Museum - National Football Museum Opening, 6 – 8 July
After months of preparation the National Football Museum has undergone its pre-season training and is ready to complete its big-name transfer from Preston to Manchester.
Football fans will be able to make their way through the turnstiles for the first time this Friday at the museum’s new Urbis home. Boasting the ‘greatest collection of football memorabilia ever assembled’ the exhibitions will go beyond the city’s reds and blues. More than 140,000 objects, works of art and photographs will be on show including, the 1966 World Cup final ball and the shirt worn by Maradona during the 1986 ‘Hand of God’ match between England and Argentina.
The initial three day launch weekend will feature poet-in-residence Paul Cookson to entertain visitors as well as football freestylers showing off in Cathedral Gardens. Admission will not be ticketed so get down early, doors will be open from 10am (11am on Sunday) till 5pm daily.
National Football Museum
Food & Drink - Chorlton Beer Festival, 6/7 July
The eighth annual Chorlton Beer Festival takes place this weekend at St Clement's Church on Edge Lane in Chorlton. Originally started in 2005 to help raise funds to help repair the church buildings, the festival will now help celebrate 500 years of the beautiful building.
Expect the usual CAMRA fare with over 80 cask ales on offer in the church plus ciders, perry’s and bottled beers available from the nearby scout hut. Food will be provided by Kro and Tampopo with entry costing £5 including a commemorative glass.
Chorlton Beer Festival
Food - Seabass at the new boy
Chef Andy Water's favourite dish at the new pub The Wharf in Castlefield is the Anglesey sea bass fillets with saffron fondant potatoes, fennel, gazpacho dressing and crab croquette at £15.95. Worth trying perhaps. The Wharf is at 6 Slate Wharf, Castlefield. Booking on 0161 220 2960.
Seabass
Music - Band On The Wall Birthday Celebration, 7 July
Manchester’s oldest music venue celebrates its 80th birthday this Sunday by throwing its own party. Originally The George And Dragon Pub, the Band on the Wall nickname came from the fact the stage was mounted directly on to the wall in the 1930s.
Still going from strength to strength today the birthday bash will feature live music from Dennis Jones, Hot Botz Brass Band and The Breadwinners. Several Band On The Wall acoustic favourites will also be playing throughout in the Picturehouse Bar. The ancient doors will open at 8pm with free entry all night.
Band On The Wall
Family – Mr. Ordinary’s Prize Book Launch Party, 8 July.
The People’s History Museum will be launching new children’s book, ‘Mr. Ordinary’s Prize’ on Sunday from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. The original story illustrates the symbolism of Manchester’s coat of arms and celebrates the qualities of this city through the story of Mr. Ordinary who loses his ‘thinking’ and ‘doing’ and must get them back.
The free launch party for the book will be full of family friendly activities suitable for children aged 2-9 as well as grownups.
People's History Museum
Two Tours Saturday: S**t Happens and Architecture in Manchester
S**t Happens is a tour of the down and out side of Manchester, the profane, the vulgar, the darkness. But it’s not all depressing and distressing. Light always shines through. Humour is never far away.1pm 7 July 2012. Meet outside Manchester Visitor Information Centre, Portland Street, City centre, M1 4BT. Architecture in Manchester is a bit more steady of a tour, showing how Manchester architecture mixes and matches styles and buildings with a crazy and haphazard panache. But there is a pattern. 5pm Saturday 7 July 2012: Architecture from 1914 to 2012. Meet outside Manchester Visitor Information Centre, Portland Street, City centre, M1 4BT. Both are guided by the Confidential editor Jonathan Schofield. Just turn up and pay on the day, £7.
Architecture tour
Music – The Brian Jonestown Massacre at HMV Ritz, 8 July.
The 90s psychadelic whimsical Americans led by the enigmatic Anton Newcombe are bringing the sounds of their new album ‘Aufheben’ to the HMV Ritz this Sunday.
Ten years since the infamous documentary of the band ‘DIG!’ the now sober Newcombe and returning member Matt Hollywood (last seen storming offstage in DIG!) will present their latest zoned out musical wanderings.
With their much publicised rough times during the band’s twenty two year career it can be hard to forget their musical abilities with many still drawing comparissons to The Velvet Underground. Tickets for the gig are available here.
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Cinema – Bol Bachchan, 6 July
The most successful actor-director combination in Bollywood history returns with romantic comedy Bol Bachchan released on Friday. Director Rohit Shetty and Bollywood superstar Ajay Devgn return in this chaotic movie about a a boy who lies about his identity but finds himself in the tricky position of working for a man who hates liars more than anything.
Opening at both Printworks and Trafford branches of Odeon. Details of showtimes and ticket prices can be found here.
Bol Bachchan
Comedy - Reduced Shakepeare Company - In The World Of Sports, The Lowry, 8 July
Reknowned for expertly abridging and condensing huge topics such as the complete works of Shakespeare, the history of America and even The Bible the RSC now tackle sport. All of it.
Among the sporting questions answered in the family interactive show will be – Is darts really a sport? What does NASCAR stand for? Which is more boring, cricket or golf? And who invented cheese rolling?
Owing as much to the insanity of Monty Python as it does to the ridiculous traits of the sports themselves the RSC’s view of the world of sport will be on show for one night only at The Lowry with tickets available here.
The Reduced Shakespeare Company
Club – Kaluki, Heidi presents The Jackathon at Sankeys, 7 July.
Candian born Heidi fell in love with the Detroit and Chicago house scenes before moving to London in 2000 and fully imersing herself in it’s dance music circles. Signed to the respected Get Physical label, also home to Booka Shade, Heidi is a regular between Fabric in London and the Panorama Bar in Berlin and you can now catch her at Sankeys.
Touted as one of the stars of modern rave she tops a bill which also fatures fellow Canadian Marc Houle as well as Darrius Syrossian and Ellesse. Tickets start at £12 and can be purchased here.
Heidi
Music – Active Child at Soup Kitchen, 6 July.
Active Child AKA Pat Grossi hails from sunny Los Angeles and is a former label mate of Washed Out. The initial tendency based solely on this knowledge is to file Grossi’s solo outfit under the sun-kissed tail end of the chillwave era. Active Child is a unexpectedly sombre beast however. Debut Album ‘You Are All I See’ demonstrates frosty electronic craft with ethereal lyrics about longing and isolation.
Having alread shared stages with James Blake, School Of Seven Bells and White Lies, Active Child will be heading the bill at the intimate Soup Kitchen. Tickets are priced at £8 and can be purchased here.
Active Child
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