As a counterpoint to my post on Wednesday about the imperilled Hotspur Press building here's a shot of ultra- modern Manchester taken on Wednesday night as I got off the tram at Deansgate. At the southern edge of the city centre four enormous skyscrapers have been built, completely dominating and changing the city's skyline and entrance to the city from the south. Apartments and lots of them. For wealthy people mainly. During the day they look like absurdly big, out of proportion towers. At night they have some kind of beauty. Maybe. Impact if not beauty. As a friend on my Facebook post said, 'Coronation Street meets Blade Runner.
I was on my way out to meet the legendary Vinyl Villain, Mr James Clark, and his friend Aldo, our first meet since 2017 when we drank in half of city centre Manchester's pubs. This was a quieter affair, sitting outside in the cold for a couple of hours- and very good it was too. The venue we were drinking in, Hatch, is a load of shipping containers clustered under the Mancunian Way with bars, food outlets and a couple of second hand clothing shops. In the central area there's a stage and as we left a DJ and a rapper, no more than twenty years old, were playing to an equally young crowd (it goes without saying we were the oldest people there by some distance). It warmed my heart on a cold night to see a small crowd bobbing up and down to a couple of unknowns, all youthful enthusiasm and the knowledge that at that moment they were the centre of that world.
Tonight I should have been going to see A Certain Ratio at Gorilla and I'm not (Covid) but I'm sure they'll be superb. I've seen ACR several times in recent years and Gorilla is the perfect venue for them. Their 2020- 21 renaissance is about to follow an album (Loco) and three EPs with a remix album (out today). As well as remixes from a cast including Lonelady, Number, Maps and The Orielles there is this one of Bouncy Bouncy by Mr Dan- uptempo, supercharged electro- funk with the sadly passed and much missed Denise Johnson in fine form on vocals.
Back in 1979 ACR crept out of the suburbs (Urmston, Wythenshawe) into the harsh light of late 70s Manchester and the embrace of Factory Records. Their first release was this, All Night Party, a 7" single with Martin Hannett at the controls that stands alongside anything else Factory released that year. Early scratchy, skeletal punk- funk noir.
