The thriving musical network currently in Manchester took a day trip outside the traditional city centre network to flex it’s creativity & open mindedness by visiting to an underused venue,  dragging  an audience that one would respond with “What’s it called?” followed by ”Where?”  and “Why?” if you suggested a night out there to a mate.

So onto a building on the less fashionable outskirts of Manchester, that’s surrounded by shopping complexes, where a joint venture between the likes of the Blowout crew mixed with Concrete recordings, ably supported by an entourage of artists & DJ’s such as the aA bunch is taking place

By the time the Longcut take to the stage after 11pm, the floor is slippy from spilt beer, the hoopla stall has been packed away and the crowd want more of everything, from bands to beer and food.

Both indoor stages have seen increasingly large audiences as the day has progressed.  It has taken some sterling work by the bar and catering staff to keep everyone satisfied whether it is for cider/lager or the candy floss and Irish Stew – sometimes all at once.

It’s the first time that Pierre Hall has played electric guitar with the Lead Balloons, and more importantly, the first time he has actually practiced.  Not having seen the previous performances, comparison is limited, but this up beat display was anything but like a lead balloon

The trio of Winsford based teenagers that form the Targets have played a set that’s as lively and energetic as your would expect from two 15 and one 16 year old.

Whilst the DJ was playing “My Sharona” and bags were being danced around at 5pm, local boy Liam Fray was back at home in bed.  By 7pm he and the singularly titled drummer “Campbell”, were on stage.  By 7.30 they were leaving to rapturous applause after having enthralled the crowd.

The first crowd invasion of the stage takes place during a set by the Children.  With their set seemingly heavily influenced by a mixture of `Zep type blues and hazy psychedelic leaning, their ever increasing fan base is well satisfied and even manages to ignore the two girls making out at the front

The first time during the long day that everyone gathers around just the one, large stage downstairs is when the Longcut appear.  The glo-bands appear on the wrists that are raised in the air en masse.  The band seems to have an “Are they really shouting for us” look of bemusement on their faces as they silently take to the stage.  When the all the electrical power trips have been remedied, the floor resonates to the outbreak of moshing that only stops as the final note of their final song fades into the night

An undoubted success from both the musical aspect and the perspective of a club trying to draw a more youthful crowd to an underused venue.  There’s not “Lost Vagueness” field here, but a few punters have become strangely vague as the toll of the day takes effect on those that have been there since the first band took to the stage at 1 pm.

Even the bouncers are smiling, so something must be ok

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