DIY Rock & Roll – What is probably the UK’s only recurring gig night in an open air skatepark – under a flyover.
The great thing about Manchester is the sheer number and variety of live music venues across the city. On any given Friday or Saturday night between September and June, there can be upwards of 15 gigs for you choose from. Ranging from established spaces like the AO Arena, Victoria Warehouse, Apollo, the 3 Academy venues, Ritz, Gorilla and Night & Day, to new comers like Canvas and the recently reenergised New Century Hall under the CIS building. We’ve lost a few along the way, The Roadhouse, The Bierkeller and Sound Control to name just 3, but such is the appetite for live music in this city, that venues like Soup, YES and 33 Oldham Street spring up, revitalising old spaces. And looming large in the distance are two more large venues currently under construction. Co-Op Live in the shadow of the Etihad, will accommodate 23,500 people, making it the largest indoor arena in the UK, when its doors finally open later this year, and the space age multiple arts centre, Factory International, currently rising up from what was once Granada Studios, which can house 5,000 standing, also primed to open later in 2023.
So you’d be excused perhaps for not being aware that a much more grass roots affair, is about to burst into life under the Mancunian Way, at a most unlikely venue!
After a mind-blowing trial gig with Californian psych group Hoover iii last year; underdog promoters
Sour Grapes Records and under-flyover skatepark Projekts, are creating a longstanding series of live
events for 2023 called WAX. Each gig will have an open skate session alongside the show with a
sponsored bar and a space for local artists and band merchandise. The series kicked off with a free
entry launch party on Feb 24th with a DJ set from The Orielles.
The gigs take place in various areas across the park with the stage area carved up to cater to a
variety of capacities from 200 up to 800 people.
First up this Friday 3rd March are Death Valley Girls from Los Angeles, who no doubt will find Manchester in March a little more bracing than they’re used to! Worth getting down early too as their are some decent supports DeafDeafDeaf (Manchester), Total Luck (Birmingham) and Wax Head (Manchester) all for the very reasonable price of £11.25 (inc Booking Fee) from Skiddle. Minimum age 18+
The setting promises to be a unique venue for touring rock bands with acts selected from across the
worlds of psych, punk and garage rock & roll. It’s also the new home of Meltchester – a multi act
festival taking up the entire park with food stalls, art exhibits, live bands and a few sponsored bars.
