Mark O'Donnell

Hulme in the '90s was a different world to the Hulme we know today - it was a ramshackle urban landscape that was home to a thriving free party scene and attracted artists, students and all kinds of creative souls to its crumbling crescents. Photographer Al Baker lived side by side with its inhabitants and documented it in all of its grimy glory. Check out his work below.

We got our Stussy tees on and rewound to the most innovative UK music scene of the early ’90s: jungle. Recommended: The best songs ever

Whether you’re staying at the hotel or there for business or pleasure, there are loads of brilliant things to do within touching distance.

Whether you prefer A-list stars or local talent Manchester's best theatres are guaranteed to have something for you. Below, you'll find a selection of theatre shows and events that are coming up in Manchester. If you're looking for somewhere to eat before or after the show, take a look at out best restaurants list.

I first covered Kelzo's exploits in Knowledge Magazine (now K-Mag) back in 2000, a feature that tracked his rise to notoriety in Hulme and his commissions for commercial clients and TV (he'd just done a piece for Eastenders). Luckily for me it brought both of us to the attention of Tony Wilson and his partner Yvette Livesey, who were intruiged by Kelzo's talent and wanted to manage him. This led to me getting a job at their In The City music conference in 2001. It was a classic case of serendipity.Below you'll find Kelzo's 30 years as a graf artist in 30 photos. I remember signing off the Knowledge piece with the line, 'Local boy does good, real good', and it's great to see that 15 years later, Kelzo, through his work with young cancer patients at Christie's Hospital, is doing more good than ever.

Occupying a six-storey red brick building on the approach to Piccadilly station, Malmaison was one of Manchester’s fanciest modern hotels before the likes of The Lowry and Hotel Gotham came along. Rather than fade into mid-range obscurity, the hotel has actually kept up with the intense competition. At its heart is the buzzy bar and reception area. Here you’re greeted by billboards proclaiming that prosecco has fewer calories than fruit (in a chummy ‘just saying’ way) and a sunken curvy bar that knocks out decent cocktails to gaggles of girls celebrating special occasions, couples treating themselves to a naughty weekend and even the likes of local faces like Lemn Sissay, who must be in here a lot because he’s on first-name terms with the staff. An adjacent dining room used to be called Smoak Bar & Grill, which I wasn’t that fond of on a previous visit, but a rebrand (it’s now called Chez Mal Brasserie) has improved things and both the food and wine are decent. Those wanting to stay up late after their meal can sink their version of an espresso martini – a powerful combo of Patron Café tequila with coffee. It’s so intense it’ll have you bouncing around the room. Upstairs, the tastefully decorated rooms are done out in a boutique style, none of the dull generic chain stylings here, and even the shampoo and shower gel have a playful feel with their branding - ‘This is the best shampoo you’ll ever steal’. Its location makes it absolutely ideal for a night out in town, particular

If you’ve ever walked down Endell Street and seen a queue outside of the building opposite the Rock and Sole Plaice chippy (see what they did there?) and wondered what it is, you’ll know where The Hospital Club is. A capacious corner building (it was formerly St Paul’s Hospital) stretching across several floors, it plays host to a range of bars, a restaurant, music studios, a screening room, meeting rooms and, of course, the accommodation. It’s members-only in the main, although a few friends can tag along with a member and enjoy the facilities. It’s a handy spot for late drinks if you’re at that stage of your life where table service sounds more appealing than jockeying in a scrum at the bar.Occupying the third floor, the rooms and suites are one of the venues biggest – and lesser-known - assets. Tastefully decorated in a modern townhouse style (each room has its own theme informed by a selection of artists the club works with), they’re reassuringly quiet, despite being right in the middle of Covent Garden, and offer a very high-end experience. Take the suites for example – they include a roomy living room which is connected to an open-plan bedroom, which can be cut into two via a slide-y door. The bathroom is equally luxurious with its roll-top bath and drench shower. And there’s even a compact little outdoor terrace, which is handily walled off from prying eyes.Little extra details often make the difference when it comes to hotel stays – and The Hospital Club has a quality

As you walk through the front door of this archetypal London townhouse in Marylebone you could be forgiven for wondering if you’ve come in the right entrance (clue: you have, there’s only one). Immediately you’re right in the heart of Seymour’s Parlour, a visual assault on the senses where literally every available space is occupied by vintage furniture and fittings, paintings and antiques. Its dark red walls and period features only add to the feeling it’s been inspired by the Sir John Soane’s Museum in Lincoln’s Inn Fields (another clue confirming it has sits on the wall next to the bar). Drinks here are equal to the surroundings. Like the original Zetter in Clerkenwell, the hand of revered booze impresario Tony Conigliaro governs the list. Unusual ingredients and experimental drinks are the order of the day, and they’re up there with the best drinks in town. Take the Turf Club (£11.50), for example. A face-straightening mix of gin, dubonnet, grape reduction, Peruvian bitters and ‘grass’, it’s served straight up in a coupe and one sip will leave you smitten with this potent but well-balanced concoction.   It’s pretty much the dream to be able to stagger upstairs after a boozy night out, and the Zetter’s rooms continue the period feel with extravagant four-poster beds and trinkets in cabinets. Cosy bathrooms come with powerful showers, Ren products and nice little touches like a DAB radio. Rooms to the rear offer views out onto a quiet little mews and are very quiet consider

For some, this imposing building on London Road will always be known as the BT building – the previous tenants upped and left a few years back leaving the curvaceous building’s future uncertain.  Since then a helluva lot of money was lavished on the place by Scottish hotel operators of the same name to turn it into a cavernous hotel, spa and restaurant. Spread over a number of floors, rooms at the front offer views across Manchester, as far as the Beetham Tower and beyond. Closer landmarks include a voyeur’s view of the Mancunian Way – thankfully the noise from passing traffic isn’t loud enough to keep you up in the night even if you’re a light sleeper.Inside, rooms are smartly decorated with plush carpets and huge, sponge-like beds. There’s plenty of room to walk around, too, and there’s a dock for phones and music player which allow your neighbours to play a few tunes before a big night out in the razz. Elsewhere in the hotel – a good stomp away via a very small lift that seems to service the whole building and through the ground floor bar – is their Scottish Steak House. Here you’ll find plenty of cuts of meat, obviously, but a lot more besides. Non-meaty dishes include a perfectly decent fish and chips (£16) and a delicate pumpkin and parmesan tortellini pasta (£12). A buffet breakfast has a good range of hot and cold options the morning after, too. Location-wise it’s very handy for Piccadilly, of course, but also the nearby Northern Quarter, where you can grab a great co

When Aretha Franklin sang ‘Chain, chain, chain’, she probably didn’t have Chiswick High Road in mind, but they’re everywhere you look on the area’s sedate high street. So, on the face of it, this venture replacing an All Bar One seems like a good thing. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find this new bar and all-day eatery comes from Darwin & Wallace, whose venues may not all have the same name but which certainly share a certain style. And they appear to have spent an absolute fortune turning it into a gleaming all-white bar and restaurant straight out of a glossy interior design magazine. Cocktails take centre-stage on the drinks menu, with prices on the steep side (£9.50 for an Aperol spritz). A rhubarb and ginger cobbler arrived in a tin with mountains of crushed ice and tasted like overly sweet boozy cordial. Food is an all-day affair, stretching from breakfast and brunch through to dinner. Unfortunately, the chilli squid had so much thick greasy batter the nearby chippy would have been ashamed. Add to these gripes some disappointing service: our drinks order was taken by a waiter who was so uninterested he couldn’t even muster a grunt during the one-way exchange. It’s clear that beyond the aesthetics, this bar must try harder. 

What has Europe ever done for us? Well, for one, the Italians are still giving us proper pizza, saving us from the naffness of novelty stuffed crusts and pineapple toppings. In London, you’ll be hard-pressed to find better, more traditional Neapolitan pizza than at Santa Maria, who have spearheaded a renaissance for the doughy staple from their base in Ealing for a few years now, picking up many accolades along the way. This light and airy new site in a residential part of Fulham continues to fly the flag, with the added bonus that, unlike the original, you can actually book in advance. Their success is based on doing the simple things to very high standards: quality ingredients are sourced straight from the homeland, dough is given an entire day to rise and a furnace-like wood-fired oven (also imported) dispatches consistently great pizzas with pillowy crusts and blistered bases. The Santa Rosa, chosen from a long list of pizzas with an array of premium toppings, was piled with slivers of salami and squishy chunks of aubergine, plus a woody backdrop thanks to the smoked mozzarella. A rocket salad on the side arrived packed with cherry toms, crystally parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil: perfection. Ice cream is from Oddono’s – and a scoop of the pistachio was easily up there with the best gelato in town. Great-value Aperol spritzes and negronis are on hand to bookend your meal and the house wine is a steal (500ml carafe, £10.95). Should you cross town for it? Depends how int

Long before the current wave of street food came along, I fell in love with Caribbean food served out of a van on the side of a road in Manchester. Mr Buzzrocks’s secret recipe was so sought after he guarded it with an enormous meat cleaver. Times change, and Cottons in Notting Hill is the opposite of the rice and peas you can find dished up in polystyrene boxes – it bills itself somewhat bizarrely as ‘couture Caribbean’, the decor is smart, the wine glasses clink like they cost a few bob. Oh, and they play Loose Ends on repeat (bonus points for that).  The menu takes inspiration from across the Caribbean, and it’s ambitious: there are mains, such as a spiced coconut bouillabaisse, that cost nearly twenty quid. But thankfully they’ve also stayed true to their roots, and the classics – jerk chicken and curried mutton – are dispatched with the love and attention that a great band reserves for its biggest hits. You can find these under ‘sharing plates’ for around seven quid each on the menu, although you might not want to share them.  We greedily attacked the mutton stew with its impossibly tender meat and heavenly gravy. Another table’s roti looked so good, we ordered that too, and used it to mop up every last bit of piquant jerk sauce. Sides of rice and peas and plantain (£3 each) were flawless.  Like the original Cottons in Camden they’ve got a rum list as big as that of any venue in the capital, and there are plenty of cocktails on offer. A bottle of Picpoul de Pinet (£26) p

Taking up residency in a building previously occupied by Café Rouge, halfway between Hammersmith and Shepherd’s Bush, Mustard has ambitions to be a British-style Côte. Early signs indicate they’ve got a lot of work to do. The quality of food from an evening menu, broken into sections like ‘The Allotment’ and ‘Coastal Waters’, had more than one duff note. Spring lamb hot-pot was a pretty and colourful plate of food, but was so bland that it tasted like just one hue: beige. Equally disappointing was a sirloin that hadn’t been left to rest for long enough before serving, resulting in a watery plate of food. Starters and desserts were adequate. All of the above is a shame, because it looks the part: a smart exterior greets customers, while the interior creates a convincing high-street brasserie look and feel. Service is a little unsure of itself at times, but that’s forgiveable. Mustard may have designs on rolling out a good quality, affordable chain, but there’s plenty of work to do here first.

Everyone’s heard of The Ivy, right? The Covent Garden haven for the rich and famous has been cosseting its patrons since the ’90s, but this isn’t that Ivy. This is the group’s neighbourhood offering, which you can expect to see rolled out to more swanky locations in the future. The menu’s an all-day affair, with breakfast available from 7.30am on weekdays, and dinner served late into the evening. There isn’t anything revolutionary going on here – it’s comfort food done well, perhaps best summed up by their highly satisfying signature Ivy Café shepherd’s pie (£13.50).   Pretty much every dish is of a decent standard – a deep-fried prawn starter served with a fiery wasabi mayo and a lobster risotto (£18.75) both hit the mark. Prices aren’t far off Côte levels, which is a plus. The wine list can bump the bill up in a flash, but there are good-value options like the Tilia Cab-Sauv-Merlot for £25. A pre-dinner cocktail at the curvy, stylish bar is highly recommended. You’re unlikely to clap eyes on A-listers like you would in the original restaurant, but for a heartwarming, decent-value meal in a chilled environment, the Ivy Café will do just fine.

Please note, Foxlow Chiswick has now closed. Time Out Food editors, March 2018. Unless you're absolutely minted, the chances are you’ll never live close to a Hawksmoor. Never fear: the people behind the temple to steak have been rolling out its younger sibling Foxlow to the ‘burbs, with sites in Stokey, Balham and this one replacing Sam’s Brasserie in Chiswick. It might not carry the same kudos as its older bro, but the steaks are from the same farm (the Ginger Pig in Yorkshire) so it’s the closest thing you can get round these parts. You’ll still have to shell out for quality cow, though: my rib-bib-eye cost £23 before fries (£3.50), but it tasted like money well spent for what was a fine piece of meat, perfectly cooked to order. Not everything’s so meaty – deep-fried spiced squid and hummus, with a drizzle of green harissa were consistent small plates. Sadly, puddings were disappointing on both the occasions we visited. Foxlow hasn’t done anything dramatic to the spacious interior since the team took over. The light and airy front bar remains a good spot for cocktails, but if you’re a local hankering after steak, this is as good as it gets in W4.

In the shadow of the Trellick Tower, Golborne Road’s got form when it comes to food: Snaps & Rye and Lisboa Patisserie are notable locals. I’d hoped this new Moroccan spot, could join the ranks. Chris Bower, formerly of The Ivy, is head chef. But, sadly, the early signs are there’s still a lot of work to do; on a Friday night, we made up a total of three diners. From a handful of mains, the lamb mechoui arrived in a tagine, with a hunk of belly and thinly sliced neck prettily presented on top of an aromatic aubergine stew. Portions were generous, but the prices were puzzling: an unremarkable scallop starter was £12.95, and most mains cost £20-plus. Better value can be found during the day when it’s £15 for two courses. And commendably, you can BYOB with no corkage. Even with the money you can save on booze and the promising food, Zayane’s got some work to do to justify its premium prices.

From their bucolic riverside home in nearby Chiswick, Fuller’s local influence stretches far. A fair few of their pubs, including the nearby Stonemason’s Arms and George IV on Chiswick High Road, have been given makeovers, scrubbing them up until their rough edges are replaced by smooth, clean lines, expansive food menus and, dare we say, slightly less soulful places for a drink. Not so, the Andover Arms. Here, in a villagey spot (known locally as Brackenbury) complete with pretty terrace housing, a butcher’s and a café-deli, you’ll find a Victorian pub offering plenty of room for drinking as well as dining. What’s great is that it feels like a proper boozer: there’s a wood-panelled bar that looks like it’s been around since the pub’s early days, creaky chairs, faded carpets and a roaring fire (during the winter months at least). Cheery staff only add to the snug, friendly vibe. Craft beer might continue to boom across the capital, but there’s no chalkboard listing all the special brews here (they chalk-up their malt whisky selection instead). A slightly disappointing selection of three ale pumps provide Fuller’s ale staples, and the only nod to ‘craft’ is their own Frontier lager. They do know how to pour a good pint of Guinness (£4.50), though, and their wine menu’s worth exploring. There are pies, cheese boards and smart fish dishes but thankfully, the food doesn’t upstage the drinking, with plenty of nooks and crannies to settle in for a sesh. Long may that continue.

When news started to surface recently about the incredibly sad passing of Marcus Intalex, it was hard to believe. Just the night before he’d played a set at his Soul:ution club night in Manchester, where, by all accounts, he’d absolutely destroyed it on the decks – something he’d been doing since I first saw him at the Music Box in the mid-‘90s. It came as a seismic shock, one that friends, family and fans are still trying to get their heads around. It’s no wonder tributes have subsequently flooded social media. Marcus commanded respect in every corner of the industry – from being revered as an uncompromising pioneer of forward-thinking drum and bass to seamlessly switching to producing quality house and techno under his Trevino alias in more recent times, Marcus has left a back catalogue and legacy that puts him among the greats of electronic music. And he did it all while supporting artists he believed in through his Soul:r label, by sticking to his vision and never letting the quality control dip below excellent, by being a straight talker and humble, and by taking his signature soulful sound from the streets of south Manchester to every corner of the world (fitting in a cheeky game of golf or two along the way).In 2011, Marcus released his debut album ’21’, marking over two decades in the game. Now, six years later, we celebrate 27 years of a true master. The early years Counter cultureHaving spent his teenage years getting the bus from his hometown of Burnley into Manche

In a year of ugly anti-immigrant politics, the history of the Irish in London shows that time is a great healer. After all, it was only as far back as the ’50s and ’60s when new arrivals were greeted by signs proclaiming ‘No blacks, no dogs, no Irish’. Regardless, the Irish thrived and built great swathes of this city: men from Donegal and Mayo shovelled their way through the London clay to build the tube, and there are still Irish engineers working on Crossrail today. While Camden and Cricklewood are not the little Irelands they were when The Dubliners namechecked The Crown pub on ‘McAlpine’s Fusiliers’, the Irish community has bossed it in all areas of London life – from arts and entertainment to food and high finance. And lively Irish pubs can still be found in every corner of the capital (see below for a few of the best). Brexit may have left the future uncertain for the Irish in London, but if history has taught us anything, it’s that this relationship is built to last. Mark O’Donnell Did you know? Open since 1954, Camden’s Irish Centre is the oldest and largest in Britain. Its welfare service continues to support vulnerable people, and it’s a great place for a session too. Mark’s favourite Irish spots in London   A photo posted by Sam (@fridtjof) on Jul 27, 2016 at 7:24am PDT With its Tayto crisps, velvety Guinness and trad Irish music on Fridays, it’s no wonder the Irish Post has called the Auld Shillelagh in Stoke Newington the best Irish pub outside Ireland. A h

It’s noisy, chaotic and – at times – a little bit aggy, so you might be wondering why the hell Uxbridge Road in Shepherd’s Bush counts among London’s best bits. Well, for a start, it’s a living and breathing warts-and-all example of the ever-changing capital as depicted in Julien Temple’s ‘London: A Modern Babylon’, a vibrant home to as many nationalities as a UN Summit, a cultural hotspot (Bush Hall and Bush Theatre are residents, and Shepherd’s Bush Empire is close by), a shopping destination (take your pick from the monolithic Westfield or the old-school street market) and a great place to eat your way around the world on the cheap. It’s long been home to London’s Irish and Caribbean communities, and nowadays you can find everything from Polish and Afghani to Syrian and Somali shops and restaurants lining the stretch between Shepherd’s Bush Green and Askew Road. While the Beeb has passed on much of nearby Television Centre to luxury developers, you’ll still find plenty of music, film, literary and media types in the area. Thankfully though, it’s not all middle-class interlopers and estate agents banging the drum for the G-word – Uxbridge Road still has an authentic, grimy edge, and is all the more interesting for it. Drink this   A photo posted by Kirsty_dK (@kirsty_dk) on Jan 31, 2016 at 5:36am PST Head to The Princess Victoria, a beautifully restored Victorian-boozer (and former Time Out Love London Awards winner), for its huge selection of gins, a discerning wine l

Now firmly established as one of the leading festivals in the UK, Parklife returns to Heaton Park this June with a huge line-up that's got more than a few surprises up its sleeve. Headliners The Chemical Brothers have a long relationship with Manchester, dating back to their uni days in the '90s, and over the years their sets at the likes of Bugged Out! and Manchester Academy have become the stuff of legend. Joining them are another global conquering act with Manc connections, Chase & Status, who also spent their student years cooking up beats and hanging out at local raves, before going on to become one of the biggest acts in dance music. As always, Parklife have used their Warehouse Project connections to snare the biggest names on the club circuit. Kaytranada, Floating Points, Jamie xx, Four Tet, Special Request, Dixon and Bicep are just a few of the names making up a very special bill (there's going to be one helluva rider required, let's put it that way).There's a particularly strong hip hop connection this year, too. NWA's Ice Cube tops a bill which also sees Busta 'Woo Ha' Rhymes alongside the mighty De La Soul and the new school fire of Pusha T, while grime's corner is repped by the likes of Skepta, Stormzy, Lady Leshurr and Kano. And if it all gets too much, the guys from Kurupt FM will be on hand to lighten the mood with their garage and gags show. It basically promises to be like 12 weeks' worth of Warehouse Project shows condensed into a June weekend. That's a lot

Manchester's changed a lot in 20 years - Hulme's almost unrecognisable from its days of squat parties and dilapidated crescents, it's the Blues not the Reds who pick up silverware these days, and there are plenty of clubs that have closed their doors for the very last time, only to be replaced by flats and whatnot. Sigh. There's one thing that hasn't changed, though: Manchester's club scene has consistently produced music that's not only rocked the city to its core but gone on to do the same worldwide. To salute this fact, we went on trip down memory lane in order to compile 20 tracks from the past 20 years. This is not just a nostalgia-fest though (okay, it is a bit) as things are in rude health in 2014 - you just need to keep your ear to the ground (or follow the right people on Facebook). Enjoy. 1994 Da Intalex - ‘What You Gonna Do’ Marcus Intalex and Mark XTC have long since parted ways as a production duo, and are still going strong to this day as DJs and producers, but way back in 1994 they produced this jungle classic on L Double’s Flex label, putting Manchester on the map for a scene that was heavily London-centric and arguably lighting the fuse for a lot of what was to come.     1996 Sappo - ‘Ding Dong Bass’ While Marcus and XTC pushed vinyl over the counter of Eastern Bloc’s basement, south Manchester’s Sappo could be found over at Spin Inn. Quickly establishing himself as a super-tight DJ in the club scene, Sappo’s studio work brought him attention worldwide, none

Clubbing in '90s Manchester wasn't all about the Hacienda, you know? Let's have a look at some of the people, nights and tunes that haven't always taken centre stage... 1. Forget about Bez, you remember Brian!Bez may have been immortalised in modern day folklore for his freaky dancing, but he had nothing on the one-man dancing machine known as Brian. Remember those dark, moody-as-hell raves in sweaty, smoke-filled basements with gangsters from Moss Side, Cheetham Hill and Salford inna corner? Then you'll remember the eccentric and downright mysterious looking dude who leapt out of the shadows in his wifebeater vest, flailing his arms and throwing shapes right in the mushes of the hardest men in Manchester. Brian, we salute you! 2. You knew bouncers were not to be messed withMost doors in town were as 'tight as cramp', meaning you'd better be on your best behaviour on the way in. Knowing the big bruisers on the door definitely had its advantages: no queuing required, maybe a couple of comp drinks on the house and, if you or your mates ever got into a sticky situation with a meathead or two inside, you could always call in a favour and get security to have a word. It was a bit like the law of the jungle transposed to a dark and dank basement, where the likes of Twinny (the governor at the Music Box) was king (well, most of the time - there were plenty of troublemakers who fancied taking over his turf). A larger than life character, Twinny was so big in the scene the club ended

Walthamstow's neon wonderland God's Own Junkyard has become one of the capital's worst-kept secrets in recent times, with its picture-perfect collection proving as instagrammable as Bao's steamed buns. Now, the bright sparks from E17 are set to return to the Lights of Soho gallery for a timely reminder of the area's seedier past. Building on the work of its late founder Chris Bracey, who started out producing signs for nearby sex clubs, the 'My Generation' exhibition is very much a family affair. His wife Linda and son Marcus are among those producing dazzling new work. This is one winter exhibition that's guaranteed to give you a warm glow. 'My Generation' opens at Lights of Soho on Thu Nov 26. Want more cool art? See Kate Moss's favourite photographs of herself.  

Despite the fact that Manchester overwhelmingly voted red last week, the blues (no, not those blues) are back running things in Westminster this week. Rather than sit around moaning, party-starters Hit & Run are taking a more positive approach this weekend by hosting a fundraiser to raise money for Manchester foodbanks, which are part of the Trussell Trust, an organisation that are responsible for 80% of the UK's entire network.  On the night punters will be able to pay just £4 to get in, or they can bring along four non-perishable items of food to donate. With the use of food banks rocketing over the last few years in the UK, all of the profits (and donations) on the night will go towards helping the frontline work carried out to get food to the most needy in society. With links reaching far and wide in Manchester’s music scene, Hit & Run have pulled in some big guns to make sure the party goes with a bang. Alongside the lyrical dynamite of Chimpo, Skittles and T-Man you’ll find turntable support from the likes of Mark XTC & Sappo, North Base, Nanny Banton and many more. If you’re hungry for beats this weekend, spare a thought for the people who rely on food banks to get through the day. Food for thought, for real.Hit & Run presents Food 4 Thought at Antwerp Mansion on Saturday May 16. For more info check out the FB event page.

Yes, there's the small matter of Record Store Day coming up soon. But buying vinyl is a way of life, not just a one day fling. So what's the deal for lifelong vinyl junkies and record shop staffers? Take a look below...1. There's always good stuff hidden away behind the counter You might think a shop has all of its wares on display, but think again, my friend. Just like in Breaking Bad where Walter White’s gear is much better quality than the other stuff on the street, your local black crack dealer (that’s your record shop worker, yo) keeps some of the good stuff tucked away in a special place behind the counter. Be nice and you may just scoop a limited edition release or a sought after promo. 2. It's an expensive habit Once you’re deep into the addiction cycle, buying vinyl can drain your cash like an out of control gambling habit – you’ll stop at nothing to get your mitts on those must-have platters, racking up credit card bills and sacrificing stuff like having any food in your fridge. Best to see it as an investment... 3. And it depreciates QUICKLY As investments go new vinyl is not a short-term winner – the moment you’ve bought your box-fresh new beats, you can expect the value to plummet to a fraction of what you’ve just paid. Hold onto it long-term and you may just get some big numbers on Discogs (not that you’d want to sell it anyway). 4. The seller is rarely in a strong position to bargain You’ve splurged all your hard earned on tunes and now you’re broke – what next

If you're wondering where it's at when it comes to UK hip-hop these days, you don't have to look far from home - The Mouse Outfit are currently getting the recognition they deserve for their second album, the most excellent 'Step Steadier', with mad love from hip hop connoisseurs as well as play on the likes of Radio 6 Music. As part of a new series on Time Out Manchester, we asked the guys to show us around their favourite haunts in town. Check 'em out below...   What’s your favourite Mancunian phrase or word? 'Dead' (as in 'dead good') – it’s one of those ones that non-Mancs pick up really quickly without realising it too. Our favourite memory of Manchester is… Playing to 1,100 people at The Ritz last year. We’ve been lucky to play at some of the city's most iconic venues including the Cathedral and Academy 1. Still a few to tick off the list!   When we're hungover and need to recover, we head to…Eastern Bloc for the best coffee in town and a nice selection of vinyl  When we have a gig and need something new to wear, our first stop is... Black Sheep in the Northern Quarter - there are loads of independent clothing/skate shops in the area, but we’re also lucky enough to be mates with a few people from Manchester who make really dope clothes. Go check out Bait Manchester, Obsolete Clothing (Menik Mati in Afflecks Palace), and S V T H V N L - Save the Vinyl. When we need to have a good time, we go to... Sound Control. We seem to have been there loads recently and it’s also ho

Having brought Friends & Family out of retirement for two already sold-out shows at The Roadhouse before it closes, the inimitable Woody (AKA The Nudge) shares his memories of the club night when it was at its peak, and selects ten tracks that rocked the club to its core. Take it away, Woody...'Friends & Family came about after a difficult six months of Counter Culture, which was the monthly Fat City night at Planet K, an 800 capacity venue on Oldham Street back in the late '90s. I was helping Fat City owner Dave Walker run the events from '99 to spring 2000 and in the summer we stopped to refresh. The following months I got by financially by spending a few months helping Electric Chair on some covert promo missions. Dave called me up late July and said they (Darren Laws, Howie Martinez, Matt Triggs, Martin Brew, Mark Rae etc) had come up with an idea for a weekly night in a smaller venue and wanted me to promote it with Dave. Made sense as Dave was great at organising and planning and I was great at getting fucked every night of the week on a shoestring budget. Friends & Family was born. 'The next six years were fantastic. Three elements came together just at the right time in the post Hacienda fallout. 1: the amazing Roadhouse venue. 2: the abundance of on-tap world class DJs and selectors, fuelled by the eclectic music explosion of the time where you had to play many styles or get booed, and 3: an abundance of great open-minded, up for it people. At its best the club was c

With busy touring schedules and friendly local club night rivalry, it’s only on very rare occasions that you can pack Manchester’s leading DJs, producers and MCs into one room, but that’s what’s happening on March 2 at Fac251, as many of the city’s finest line-up to celebrate the life and times of their sadly missed friend, Salford John. The victim of an attack in Manchester city centre in January 2014, Salford John, aka John Millet, was one of the club scene’s biggest characters and is immortalised on record, with the Dub Phizix-produced ‘8 Gold Rings’ turning dancefloors into complete carnage within seconds of its opening bars. Played everywhere from Band on the Wall to Outlook Festival in Croatia, it has become a fitting tribute and a bona fide anthem to boot.  Following on from last year’s fundraiser, which saw Metalheadz head honcho Goldie lending his weight to the cause, this year’s line-up is arguably even bigger and better. Alongside some of Manchester’s leading names, including the all-star MC and DJ collective Levelz, Dub Phizix & Strategy, Marcus Intalex, Sappo & Mark XTC and Tonn Piper, there’s heavyweight support from Radio One’s Toddla T and bass maestros dBridge and Calibre. On the night there’ll also be a special live showcase by the 8 Gold Rings band who will provide the beats for DRS, Jenna G, Fox, Skittles, Chimpo and Tyler Daly – a part of proceedings that should be worth the eight quid entrance fee alone. His close friend Chimpo had this to say: 'John was