Operated by by sister company Rising Moon Productions, our dedicated events space can be used for theatre, comedy, live music, events and everything in between.
Events in February–March 2022
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Saturday Night Special: Funk & Soul
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Saturday Night Special: Funk & Soul
Blowin' Wax are back for another funktastic audio-visual soirée - expect the finest 70s / 80s funk and soul selections with bizarro imagery, all night long. Not to be missed!
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Saturday Night Special: Tom Blackwell
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Saturday Night Special: Tom Blackwell
"Gangly country blues from the wild west of Toxteth. Tom Blackwell
draws from his back catalogue, for an evening of candid tales and wide
ranging, soulful Americana."Anyone who has seen Tom Blackwell perform in one of the small, forgotten venues across the North of England he has haunted for over a decade will have witnessed a truly sublime singer-songwriter distilling his blues, folk, soul and gospel influences into what Bob Harris has rightly described as, 'Wonderful, heartfelt music'.
In 2018 Blackwell released the first of his Memphis series of albums. The new recordings are minimal, unadorned. There is nothing wasted or unnecessary cluttering the sound, just emotive vocals framed by quiet guitar and harmonica.
The essence of everything Blackwell does is in his singing voice - as plaintive and soulful an instrument as you could hope to hear. On stage he may punctuate with mournful harmonica and emphasise with expressive guitar, but it is the vocal that is the heart-rending centre of his art.
His lyrics are elemental, relying on natural metaphor and spare phrasing to render their stories; the resultant music has the close intimacy of The Cowboy Junkies, whilst Blackwell's voice has the emotional heft of Gavin Clark.
Blackwell sings his songs as if he is living them. Authentic songs that feel as if they are coming to you rolling across the plains and through dusty mid-Western streets. Songs that present all the emotional texture and depth of classic Americana - telling stories of bruised hopes, and fragmented settlements between yearning and loss - yet in a distinct, English voice.
Honest, without artifice, Blackwell's music just is what it is, and that is something genuinely remarkable.
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Eugene Ripper-FREE IN MAIN BAR
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Eugene Ripper-FREE IN MAIN BAR
Seminal Canadian punk folk rock artist returns to Salford to promote
new single and limited 7” vinyl.From his roots with Canada’s first wave punk rockers Stark Naked and the Fleshtones and throughout an enduring solo career featuring a mashup of punk, folk, blues, rockabilly and rock n roll, Ripper continues to nail it down with a unique musical vibe. It’s well represented within his body of creative work including his latest offering - a single featuring his original number “The Hammer Comes Down” and B side “Cocaine Bill and Morphine Sue” (a cover of the Merle Travis classic in homage to the memory of Ripper’s father who was a mining man)
Limited edition 7” hand cut vinyl will be on sale at the show.
PRESS CLIPS
" Ripper puts spikes back in folk music. " VANCOUVER PROVINCE.
" One of the first acts I saw at the Sidewalk Cafe was Canadian Eugene Ripper playing with the inestimable Billy Ficca (Television) and seeming to be the very epitome of AntiFolk - Johnny Cash meets the Ramones "
ANTIMATTERS NYC" Ex guitar slinger for Stark Naked & The Fleshtones, now playing barbed, fast n furious folk, with a punk stance and a lyrical nod to Johnny Cash and film noir. Great stuff." SMASH LA
“One of Canada’s most respected yet underexposed songwriters”
TORONTO STAR. -
Untitled Event
N/A
Untitled Event
Billionaire's Row by Joel Wall–
Billionaire's Row by Joel Wall
Five billionaires, taken from across history, are placed in a room and charged with unethical hoarding of wealth. There is no judge, no jury, and no lawyers; they must speak to the public, constantly watching through cameras, and convince them that they alone deserve to live. With no exit or outside help, they are forced to discuss amongst themselves and use their words to try and ‘win’ their survival.
DIRECTOR: Max Cherry
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/DRAMATURG: Joel Wall
PRODUCER: Conor Mather
DESIGNER: Amy Townsend
CAST: Giulia Fincato, Cecilia Alfonso-Eaton, Fraser Dawtrey, Hope Groizard, Haley Yiu Ka Lee -
Billionaire's Row by Joel Wall
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Billionaire's Row by Joel Wall
Five billionaires, taken from across history, are placed in a room and charged with unethical hoarding of wealth. There is no judge, no jury, and no lawyers; they must speak to the public, constantly watching through cameras, and convince them that they alone deserve to live. With no exit or outside help, they are forced to discuss amongst themselves and use their words to try and ‘win’ their survival.
DIRECTOR: Max Cherry
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/DRAMATURG: Joel Wall
PRODUCER: Conor Mather
DESIGNER: Amy Townsend
CAST: Giulia Fincato, Cecilia Alfonso-Eaton, Fraser Dawtrey, Hope Groizard, Haley Yiu Ka Lee -
Billionaire's Row by Joel Wall
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Billionaire's Row by Joel Wall
Five billionaires, taken from across history, are placed in a room and charged with unethical hoarding of wealth. There is no judge, no jury, and no lawyers; they must speak to the public, constantly watching through cameras, and convince them that they alone deserve to live. With no exit or outside help, they are forced to discuss amongst themselves and use their words to try and ‘win’ their survival.
DIRECTOR: Max Cherry
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/DRAMATURG: Joel Wall
PRODUCER: Conor Mather
DESIGNER: Amy Townsend
CAST: Giulia Fincato, Cecilia Alfonso-Eaton, Fraser Dawtrey, Hope Groizard, Haley Yiu Ka Lee -
Freezehead Presents: Slow Knife, Godspeed You! Peter Andre, Aughra, The Duke of Zuke
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Freezehead Presents: Slow Knife, Godspeed You! Peter Andre, Aughra, The Duke of Zuke
Fr33zehead Records presents - ‘Saturday Night Special’
With music performances from:
Slow Knife
The horror drone band from Manchester & the soundtrack to your favourite B Movie. Imagine John Cooper Clarke and Tom Waits riding a bus to the 9th circle of hell, drinking bad wine and blasting the Marble Index on a shitty bluetooth speaker. Slow Knife are soon set to release their debut album 'Too Late For The Past' co-produced by Slow Knife and their mentor Lydia Lunch.Godspeed You ! Peter Andre GY!PA (Godspeed You! Peter Andre)
takes you from the chanting drones of the inner coven to the industrial dance floor of satanic hell. Summoned out of Manchester, GY!PA are the collision of Kaskie (The Death of Money / SVNTREADER) & Emer (Water / Fat Out). When joined the gothic duo take you on an intense journey into the deep psychosis of their inner dominatrix.Aughra
Recalling the visceral power of Shellac and the heady atmospherics of Cocteau Twins, Aughra’s strength lies in their brilliant use of contrasting moods and textures - one minute languorous, the next snarling and carnivorous. The end result – as shown on standout songs such as Dead Weight and Corpse White – is the sort of bewitching, mesmeric brew that wouldn’t sound out of place on a David Lynch soundtrack. David Sue (Manchester Evening News)The Duke Of Zuke
The Duke of Zuke is the musical moniker of London-based composer, Clint Trofa. Tracks are built up using layered guitar loops, drones, minimal electronics and other sounds, to create ethereal, delicate, haunting soundscapes. Like the grimy cityscape evoked by the soundtrack. -
California Dreamin'
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California Dreamin'
Nancy Langford, the daughter of a Hollywood Director, sneaks out to a party at the famous Playboy Bunny Mansion. Believing it to be another ordinary night, her world is thrown into a spin when she bumps into two members of the Manson Family Cult. Now, with a target on her back, she is pulled into their world with death as her only escape. Set to a soundtrack of the 60s, you'll relive the summer of love and uncover the dark secrets it keeps.
+Adult Content
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Verbose with Camille McCawley and Rory Aaron
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Verbose with Camille McCawley and Rory Aaron
Manchester's award-winning spoken word event - every last Monday of the month at The King's Arms! Verbose brings a vibrant mix of spoken word and live literature from a talented bill of open mic acts and wonderful headliners. Expect poetry, prose and everything in between from a real community vibe that gladly welcomes all newcomers.
Tickets are FREE at the point of service but donation tickets are available and greatly appreciated! To apply for an open mic slot please email us at verbosemanchester@gmail.com
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Subdural Hematoma- Eleanor May Blackburn
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Subdural Hematoma- Eleanor May Blackburn
Subdural Hematoma is the story of several people’s journeys through a brain injury and a celebration of what lies ahead on the other side. Mixing the voices of parents with tragic and, at times, highly comedic moments- you will not know if you are supposed to laugh or cry. Hell, go ahead and do both. Follow Ellie May through the twists and turns of hospital life; will she make it to the toilet this time?
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Subdural Hematoma- Eleanor May Blackburn
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Subdural Hematoma- Eleanor May Blackburn
Subdural Hematoma is the story of several people’s journeys through a brain injury and a celebration of what lies ahead on the other side. Mixing the voices of parents with tragic and, at times, highly comedic moments- you will not know if you are supposed to laugh or cry. Hell, go ahead and do both. Follow Ellie May through the twists and turns of hospital life; will she make it to the toilet this time?
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Dave Allen...A Journey Through Life... and Death
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Dave Allen...A Journey Through Life... and Death
After its sell out run at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre and Cathedral Quarter arts festival, Belfast. M.E.N Theatre award winner Kieran Cunningham brings the story of the acclaimed Irish comedian to the Kings Arms Salford.
Dave Allen made his name in a series of television shows in the 1970s which saw him perched on a stool, telling jokes with a whiskey and a cigarette in hand.
Credited with changing the way comedians in Britain presented their material, he railed against the political and religious establishment, often drawing upon his Catholic upbringing in Ireland.
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Dave Allen...A Journey Through Life... and Death
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Dave Allen...A Journey Through Life... and Death
After its sell out run at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre and Cathedral Quarter arts festival, Belfast. M.E.N Theatre award winner Kieran Cunningham brings the story of the acclaimed Irish comedian to the Kings Arms Salford.
Dave Allen made his name in a series of television shows in the 1970s which saw him perched on a stool, telling jokes with a whiskey and a cigarette in hand.
Credited with changing the way comedians in Britain presented their material, he railed against the political and religious establishment, often drawing upon his Catholic upbringing in Ireland.
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The Be Positives & The Big Peach
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The Be Positives & The Big Peach
The Be Positives formed in Manchester in 2018, releasing their self titled debut album on Italy’s White Zoo Records shortly afterwards. David Sue from The Manchester Evening News said the album takes “a most gluttonous approach to musical genres, absorbing everything from glam-pop to garage-rock to lush piano balladry. Crucially, though, it’s a sound which never threatens to overwhelm the listener”. The album was placed as a runner-up for the paper’s album of the year in 2019. The band have now released their second album, ‘Everything About… The Be Positives’ through US independent label, Think Like a Key. Continuing their tradition of variance, the new record delves further into the garage rock field with the up tempo ‘I Just Want to See Her’, finds Beatles/Byrds synergy with ‘Rain & Stormy Weather’ and blues balladry with ‘Goodbye’. The album is out on CD and to stream now, with a vinyl edition soon to follow in early 2022.
The Big Peach are a mancunian pub rock outfit, who would describe their sound as toe tapping 'good-time music'. If you're ever lucky enough to witness one of their shows they will have you twisting to songs you've never heard before, but already sound like life time favourites
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Rich Hardisty SILLY BOY (WIP)
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Rich Hardisty SILLY BOY (WIP)
In his intimate debut hour “SILLY BOY” Rich Hardisty takes us on a journey through the highs and the lows of his unusual life.
Expect anecdotes and observations about mental institutions, missing dads and mania, all from his warm/inquisitive/childlike perspective.In the show Rich tries his best to convey what mental illness really looks and feels like.
But you won’t find any self pity or loathing here… this is a celebration of the beauty and silliness of it all and the interesting, hilarious and sometimes shocking things his brain is capable of doing (whether he wants it to or not.)The show culminates in a 10 minute performance piece using a projection, where Rich attempts to show what a manic episode looks and feels like inside his head.
Raw, open and honest but most importantly…FUNNY!
CREDITS:
RICH is a writer / performer who has performed in shows for C4, BBC and Netflix, has developed 2 sitcoms with channel 4, and developed projects with production companies:- Baby Cow , Spelthorne and V.A.L.
He has played Latitude and Wilderness festivals and used to host a show on Fubar radio. -
Verbose with Cookie Love and Nikolai Duffy
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Verbose with Cookie Love and Nikolai Duffy
Manchester's award-winning spoken word event - every last Monday of the month at The King's Arms! Verbose brings a vibrant mix of spoken word and live literature from a talented bill of open mic acts and wonderful headliners. Expect poetry, prose and everything in between from a real community vibe that gladly welcomes all newcomers.
Tickets are FREE at the point of service but donation tickets are available and greatly appreciated! To apply for an open mic slot please email us at verbosemanchester@gmail.com