Hello Manchester Crew,

We’re in the full swing of open air parties now and whilst we always love a warehouse, the outside air hits different. I checked out Spring/Summer venue Progress One a couple weeks ago for Ben UFO and it’s definitely worth a trip, they’ve got a stacked line-up each weekend too.

Right. Friday. Two of the biggest nights are sold out, Wigflex celebrating 20 years at The White Hotel and Teletech bringing Sara Landry to Factory International. If you're not already sorted for those, hit TicketSwap. But honestly the rest of Friday is rinsing too. My pick is SPUN's first birthday at Rebellion, Chimpo and J Majik headlining a proper jungle bill, one year in and already booking serious names. The Grassroots Affair at Hidden gathers the most exciting underground collectives in the city for a fiver.

Saturday has one story that needs calling out above everything else. Kwassa Files are playing their final ever party. There’s been no big announcement for this, but worth checking out if you’re a DBA fan. Beyond that, DJ Boring brings Colour Club to Progress with Ross From Friends for a 3pm open-air session.

Sunday is free and fully loaded. Hit & Run and Outlook Origins are throwing a free session at Freight Island from noon, with O.B.F., Iration Steppas and SUBMATIC on soundsystems. It doubles as the Manchester launch party for Outlook Origins Festival in Croatia. Dub, jungle, reggae all day in the sunshine.

Until next week, party people.

Tom (japanese.knotweed)

PS: - We’ve been working behind the scenes to create a Lab.Club App. Sign up here for early beta access.

📅 May Lookahead: 8 Events Worth Your Attention

May is genuinely shaping up to be one of the most exciting months Manchester has had yet this year. Here's what to have on the radar, including a landmark new festival - Outwards.

Fri 01.05 | Leon Vynehall @ The White Hotel

Sat 02.05 | Outwards Festival - Orbital @ Ardwick

Sat 09.05 | Folamour @ Progress Square One

Sat 09.05 | Chloe Robinson @ Soup

Fri 22.05 | Sofia Kourtesis @ Yes

Sat 23.05 | Pendulum (DJ) @ Progress Square One

Sun 24.05 | Tim Reaper @ The White Hotel

Sun 30.05 | Job Jobse @ Progress Square One

Friday

  1. Wigflex 20 Years: Dr Banana & Lukas Wigflex @ The White Hotel
    Twenty years of Wigflex, all-night in the room that suits them best.

  2. Teletech: Sara Landry @ Factory International
    Hard techno's reigning queen headlines Factory International.

  3. Global Swing: Garrett David, Georgia & Tino @ The Loft
    Chicago's Garrett David brings stripped-back tech-informed house to the city.

  4. 1-800 GIRLS (Live) @ Yes
    Now Wave presents a rare live basement show from the rising electronic act.

  5. Tranceform x Climaxxx @ The DBA [£6 ENTRY]
    Fundraiser for the PAʻI Foundation. High-gloss trance and peak-time euphoria.

  6. The Grassroots Affair @ Hidden [£5 ENTRY]
    MCR's most exciting underground collectives, one room, one night.

  7. Sodom x Runway: Easter Edition @ The Star & Garter
    Two rooms, kink meets catwalk. Hard techno, trance and live performance art.

  8. SPUN 1st Birthday: Chimpo & J Majik @ Rebellion
    One year of SPUN. Jungle royalty on the Poly One Audio system.

  9. Revamp: Eclair Fifi, b.lo & Max Ctrl @ Stage & Radio
    A very welcome return to one of Manchester's sweatiest rooms.

  10. Nossa! presents Millie McKee @ Soup
    Spring awakening in the Northern Quarter. Dub, jazz and forest nymph energy.

  11. Perel + 1-800 GIRLS (DJ) @ Yes Basement [£5 ENTRY]
    Berlin's Perel brings new wave, Italo and hypnotic club sounds late-night.

  12. Nightshade @ Eastern Bloc Records [£5 ENTRY]
    Dub techno to 90s tech house deep cuts in MCR's finest record shop.

Saturday - Record Store Day

  1. Colour Club: DJ Boring & Ross From Friends @ Progress
    Open-air day-into-night with two of the most in-demand selectors going. 3pm.

  2. Tommy Holohan, seretide & Princess Elf Bar @ The White Hotel
    Midnight til 7. Three artists, one of the best rooms in the country.

  3. Kwassa Files: Afra B2B Serge, Anna Wall @ The DBA
    Their final ever party. Electro, minimal techno, body music. Don't miss this.

  4. Om Unit / Esmé @ Unit3
    Genre-bending UK bass, dubstep, D&B and acid-dub from a true underground stalwart.

  5. KALUKI presents PIV @ Idra
    Tech house day party in Manchester's newest space. Last entry 6pm.

  6. Teletech: WINSON All Night Long @ Factory International
    UK first and exclusive, WINSON open to close at Factory International.

  7. Hidden Jungle: Dub Phizix, DAIZ & Thinktonk @ Hidden [£3–£10 ENTRY]
    Jungle and D&B veterans in the warehouse that was made for this sound.

  8. Amber's: LSB, DJ Flight & Helen K @ Amber's [£5 ENTRY]
    D&B and jungle with three respected names. Heavy and precise.

  9. Myd @ Yes Pink Room
    The French disco-house producer takes the Pink Room for WHP.

  10. DJ CLUB PRESENTS: BOOTLEG 001 @ Soup
    Skewed, bassy delights from DJ PRIYA and Lotus Phaze. Inclusive and community-led.

Sunday

  1. Hit & Run x Outlook: O.B.F., Iration Steppas & SUBMATIC @ Freight Island [FREE ENTRY]
    Dub, reggae and jungle soundsystems from noon. MCR launch for Outlook Origins Croatia.

  2. Solid Life: Bill Brewster, Nadia Ksaiba & Rose Deluxe @ renae
    Debut queer house and Italo Disco night. Sleazy, sultry, zero-tolerance policy.

  3. Emotional Slut Music: Taurus @ The Bag Factory
    Trance and queer joy in Salford. Princess Elf Bar, persiajoon and friends.

Collaborate with Us

Our mission is to support the growing Manchester underground scene as its taking shape. We want to hear from underground promoters to help hero your nights. If you want to be featured in an upcoming newsletter or collaborate with us in any way, hit us up.

Email us at [email protected] - we read and respond to every email.

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