It's time to dust off your Joe Bloggs

We’re avin’ it large, arrr kid! Wheyyyy! Mad fer it! And other stock phrases.

Get your Manchester cliche uniform (bucket hat, round sunglasses, massive parka etc) out the back of your wardrobe and dust off your maracas because Madchester Festival has been announced for Depot Mayfield this Easter Weekend. 

I am the resurrection indeed.

Former Haçienda resident DJs feature on the bill that is set to get the 40 and 50 somethings of Manchester’s hearts racing like it’s 1989.

This is Manchester, and we do things to death here. 

The OTT Kevin-and-Perry-do-Manchester accents and shoulder sashaying Mancunian walks will be more prevalent than ever on 17 April 22. 

Cattiness about Manchester's obsession with retro cliches aside, the lineup for this upcoming festival is pretty solid with that, er, classic Manchester band Faithless headlining proceedings. The band, which has now parted ways with its iconic vocalist Maxi Jazz, will be getting everyone moving with a DJ set fit for insomniacs.

Sister Bliss From Faithless Djs At Palmesus In 2013
Sister Bliss will DJ a Faithless set as headliner Image: Jørund Føreland Pedersen via Wikimedia

Also on the bill (and definitely from Manchester) are Graham Massey’s legendary 808 State doing a live set, US house legend Marshall Jefferson, Welsh 90s remix maestros K Klass (who met at The Hacienda), freaky dancer Bez and much-adored vocalist Rowetta both of Happy Mondays fame, and him out of The Prodigy, Leeroy Thornhill. 

Rowetta From The Happy Mondays On Stage In Rainbow Dress
Rowetta will join her old Happy Mondays mucker Bez Image: ManAlive via Wikicommons

Former Haçienda resident DJs Jon Dasilva and DJ Paulette also feature on the bill that is set to get the 40-and-50-somethings of Manchester’s hearts racing like it’s 1989. 

Depot Mayfield is well known to today’s ravers as the location for The Warehouse Project, a hugely successful clubbing event that has kept Manchester’s 24-hour party people credentials sharp way beyond its 90s rave heyday. Madchester Festival looks poised to knit all those elements together into one massive party. 

Madchester Festival Poster
The poster for Madchester festival Image: Madchester

If you missed out the first time around or you just want to relive your gurn-tastic, baggy Joe Bloggs youth, pop Madchester Fest in your Filofax.

Tickets for Madchester Festival are on sale now. More artists to be announced soon.

Read next: Top things to do in Manchester: March 2022

Read again: Affleck’s celebrates 40 years with open portrait exhibition


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