THE Christmas period is one long gluttonous celebration period with more things to do than there are pine needles left on your floor when it’s all over. So rather than focus on just the weekend here’s a selection box of things to do from this weekend right up until New Year ’s Eve.
For a comprehensive list of New Year’s Eve events in Manchester have a look at our big list at the bottom of the page.
New Year’s Eve: 31 December
New Year’s Eve is billed as the biggest night of the year, let’s face it though most years the night passes by without reaching anywhere near the impossibly high peak of hype created in the build-up. That said it doesn’t necessarily mean that bad times are had by all who venture out into the darkened night, but to all intents and purposes it is just another night out. Unless you attend a house party or have a quiet night in that is. Nevertheless any occasion that encourages friends to get together is always worth celebrating, so here is our list of New Year’s Eve events if you’re looking to venture out into Manchester. (As is tradition advance booking is strongly recommended for all events.)
Alt-J (Thom) DJ Set, Q Cavern
Thom from Mercury Prize winning Alt-J DJs alongside Now Wave regulars from 11pm, £10.
Pop New Years Eve Cracker, Deaf Institute
Pop classics, new favourites and a few curveballs across all three floors from 10pm, £15.
Revolver vs Up The Racket, Roadhouse
Two legendary Manchester club nights together under one roof from 10pm. Tickets £5 earlybird/£10 full price.
Clint Boon, South
The Inspiral Carpets man opens his record bag for a night of alternative classics from 10.30pm. Tickets £5 earlybird/£10 full price.
Non Rip Off NYE, Fac251
Three floors of indie, motown and funk from 10.30pm. Tickets £5 earlybird/£10 full price/£16.50 VIP.
The Comedy Store, Frog & Bucket
The Comedy Store £25 two shows 6pm/9pm (£30) – five comedians, live band and DJ at 9
Manchester Camerata, Bridgewater Hall
Manchester Camerata £32-£52. Evening of opera favourites, orchestral melodies, rousing choruses with traditional Auld Lang Syne finale. Pre-concert dining options available.
Mr Scruff, Band On The Wall
Mr Scruff counts down to the big bell and beyond with his usual eclectic set from 9.30pm till 4am.
Michael Caines, Abode Hotel
Michael Caines at Abode. 6 courses £80 per person, including glass of champagne on arrival.
Pop Til You Drop!, Odder
Pop Til You Drop! Odder. 2 floors of quality pop music, 9pm-4am. £8.
Peter Pan, Manchester Opera House
Peter Pan at Manchester Opera House. 1pm or 5pm. Featuring David Hasselhoff as Captain Hook. Tickets from £10.
Manchester 235 Casino
Celebrate in Casino Royale style. Fine dining, free drinks on arrival, free bets, live band playing James Bond classics. From £39 per person.
Masquerade Ball, Birdcage
Birdcage Masquerade Ball. Seating £20. Vegas style drag and showgirl cabaret. Non-stop hits of the 80s, 90s and the 00s. Doors open 8.30pm.
The Martinez Brothers, Sankeys
The Martinez Brothers at Sankeys. From £25 for advance discount ticket.
NYE Burlesque, Pitcher and Piano
A Burlesque themed night with Capitol FM’s Rob Ellis, 9pm-3am. Tickets £5-£15.
Funkademia, Mint Lounge
Funk, Soul and Hip-Hop at Manchester longest running weekly club night, 10pm-4am. Tickets £10.
Hit & Run, Sound Control
Drum n Bass, Hip Hop, Dubstep featuring ten DJs from 9pm-4am. Tickets £5.50-£10.
Juicy, Jabez Clegg
Two rooms of Hip Hop, Disco and Funk from 10pm.
OTHER events, places to visit and so on.
Food: Fowl In MC Cafe At The Abode Hotel
MC Cafe at Abode has provided us with some stirring food this year from chef Bryn Evans. If you want to be fowl this Christmas but not a turkey, we swear by this breaded chicken. It comes with a ludicrously strong but gorgeous garlic butter, perfect bacon bits and the moistest Savoy cabbage in the world. It's £14.95, with no side order required. Click here.
Cluck, cluck love
Music: Psychmare Before Christmas, Soup Kitchen: 20 December
If the festive cheer has been hard to come by so far this year and Wizard and Slade et al grate the ears at every turn, Soup Kitchen offers an alternative Yuletide Celebration in the form of Psychmare Before Christmas. Hookworms, Kult Country and (former?) Wu Lyf member Francis Lung, will be kraut-rocking around the Christmas tree all evening. Festivities begin at 7.30 with tickets priced at £5 and available from here.
Hookworms
Tour: Manchester Clock Tower Tour, Town Hall: 29 December
L S Lowry painted it, Alfred Waterhouse designed it and a massive bell called Great Abel hangs from it. As the iconic Manchester timepiece counts down the remaining hours of 2012 you can explore the horological tower beyond the normal public confines of the town hall. Winding your way up 173 spiral steps there is more than enough intrigue here to take your time over. Plus the top parapet of the tower offers the best views of a frosty Manchester before it’s lost to the new year. Tours take place at various times, please ring the Town Hall to book on 0161 234 5940.
Clock Tower View
Cinema: It’s A Wonderful Life, Cornerhouse: 20-23 December
The ultimate festive feel-good film tradition is on for its annual short run at The Cornerhouse this season. Directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart, it’s the story of a celestial visitor who prevents a despairing businessman from jumping into an icy river on a fateful Christmas Eve. The desperate man is then shown a world where he never existed in an enduring piece of yuletide cinema that has since been parodied by everyone from The Flintstones to The Simpsons. Ticket prices and further information is available here.
It's A Wonderful Life
Theatre: Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, The Lowry: 20 December – 5 January
The spectacular stage production of the 1954 Bing Crosby classic film is a welcome holiday show to detract from anything listed in the Radio Times. The show is filled with classic Irving Berlin hits that everyone will recognise including Blue Skies, Happy Holidays and of course White Christmas. The play stars Coronation Street’s Steven Houghton alongside Dallas Actor Ken Kercheval as well as, Claire Sweeny and Wendi Peters and is soundtracked by a thirty-piece orchestra. Ticket prices vary between £24 and £45 and are available from here.
Irving Berlin's White Christmas
Music: Hit & Run End Of The World Party, NQ Live: 21 December
The end of the world is nigh, apparently, as it has been predicted several times over before without fulfilment - but see Sleuth this week. The Mayans believed that mankind’s time on Earth is numbered. It isn’t. That’s more than enough reason to throw a party though and the Hit & Run crew have hired in Zed Bias for theirs. The music policy for the night is ‘anything goes’ whilst the encouraged theme for attire is ‘funereal’, just in case. Pre-Sale tickets are priced at £2/£3 from here or £5 on the door.
Zed Bias
Arts: Salford Christmas Zine Fair, 2022NQ: 21 December
Manchester based designers, illustrators and print makers are coming to your rescue if your still after a unique gift or even wish to make one yourself. As well as stalls, exhibitions and short film showings there will be workshops on, screen printing, lino printings, mono printing and book binding to help out with last minute Christmas gifts with a personal touch. The print fair is followed by the 2022NQ Christmas Party with various Manchester DJs and winter warming drinks all around. What’s more it’s all free entry. Click here.
Salford Zine Fair
Music: Night Of The Living Dread Christmas Special, Band On The Wall, 21 December
If when you picture jolly old Saint Nick he’s reclining on a beach sipping on rum cocktails rather than huddled up in a grotto in Lapland then this might be the Christmas party for you. With DJs promising Christmas themed reggae tunes as well as Dub, Ragga, Roots and Dancehall in this Bashment special. DJs Mikey D.O.N, Philly B and Daddy English will be on hand to supply the festive party vibes and get those feet moving. Admission is free before midnight or £5 after.
Band On The Wall
Music/Art: Kirsty Almeida & The Troubadours, St Clements Church Chorlton: 22 December
The beautiful St Clements Church in Chorlton plays host to a wonderfully festive event bringing together music and art by candlelight. Songwriter and Pickled Spider singer Kirsty Almeida and her Troubadours will be collaborating with creative artist Sandra Whetham to create an aural and visual treat. Almeida will be performing songs from a new album entitled Winter Songs which includes a whole load of Christmas songs to get you in the mood. Tickets cost £15 and are available from here.
Kirsty Almeida
Christmas Day: 25 December
The big day itself is around the corner, last minute shopping is behind you and you can relax in front of Only Fools and Horses. Maybe. Whether you celebrate Christmas Day or not we hope you have a merry old time. Merry Christmas everybody.
Christmas
Cinema/Music: LCD Soundsystem’s Last Concert Screening, Gorilla: 29 December
LCD Soundsystem are no more, but they, as we fall further into the second decade of this new millennium, are remembered as one of the iconic bands of the decade. They called it a day in 2011 with deafening screams and enamoured dancing at a sold out show in New York’s Madison Square Gardens. For one night only you can relive that night as if you were there with a special screening of the whole event. There will be no seats, there will be lights, there will be smoke and there will be dancing. Tickets for this unique event cost £11 from here.
LCD Soundsystem
