Cool Manchester

Bad boy actor and Attitude cover star Danny Dyer and chart-topping All Saints vocalist Mel Blatt to play live DJ sets during the Big Weekend as part of the Gaydar Radio Dance Day.

Organisers are pleased to announce the addition of two celebrity DJ names to the Saturday night Gaydar Main Arena roster.
Danny Dyer, one of Britain’s most popular and recognisable young actors, came to fame in 1999 following his breakthrough performance in the clubbing-themed film ‘Human Traffic’, but it was his role in ‘The Business’, and his white shorts, which got everyone talking.

Danny has since gone on to appear in numerous acclaimed productions, and recently finished filming ‘Run for Your Wife’, an adaptation of Ray Cooney’s classic English farce co-starring Denise Van Outen and Sarah Harding of Girls Aloud.

Recently playing the cavernous BCM Dance Planet nightclub in Mallorca, dance music publication Mixmag named the actor as their favourite celebrity DJ.

Mel Blatt was one quarter of platinum-selling girl group All Saints, who dominated the pop charts in the late-90’s/early-00’s with their number one singles ‘Never Ever’, ‘Under the Bridge’, ‘Pure Shores’ (the second biggest selling single of 2000), and ‘Black Coffee’.

Mel achieved independent success on collaborations with UK garage act Artful Dodger and Outsidaz, a hip-hop group from New Jersey; however her debut solo album was shelved in favour of a brief All Saints reunion in 2006.

Recently singing vocals on ‘E-Funk’, dance act Soul Clap’s debut artist album, Mel’s DJ set betrays a depth of musical knowledge and impeccable taste.

Danny and Mel are joined on the bill by emerging pop/dance artist Hatty Keane. Salford-born Hatty will be performing her new single, ‘No One Loves You’, as well as several other tracks from her upcoming debut album. Just 17 years-old, Hatty has already toured with the likes of Ed Sheeran, Pixie Lott, Pitbull, and Tinchy Stryder.

The Manchester Pride Big Weekend launches on Friday 24 August with an appearance by chart-topping pop act and gay icons Steps, who will be performing in association with G-A-Y. Full line-up for the Gaydar Radio Dance Day to be announced.

Big Weekend tickets are available at manchesterpride.com or by calling 0871 230 3450.

For more information on Manchester Pride visit www.manchesterpride.com

You can also follow the festival on Twitter: @manchesterpride

LGBT: Unlikely Bedfellows’ – a brand new commission by the Pride Fringe Arts Festival exploring the extraordinary diversity within Manchester’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community.

They say politics makes strange bedfellows – and sexual politics even stranger still. In this new piece commissioned by the Manchester Pride Fringe Arts Festival, a quartet of our leading writers has composed a series of monologues, each representing a letter from the LGBT moniker. Featuring work by acclaimed director and playwright Neil Bartlett OBE, author and performer Stella Duffy, the star and writer of ‘Fetish Knights’, Rob Ellis, and poet and author Jackie Kay MBE, each segment examines and challenges the accepted stereotypes which lurk behind the rainbow flag.

Jackie Kay’s contribution, an adaptation of recently-published short story ‘Last of the Smokers’, is the story of Claire, a woman who’s been debating with her best friend to give up smoking, the only reliable constant in their lives. Starring the Manchester Evening News Theatre Award-winning Claire Brown, the segment continues the actress’ collaboration with the Scottish writer following a successful run of ‘Manchester Lines’ at the Library Theatre in June. “I’m a huge fan of Jackie’s work”, Claire says, “And it will be great to be back in Manchester working on another of her projects this summer”.

‘The Wedding’ is Stella Duffy’s comment on that political hot potato, same-sex marriage. Originally written as a response to Jonathan Harvey’s much-loved classic, ‘Beautiful Thing’, Duffy’s monologue follows one woman’s big day, and her thoughts on the many homophobic injustices still perpetrated against gay men and women, both in this country and throughout the world. Erin Shanagher, fresh from starring alongside art house favourite Chloe Sevigny in Sky Atlantic series ‘Hit & Miss’, shines in this powerful, passionate plea for global equality.

Also featuring ‘Full Monty’ actress Kate Layden, and Manchester comedy circuit firmament Jonathan Mayor, Jonathan Best’s production draws the seemingly disparate strands of everyday LGBT life into one glorious, life-affirming whole.
Performances are at the John Thaw Studio Theatre, The Martin Harris Centre, Bridgeford Street, Manchester M13 9PL from Monday 20^th to Thursday 23^rd August.
Tickets are priced at £10 each and can be booked at www.quaytickets.com or by calling 0843 208 0500
Manchester Pride has commissioned LGBT: Unlikely Bedfellows through support of the Arts Council England.

Today Manchester Pride, the UK’s leading Pride event, has launched the official 2012 festival app. For a second year this has been developed and sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland who have again also been announced as the Official Big Weekend app and wristband sponsor.

Building on the success of last year, the app is being made available as a free download to festival visitors across iPhone, iPad and Android platforms. Available from the iTunes app store and Google Play, the app is full of features to enhance the visitor experience during the Big Weekend, which takes place between 24 – 27 August, attracting over 45,000 visitors.

Features include information about the site, location of facilities such as box office and wristband exchange, as well as the extensive bars and clubs within Manchester’s famous Gay Village. It also highlights information on the weekend’s entertainment schedule, with an exciting bill including Björn Again, Louise Dearman, Scarlett’s Roses, Cleo Sol and this year’s headline act: STEPS.

The app has been produced in conjunction with Rainbow, the RBS LGBT network, who recognising this year’s “Queer’d Science” parade theme, are again running a unique competition to be part of their “Periodic Table” themed float entry in the Manchester Pride Parade on Saturday 25 August, a prize that also comes with free Big Weekend tickets. Also built within the app is a great “Dress Up” photographic feature, which really gives people the opportunity to join in and see how they would look as one of the elements within the Periodic Table.

John Stewart, Chief Executive of Manchester Pride, commented: “It’s great that RBS are again working in partnership with us on this year’s Pride. We’re proud of our relationship with RBS and especially our lengthy friendship with their Rainbow Network. To receive such on-going backing is a testament to the strength and reach of the Manchester Pride Festival, and helps in our yearly bid to raise funds to support our local community.

“Last year’s app proved to be a real success. With the additional content this year and the extension to Android, we feel it’s a great way to enhance the experience of our Pride visitors”.

In response, Nathan Bostock, The RBS Executive Sponsor of The Rainbow Network Commented: "At RBS, it’s important that everyone in the Group feels valued and supported and that the Group appreciates the perspective and skills that everyone can bring to our business. It is also important for any large organisation like RBS, that we understand the wider society that we are operating in and do what we can to be a good citizen. Partnering events such as Manchester Pride enable us to put this belief into practice and I am therefore proud of RBS’s continued support of Manchester Pride and to be the Executive sponsor of Rainbow our own LGBT network."

The Manchester Pride 2012 App is available to download for free via the iTunes app store and is compatible with the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and for Android from Google Play. Just search “Manchester Pride 2012”.

For more information on Manchester Pride visit www.manchesterpride.com

You can also follow the festival on twitter @manchesterpride

Now, I know what you are going to say, Tatton Park isn't in Manchester. Well, you are right, but it is within driving distance and a good excuse for a day out.

What we didn't know at the time was that today is the last day of the RHS Flower Show, so we thought it would be packed. Well, in a way it was, but for people going to the flower show. For "normal" people like me and Matthew, the gardens and mansion were a nice escape in the lovely weather we had today.

If you click on the full post you will see some of the pictures we took today. All in all, I would say that Tatton Park is definitely worth a day of your time to visit! Let us know if you do go!

On September 17th, Gareth Icke will release his new album on Manchester based record label and film company, Eromenos Media.

For more info please check Gareth Ickes website:

http://garethicke.com/

And the label and media website at:

http://www.eromenosmedia.com/

We'll be reviewing Gareth's album soon here at Cool Manchester.

Gareth has a low key gig in Derby coming up soon, and a support slot for his fathers show at Wembley Arena later in the year.

A UK tour is expected to be announced soon