A new live-streamed clubbing series has been announced for Greater Manchester, which will beam our world-famous nightlife scene into living rooms across the globe.
MainRoom is the latest series from not-for-profit platform StreamGM, which comes from team behind lockdown favourite United We Stream.
Episodes will be broadcast live from dance floors, nightclubs, rooftops and basements around the city-region.
It’s all been created to capture Manchester’s legendary underground club culture and will shine a spotlight on the DJs and promoters operating in the city.
MainRoom events will take place monthly, over the course of three or four hours.
Escape to Freight Island will host the first MainRoom event in July
The first event, She’s In Control, will be streamed from Escape to Freight Island on 24 July and will put women and people of marginalised genders front and centre.
Taking part in the She’s In Control livestream will be Jade Li, Edie, Danielle Moore from band Crazy P and Homoelectric resident, Gina Breeze.
The collaboration will raise awareness and funds for Brighter Sound, a local organisation aiming to help underrepresented people develop careers in the industry.
StreamGM’s MainRoom series will be presented by Rebecca Swarray aka DJ Mix-Stress, who is the founder and curator of Manchester based events and arts collective, RebeccaNeverBecky and co-founder of queer DJ Collective, Queer Latifah.
Rebecca Swarray. Credit: Supplied
Episodes already lined up include collaborations with La Discotheque, Not Bad For A Girl, Mixing Mates, Black Gold Arts and Band on the Wall.
Co-founder of StreamGM Laura Graham said: “Greater Manchester’s clubbing scene is historic, and renowned as THE destination city for a night out. This is partly due to the region’s vast clubbing tapestry, amazing super clubs, and major venues across the city, but also because Greater Manchester has always maintained a thriving, progressive and influential, grassroots clubbing scene, and it’s this scene we want to identify and explore.
“MainRoom will provide visibility for Manchester’s local clubbing culture, with a strong emphasis on inclusion, accessibility, empowerment, and most of all – fun times – for marginalised groups.
“We will collaborate directly with promoters and take amazing local talent and new clubbing concepts beyond the venue walls with our online audiences.
MainRoom’s first event posted. Credit: Supplied
“MainRoom will also give viewers a sense of the latest music, dance and fashion trends, straight from the club vibes and dancefloors.
“People all over the world will be able to use MainRoom to dip into Manchester’s epic clubbing scene, use our streams as soundtracks to house parties, or watch them to research future nights out in the city.
“During United We Stream, our team were overwhelmed by messages from people for whom live streaming had given them access to events they would never normally be able to attend for myriad reasons, from disability and caring responsibilities to location or cost. MainRoom will open Mancunian clubbing to EVERYONE.”
MainRoom host Rebecca said: “MainRoom is a vital and exciting platform that will showcase exactly what the real creative essence of Manchester is.
“Platforming people on the ground, creating spaces and places for the under-presented and less visible is vital for cultural identity. This city has a melting pot of diverse talent, and I am honoured to be involved in MainRoom and look forward to speaking, showcasing, and interviewing some amazing people doing amazing things.”
StreamGM recently partnered with FAC51 The Hacienda for their landmark 40th Birthday party, and livestreamed their entire eight hour event, direct from the carpark of the Hacienda Apartments on Whitworth Street.
The first live event is on July 24h at 9pm at She’s In Control – Freight Island.
Featured image: Supplied
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Beloved British boy band Five are BACK in FULL for the first time in 25 years
Danny Jones
No, your eyes don’t deceive you: all five members of the beloved British boy band Five are set to reunite for the first time in a quarter of a century.
Formed way back in 1997 and dominating the charts throughout the period in and around the millennium, the iconic pop group was the UK’s answer to the Backstreet Boys and NSNYC, as well as a much-needed replacement for Take That just after their split.
And they did exactly that for a number of years, with hit tracks like ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘Keep On Movin”, ‘Everybody Get Up’, ‘If Ya Gettin’ Down’ and more still firmly stuck in our memories.
It doesn’t matter how long it’s been, we still remember all the words and the dance moves to go along with them – and we’ll be able to prove it when the Five UK reunion tour comes to Manchester.
Although the London-formed group has reformed every now and again in different configurations over the years for special occasions, anniversary events, etc., this is the first time that the original lineup has been together for 25 whole years.
That’s right, Abz Love, J Brown, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson and Sean Conlon will all be reuniting on stage for a limited UK arena tour – because anything less simply wouldn’t be enough to mark this throwback celebration.
More importantly, if you don’t think every single one of these massive rooms is going to sell out in a flash, then you clearly can’t count to five.
As for the Manchester crowd, fans will be welcomed inside the equally legendary AO Arena for the ‘KEEP ON MOVIN’ 2025’ Tour later this year and we can’t wait.
Fellow domestic DJ and producer Naughty Boy will also be joining them as the main support act. We’re rolling back all the memories this autumn.
You can see the rest of the tour dates below, including equally massive shows at The O2 in London, the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, a First Direct Arena date in Leeds and more.
We really can't wait to get back on stage together and see you all in person, it's gonna go OFF!! Let's goooooo! International fans, make sure to sign up there so we know where in the world you are too 👀
Scott says: “This has been a long time coming and it really does feel right for all of us now – 25 years on and we’re so ready for it. Reconnecting as a 5 over the last year has been special and I know I speak for all the boys when I say we can’t wait to do this all over again. Hope you’re ready!”
Another fifth of the throwback boy band, Abz, added: “We really can’t wait to get back on stage together & see the fans, it’s gonna go OFF! Buzzing to have Naughty Boy on tour with us too… 5 bad boys and a naughty boy, that sounds like a lot of fun. Let’s gooooo!”
General admission for Five’s 2025 UK reunion tour goes live on Friday, 7 March from 10am but die-hards can access the exclusive pre-sale window on Wednesday, 5 March by signing up for the mailing list.
2000s indie rock icons The Enemy continue comeback trail with must-not-miss UK tour
Danny Jones
For fans of old-school indie and noughties contemporary rock, you do not want to miss the one because The Enemy are not just back making music but they’re heading out on a pretty big UK tour and, of course, they’ll be stopping right here in Manchester.
The Enemy first reformed back in 2022 for a limited run of shows, but it turns out the Coventry-formed trio were satisfied with a one-off reunion and a fifth studio album officially being worked on, the fierce Brit rock throwbacks have announced a series of pretty large UK tour dates.
Following on from some hugely successful comeback performances at TRNSMT, Isle Of Wightand a headline slot at Godiva Festival 2023, not to mention the instantly hit ‘Indie Til I Die’ shows last year – including an absolute stormer at Victoria Warehouse – they returning for more.
One of the few bands to make their way back to the live music circuit fully intact, with all three members still performing together, nothing has changed other than a few more grey hairs.
If you weren’t there at the outset, The Enemy’s debut LP We’ll Live And Die In These Towns (2007) was one of the most seminal domestic releases of its time, with songs like ‘You’re Not Alone’ going on to become indie anthems of the era.
To be honest, we’d argue their sophomore outing Music For The People just two years later is the better album, with tracks such as ‘Be Somebody’, ‘Elephant Song’ and ‘No Time for Tears’ still in plenty of our playlists to this day – but, you know, each to their own.
The point is, we’re very glad these lads are back and having played with everyone from Oasis and The Killers to even The Rolling Stones, we’d wager lots of other music lovers are too.
Set to play New Century Hall in Manchester as well as the legendary Leadmill in Sheffield, Beckett Students’ Union in Leeds, Rock City in Nottingham and more, it’s going to be a big tour.
We're absolutely buzzing to be back on tour & in some of our all time favourite venues.
We'll be trying out new material for the first time in years ahead of the new album we're making, we're all really excited to try some new tunes and see what you think whilst we finish it!
Frontman Tom Clarke, who has put out two solo records of his own in past years, said of the announcement: “We’ve been working long days in the studio recording new material, so we’re really excited to get out on the road again.
“The plan is to experiment with some of the new tunes, maybe different ones on different shows to see how the crowds react and which ones connect with fans, and let that guide the track listing on the record which is nearing completion.”
Co-songwriter and bass player, Andy Hopkins, added: talking about the upcoming tour: “My favourite part of being in a band is having those nights with the fans where the atmosphere is electric – I think this tour is going to be really special for the 3 of us.
“It’ll be the first time we’ve been back to some of these cities in a long time, in venues we absolutely love and have been really important to us on the way up – Electric Ballroom was the first venue we ever played in London supporting The Fratellis, I drove us there with all the amps & guitars in my Fiesta!”
The Enemy come to New Century, one of our favourite live music venues in all of Greater Manchester, on Saturday, 1 November.
Pre-sale has already been snapped up in the blink of an eye, which is no surprise whatsoever, but general admission will go live from 10am this Friday, 28 February.
Daisy Jackson -
30th May 2022 
