Festival: Manchester Science Festival 2013, Across Manchester, Thursday 24 October – Sunday 3 November
Science has saved our arses you know.
Because, when you think about it, we’re not actually that hardy us humans. We’ve got no fur to protect us from the elements, we’ve got no hardened hide, we can’t breathe underwater, we’re not that big, we can’t rapidly climb trees, we’re not that fast over ground, we don’t have a tongue that shoots out and catches food and we can’t kill our prey through poison (only by hitting it really hard). So what is it that’s made us the planet’s dominant species? Why are there seven billion of us?
Why the brain of course. Our ability to think, experiment, invent, innovate. The wheel, the blade, fire, agriculture, medicine, it’s science that’s saved us, science that’s made us. So rejoice in science. Because you owe it one.
Now in its seventh year, this festival brings together over 60 organisations pulling together to amass over 150 events, installations and experiences across Greater Manchester over the coming eleven days. Produced by the Museum of Science and Industry highlights include 24 hour coding competitions, Ice Labs: Antarctic architecture, workshops for kids, loud bangs, big flashes, exposed brains and really annoyingly catchy music at #Hooked.
Full listings for the Science Festival can be found here.
His plasticine Tower Bridge was crap
Film: Captain Phillips, Cornerhouse, Various Times
One of the best films of the year. Simple as that. Tom Hanks is superb, at the very top of his game. As is Barkhad Abdi as Hank’s counterpart. In fact, I’d go as far to say that the final quarter of this film contains some of the finest acting I’ve ever seen. Hanks in the medical deck is breathtaking (you’ll see what I mean). Of course, one’s reaction to art is subjective, but in this case, I’m right, so you need to go see this.
A re-telling of the widely publicized capture of real-life Captain Phillips in 2009 by Somali pirates. Cargo ship captain Richard Phillips surrenders himself to a group of four Somali pirates in order to protect his crew onboard the freight ship Alabama. The film focuses on the complex relationship between Phillips and the Somali captain, Muse, a desperate pirate forced into this seemingly inevitable vocation through the situation in his country. Simultaneously a heart-quickening thriller peppered with complex character portraits.
Drink: The Pop-Up Drinks Emporium, The Corn Exchange, Thursday 24 October – Sunday 27 October
Manchester’s Corn Exchange is to transform itself into a ‘drinks emporium’, showcasing and celebrating the city’s diverse drinks scene. As the Exchange begins its transformation from stagnant shopping mall into a permanent city centre food and drink venue, a mix of the city’s best bars, mixologists and liquor gurus will occupy the empty retail spaces for four big party nights with themed pop-up drinking dens from 24-27 October.
Drinks? Weekend? As if you needed an excuse.
Free. More info here.
Corn Exchange reimagined
Food: Estia Taverna, 621 Stretford Road, Old Trafford, M16 0QA. 0161 637 0032
David Gledhill, artist and Old Trafford resident casually mentioned there was a fine Greek restaurant on Stretford Road close to Trafford Bar Metrolink. Confidential had never heard it. So after viewing the Synthesis Exhibition in Victoria Warehouse - see entry below - we all rushed off like giddy kippers to Estia. Two hours later we'd sampled the finest Greek food in Manchester by a country mile. "This," declared the editor, "is the best restaurant in an ugly location in the city." Full review next week.
Estia at night
Art: Synthesis Exhibition, Victoria Warehouse Hotel, Friday 25 October – Sunday 10 November, 10am – 6pm
As part of the Science Festival, Synthesis is a futuristic exhibition aiming to bring science to life through visual three-dimensional art. The exhibition will feature installations, paintings, sculptures and visual cinematic experiences from a host of internationally renowned artists exhibiting alongside new graduates of the art/science hybrid. The exhibition also offers a programme of events including talks by featured artists and hands on activities for families.
Artists include: Luke Jerram, Gina Czarnecki, Jo Berry, Antony Clarkson, Paul Digby and Eddy Dreadnought, whose piece Embryonic Thoughts looks a little like a condom.
Post modern prophylactics never caught on
Music: An Evening with Bryan Ferry, Lyric Theatre, The Lowry, Friday 25 October – Saturday 26 October, 7.30pm
Famous for his visual and vocal suaveness, Ferry made his name as lead vocalist with 70s outfit Roxy Music and has since carved out an impressive solo career since the band’s break-up in 1984, going on to sell a career total of 30 million albums worldwide. Recently reimaging a number of records from both the Roxy and solo periods of his career into a rather brave and at times perplexing Jazz Age record, Ferry is setting out on a UK tour once more for the first time since 2007 to celebrate his four decades in the business.
The show will feature both his usual band and the Bryan Ferry Orchestra (from the Jazz Age record) performing an eclectic selection of Ferry’s songs.
£35.00-£65.00. Tickets here.
Show: Ski and Snowboard Show North, EventCity, Trafford Centre, Friday 25 October – Sunday 27 October, Opens 10am
The oldest recorded ski, found in Sweden, is estimated to be around 4,500 years old, which is fascinating considering that, according to many pious types, the world itself is only about 6000 years old.
Much like Bryan Ferry, The Telegraph’s Ski and Snowboard show is celebrating its fourth decade in the business. The UK’s largest winter lifestyle show is coming north for the first time ever after the Telegraph found out, through a decade of intensive research, that people from the North had actually started to go on ski holidays. Perish the thought.
There’ll be free ice skating, curling, alpine food and drink, a multitude of equipment and ski wear, simulators, cutesy alpine dogs, a Yeti and more than likely someone trying to shift you a timeshare.
Adults £12. Concs £8. 11-16 year olds £4. Under 11s FREE. Families £25. More info here.
Ski and Snowboard Show when it was held in Manchester Central
Kids: Half Price Bowling, Dog Bowl, Whitworth Street West, Monday 28 October – Friday 1 November
As the nightmarish period of October half-term descends upon parents across the land, looking for things to keep the kids quiet remains a toilsome and thankless task. With the technological onslaught meaning kids need to see something flash or beep at least every five seconds in order to maintain any interest, a custard cream and ‘glass of pop’ while watching Countdown and Question of Sport around Nanna Pegs house just doesn’t cut it anymore. They thirst for more.
Well, how about bowling for £2? Not bad that is it. From Monday to Friday between midday and 6pm kids can bowl for half price at the alley while you sit them down for a three-course kids meal available from £6.50. That’ll shut ‘em up.
Dog Bowl
Charity: Stroke Foundation Black Tie Dinner, Yang Sing, Tuesday 29 October
It is a rare occasion when you get to pretend you’re Bond. Those moments are few and far between and to be truly treasured. Ordering a martini at the bar, landing your hat/scarf/coat on a coat stand from at least three metres, charming the secretary with suggestive macho 60s office innuendo, stealing a T-55 tank and driving it through the streets of St Petersburg.
Well, black tie events are one of those rare occasions. And thus, never to be missed. Held in Yang Sing’s private dining suite this charity dinner is in aid of the Stroke Association on World Stroke Day. Champagne reception, five-course banquet of Cantonese cuisine, perhaps a famous face or two, an auction and casino tables. Plus, rumour has it that Emperor chef of Yang Sing, Harry Yeung MBE, is to dress up as Goldfinger’s henchman, Odd Job. Fingers crossed.
Harry Yeung and Odd Job
Film: Halloween Screening of The Shining, The Dancehouse Theatre, Thursday 31 October, 7.30pm
So we come to everyone’s favourite fake holiday of the year, Halloween. You know, the Christian vigil observed on the eve of All Saints Day on 1 November. The one where kids throw eggs at your house.
While those kids are egging your house and punishing you for not being at home and making them fat, you may as well make the most of this tiresome holiday by watching a genuine classic in great surroundings at the Dancehouse. While Stephen King may still hold utter contempt for Stanley Kubrick’s imagining of his novel, nearly everyone else thinks the film is great so that weirdo King can go whistle.
Jack Nicholson’s crazed antagonist, Jack Torrance, goes completely stark-raving in an demonic isolated hotel during the onslaught of winter and tries to give his wife and psychic son a good axing. Not in an Alan Sugar sense, more in a bludgeoning sense. To the head.
