of those cornerstones of literature you’re supposed to have read.

The Contemporary One My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard (2012-present).

Digested read: My name is A Thinly Veiled Version of the Author – sorry, Esther Greenwood – and in telling my story as a bright young student with a promising future who can nonetheless feel nothing (or sometimes too much), I offer an unmatched account of depression, the poison of the American Dream, the lie of female empowerment and the ultimate madness of the world. I, uh. I promise it’s worth it.

Do say: Tbh, just have a big cry.

D on’t say: “A film adaptation by Kirsten Dunst starring Dakota Fanning seems like a really good idea.”

Read also: Paulina & Fran by Rachel B. Glaser, for a contemporary update of liberal-arts ennui.

The Cult One Neuromancer by William Gibson (1984).

Digested read: I am a writer. I am a man. But first, I am useless. Here are all the times in my life when I’ve been useless. But also, you know, a wavering and delicate flame of complex humanity. Just like you. Just like all of us.

Why don’t you have a good think about that while I manage to state a deep and resonating existential truth simply by describing this chair.

Do say: “I think his power comes from his hair.”

Don’t say: “He’s like the Scandinavian Proust.”

Read also: Proust.

Digested read: Wooooowooooo I’m in The Matrix!!!!! o say: “Actually, the first recorded usage of D the term ‘cyberspace’ was in a short story Gibson wrote two years prior.”

Don’t say: “Where’s the weird orgy with the body sockets?”

Read also: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel, for a vision of the future rapidly decelerating instead.

The ‘Great American’ One The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (1926).

The Obvious One On the Road by Jack Kerouac (1957).

Digested read: Saxophones saxoDigested read: Everyone is in Spain phones saxophones sex saxophones being a dick. They’re all in love with the saxophones saxophones cars saxobiggest dick of the lot, who will drive you round the absolute bend yet somehow allow you to understand phones saxophones saxphones drugs saxophones more fully the essential sadness of being. (So infur- saxophones saxophones plaid.

Do say: “Personally I preferred Joyce’s execuiating.) There’s also a funny bit about taxidermied dogs. tion of the stream-of-consciousness mode.”

Do say: “Hemingway, pah! He’s no Fitzgerald.”

Don’t say: “I really admire his attitude to Don’t say: “I’m going to write my dissertawards women.” tion on this.”

Read also: F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Read also: Big Sur by Jack Kerouac. It’s loads better. theskinny.co.uk/books

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Venue Guide

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Illustration by Veronica Grech

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1 | Bundobust

3 | Trinity Kitchen

A joint venture between Bradford's Prashad and The Sparrow bier cafe, Bundobust bills itself as a bar serving Indian street food rather than a restaurant, though the vegetarian small plates prove to be far from an afterthought. Expect lashings of IPA to wash down highly praised dishes.

Providing a distinctively modern approach to the food court, you won’t find greasy multinationals in Trinity Kitchen. Instead you’ll find some of the best local food carts and companies from across the city, from popup vendors from across the North to the permanent Chicago Rib Shack.

2 | Laynes Espresso

11 Lower Briggate | @viaductshowbar

6 Mill Hill | @Bundobust

Trinity Leeds, 27 Albion St | @TrinityLeeds

16 New Station St | @LaynesEspresso

After opening in 2011 and quickly gaining a reputation as one of Leeds’ finest coffee houses, Laynes has since broadened its horizons to take on the brunch game with favourite dishes like shakshuka and French toast, along with cakes and sweet treats from the award-winning Noisette Bakehouse.

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4 | The Viaduct

The best show bar the city has to offer. With drag queens, cabaret and drinks deals, Viaduct is a great start to the night and the perfect way to get acquainted with Leeds’ thriving gay scene in an area known for its fun-loving and open atmosphere.

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5 | The Hedonist Project

156 Lower Briggate | @HedonistProject

An innovative concept bar that completely reinvents itself every quarter, The Hedonist Project takes one spirit at a time and kits the joint out accordingly – rethinking the decor, food and identity to create incarnations like a springtime gin kitchen and a rum-based summer beach shack.

6 | The HiFi Club

2 Central Rd | @HiFiClubLeeds

A diverse club, bar and live space, The HiFi Club’s basement venue is as naturally adept at hosting soul and funk nights as it is comedy sessions. It’s even just great at being open for a spot of jazz and a roast lunch on a Sunday. It’ll become a haunt.

7 | Travelling Man

32 Central Rd | @TravellingManUK

Graphic novels, comic books, memorabilia and board games: nowhere does it better in the city of Leeds than Travelling Man. They are also big on showcasing local talent, and hire staff who love what they sell.

8 | Corn Exchange Call Ln | @leedscornex

The Victorian-era Corn Exchange houses a whole raft of shops selling everything from analogue cameras to art prints, yet still retains most of its original features. Much like in the city at large, there is a demand and respect for independents and local wares here.

Blue Rinse

10 | Blue Rinse

9-11 Call Ln | @BlueRinseUK

Rummage through four floors of affordable vintage fashion at Leeds’ favourite spot for pre-loved and reworked fashion and accessories, which has not only been going strong since the late 90s but has also played a huge part in the eclectic street style of the city’s student population.

11 | Kadas Coffee Lounge 5 Crown St

Serving some of the best Persian cuisine in the city, this late-night cafe and post-drinks stop-off offers a warm atmosphere with a great menu. If you’re looking for a relaxed evening out without (dare we say it?) alcohol, Kadas Coffee Lounge provides a central location with a laidback feel.

12 | Whitelock's

4 Turk’s Head Yd | @WhitelocksLeeds

The Hedonist Project

A living piece of history, every part of this 300-yearold Northern institution tells a story. That’s not to say that Whitelock's is stuck in the past: with its lovingly restored interior, it’s one of the best pubs in the city, providing a great range of traditional ales and pub food for its contemporary crowds.

9 | Wire

13 | Global Tribe

Powered by its meaty Funktion-One soundsystem, Wire plays host to some of Leeds’ most respected club nights, and is a frequent stop-off for some of the world’s most renowned DJs and producers. Theo Parrish, Four Tet and Ben UFO are just a few of the names to have called in.

Head to the cobbles of Swan Street and you’ll find one of Leeds’ best vegan cafes. From a vegan full English brekkie to raw vegan salads, Global Tribe also has enough quality cooking to win over meat lovers, and there’s a generous variety of tea and coffee to wash it all down with.

2-8 Call Ln | @wireleeds

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18 Swan St | @GlobalTribeCafe

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18 | Howard Assembly Room 46 New Briggate | @Howard_Assembly

Housed in the Grand Theatre & Opera House, the small Victorian performance space of Howard Assembly Room presents some of the finest classical and world musicians. Both the Grand and Howard Assembly Room offer students and locals the opportunity to volunteer, giving you a chance to see acts for free.

19 | Belgrave Music Hall

1-1A Cross Belgrave St | @Belgrave_Leeds

Belgrave Music Hall

14 | Village

3 Thornton’s Arcade | @village_leeds

Leeds has a great deal of love for publishing, and Village is testament to this. A gallery and book store, it combines photography and art publishing exhibitions with self-published local and international ’zines – they also accept submissions from a wide variety of ’zine makers.

15 | Headrow House Bramleys Yd | @headrowhouse

The Belgrave has it all: a live gig and club venue, a bustling bar with an exhaustive selection of craft ales and permanent kiosks for local street food vendors, plus a huge roof garden with nooks and crannies (well, sheds) to hide away in when it's drizzly. Unsurprisingly, this vast multi-storey building hosts all manner of cool events, from art exhibitions to comedy nights to mini food festivals.

20 | Bar Soba

9a Merrion St | @sobaleeds

Serving up pan-Asian street food, Bar Soba channels the far-flung flavours of Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan and beyond into rice bowls, small plates, sharing platters and noodle bowls, along with exoticised British staples like burgers and fish and chips. Sunshine on a plate for when the Northern weather system ain’t playing ball.

Headrow House may be fairly new, but it’s already become an undeniable big hitter on the gigs and clubs scene thanks to the diversity of its multi-storeyed layout. Above the beer hall you’ll also find a restaurant championing Yorkshire pro- 21 | Verve 16 Merrion St | @VerveBarLeeds duce, a cocktail bar and – its crowning glory – a With its rock bar up top and mariachi tequila bar huge roof terrace. downstairs, Verve provides a cosy atmosphere 16 | Sela Bar tucked away from the city’s masses. Don’t miss 20 New Briggate | @selabar the free Comedy Cellar night (@ComedyCellarV): There’s a jazz sensibility to this often bustling taking place every Tuesday in the ‘dia de los bar, which has a hearty variety of beers to meet muertos’ themed basement area, it showcases a aficionados’ demands. As well as the live music mishmash of established and new acts. almost every night, there are also homemade pizzas until midnight – great for peckish types still hoping to keep that candle burning both ends.

17 | North Bar 24 New Briggate | @NorthBarDrinks

Waving the flag for beer way before the craft ale revolution began, this narrow bar is filled with great drinks and cheer, and has a warm atmosphere buzzing with energy. While it may press slightly heavy on the wallet, its huge range of bottled and cask ales from across the world makes its selection unbeatable.

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22 | The Brunswick

28 | The Tetley

The Brunswick is a multi-storey pub in the nowthriving Northern Quarter. Along with a particularly good rotation of beers from across the North and seasonal food using ingredients from local suppliers, the venue also boasts a dedicated art space for exhibitions and events.

When the Tetley Brewery closed down in 2011, there was a panic that the old art deco headquarters, dating back to 1822, would be torn down. Fortunately, The Tetley reopened as a gallery in 2013, hosting local and international talent, events and workshops, and a classy bar and kitchen.

82 North St | @brunswickleeds

Hunslet Rd | @The_Tetley

23 | Live Art Bistro 1-2 Regent St | @LiveArtBistro

After some time operating as a nomadic project, Live Art Bistro has now set down roots on Regent Street with its own independent artist-led venue.

A diverse programme of events, focusing on live and performance art, ensures that its founding DIY ethos is still going strong.

24 | Jumbo Records

St Johns Centre | @JumboRecords

29 | Northern Monk Marshall St | @NMBCo

Housed in a Grade II-listed former flax mill, the headquarters for Northern Monk Brewing Co feature their very own restaurant and taproom known as The Refectory, where the historic building is brought bang up to date by seasonal, modern British small plates. Great outdoor seating, regular markets, quizzes and more complete the package.

Since opening back in the early 70s, indie music shop Jumbo Records has seen Leeds through the punk era, twice upgraded to larger spaces, and over the decades established itself as one of the North’s most beloved music stores.

25 | Henry Moore Institute and Leeds Art Gallery 74 The Headrow | @HMILeeds | @LeedsArtGallery

Connected to one another, the Henry Moore Institute and Leeds Art Gallery may be neighbours but are completely different beasts; the former a shrine to sculptural art and the latter showing a broader collection of art forms, with clever and surprisingly candid curation.

The Tetley

QUARRY HILL 30 | Cafe 164 Duke St | @cafe164

26 | &Model

The curatorial project of Derek Horton, Chris Bloor and James Chinneck, free entry art space &Model has presented a huge number of international artists since its opening in 2012. It also has a brand new project space at North Brewing Co in Sheepscar.

Situated in the Munro House complex, which also contains a great gallery (simply called The Gallery at Munro House) and the fantastic Colours May Vary (a magazine, art books and gift shop), Cafe 164 is the place in the Quarry Hill area for a spot of lunch and a hot drink: great coffee, tasty focaccias and a nice bit of neon.

27 | Canal Mills

31 | The Wardrobe

When it comes to post-industrial charm, Canal Mills has it by the boatload. Housed in a renovated 18th-century textile mill, the multi-functional venue’s red brick aesthetic and independent vibe have become a trademark, hosting some astounding music bookings, club nights, independent markets and brewers’ fairs.

Providing a relaxed restaurant and stage for a variety of acts, The Wardrobe offers a laid-back music environment and a break from the frenzied gig holes elsewhere. It also hosts touring comedy shows from the likes of Joe Lycett and Katherine Ryan, courtesy of the city’s longest-running comedy club, House of Fun.

19 East Parade | @AndmodelLeeds

Brandon St | @CanalMills

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6 St Peters Sq | @wardrobeleeds

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32 | West Yorkshire Playhouse Playhouse Sq | @WYPlayhouse

Set just beyond the city bus station on a modernist-style estate, the West Yorkshire Playhouse looks like a brick monolith; inside, it houses one of the most fearless performance venues in the North. From scratch nights featuring fledgling plays and artists to internationally renowned touring productions, it smoothly combines mainstream theatre and fringe shows.

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33 | Leeds College of Music 3 Quarry Hill | @LeedsMusic

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The College of Music is one of the country's leading conservatoires, but it's not just a place of study: it has a vibrant and varied public events programme, where you can catch many stars of the future in intimate concerts and performances. Enjoy all manner of jazz, folk, classical and contemporary composition in some of the bestequipped spaces in the North.

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WAKEFIELD 34 | Unity Works Westgate | @Unity_Works

Unity Works is situated in Leeds’ underappreciated neighbour, Wakefield. Make the (short) trip: since its beginnings in 1867, the building has been an integral community venue and now hosts local acts such as Serious Sam Barrett, touring shows from standup comedians, theatre groups, summer markets, and more.

35 | Yorkshire Sculpture Park West Bretton | @YSPsculpture

In the county that brought us sculptural giants Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore, it’s no surprise that there is such a strong art presence, and a short trip from Leeds/Wakefield finds the country’s leading outdoor gallery for modern sculpture – its vast park and several galleries forming one corner of the famed ‘Yorkshire Sculpture Triangle’.

2016 – 2017

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36 | Leeds Beckett University Student Union 1 Portland Way | @LeedsBeckettSU

A hub for students to relax during the daytime, by night the Beckett’s Student Union offers some of the best touring bands in the world as well as solid rock club nights. Upcoming acts include Beth Orton, Blossoms, Explosions in the Sky, Feeder and Sleaford Mods... and that’s just in one month.

37 | University of Leeds Student Union Lifton Pl | @LeedsUniUnion

Following a very fresh facelift, Leeds Uni’s Student Union is set to re-open to become a one-stop shop for gigs, club nights and theatre, along with simpler pastimes like drinking real ale and watching sports ’pon the big screen.

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38 | Dry Dock

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Woodhouse Ln | @DryDock_Leeds

39 | The Fenton

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161-165 Woodhouse Ln

While the craft ale revolution and gentrification surge elsewhere, The Fenton stands in defiance of this trend. With its worn-in original features, this pub has long been a student institution, with cheap drinks, open jam nights and pub quizzes.

Its function room, meanwhile, is perfect for student fundraisers and unsigned band nights.

40 | Opposite Cafe 26 Blenheim Terrace | @oppositecafe

As a firm fixture of Blenheim Terrace, the folk at Opposite take their coffee seriously, providing a menu with a range of beans and styles to send any Starbucks or Costa packing. They also serve up homemade fresh food in their large cafe, the walls of which are lined with local art.

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Culture

Oh sure, it’s a chain pub, but Dry Dock has an ace up its sleeve. It’s in a boat. In fact, it is the boat. But it’s more than that: it’s also the official final pub on the Otley Run. After a 19-venue pub crawl, the boat’s aesthetic helps make the rocking feel natural.

43 | The Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery Parkinson Building, Woodhouse Ln | @sabgallery

Part of Leeds University library, the Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery offers an interesting programme of contemporary art alongside artefacts from the University's art collection and special collections. Make sure you visit during degree show season and over summer, when some of the most promising graduate talent is on display.

44 | Brudenell Social Club 33 Queen’s Rd | @Nath_Brudenell

41 | Bakery 164

No other place epitomises Leeds quite like the Brud.

164 Woodhouse Ln | @bakery164 Half old man’s drinking pub, half pioneering music There are sandwiches, and then there’s Bakery venue, the Brudenell has hosted acts from St. Vincent 164. Serving fresh baked breads with all manner of to Wild Beasts and local legends Hookworms. It’s a generous fillings, Bakery 164 elevates the humble proud example of locals and students sitting side sarnie into an art form. Grab a freshly made foby side in ever so slightly uneasy peace. caccia or ciabatta sandwich with Italian coffee as 45 | Left Bank Leeds redemption from the supermarket meal deal.

Cardigan Rd | @LeftBankLeeds

Set in a Grade II-listed former church building, Left Bank is a beautiful, creative hub for music, art, food and drink, theatre and film events, ranging from intimate, atmospheric gigs and immersive movie screenings to huge beer conventions and sound art festivals.

Leeds College of Art

42 | Leeds College of Art

46 | Hyde Park Picture House 73 Brudenell Rd | @HydeParkPH

A concentrated force of creative energy and experimentation right next door to your mate’s Leeds College of Art has been the major creative out- house (probably), Hyde Park Picture House is let for artists in Yorkshire for generations, with figures Leeds’ premier arthouse cinema. It also hosts including Damien Hirst and Barbara Hepworth among experimental shows; past events have includits alumni. It is therefore unsurprising to discover that ed instrumental folk music group A Hawk and a the college itself hosts a number of exhibitions, while Hacksaw performing a soundtrack to a film, and the grand building alone is worth a visit.

Adam Buxton’s BUG show.

Blenheim Walk | @LeedsCofArt

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47 | Hyde Park Book Club

49 | Love Rouge Bakery

27-29 Headingley Ln | @HPBCLeeds

51 Otley Rd | @LoveRougeBakery

Along with an events programme of everything from spoken word to regular ‘Open Turntable’ DJ nights, arts space Hyde Park Book Club is also a good spot to simply wind down, read, write or hang out with a coffee and veggie breakfast.

This Headingley venue with lavish pastel colours and boutique vintage decor serves up a range of hot drinks and treats, including its famous cupcakes. Whether you’re meeting friends for afternoon tea or looking for a gentle breakfast, Love Rouge provides the cosy surrounds straight out of a Wes Anderson movie.

48 | I Am Döner 23 Otley Rd | @iamdoneruk

While kebabs are more often thought of as fodder for the inebriated after completing the Otley Run, I Am Döner manages to bring a little class to the table (smart wooden fixtures, San Pellegrino in the fridges, that kinda thing). Beige, questionable meat is shunned in favour of vibrant, fresh ingredients.

2016 – 2017

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50 | Ecco Pizzeria 93 Otley Rd & 90 Street Ln | @Ecco_Pizzeria

These days it’s all about floppier, Neapolitan-style pizza, and at Ecco theirs is fired up in an oven that was hand-crafted in the hills of Tuscany for true authenticity points. They also specialise in wood-fired sticky chicken and gelato, too, which you can chow down on at branches in Roundhay and Headingley.

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3 | Liverpool Small Cinema 57-59 Victoria St | @SmallCinemaLpl

Taking inspiration from the kinos of Berlin, Liverpool Small Cinema is a volunteer-run space built out of donated materials and 50 salvaged velvet seats. Local programmers and film clubs take the lead on what plays on the single screen, and much of it has a political edge.

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8 4 | The Slaughterhouse

Food & Drink

13-15 Fenwick St | @Laughter_house

Home to regular live music and comedy nights, The Slaughterhouse hosts the Laughterhouse Comedy Club, one of Liverpool’s best clubs where you can expect to see some of comedy’s biggest names as well as promising up-and-coming talent – sometimes on their way up to, or back from, the Edinburgh Fringe.

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1 | Invisible Wind Factory 2 Regent Rd | @iwfactory

If you’re a newbie to Liverpool you’ll probably hear people talking in reverent tones about The Kazimier, a trailblazing venue that closed down to much sadness in 2015. But like a beautiful phoenix, rising from its ashes is Invisible Wind Factory – a huge multi-purpose arts space from the same team, where they let their technology and imagination run riot.

5 | 02 Academy 11-13 Hotham St | @O2AcademyLpool

One of the major venues for gigs in Liverpool, the O2 Academy sees big and mid-sized touring names take the stage alongside unsigned talent, allowing gig-goers to get up close and personal with emerging acts on their way to the top.

2 | The Royal Standard

6 | Open Eye Gallery

Unit 3, 131 Vauxhall Rd | @Royal_Standard

19 Mann Island | @OpenEyeGallery

This artist-led gallery is both a creative hub and exhibition space, with a strong innovative (and funny!) streak. A new team of directors is appointed every two years to keep the organisation’s ideas and energy fresh. Excitingly, they’re getting a new space soon, so watch their Twitter (@Royal_Standard) for the latest.

An independent, not-for-profit gallery, Open Eye is one of the UK’s leading photography spaces.

It’s the only gallery dedicated to photography and related media in the Northwest and has a fascinating archive of photographs from the 1930s as well as an extensive collection of contemporary photography.

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THE SKINNY

Follow The Skinny on Instagram!

For roving reportage from gigs, amazing design and illustration, photos of people drunk at art festivals and the occasional cat pic (obviously), find us on Insta: @theskinnymag

I N D E P E N D E N T

2016 – 2017

C U LT U R A L

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Albert Dock | @tateliverpool

The Liverpool branch of the Tate family resides in a converted warehouse on the historic and iconic Albert Dock. The gallery displays works from the Tate Collection, which includes British art from 1500 to the present day, and also plays host to major international exhibitions and an active events programme.

Liverpool Baltic Triangle

8 | Ziferblat

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Unit 7, The Colonnades, Albert Dock | @ZiferblatADock

Everything is free inside this cafe – except for the time you spend there. First popular in Moscow, Ziferblat brought their pay-per-minute model to the UK a couple of years ago and aim to provide a space where you can work, chill, attend or host an event; whatever you want, really, without the pressure of staff eyeballing you for having only bought one coffee.

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If you’ve got mates visiting, Hotel Campanile could be a good shout: beds, burgers and booze near the Baltic Triangle, the big gig venues and the watery sloshing of Queens dock. They do lots of drinks deals, including a predrinks event on Thursdays, and on Fridays you can catch local acts performing at the unplugged night.

Music

Queens Dock | @SZOLiverpool

10 | 24 Kitchen Street 24 Kitchen St | @24KitchenStreet

Whatever your tastes, you’ll find a night that’s right up your, erm, street at 24 Kitchen Street.

With a glorious mishmash of house, hip-hop, electro and garage, there’s something for everyone, and the local scene has really made the venue its own with one-off parties, themed evenings and mini festivals.

11 | District 61 Jordan St | @picketliverpool

The very friendly District has a packed events schedule full of gigs, club nights and even film screenings, and has the potential to be one of the best nights out in Liverpool. The type of music here varies – expect reggae, rave, and beats of all kinds.

12 | Camp and Furnace 67 Greenland St | @CampandFurnace

This vast venue is one of Liverpool’s most magical spaces. Located in the atmospheric Baltic Triangle area, which is always buzzing with creativity, Camp and Furnace hosts music festivals (including Liverpool Psych Fest), art exhibitions, pop-up events, live gigs and club nights.

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13 | The Baltic Social 25-29 Parliament St | @thebalticsocial

Well-loved for its laidback vibe and quality live music schedule, The Baltic Social also has top food and great drinks. With comfy mismatched furniture and plenty of cosy corners, it’s a good spot to catch up on some work with a bev, or hold a society meeting.

14 | Constellations 35-39 Greenland St | @ConstellationsL

A warehouse space in the Baltic Triangle, Constellations hosts a wide range of art and live music events, from cool gigs to mini-festivals curated by local collectives, social meetups to backyard raves. Be sure to check out the urban garden when the weather warms up.

The Baltic Social

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15 | The Cow&Co Cafe

16 | Brooklyn Mixer

Known for its artisan coffee, locally supplied food and wide collection of independent arts magazines, Cow&Co is a little oasis. The food menu changes seasonally to make the most of the freshest ingredients available, but all year round you’re likely to find some kind of excellent soup, sandwich or bagel.

Known for eats’n’beats, Brooklyn Mixer can be found in a nice old Georgian gaff. You can choose from a wide selection of weird and wonderful beers from all over the world, including classic European lagers, strong stouts and dark ales – no wonder it’s one of the most popular bars in Liverpool.

15 Cleveland Sq | @CowandCoCafe

2016 – 2017

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78 Seel St | @BrklynMxr

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17 | Arts Club

23 | Jacaranda

One of Liverpool’s most popular venues with a decent roster of club nights, comedy nights and gigs, the Arts Club is somewhere you’ll probably find yourself a lot. Be sure to catch as much of the local talent as you can, as well as the bigger acts.

Famously the site of the Beatles’ debut gig, the legendary Jac is a haven for music lovers and a key venue in Liverpool’s grassroots scene. Shaggy and unpretentious, the bar is the perfect spot for late-night drinks with friends. Oh, and it’s got its own vinyl shop!

18 | The Bluecoat

24 | The Merchant

An art gallery and creative hub, The Bluecoat is also the oldest surviving building in Liverpool city centre. It has a jam-packed events schedule throughout the year, with anything and everything from concerts to poetry readings, and hosts some major exhibitions in its interesting spaces.

This multi-purpose venue has a minimalist Scandi feel, garden and all-round unpretentious vibe.

Outside you’ll find a ‘revolving kitchen’ hosting some of the region’s best street food vendors – and pizza lovers can grab a late-night slice at neighbouring Nightcrawler, the New York-style parlour that looks like something out of Saved by the Bell.

90 Seel St | @ArtsClubHQ

21-23 Slater St | @jacarandalpool

School Ln | @theBluecoat

40 Slater St | @merchantpub

19 | Probe Records

Unit 1 School Ln | @ProbeRecords

Probe’s renaissance since moving to The Bluecoat came about at the same time as the resurgence in popularity of vinyl. Not that Probe really needed it – it’s always been Liverpool’s go-to shop for all things indie, punk, psych and underground. The knowledgeable heads here have got you covered.

Camel Club

20 | Cass Art

18 School Ln | @CASSART

This art supplies shop has got everything you could need, whether you’re a devoted artist, a hardworking art student or just trying out a new hobby. The impossibly neat shelves are stocked with a huge range of paint, brushes and all manner of other equipment at affordable prices – they even offer a student discount.

21 | Lost Art

3-5 Slater St | @lostartshop

The first port of call for skaters in Liverpool, Lost Art sells boards and everything else that comes with them, including products to keep them in a good condition. They also stock trainers, hats and clothes from the likes of Adidas, Nike and Vans.

22 | The Shipping Forecast 15 Slater St | @ship_cast

The Shipping Forecast’s underground gig venue, The Hold, is one of Liverpool’s top spots for catching a DJ or band due to its intimate size, strippedback aesthetic and exposed brick walls (you gotta love ’em). The crowd is a genuine mixed bag, due to the varied and eclectic music programming.

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25 | Santa Chupitos 41 Slater St | @santachupitos

One for the cocktail lover, Santa Chupitos is the go-to place for adventurous drinks made with super fresh ingredients. With an ever-changing list, it’s worth revisiting to sample something you haven’t tried before.

They also own Santa Maluco (2 Castle St), a graffiti’d pizza place/bar that’s relaxed and student-friendly.

26 | Moloko

2 St Peter’s Sq | @molokoliverpool

When you’ve gone a bit too hard on a night out, Moloko has the indulgent answer. All-day brunches, boozy shakes and piled-up sundaes are the order of the day at this brand-new bar, furthering the region’s persistent obsession with all things American and calorific.

27 | Camel Club 18-22 Wood St

Camel Club is particularly popular with students for its club nights through the week (especially Bazaar Fridays), drinks promos and old skool vibes – largely R’n’B and hip-hop but the DJs are prone to throw in some classic tunes as well as the latest trap and dancehall hits.

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28 | FACT

34 | News from Nowhere

The Foundation for Art and Creative Technology is a multi-arts venue with a cafe, bar, three galleries and a multi-screen cinema. FACT focuses on the confluence of art and tech and hosts a unique programme of exhibitions, films and projects that aim to make arts and technology accessible to everyone.

This co-operative bookshop provides a literary sanctuary for the curious, radical readers of Liverpool. You’ll find books covering everything from feminism, LGBT and anarchism to socialism, sustainable living and so much more. Visitors are invited to make themselves at home with cosy armchairs and even a kettle!

88 Wood St | @FACT_Liverpool

96 Bold St | @newsfromnowhere

29 | Bakchich

54 Bold St | @Bakchich_

The proliferation of Lebanese street food has been a boon to Liverpool’s boho Bold Street, and Bakchich provides a menu that tops the lot. On top of a great choice of small plates, mains and sweets, it serves up some of the city’s tastiest teas and freshly mixed juices.

30 | Leaf

122 Bold St | @a_pizzaslice

65-67 Bold St | @LEAFonBoldSt

Leaf is a true tea-lover’s haven, with a wide variety of unique flavours and blends on offer as well as a kitchen dishing up delicious hand-crafted food.

On the calendar you’ll find a variety of unique events – like pudding clubs! – as well as gigs in both the cafe and the events space upstairs.

31 | Mowgli Street Food More than a few restaurants are jumping on board the street food trend nowadays, but Mowgli is easily one of the more authentic ones around. We love the flavour-packed menu (zingy blasts of tamarind and mint, anyone?) and the fact that dishes are served in metal tiffin boxes – just like the real thing.

32 | Bold Street Coffee

36 | The Egg Cafe

A long-time fave of Liverpool’s bohemian crowd, The Egg Cafe has maintained its reputation for over 30 years for a reason. Dishing up fresh veggie and vegan food, with a bring-your-own-booze policy at no extra cost, it’s a real centre of the community (and stays open ’til 10.30pm every night!).

37 | 69A Renshaw

75 Renshaw St | @69aliverpool

89 Bold St | @boldstcoffee

This Bold Street institution is a lovely little place to go for lunch, or to catch up over coffee with a friend.

Caffeine lovers will enjoy the range of speciality coffees, and the featured filter coffee changes regularly – perfect if you want to discover something new.

33 | Maray

91 Bold St | @MarayLiverpool

A casual, friendly dining environment, Maray is super flexible, whether you just fancy a quick snack or a full-on meal with friends. The menu focuses on sharing plates, and you’ll find Mediterranean and Middle Eastern inspired dishes put together from fresh, high quality ingredients.

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This local ledge of a bar does exactly what it says on the tin: massive NYC-style pizzas (18 inches is standard) with tasty toppings for the grand price of cheap as hell. They’ve got three locations, they’re open late, and if you can’t haul ass out of your hangover den they also deliver.

Top Floor, 16-18 Newington | @TheEggCafe

69 Bold St | @Mowglistfood

2016 – 2017

35 | American Pizza Slice

Although Liverpool has a whole host of vintage and charity shops worth perusing, none are more individual than 69A. You’ll find absolutely anything here, whether you mean to look for it or not. From clothes and vinyl to intriguing collectibles and antiques, it’ll help you decorate your house with one-of-a-kind homeware.

38 | Maguire’s Pizza Bar 77 Renshaw St | @MaguiresPizza

One of Liverpool’s most original venues, Maguire’s is where pizza meets punk rock! It also has a great vegan menu, with all manner of vegan-meat and dairy-free options. It’s cheap, cheerful and 100% our favourite place to tuck into some grub while watched over by a framed picture of David Hasselhoff. Great gigs, too.

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39 | 92 Degrees Coffee

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42 | Williamson Tunnels

24 Hardman St | @92degreescoffee

Smithdown Ln | @WmsonTunnels

If you’re a caffeine fiend (or if that essay isn’t gonna write itself), you could do worse than head to Liverpool’s first micro-roastery and coffee shop, 92 Degrees. It’s a friendly spot with good pastries and bagels, and near the Philharmonic Hall/ Everyman if you’re waiting for a show.

Regularly hosting some of the best nights in Liverpool, this atmospheric underground labyrinth welcomes some seriously respected heads: think Robert Hood, Michael Mayer and Andrew Weatherall. The Tunnels are sure to provide some of your best clubbing experiences, but events sell quickly so keep an eye out.

40 | Buyers Club 24 Hardman St | @buyersclubbar

One of Liverpool’s newer live and club spaces, Buyers Club is a teensy bit tricky to locate, tucked away behind The Old Blind School, but once you’ve found it you’ll encounter a triplethreat venue for eating and drinking, dancing and discovering new music – with an impressive outdoor garden space to boot.

41 | The Magnet 45 Hardman St | @themagnet123

Hosting some of the best gigs and club nights in Liverpool, with plenty of up-and-coming artists from the local area as well as further afield, The Magnet has always been a melting pot for different musical genres – but you can expect a soundtrack of Northern Soul, disco and funk at its core.

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43 | Liverpool Guild of Students

47 | The Caledonia

160 Mount Pleasant | @LiverpoolGuild

22 Caledonia St | @thecaledonia

The Guild is at the centre of student life and puts Liverpool University on the national touring map, with its 2300-capacity Mountford Hall having hosted the likes of Ryan Adams and Jamie T alongside a host of student-friendly club nights.

A pub with a proper homely, traditional feel, The Caledonia has beermat-plastered walls and a cheery atmosphere – a welcome change for anyone tired of their local ’Spoons and other gastropubs. Here you’ll find an impressive selection of real ales and traditional homemade food.

48 | The Quarter 7 Falkner St | @TheQuarterLivpl

A short trip away from campus, The Quarter is a perfect setting to get to know your new mates over a tasty meal. The menu puts a contemporary twist on European food – you’ll find plenty of meze staples, sharing boards and pizzas with crispy Italian-style bases.

49 | Metal at Edge Hill Edge Hill Railway Stn | @MetalLiverpool

You’ll find Metal in a rather unusual location, between platforms one and two of the world’s oldest passenger railway station. An artists’ hub with studios and events space, Metal is super inclusive, hosting talks, workshops and participatory events throughout the year. Some of its resident artists have included Laurel Halo and Matthew Herbert.

44 | Everyman and Playhouse 5-11 Hope St / Williamson Sq | @LivEveryPlay

Having relaunched in 2014, the Everyman is a stalwart of the Liverpool theatre scene. In partnership with the Playhouse theatre (which can be found on Williamson Square), the Everyman hosts a full programme of groundbreaking productions throughout the year, with a balance between the experimental and crowdpleasing.

45 | Liverpool Philharmonic Hall 36 Hope St | @liverpoolphil

The Philharmonic Hall is one of the city’s most prestigious concert venues and home to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, one of the world’s most famous orchestras. It also plays host to a broader range of comedy and music with John Grant, Absolutly Fabulous and Burt Bacharach among it’s recent visitors.

46 | Unity Theatre

64 Rose Ln | @mamosliverpool

1 Hope Pl | @unitytheatre

The Unity is a small-scale theatre hosting touring productions, in-house creations and upcoming standup comedy acts. This award-winning space is at the heart of the Liverpool community, supporting new budding dramatic talent and providing a space for radical and experimental productions.

2016 – 2017

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50 | Mamos Looking for something more wholesome than a kebab to top off your night of excess? “Simple, honest and delicious” is the Mamos motto and that’s exactly what you get from this brightly decorated takeaway. Expect charcoal-cooked peri-peri chicken, Napolese-style pizzas and homemade falafel freshly prepared and served ridiculously late.

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1 | Ezra & Gil

4 | Travelling Man

20 Hilton St | @ezra_gil

4 Dale St | @TravellingManUK

This cavernous but relaxed cafe on the corner of Hilton Street and Newton Street is light, green and airy, making it the perfect spot to chill with friends or to spread out with your laptop and notes for a caffeinated essay session.

This Northern Quarter shop is a goldmine for comic collectors. Travelling Man sells comic books, fantasy board games, role playing games, figurines and other collectibles. It’s not just a shop, either – the store also holds events including signings by comic book authors and illustrators, cosplay gatherings and free comic days.

2 | Fred Aldous 37 Lever St | @FredAldous

For nearly 130 years, this Manchester institution has been the city’s one stop shop for art and craft supplies. The independent store has a huge selection of paper, painting and design equipment and other materials, and also offers laser cutting and photography services.

3 | Soup Kitchen 31-33 Spear St | @SoupKitchen_Mcr

Soup Kitchen has quickly climbed the ranks to cement its place as one of the best bars in the Northern Quarter (and one of the best clubs in the UK!). It’s often been a starting point for bands who have taken off in recent years, with crowds of people squashing into the basement for a glimpse.

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5 | Piccadilly Records 53 Oldham St | @PiccadillyRecs

Whether you’re a vinyl aficionado or just a casual music fan, everyone knows a trip to the Northern Quarter isn’t complete without a visit to Piccadilly Records. The store stocks the latest single and album releases on vinyl, CD and occasionally on cassette. It’s really not surprising that it’s been named Best Independent Record Shop by Music Week.

6 | The Castle 66 Oldham St | @thecastlehotel

A pub and live music venue with a richly impressive history and a cult status among the folks of Manchester, The Castle still manages to retain its ‘best kept secret’ vibe.

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11 | Matt & Phred’s 64 Tib St | @MattandPhreds

Matt and Phred’s is the place to visit if you’re looking for a night of raucous dancing and soul-filled music. The club also doubles up as a restaurant with a wide range of pizzas and sharing plates, and behind the bar is a big wine selection and cocktails to rival any others in the city.

12 | Ziferblat 23 Edge St | @ZiferblatEdgeSt

In Ziferblat, you can fill your boots with brews, cakes and wifi – it’s all free. What you pay for is time, and the going rate is 5p a minute. More common room than cafe, it’s a place where you can make yourself at home, serve up a few rounds of toast and break out the board games.

7 | Koffee Pot 84-86 Oldham St | @thekoffeepot

Known for its liver-rejuvenating, shame-vanishing slap-up breakfasts, Koffee Pot is a proper caff with just the right amount of Northern Quarter cool. It’s a Mancunian institution, and anyone will tell you that it’s a favourite hangout of many big names on the Manchester music scene.

8 | V Revolution 88 Oldham St | @vrevolutionyeah

The V stands for vegan but it also represents two fingers to the idea that vegan food has to be boring. The speciality at this American-style diner (check out those red booths!) is ‘vegan junkfood’ – we’re talking burgers, hotdogs, pizzas, milkshakes. Not a lentil in sight.

9 | Rudy’s Pizza 9 Cotton St | @RudysPizzaMcr

Aptly stationed in the so-called Little Italy area of Ancoats, Rudy’s is home to the best pizza in town.

It achieves this honour through its authentic Naples-style dough, so thin, light and floppy you need to use two hands to eat it. Sharing makes the pizzas super affordable.

10 | Mantra Warehouse Pollard St East | @MantraMcr

Located deep within the heart of an 18th-century cotton mill in Ancoats, this mint fresh underground venue plays host to parties by Manchesterbased promoters Covert. It has a beacon-like pull on clubbers looking for quality house and techno, though we think the open-air yard might also have something to do with it.

2016 – 2017

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Ezra & Gil

13 | Common 39-41 Edge St | @common_bar

A lively bar and restaurant, Common attracts plenty of regulars and sociable locals. The decor has a distinct Scandi flavour, all clean lines, muted colours and lots and lots of wood. As well as the usual burgers, there’s a focus on small plates, with cauliflower cheese croquettes the king of the bar snacks.

14 | Home Sweet Home 49-51 Edge St | @HomeSweetHomeNQ

This Northern Quarter hotspot is always busy, but don’t let that put you off – that just proves that it’s good, and the restaurant’s mismatched furniture and unusual artwork makes it truly live up to its name.

Remember: save room for a slice of their huge cakes.

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15 | Manchester Craft and Design Centre

17 | Afflecks 52 Church St | @Afflecksfox

17 Oak St | @ManchesterCraft

Based in an old converted Victorian fish market, the Manchester Craft and Design Centre is home to 18 studios with more than 30 designers, artists and creatives making and selling their own work.

You can buy anything from handmade jewellery to bags, ceramics, interior accessories, furniture, paintings and much more.

16 | Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art

An iconic part of Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Afflecks is a leading indoor market, with several floors of weird and wonderful shops and stalls selling everything from alternative and vintage clothing to records, retro sweets and handmade jewellery. You’ll find something new and unique with every trip to Afflecks and you almost certainly won’t leave empty handed.

18 | Northern Soul Grilled Cheese Church St Mkt | @NorthernSoulMcr

Market Buildings, Thomas St | @CFCCA_UK

The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art’s aim is to promote, showcase and support contemporary Chinese artists through its in-house exhibitions, community outreach work and educational creative workshops. The shop offers a variety of artwork inspired gifts, and the Tea House is worth a visit too.

The cliché might be that a student diet is made up of 90% cheese toasties, but that won’t sound so bad once you visit Northern Soul. Each of their grilled cheese beauties is a three-cheese blend on sourdough bread; then, you can choose from an array of fillings, from pulled pork to mac’n’cheese.

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24 | South

4A South King St | @South_Club

Joshua Brooks

19 | Popup Bikes

Arch 5, Corporation St | @PopupBikes

A cycle cafe and bike maintenance shop, Popup Bikes aims to be ethical and fair to customers – the cafe serves locally sourced coffee, as well as cakes and sandwiches for hungry cyclists, and the bike repair shop uses cycle components sourced from nearby locations.

20 | Hidden

DownTex Mill, 16-18 Mary St | @HiddenClubMCR

Since opening in 2015, Hidden has been embraced by the city’s ravers. Situated in a former textile mill near Strangeways prison, it’s home to many of Manchester’s leading promoters, from Love Dose to Meat Free. We love the graffiti, disco balls and amazing soundsystem.

21 | People’s History Museum Left Bank, Spinningfields | @PHMMcr

A basement club that guarantees a good night out, South gets a fair few guest DJs in and the odd live performance from local and touring rappers, but it’s the regular nights that are the best loved. They’ve played host to some big names, like Nightmares on Wax and A Guy Called Gerald.

25 | Royal Exchange Theatre St Ann’s Sq | @rxtheatre

The Royal Exchange’s gigantic glass-walled auditorium, suspended in mid-air, is an innovation in theatre design that completely alters the audience’s experience. The programme ranges from comedy to drama, from the most famous plays to brand new stories, and the odd conversation with popular writers, directors and actors.

26 | Manchester Art Gallery Mosley St | @mcrartgallery

One of the North’s most impressive collections of sculpture, historic costume and painting unfolds across 21 gallery spaces with art and craft of local and national importance alongside constantly rotating guest exhibitions. Get down for Thursday Lates (open ’til 9pm), where you’ll find special workshops, talks and performances.

The UK’s national museum of democracy, its mantra is “there have always been ideas worth fighting for.”

Over two floors, the story of 200 years of people power unfolds, from the Peterloo Massacre of 1819 to the present day. If you’ve any interest in politics or history, this should be your first port of call.

22 | B.Eat Street

Great Northern Warehouse | @beatstreetmcr

Known for their kickass street food pop-ups, B.Eat Street have been throwing popular foodie parties for a while now – but this year, they got their own permanent actual street at the Great Northern Warehouse (home to the AMC), filled with traders seven days a week. Good little rooftop bar, too.

Popup Bikes

23 | Albert Hall

27 | Joshua Brooks

Possibly the most impressive music venue to open in Manchester in recent years, Albert Hall has already welcomed an impressive roster of acts to its stage. Expect anything and everything from drum’n’bass to orchestras – and if music isn’t your thing, it’s worth a trip to gawp at the decorative ceilings and stained-glass windows.

Weeknights at Joshua Brooks are a permanent fixture on Manchester’s clubbing scene, with students flocking to the club on Wednesdays for the Juicy DJs, who specialise in hip-hop, R’n’B and basement bangers. There are always plenty of offers on too, with two for one cocktails deals and cheaper drinks for members.

27 Peter St | @Alberthallmcr

2016 – 2017

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106 Princess St | @JoshuaBrooksMCR

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28 | Bridgewater Hall

Lower Mosley St | @BridgewaterHall

Housed in a beautifully angular building that juts out into the surrounding area, the Bridgewater Hall has a busy programme of more than 250 performances a year. It’s also home to three resident orchestras – The Hallé, Manchester Camerata, and the BBC Philharmonic, who perform there on a regular basis.

29 | Rebellion Bar

33 | International Anthony Burgess Foundation Chorlton Mill, 3 Cambridge St | @misterenderby

Dedicated to encouraging public interest in the life and work of the writer Anthony Burgess, best known for his gnawing dystopia A Clockwork Orange, the Burgess Foundation is a literary performance and exhibition space housing a large archive of Burgess’s original manuscripts, space for new writers and spoken word performers, and a reading room.

2B Whitworth St West | @RebellionMCR

A grungy oasis among the decadent cocktail bars and nightclubs of Deansgate, Rebellion brings raucous rock‘n’roll to the squarest part of town.

On its live music nights, which offer up everything from heavy metal to prog to industrial to glam, the bar keeps rocking ’til 4am.

The Lowry

11 Bloom St | @kingssalford

The King’s Arms is more than your standard local.

Downstairs is a proper pub, with a beer garden, real ale from local breweries, and food served in the day. But it’s upstairs that makes it stand out: here you’ll find an array of artistic entertainment with regular events including local improv theatre and standup comedy.

220 Chapel St | @DeliLamaCafeBar

2 Tony Wilson Pl | @HOME_mcr

Founded after the Library Theatre Company and the beloved Cornerhouse cinema merged, HOME holds two theatre spaces, five cinema screens, a huge gallery space and much more. The centre prides itself on being the place to visit to find engaging and innovative media. The comfy bars and roof terrace are great for a post-show discussion.

31 | Castlefield Gallery 2 Hewitt St | @CastlefieldGall

A visual art gallery and artist development agency, Castlefield Gallery hosts a number of exhibitions every year, showcasing work from both local contemporary artists and those from further afield. At the heart of its ethos is a determination to nurture talent, which gives the gallery a vital role in the North’s art scene.

32 | Gorilla

54-56 Whitworth St | @thisisgorilla

Nestled beneath the arches of Oxford Road station, Gorilla is a multitasking venue encompassing a bar, restaurant, live music venue and club. The 550-capacity music room offers a packed programme of gigs, club and comedy nights to suit most tastes. It’ll become a regular hangout.

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34 | The King’s Arms

35 | Deli-Lama

30 | HOME

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Serving up mainly vegetarian and vegan food, Deli-Lama’s menu is heavily Caribbean and Mediterranean inspired. With regular menu staples of wraps, sandwiches and curries, they also serve a number of specials, and plenty of cakes.

36 | Islington Mill 1 James St | @islingtonmill

A former cotton spinning mill converted into a gallery space and venue, Islington Mill is recognised as one of the city’s most exciting creative spaces. The gig venue has been home to shows by Grimes and Everything Everything in past years, and it’s also become the central location for the yearly Sounds from the Other City festival.

37 | The Lowry

Pier 8, The Quays | @The_Lowry

Located by Salford Quays, The Lowry houses several theatre spaces and a gallery – complete with a permanent collection of paintings by the building’s namesake, L.S. Lowry. As well as being the local stop for massive touring theatre shows, The Lowry also has a good selection of more intimate and experimental performances throughout the year.

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Manchester Oxford Road corridor

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38 | The Pub/Zoo 126 Grosvenor St | @PubZoo

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Combining two venues in one, The Pub/Zoo is both a bar and a venue for club and comedy events.

Head around the side to Zoo and you’ll find events most nights, the most popular being XS Malarkey, a multi-award-winning standup comedy night.

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Art

The Deaf Institute

Music

39 | The Deaf Institute Bedecked in kitsch wallpaper and pleasingly odd decorations, The Deaf Institute has seen many big names in their early days play the upstairs music hall, and there’s almost always something on, be that frequent and often busy club nights or rising talent on tour.

Food & Drink

135 Grosvenor St | @DeafInstitute

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40 | Umami 147-153 Oxford Rd

If Japanese food is your thing then this Oxford Road restaurant is for you. The menu lists lots of noodle and rice dishes including ramen and stir fries, as well as curries and salads. Umami is student friendly, offering a student discount, meaning cheap lunch is available between lectures.

41 | RNCM 124 Oxford Rd | @RNCMvoice

In addition to being a world-renowned conservatoire, the Royal Northern College of Music also hosts student-led showcases and big-name artists. Manchester Camerata and big bands sit perfectly alongside FKA twigs and Tim Burgess in an incredibly varied programme that suits all tastes and supports brand new musical talent.

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VENUES

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42 | Manchester Museum

46 | Whitworth Art Gallery

The University of Manchester, Oxford Rd | @McrMuseum

The University of Manchester, Oxford Rd | @WhitworthArt

Boasting a large collection of wild amphibians and reptiles, Manchester Museum’s mission is to save some of the world’s most endangered species.

It’s also a hub of cultural activity; you’ll often find a live literature night in one of the atmospheric exhibition spaces, and the top floor has recently been turned into ‘The Study’, a space to work, make, research and share.

Located on part of the University of Manchester’s grounds in a historical Grade II-listed building, the Whitworth Art Gallery was recently transformed and doubled in size. Its large permanent collection includes works by world-renowned artists, and the programme of changing exhibitions presents some of contemporary art’s most forward-thinking names.

43 | Manchester Academy

47 | Mughli

Oxford Rd | @MancAcademy

30 Wilmslow Rd | @mughli

A few paces from the Student Union on Oxford Road, Manchester Academy hosts well known acts, while its smaller sister venues Academies 2, 3 and Club offer upcoming and emerging bands.

The complex has seen the likes of Best Coast, Deap Vally and Blossoms play to packed crowds before they got their big breaks.

While Mughli may be situated on the ever-busy ‘Curry Mile’, its food is, er, miles apart from many of the other offerings on this bustling strip of restaurants and shisha cafes. Taking inspiration from the roadside cafes and street food of Lahore, the menu offers a large selection of tried and tested curries, updated with a modern touch.

48 | Antwerp Mansion Rusholme Grove, Wilmslow Rd | @AntwerpMansion

It regularly plays host to band practices and live gigs, but Antwerp Mansion has become legendary throughout Manchester for its unique setting for raves and parties. It prides itself on being a world away from ‘fancy joints across town,’ and, with dirt cheap prices at the bar, it’s very student friendly.

Whitworth Art Gallery

49 | Fallow Cafe 2A Landcross Rd | @fallowcafe

44 | Contact Oxford Rd | @ContactMcr

This distinctive looking theatre offers a range of genre-defying projects and events, its vision being for all performances to inspire creativity and empower both the performers and the visitors. It’s the perfect place to go for a last minute evening out, as you never know what you’ll end up watching.

296 Oxford Rd | @BigHandsBar

Sitting in prime position on Oxford Road, Big Hands is close enough to university to drown your sorrows after submitting your final essay a day late, and close enough to the Academies to continue the party once the music’s over. You’re sure to spot some musical types here, either hiding in the back or lounging on a 70s-style sofa.

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50 | Fuel 448 Wilmslow Rd | @fuelcafebar

45 | Big Hands

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A small, ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ bar and live venue in central Fallowfield, Fallow Cafe is a popular student hangout thanks to its fab food and chaotic gigs. The cafe is home to a menu rammed with homemade food that won’t break the bank, breakfast served ’til late, and incredible roast dinners on Sundays.

You’re likely to have discovered Fuel around the same time you and your friends began discussing socialism/vegetarianism/feminism (delete as appropriate). Fuel offers a reasonably priced menu for lovers of hearty vegan cuisine. Here you’ll drink Belgian beers, smoke rollies in the impossibly small porch of the bar and most likely debate existentialism.

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THE SKINNY 25/08/2016 16:07

Money Saving Tips Listen – being a student is expensive. Gone are the halcyon days of your parents where they had more grants than Jurassic Park (which has one Professor Grant). Nowadays it’s loans, loans, loans Words: Edy Hurst

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ant to pay tuition fees? That’s a loan. Want money to afford accommodation? That’s a loan. Want just money to be able to survive day to day while balancing full time education? Oh lordy, you know that’s a loan.

With cash on the brain, it can seem there’s not all that much in your pocket. But fear not! For here at The Skinny we’ve got our top cash financier (@ edyhurst) on the job to give you some sweet moneysaving life hacks.

1. When you’re at the supermarket buying eggs, get a medium box and swap out the contents for six large bad boys. Baby, you just saved yourself a cool 20p.

2. Take a bin bag to the cinema with you, use it as camouflage from the staff in-between film showings.

You can stretch that single ticket out to a whole weekend at the pictures!

3. Instead of going on an exotic holiday, stand in a bag of sand by an open oven and you’ll be making memories in no time.

4. Retail price is more of a guideline than set in stone, so don’t be afraid to barter with a store assistant, loudly and at the front of a very long queue.

5. Landlords often hike up the rent for students.

When looking for accommodation, beat them at their own game by you and your friends disguising as a typical suburban family.

6. Need to take a bus to get into campus? A strong grappling hook and membership to the archery society can work out as a cheaper way to skim lifts in the long run.

7. Local businesses are desperate to attract students for that fresh hipster vibe, so offer out your street cred at the local retirement home.

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8. Clubs and pubs are notorious for drink mark-ups.

To save money on a night out, buy one bottle of beer and top it up with water. Not only will you always have a drink in your hand, but you’ll gain a reputation as a marathon boozer.

9. Rather than a pricey night out at a club, get drunk on a Megabus.

10. There is a wide range of cards you can get that give you discounts anywhere from shops and restaurants to pubs and clubs. NUS is often highly recommended, but an even better one is ‘parent’s credit card’ which will give you 100% off all purchases before it gets cancelled for fraud!

11. Buying books for your course can be expensive, so why not make your own? Just watch as your teacher tries to quiz you on the very book you wrote.

12. Become a mystery shopper and you can get paid to shop! Become an even more mysterious shopper, and you can just walk away with products without anyone noticing.

13. Keep a roll of toilet paper handy for any fancy dress events you may have. Halloween? Mummy!

Christmas? Wrapped-up present! The only limits are your imagination and steadfast confidence in explaining it to others.

14. Make a little bit of extra money by getting a job.

And a haircut, you hippy.

15. Have you ever considered being born into wealth? One of the surefire methods of financial stability is winning a game of privilege potluck. Just make sure you don’t acknowledge it’s helped you! theskinny.co.uk/comedy

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THE SKINNY STUDENT HANDBOOK

www.theskinny.co.uk | @theskinnynorth

2016–2017

25/08/2016 15:24

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