Party time with Abba classics

BEATS:

MANCHESTER’S Hard Rock Cafe will celebrate its 10th birthday with a dazzling line up of gigs.

Since pop icons Duran Duran officially opened the Printworks-based bar and restaurant in September 2000, the 450-capacity venue has become one of the the city centre’s crowning jewels.

In the past few years, the likes of David Beckham, Boyzone, Green Day, Andrew Flintoff, Ricky Hatton and Girls Aloud’s Sarah Harding have all dined in the cafe with a variety of acts such as Mel C, Feeder, Divine Comedy, Ocean Colour Scene and Starsailor performing live.

Memorabilia currently taking pride of place on the walls includes Arctic Monkey’s BRIT awards costumes, a letter from George Harrison, John Lennon’s oriental teapot, a Liam Gallagher guitar and a stage outfit worn by Elton John in the 1980s. From September 12-23, visitors can take advantage of a range of special birthday food and drink offers. On September 23, the bar will host an exclusive appearance from acclaimed pop act Björn Again, who will perform the greatest hits of ABBA.



IT’S not often you get a band that fuses rock and classical music.

York band Elliot Minor — Alex Davies, Ed Minton, Dan Hetherton and Ed Hetherton — started as a duo when Alex and Ed Minton were at school.

Between them, the lads play violin, piano, clarinet, cello, double bass, saxophone, guitar and drums.

Alex had previously been studying to be a concert violinist but Ed introduced him to bands such as Green Day, Blink 182, and Something Corporate. Davies and Minton formed an acoustic duo and soon recruited Ed and Dan. They started recording tracks at Alex’s home studio and promoting themselves through My Space.

In 2006, the lads supported McFly on tour and signed to Repossession Records. Appearances at major music festivals soon followed.

Catch them live at Manchester’’s Club Academy on Saturday.


Mr Scruff’s a tidy act
MACCLESFIELD DJ Mr Scruff — AKA Andy Carthy — will be delighting revellers at Manchester’s Band on the Wall on Saturday.

The renowned deck spinner is well known for serving up a mix of jazz, soul, hip hop, funk, disco, deep house, reggae, dubstep and afrobeat to get punters in the mood to party.

His stage name was inspired by his bedgraggled facial hair and his loose-lined drawing style.

Mr Scruff started DJing in 1994 and soon became famous for his marathon sets and his love of a nice cuppa.

He designs all the artwork for his album and single covers and the images are also projected throughout his stints on the turntables.


GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT: Gallps, Contort Yourself DJs — Roadhouse

TOMORROW - Abandoman — Night and Day; The New Pornographers — Ruby Lounge; The Fresh and Only — Sound Control; Night Light Bright Light — The Corner; Hugo, Marco Galea, Evie Woods — Roadhouse

THURSDAY: The Toasters — Moho Live; Sucioperro, The Deceived, Hayabusa — Roadhouse; Electric Eel Shock — Sound Control; Homelife, Denis Jones, Nancy Elizabeth — Band on the Wall

FRIDAY: Kath Bloom — Band on the Wall; Indigo — Moho Live; Manchester Metal Festival: Silent Slave, Visitor, Aftermath Eternal, Terminal Hospitality, Through Blinded Eyes, Desperate Measures — Academy; Proud Mary — Sound Control; Gong — Academy; Da Katz Whiskaz — Deaf Institute; Folk Face: Comedy Dave, Dominic Byrne — The Factory; Bop Local: DJ’s Mike Joyce and Phil Beckett — Chorlton Irish Club; Colour — Sankeys

SATURDAY: The Oxygen, Index, Zap Zap Zaop, Lights Out Action — Roadhouse; Elliott Minor — Club Academy; Gabrielle Aplin — Outlet; Divide and Rule — Ruby Lounge; Guilty Pleasures — Deaf Institute; Mr Scruff Keep It Unreal — Band on the Wall; Kaluki — Sankeys

SUNDAY: Dave McPherson — Moho Live; Slaraffenland — Academy 3; John Head — Deaf Institute