Easter is arguably the only time of the year in which it's acceptable to play 'I Am The Resurrection' anywhere in Manchester outside of 5th Ave, but it also means four solid nights of partying options (and four solid days of headaches) while 'The Great Escape' inevitably rumbles away on Channel 4. There's the usual blend of disco, funk, hip hop, house and the rest out there, sometimes all at once, so here are the Time Out clubbing picks for this weekend's extended session.
Murkage V MVSON - South, South King Street, Thursday
Murkage don’t usually let a scheduled day of work or study alter their enthusiasm for a proper party, but in association with local crew MVSON Collective, the Murkage residents are guaranteeing a particularly rambunctious evening ahead of the four-day weekend. Their special guest is Rinse FM mainstay and grime pioneer, Sir Spyro, one of the station’s earliest selectors and a man who played a massive part in the emerging London grime scene. His energy and enthusiasm for the genre and beyond is still as strong as ever, so expect a lively one.
Eyes Down - Soup Kitchen, Stevenson Square, Saturday
Operating alone, Jon K and Kelvin Brown represent two of Manchester’s most formidable selectors, but together as Eyes Down they’re able to push things a notch further, keeping each other on their respective toes as they power through multiple genres with soul, feeling and no fear of taking risks. The last Eyes Down party saw classic underground Chicago house blend with upfront rap along the lines of Kendrick Lamar, alongside wonky, experimental electro and soul classics. Expect a similarly surprising and eclectic trip this weekend as the party takes place once again in Soup Kitchen's loveably raw disco den.
Jackmaster - Gorilla, Whitworth Street, Sunday
Regularly and rightfully considered to be one of the best party DJs operating in the world today – and perhaps one of the finest DJs full stop – you’ll find few as dedicated to the craft as Glaswegian jock Jackmaster. His own label, Numbers, is consistently responsible for the release of some of the most exciting dance music out there, but his own ever-expanding genre knowledge and seamless ability to dart between sounds, tempos and scenes is what truly sets him apart. Kaluki and Under host the show, with additional support from Pirate Copy, Pete Zorba and the Under DJs.
Magna Carta - Sankeys, Radium Street, Sunday
The self-proclaimed original house gangster, DJ Sneak was one the genre’s original innovators and masterful samplers, and he’s still more than able to keep a dancefloor of older heads and young bucks pumping. After his trip through Chicago house history, tech house and bass, support comes courtesy of Leftwing and Kody, Citizenn and Max Chapman.