Music – Parklife Weekender
The Parklife Weekender festival returns to Platt Fields Park once again this weekend with thousands of revellers descending on Manchester to welcome the start of the festival season.
Following on from last year’s sold out event this time round sees over 100 acts performing across seven stages including - The Flaming Lips, Dizzee Rascal, Chic ft. Nile Rodgers, Crystal Castles, Jessie Ware and Ghostpoet. Gates open at noon on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday with both nights ending at 11pm. Tickets are priced at £64.50 for the weekend. For more information please click here.
Takeaway – Dehli2Go, Lamb Karahi
A personal recommendation from our resident food critic Gordo, who scoffed this dish with a wild eyed look on his face, at Confidential HQ this week. The whole menu is worth a go if you’re that hungry, but the stand out dish was the lamb karahi – perfectly cooked, moist lamb with a kick. Takeaway orders come straight from the Oldham Street takeaway. They’ll deliver for free within a three mile radius for orders over £10. Visit delhi2go-online.co.uk
Parade – Manchester Day Parade
‘The Sky Is The Limit’ is this year’s theme for the second annual Manchester Day Parade, a spectacular celebration of the city’s creativity and diversity. Over 2,400 participants are expected to wow crowds of over 45,000 with dazzling costumes, music and dancing as they weave their way through the city centre streets.
This year’s parade intended to be a ‘celebration of heroic achievements’ takes place on Sunday 9 June 2pm – 4pm and is likely to be the biggest event of the year. Visit themanchesterdayparade.co.uk
Culture – Independent Book Market
St Ann’s Square will be inundated with book-lovers this weekend as the fifth outing of the Manchester Independent Book Market takes place. The market showcases the most innovative and prolific independent presses in the region along with through-the-day readings (noon-5pm) from some of the North West’s finest literary talent.
Headlining the market is one of the UK’s most exciting new poets, Dan Atta, who made a name for himself on video-sharing site YouTube. Joining Atta will be over 40 other celebrated literary figures including Carol Leeming (of Buzzcocks fame), two of Manchester’s best loved poets Max Seymour and Marvin Cheeseman, (Glastonbury Poet in Residence 2011). Free event.
Resturant – Piccolino
Gordo is still singing the praises of Ettore Cicchetti “the finest maitre d' in Manchester.” Oh and the food is fabulous too, especially for a Sunday lunch. Cop a loada that beef below.
You can also read Gordo’s last review of Piccolino, in which he scored it a ‘worth a trip’ 15.75/20 here.
Kids – A Thousand Slimy Things at The Royal Exchange Theatre
Opening this Saturday at The Royal Exchange Theatre Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s celebrated poem The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner is transformed into a scary, swashbuckling tale of adventure for kids aged nine and above.
The updated classic promises live music and highly physical comedy to terrify and delight both children and adults alike. Tickets cost £4 for under-13s and £10 for those aged 13 and over. Click here for more info.
Comedy – Dave Gorman’s PowerPoint Presentation at The Lowry.
The man behind the hilarious Are You Dave Gorman? and Googlewhack Adventure returns to The Lowry with his new show by popular demand. As one of comedy’s most innovative thinkers this isn’t likely to be your average office style PowerPoint presentation. Equally amusing as he is bemusing Gorman appears at the Lowry on Sunday 10 June for one night only, be sure not to miss him. Tickets are priced at £20 each. Click here.
Dave Gorman's Powerpoint Presentation
Culture – Unusual Views at John Rylands Library.
John Rylands Library are throwing open their doors this Sunday afternoon to give budding photographers a chance to capture the beautiful buildings lesser known side. A special guided tour will allow people to photograph the building from spectacular viewpoints not normally open to the public. The tour runs from 2.30pm to 3.30pm on Sunday 10 June. Tours are free but booking is essential. Click here.
Music – Tenacious D at O2 Apollo.
Self appointed ‘greatest band in the world’ Jack Black and Kyle Gass, better known as Tenacious D, return to Manchester touring their recently released third album Rize of The Fenix. Expect more raucous mock rock and Black’s overly theatrical hysterics and the duo attempt to put on the greatest rock n roll show ever...again. Tenacious D appear at the O2 Apollo on Sunday 10 June with tickets priced at £40.25 each. Click here for tickets.
Read – The Hairy Bikers’ Big Book Of Baking
Another Gordo recommendation here, this time for some home cooking. Apparently the Hairy Bikers’ steak and kidney pudding is nothing short of “bloody brilliant.” Get your read on, then get your bake on this weekend. Buy it on Amazon here priced £9.99.
The Hairy Bikers' Big Book Of Baking