Summer is nearly over, but let's not lament about the end of the season. There are still plenty of reasons to be cheerful right now. Here are just a few of things that are putting a smile on my face right now...

1. The prolonged period of roadworks in Manchester is coming to an end!

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/mancunian-way-hole-initial-work-9926966

As well as that whacking great hole on the Mancunian Way being repaired, direct trams are running through the city again from Friday. NO MORE REPLACEMENT BUSES!!

2. Manchester Pride is celebrating it's silver anniversary. 

It may have changed a lot over the years and people can have polarising opinions of it, but the fact that this event is now 25 years old is definitely something to celebrate! I hope that everyone attending has a great time and bucket loads of cash are raised for a great cause.

3. Jess Glynne 

4. Antony Murphy on Gaydio

Most radio now has become very safe and generic with no sense of fun anymore, so it's always pleasing whenever I hear this guy with his 90s show on Sunday nights. 

http://uk.gaydio.co.uk/on-air/antony-murphy/

So many great songs from the best decade of music! It really has been a perfect way to close the week :)

5. Pixar has got its mojo back!

The last few years for Pixar haven't really been the best. There have been too many sequals not really reaching the high standar set by film like Up and Wall-E. So when I saw Inside Out for the first time I was absolutely elated! It already is a true classic and, for me, the best film of the year so far. 

6. Who's Back

 Do I need to say more? Like most Doctors, Mr Capaldi has had an uneven first series, but I have every faith that now he has settled in to the role that things are going to be marvellous!

 So these are so of my reasons to be cheerful at the moment. Is there anything else that deserves a mention? Please let me know and have a great Bank Holiday!

Can you believe that 1995 was 20 years ago? Obviously it is but it really doesn't feel like it.

I remember the summer of 1995 being a pretty damn good one! I went to the Hacienda and Benidorm that summer - something that would never happen again after thay year for obvious reasons

My bank that then were also throwing all sorts of benefits for students, the one I used the most were the heavily discounted Cinema tickets at the Cannon Cinema in Salford. 

 Remember this place?

Looking at the top movies of the time however,  I don't think I was enjoying myself much - it's fair to say that this year wasn't a classic when it came to cinema!

1 Waterworld

2 Batman Forever

3 Casper

4 Free Willy 2 

5 Judge Dredd

6 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Movie

7 The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill But Came Down A Mountain

8 Bad Boys

The best film of the Summer by a long way was Bad Boys, who would have though that Michael Bay would go on to make such awful trash? 

In the news, only one event seemed to have happened around this time - the launch of WINDOWS 95! 

Start button, I love you :D

The Uk top 40 this week got more publucity than ever. Brit Pop bands Blur and Oasis decided to release their singles on the same day and the press milked it to death making it a battle between the North and the South (it really wasn't!)

In the end, Blur won. It was worth it just to see the smug smiles wiped off Liam and Noel!

1 Blur Country House
2 Oasis Roll With It
3 The Original I Luv U Baby
4 Take That Never Forget
5 TLC Waterfalls
6 Clock Everybody
7 Seal Kiss From A Rose / I'm Alive
8 JX Son Of A Gun
9 Michael Jackson You Are Not Alone
10 Corona Try Me Out
11 Michelle Gayle Happy Just To Be With You
12 Madonna Human Nature
13 Diana King Shy Guy
14 Berri The Sunshine After The Rain
15 Deuce On The Bible
16 The Rembrandts I'll Be There For You
17 Xpansions 95 Move Your Body
18 The Charlatans Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over
19 The Outhere Brothers Boom Boom Boom
20 The Real McCoy Come And Get Your Love
21 Suggs I'm Only Sleeping / Off On Holiday
22 The Connells 74-'75
23 De'Lacy Hideaway
24 Boyzone So Good
25 Supergrass Alright / Time
26 Alanis Morissette You Oughta Know
27 Ali Campbell Let Your Yeah Be Yeah
28 Echobelly Great Things
29 Scatman John Scatman's World
30 U2 Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
31 Felix Don't You Want Me
32 Montell Jordan Somethin' 4 Da Honeyz
33 The Shamen Destination Eschaton
34 Bjork Isobel
35 The Levellers Hope Street
36 Radiohead Just
37 Eusebe Summertime Healing
38 ADAM featuring Amy Zombie
39 Edwyn Collins A Girl Like You
40 Happy Clappers Hold On

So many great tracks in this week's chart, it really was a fantastic year for Dance and House remixes. My favourite being number 9 - an instant Michael Jackson classic

Number 16 was the theme to the best TV comedy show show of that year, decade and all time

And finally, number five was one the greatest pop songs of the 90s - absolutely timeless!

All in all it was a pretty fantastic time!

Bodyworks

A solo show of work by Bankley member Stewart Kelly

Stewart Kelly's forthcoming solo exhibition will take place at Bankley Studios & Gallery in Manchester during June. The exhibition is called Bodyworks and will feature a selection of works he has created over the last 5 years. The exhibition brings together the work from two previous solo exhibitions including Life Lines and Traces. A selection of drawings and a series of new textile/mixed media works will also feature in the exhibition. In addition, Stewart will be artist in residence working in the gallery space developing new works throughout the duration of the exhibition.

The exhibition and residency will be held from 6th June until the 28th June, and opening times are Saturday or Sunday 12am to 4pm.
Also open weekdays by appointment, please contact Stewart Kelly at:stewartkelly@outlook.com 

It's that time of year again... Eurovision!

The Semi-Finals are in their 12th year this time, so that means that we have 11 years of them to go through! So I thought that I would go through the songs that didn't make it to the final, but that I think should have.

This is likely going to be impossible for some years, but I will try my best.

On each page you will find a video playlist of all the semi final losers for that year.

So with that, lets get started!

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West Coast Garage-Psych band ALLAH-LAS bring their renowned record collection to NIGHT & DAY CAFE

The band head over after their live performance across the city. £5 advanced tickets are available to guarantee entry.

Allah-Las know a thing or two about good music - three members of the band met whilst working in Amoeba records in Los Angeles. They as a band are also known for their weekly podcast they put out called Reverberation Radio. The show consists of many hidden gems that have gone mostly overlooked over the years, and it's a treat to be able to hear these songs and what they themselves dig.

As a band Allah-Las have now released two albums - their self titled debut, and now they return to the UK after the critical acclaim of their second LP Worship The Sun.

They will play up and down the UK, including at London's Field Day Festival with newly reformed RIDE, and on Thursday 4th June they arrive in Manchester to play a sure to sell out show. After finishing their gig, we at Manchester Psych Fest are delighted to host their official after party at the legendary Night & Day Cafe, where they will be on the decks bringing their extensive record collection, which will showcase all the best of what they do at Reverberation Radio, and the time spent travelling the world crate digging in the best record stores.

Expect to hear a mixture of new and old, psych, surf, hidden garage gems from the 60's, and much more. Be sure to secure tickets for this party, come down, enjoy the summer heat, and worship the sun with Allah-Las and Manchester Psych Fest.

TICKETS £5: http://nightnday.skiddletickets.com/event.php?id=12407125

DOORS: 23:00 - 03:00

LOCATION: Night & Day Café, 26 Oldham Street, Manchester, M1 1JN