OH WHAT A NIGHT
Smash-hit musical Jersey Boys has the advantage of having one of the most oddly recognisable soundtracks of all the musicals. Even for the young'uns, the likes of Can't Take My Eyes Off You, Oh What A Night and Bye, Bye Baby have somehow etched out a permanent slot in our collective internal jukebox. This chronological biography of each of the Four Seasons, a group of four polished Italian-Americans 'from the wrong side of the tracks' in the 60s who go on to sell 175 million records worldwide, has won just about every major award a musical can win. 55 and counting...
Jersey Boys | Palace Theatre | Thurs 4 Sept to Sat 4 Oct | Tickets here
FIRST FRIDAY FEELING
XFM's monthly First Friday returns to Band on the Wall this Friday 5 September. Marshalling the evening will be XFM presenter Tim Cocker, with Brit indie up-and-comers Young Kato and Southend's Nothing But Thieves, followed by a bankable indie disco from Tim and XFM's Hattie Pearson carrying you off into the night. Probably on a punctured bicycle.
XFM First Friday | Band on the Wall | Fri 5 Sept | Doors 9pm | Tickets £6 here
FESTE-YEAH
MCR's only gone and got another festival. Festejar, a three-day fiesta from the makers of Festwich and The Instituto Cervantes, is a festival celebrating all things Spanish. Taking to Albert Square from Friday 5 to Sunday 7 September, the FREE non-ticketed festival is aimed at all ages and includes a musical line-up of Barcelonian singer and guitarist Iza, Madrid's Pol 3.14, Break Latino, jazz, funk, salsa and reggaeton - sounds tasty. Of course, no event would even be an event without wine-tastings, street food, percussion workshops and flamenco demos.
Festejar | Albert Square | Fri 5 to Sun 7 Sept | FREE | More here
She had salsa-lock
EVER FANCIED FOOTBALL WRITING?
The city's first Football Writing Festival takes place at venues across the city from Thurs 4 to Friday 12 September. The Guardian's Football Weekly team will be kicking-off proceedings at the RNCM with a live edition of the UK's largest football podcast. There'll be talks, memories, advice and analytics in events at the National Football Museum, Waterstones and St Ann's Church, culminating with the first visit to the city of the influential football periodical The Blizzard.
Manchester Football Writing Festival | Various venues | Thurs 4 to Fri 12 Sept | Info and tickets here
KIERAN FEST
Chorlton teenager Kieran Crump Raiswell was murdered in an unprovoked knife attack in January 2013 and since then his parents have been working to raise money for the Manchester charity, 42nd Street, which works with young people under stress. Every year there's a main fundraiser in Chorlton over three days with a quiz night on the Friday, football and a gig night on the Saturday and a whole fun day and cricket match at South West Manchester Cricket Club on the Sunday. It's a great cause, Confidential thinks, and one worthy of huge support.
Kieran Fest | Chorlton | Fri 5 to Sun 7 Sept | Info and tickets click here
Kieran and a life celebrated
LEGENDS
The Soccerex Football Festival is a FREE two-day event at Etihad Stadium's City Square, featuring a Legends Tournament with Cantona, Cafu, Barnes, Gullit and Romario, youth tournaments, freestyle workshops, entertainment and stacks of competitions and prizes.
Soccerex Football Festival | Etihad Stadium | Sat 6 & Sun 7 Sept | FREE | More here
Etihad Stadium
CLAP ALONG
Opening his Dear G I R L European tour in Manchester on Tuesday 9 September, the 'feminist' (honest), modern day Dorian Gray (he's 41, no really) and biggest male pop star in the world right now will be dropping worldwide mega-hits including Blurred Lines and Happy alongside tracks from his 2006 debut solo record, In My Mind. Don't worry, no one remembers that last one.
Pharrel | Phones 4u Arena | Tues 9 Sept | Tickets from £35 here
FOR NEVER WAS A STORY OF MORE WOE...
Presented by the rapidly forming HOME, the city's new £25m multi-arts complex set to open in Spring 2015, Romeo & Juliet is the second of their site-specific productions following Ancoats' critically acclaimed Angel Meadow. Staged in the listed Edwardian Victoria Baths, this production will present a contemporary fairytale inspired by the criminal underworld of Eastern Europe.
Romeo & Juliet | Victoria Baths | Wed 10 to Sat 4 Oct | Final tickets here
HOME: Romeo & Juliet
BLACK ROCK
Showing as part of the Final Girls season, this survival thriller follows three childhood friends, now in their 20s, as they visit an island off the coast of Maine for a camping trip. Their fireside bonding is interrupted by a group of psychotic veterans, setting the stage for a bloody life-or-death struggle between the battle-hardened soldiers and the terrified female trio.
Black Rock | Cornerhouse | Thurs 11 Sept | 8.40pm | Tickets here
SUPERBYTE
Launched back in 2012 as a one-off one-day retro gaming and chiptune event, this year sees SuperByte 2014 host a four day celebration of all things low-tech, lo-fi and DIY. This chiptune music festival, taking place across four venues (Fab Cafe, The Zoo, Sandbar and The Pub), will welcome international artists from the UK, Europe, the U.S. and Australasia alongside gaming events, film screenings, workshops and markets.
SuperByte 2014 | Fab Cafe, The Zoo, Sandbar and The Pub | Thurs 11 to Sun 14 Sept | More here
HAMLET
Maxine Peake, star of Shameless, Silk, The Village and 2013's Manchester International Festival hit The Masque of Anarchy, plays the title role in Director Sarah Frankcom's take on Shakespeare's ultimate tale of madness and murder. Hamlet's father is dead and Denmark has crowned a new king. Consumed by grief, Hamlet struggles to exact revenge with devastating consequences.
Hamlet | Royal Exchange | Thurs 11 Sept to Thurs 25 Oct | Tickets here
Maxine Peake
BUMPY RIDE
From Friday 12 to Sun 14 September, Chill Factore is set to host the world’s first ever FIS European and British Indoor Mogul Championships. The International Ski Federation (FIS) sanctioned event will see Europe’s best and bravest skiers tackle the specially built course on the UK’s longest real-snow ski slope.
European and UK Mogul Championships | Chill Factore | Fri 12 to Sun 14 Sept | FREE | More here
A GAME OF SEVENS
International Ruggers for as little as £10 a ticket. England, Wales and Scotland line up against some of Europe's top teams in the Rugby Europe Sevens Grand Prix Series at the AJ Bell Stadium in Salford. Spread over two days on Sat 13 to Sun 14 September, twelve European teams will battle it out in back-to-back rugby matches during the third leg of the tournament, following earlier rounds in Lyon and Moscow. The competition will conclude in Bucharest on September 20 and 21.
European Rugby Sevens Grand Prix | AJ Bell Stadium | Salford | Sat 13 & Sun 14 Sept | Tickets here
England Sevens
IF IT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE...
...it's good for the Gander, Ryan Gander, celebrated British conceptual and Manchester-taught artist. Make every show like it's your last will explore two recent themes in Gander’s work; ‘Imagineering’ and ‘Culturefield.’ According to The Culture Show's Miranda Sawyer, Gander is "a cultural magpie renowned for his cryptic, playful yet challenging work, Gander is one the world's most exciting artists." Certainly worth a look.
Ryan Gander: Make every show like it's your last | Manchester Art Gallery | Closes Sun 14 Sept | FREE | More here
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