COURTEENERS | Heaton Park | Fri 5 June | Opens 5.30pm
Courteeners follow the likes of Oasis and The Stone Roses in performing a sell out show in Heaton Park this Friday night. Of course, for most of you this news comes at too short a notice to get your hands on one of 25,000 tickets (salt. wound), in which case, you'd be right in asking why we're even mentioning it at all. Well, because The Courteeners can be found over the summer at V Festival, Isle of White Festival, Ibiza Rocks, T in the Park and any other gathering of more than 20 people.
ART BATTLE IV | Soup Kitchen | Fri 5 June | 7pm | Tickets £10
Stone Roses guitarist John Squire is the latest well-known artist offering support to Manchester’s increasingly popular social event Art Battle – the underground live painting experience that sees artists go head-to-head and create a piece of artwork in just 30 minutes to win votes from a circulating audience. Confidential's backing Northern Quarter-based artist Amy Coney, who's smashing new artwork on Stevenson Square's Out House space depicts six key female figures from Manchester's past including Elizabeth Gaskell and Emmeline Pankhurst.
iPLAYING | Gorilla | Fri 5 June | 6pm to midnight
iPlayGaming takes over Gorilla for an interactive gaming night filled with a huge selection of the best consoles from over the last 30 years. Check out their themed gaming areas and get involved in one-on-one play, team games or show off your skills by competing in one of our tournaments. There's a bunch of street food and themed-cocktails too.
PARKLIFE | Heaton Park | Sat 6 & Sun 7 June
We know what you're thinking... why do you keep listing sold out events. Au contraire. There's still tickets for Parklife, you know, just not many people know. There's plenty of Sunday day tickets (£54.50) and VIP tickets (£145 weekend, £85 day) - see here. Headlining Heaton Park this weekend across eight stages are: Disclosure*Rudimental*Ben Howard*George Ezra*NAS*Mark Ronson*Fatboy Slim*Wu Tang Clan*Labrinth*Everything Everything*James Blake - full line-up here
THE FUNFAIR | HOME | Until Sat 13 June
HOME's first theatre production, The Funfair, is a world premiere by Stockport-born, Olivier Award-winner Simon Stephens (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time). A new version of Odon von Horvath's Kasimir and Karoline, this a story of young lovers on the verge of a break-up during one rollercoaster night at the fairground.
TURN THE TABLES | Matt & Phreds | Sun 7 Jun | From 4pm
Vinyl nerd? Have a collection of vinyl other people NEED to listen to? Fancy 'avin a go on the turn tables at Matt & Phreds? Good. Because their new chilled out Sunday event, Turn The Tables, allows any Dom, Rick or Gary to bring their collection along and have resident DJ Will give you the chance to play. The event begins at 4pm with Happy Hour running until 7pm.
LUISA OMIELAN - AM I RIGHT LADIES? | The Lowry | Sun 7 June | 8pm
Critics have called Omielan 'a gutsy new star', 'the Queen B of comedy' and 'a mainstream star in the making'. Am I Right Ladies is the comic's follow-up to the critically acclaimed What Would Beyonce Do? An empowering manifesto regarding sex, mental health and body image.
AND ONE FOR THE WEEK...
MANCHESTER SERIES | Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op
With the Great Manchester Cycle on the horizon (Sunday June 28) you may well need all the help you can get to safely navigate around the 52 mile course in one piece whilst still hitting that all important PB. Thankfully the fine folk at Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op have collected some of Manchester’s brightest cycling brains to pass on their knowledge as part of their Manchester Series. Based over six weekly slots covering a range of topics, from Sports Nutrition to first-hand Olympic experiences to legal advice for cyclists, there is something to be gained for any level of athlete. All events are free and places can be booked here
