New Year, new you, sure. But here’s hoping those resolutions still gravitate towards the dancefloor which has undoubtedly missed you over the past month or so. Now, the time has come to rise above the monotone murk of January and find the truth, wisdom and forgiveness you’ve been seeking somewhere between the bar and the DJ booth, perhaps even in the smoking area.
This weekend, clubbers can find grime, techno, disco and more, as the city’s diverse night time menu once again begins to expand.
Project 13 x Hit and Run - Antwerp Mansion, Rusholme, Friday, £7
Two of Manchester’s finest bass loving promoters return with a jammed line up in the always unruly surroundings of Antwerp Mansion, headlined by one of grime’s leading lights, Mumdance, finally getting his dues after years of constantly evolving productions. His work with MCs such as Novelist and Spyro have provided some of the biggest underground anthems in the past few years, including ‘Take Time’ and the upcoming ‘Shook’, on XL Recordings, perhaps one of the currently most sought after tracks in any forward thinking DJ’s record box. Expect many deserved spinbacks, plus support from locals Acre, Metrodome and Luke Leadbelly, while T-Man and Sparkz take up duties on the mic.
Welcome Back To Soup - Soup Kitchen, Stevenson Square, Friday, Free Before Midnight
Having had a busy Christmas hosting the typically rammed Meandyou Xmas party as well as another riotous New Year’s Eve rave up with Wet Play and associated crew, Soup Kitchen’s much trodden basement has been taking a deserved break. 2015 is set to see an even more impressive roster of artists than ever behind the decks in the atmospheric spot, and the club’s residents - Macca, Tom Boogizm and Annabel Frazer - will be easing regulars and newcomers back in with an eclectic mix of disco, boogie, house and offbeat grooves galore, aided by a limited but generous amount of free booze. We’re told it’ll be distributed as evenly as possible, but that’s still a good excuse to get in before midnight, while the night is still free as an added bonus.
Just Skank - Joshua Brooks, Princess Street, Friday, £5
The purpose of Just Skank is very evident in its telling title, affording you the opportunity to, well, Just Skank, to some of the best fresh and classic reggae, dubstep and bass heavy cuts until the lights come up. Brought to you by the Just Skank team of residents (who are too innumerable to mention, but includes a member memorably titled, ‘The Bass Tickler’), all of this sounds particularly amazing on Joshua Brook’s stonking Void Air Motion Soundsystem, arguably the best in the North of England.