This event will begin at 9pm. Picturehouse Cafe Bar open for delicious food and drinks from 5.30pm.

Band on the Wall presents folk legend and Pentangle guitarist John Renbourn with bottle neck steel string maestro Johnny Dickinson at the Greenroom, Manchester. 

Along with Davy Graham and Bert Jansch in the Sixties, Pentangle's John Renbourn was one of the true pioneers of the acoustic guitar in this country and helped to formulate the template for what is now considered the standard for finger picking style guitar. For this very special concert he is joined by Northumbrian bottle neck steel string man Johnny Dickinson, whose own original playing is steeped in the country blues tradition, and possesses a voice often compared to that of Paul Rogers.

This concert will begin at 8pm

A Craig Charles Funk 'n' Soul Club special as we present Maceo Parker - one of the world's finest live performers with full backing band in what must be a major highlight of the season. A truly incredible artist who dazzles and thrills audiences wherever he and his amazing backing band play. Followed by actor and DJ Craig Charles playing the finest funk into the early hours. The perfect night out at The Band.

"Quite simply, there is no better living showman than Maceo Parker. Catching one of the alto sax maestro's...shows is a truly transcendent experience for any fan of funk, jazz, hip-hop, R&B and soul: His performances are never disappointing, always worth the money, and a funky, funky good time." Westword

 "The baddest alto sax in R&B/funk history is back! Parker, sax god in James Brown's great 1960s band, blows euphorically throughout with his sizzling, blues-rich tone. With terse horn riffs, punchy and rippling bass, snapping drums, chunky guitar, and BBQ-flavored Hammond organ, this is hard funk, boys and girls, of the kind Sly, Funkadelic, the Fatback Band, War, and Soul Bro #1 served up hot in the '70s." At The Soundless Dawn

 "The audience singing and swaying like trees in a hurricane...Maceo is in the House...blowing a tempest." Seattle Times

Ticket allows free entry to Craig Charles Funk 'n' Soul Club after concert.

This concert will begin at 8.30pm. Picturehouse Cafe Bar open for delicious meals and drinks from 5.30pm.

Twice nominated for BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, Kirsty McGee has been recording and touring to critical acclaim since her debut in 2002. Her style continues to defy categorisation and charm audiences around Europe, earning her the tag of 'cult' singer-songwriter in the UK.

Combining styles as diverse as folk, jazz, chanson and Americana, her work is held together by her distinctive lyrical style and astonishing voice, equally comfortable in dark, intimate ballads and up-tempo carny-shuffle numbers. Her shows explore a cross-section of these energies through an extensive range of subject matters and instruments. Reviews for her most recent album 'No.5' (recorded live in Manchester, in one take, with her full band The Hobopop Collective) have been unanimous in their praise for her skilled handling of words and impeccable taste in arrangements.

With a history of politics, homelessness and wanderlust, Kirsty McGee suffuses her work with a musical vagrancy that enriches her songs and styles, from "hipkat trilby swing" (Acoustic Magazine) to "exquisite and skeletal" (Q Magazine).

The Hobopop Collective compliment the full-bore sound of the Kirsty McGee Duo with contributions from a select chain-gang of revered and secretive illuminati (past guests have included Karine Polwart, Inge Thomson, and members of The Brute Chorus and Guillemots). These genial gamblers and innovative imagineers create a smoky and folky jazz fug of quietly militant and socially conscious music that is as dark as it is enlightening, as gloomy as it is optimistic, and as angry as it is in love. They crank like a banged-out Mustang ’57 pissing petrol the length of a winding Scottish B-road as an old tape crackles on loop. Think Corinne Bailey-Rae arm-wrestling Sinead O’Connor for a dram of whiskey at a disturbed banjo buskathon for burglars, blind folk and beatniks, then drop a few of those variables and cram in some of the bluest blues, the greenest greens, and the wobbliest wobbles imaginable, and you’re getting close.

We will begin with simple, familiar melodies to familiarise learners with the basic elements of whistle playing such as breath control, finger placement etc. The melodies used will be straightforward, well known pieces of traditional and popular music.

Towards the end of the course we will explore some simple traditional tunes such as reels,  jigs and polkas.

IMPORTANT!! - You will need a whistle in the key of D. The best source for cheap, good quality whistles is www.bigwhistle.co.uk

Tutor: Mat Walklate

Times: 8-9pm

Space: Education Room 1

Dates:

Pocket sized and versatile. Band on the Wall's acclaimed course with the master of all things harmonica Mat. Come down and join in learning how to play, or improve your playing, of this amazing instrument. A 10-week course which runs alongside our new Folk Whistle course.

Tutor: Mat Walklate

Times: Beginner 6-7pm, Improver 7-8pm

Space: Education Room 1

Dates:

Performance: To form part of Harmonica Day and evening gig at BotW on SUNDAY 19th December.

Subscriptions:  

£60 per course full: £40 per course concession: £10 per session (please note, all per session payments must be made at the box office before the class).

This 8 week short course will be focused on your creativity and having fun while also learning new steps and routines.

BEGINNER CLASS: The beginner class is suitable for people who are completely new to tap dancing and those that want to brush up in a fun and relaxed way.

IMPROVER CLASS: The improver class is aimed at people with at least 1 year’s tap experience that are confident in their basic technique and want to further develop their skills. We will learn steps and ideas from Hoofing legends such as Jimmy Slyde, Chuck Green and mix this up with today’s new tap styles.

INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED CLASS: For those of you that have been tap dancing for at least 2 years, the intermediate/ advanced course will challenge your skills to master complex choreography inspired by music styles and rhythm patterns from around the world.

Tap shoes are provided so you can just turn up and tap!

Tutor: Karen Wood

Venue: Education Room 1

Times:            

Beginners 6pm - 7pm
Improvers 7pm - 8pm
Advanced 8pm - 9pm

Dates:           

Week 1. 13/09/110
Week 2. 20/09/10
Week 3. 27/09/10
Week 4. 04/10/10
Week 5. 11/10/10
Week 6. 18/10/10
Week 7. 01/11/10
Week 8. 08/11/10

TAP JAM PERFORMANCE SUNDAY 14/11/10 in the Venue.

After a major redevelopment and a year of critically acclaimed concerts, education programme and arts events, Manchester’s Band on the Wall has been nominated for the prestigious 2011 Lever Prize.

The Lever Prize is judged by the North West Business Leadership Team (NWBLT), which consists of of 28 of the regions most influential companies, in partnership with Arts and Business North.

Band on the Wall is thrilled to have been selected, after undergoing a major refurbishment, re-opening less than a year ago and having already scooped the City Life Best Night Spot prize at the 2010 Manchester Tourism Awards.

Band on the Wall’s Development Manager, Najia Baji said:

“We are thrilled to have been shortlisted for such a prestigious award. Band on the Wall feels that links between arts and business is extremely important to the creative sector so recognition as a leading organisation in this area is absolutely brilliant. We’re looking forward to a very bright future.”

Regarding the 2011 nominees announcement, Geoffrey Piper, Chief Executive of NWBLT, said:

“The calibre of the entries for the 2011 Lever Prize has been of an exceptionally high standard.

“The four shortlisted organisations have been invited to present to a panel of judges comprising members of the NWBLT and representatives from Arts and Business North along with a past winner of the Lever.

“The mission of the Lever Prize is to highlight the North West as being a bright, contemporary place for art and culture to develop and we believe that that can be achieved best through collaboration with business.”

The other nominees for the award are The Whitworth Art Gallery, The Lowry and the Tatton Park Biennial.

The award is not just for art groups - buildings, events, festivals, libraries and archives are all eligible not only for the cash prize but for the year long collaboration with the region’s top business leaders.

Previous winners include Liverpool Biennial in 2006, Manchester International Festival in 2007, Tate Liverpool in 2008 and the National Football Museum in 2009. The current holder (2010) is Future Everything.

The 2011 Winner will be announced at a presentation event in Manchester in March.

Go See This - Manchester's New Recommendation Site

Go See This is a what's on recommendation site for Greater Manchester where you can discover events, buy tickets securely and share your own tips and experiences.

The site launched this summer and has been developed in close collaboration with Manchester's finest arts organisations, including Band On The Wall, and it aims to provide even better information about all the fantastic things to see and do throughout Greater Manchester.  With everything from gigs to galleries right across the city you'll always find something to do with the help of this new site, and you can buy tickets all in one place too.

 You can also sign up to the free Go See This e-newsletter, easily manage your preferences, so you can have all the latest news about the things you're interested in sent straight to your inbox. To find out more visit goseethis.com

BACK2BACK

Nexus Art Cafe to Retro Bar Basement Club....and back again!
Saturday 21 - Sunday 22 August 2010

BACK2BACK is a big mish mash of live music, poetry, burlesque and toast, and includes a chilled afternoon of acoustic music at Nexus Art Cafe, a mad stint at Retro Bar on Sackville Street, and then free taxiing back to Nexus Night Cafe for a special twilight gig with London folk Dodobones.

Full confirmed line-up:

GABRIELLE'S WISH (www.myspace.com/gabrielleswish)

BLACK JACKSON (www.myspace.com/blackjackson)

GYPSY LIPS (www.myspace.com/gypsylipsmusic)

THE YOSSARIANS (www.myspace.com/theyossarians)

THE HAYLEY FAYE BAND (www.myspace.com/hayleyfaye)

TOOL OF THE REGIME (www.myspace.com/tooloftheregime)

THE HAPPY SOUL (www.myspace.com/happysoulmark)

MATHEW GRAY (www.myspace.com/amannamedgray) 

SEÁN IRVING & THOMAS LONG

JOHN AINSWORTH (www.myspace.com/johnainsworthmusic)

SARAH KERTON

PYJAMA PARTY (www.myspace.com/pyjamapartygo)

DODOBONES (exclusive NIGHT CAFÉ appearance) (www.myspace.com/dodobones)

+ LIVE POETRY FROM PARADOX, BURLESQUE DANCE, DJs & A Street Parade!

Wristbands are a fiver each for all this, and are available on Skiddle, or direct from Retro and Nexus. Their facebook page has a full write up: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=131046268643&ref=ts#!/event.php?eid=112945162085229&ref=ts 

Nexus Art Cafe - Dale St, M1 1JW
Retro Bar - Sackville St, M1 3NJ

Based in Manchester, in 2008 he was commissioned by the Bridgewater Hall to capture the artistic life of the venue which has culminated in a highly successful exhibition at the Richard Goodall Gallery in the city's Northern Quarter. In 2009 his work was showcased by the Cornerhouse during a season of classic jazz films presented there.

His work has been exhibited all over the world, including the Royal Academy of the Arts, and he serves on the committee of the Milt Hinton Award for Excellence in Jazz Photography.

His contribution to the culture was recognised by the American Jazz Museum in Kansas City when he was invited to produce the Inaugural International Exhibition in 2005, and where he returned in 2008 to present his work in the 'Jazz in Black and White: Bebop and Beyond' exhibit.

His images have been used in the JAM (Jazz Appreciation Month) Outreach program in the United States initiated by the Smithsonian Institution and many of his pictures are in private collections worldwide - including those of the musicians with whom he has worked.

Speaking about working with Band on the Wall, William said:

“'I am delighted to be working with Band on the Wall. It's a unique venue with great heritage, spirit and warmth that inspires musicians and audience alike playing a crucial role in projecting the city's vibrant musical culture.” 

Band on the Wall celebrates 1 year since reopening with a very special concert by legendary troubadour Terry Callier.

With a career spanning five decades and a back catalogue of 16 albums, soul troubadour Terry Callier can be described as one of the truly great music legends. This is a rare chance to see him perform live with full backing band as Band on the Wall celebrates its first birthday party since its reopening last year.

Callier has collaborated with hundreds of artists including childhood friend Curtis Mayfield, Nitin Sawhney, Beth Orton, Paul Weller and more recently Massive Attack. His numerous recordings include the classic albums What Colour Is Love and Fire On Ice and Northern Soul Anthem I Don’t Want To See Myself.

In recent years Callier has gone from strength to strength, with a string of critically acclaimed albums and stunning live performances including Timepeacein 1998 that won the United Nations’ Time for Peace Award.

'A beautiful, crystalline voice' Paul Weller

Click Here Now To Buy Tickets!

The prestigeous award ceremony took place last week at the Palace Hotel where, with nominations across four catagories, Cahoona also won the Tastiest Website award for their own website based on a public vote.

Gavin Sharp, CEO of Band on the Wall said "We are delighted that Cahoona have been recognised for developing our pioneering website. We wanted a site that would reflect the 'live' aspect of staging live music and engaging with audiences in our famous space. In delivering a brilliant site that incorporates our user network BandWidth, a rich online music archive and a platform for videos and file uploads they certainly met the brief"

To join BandWidth for free click here now

To view Cahoona's website click here now

To find out more about the Big Chip Awards click here now

Introducing Play DJ Shadow's Endtroducing Live

Friday 8 October 2010 at Club Academy Manchester
Tickets £12.50: Buy here now! 

Following their truimphant, sell-out concert at Band on the Wall, and the subsequent sensation they've caused across the country, we've brought them back - but this time staging this incredible event at Manchester's Club Academy. Advance booking strongly recommended.

In case you don't already know, this 10-piece band take DJ Shadow's seminal Endtroducing - the world's first album to be composed entirely of samples (now in The Guinness Book of Records) - and play it completely live, note for note, drum loop for drum loop, on real instruments with no backing track or sequencing in sight, a seemingly impossible task they make look easy.

It's hard to imagine that it's now over a decade since DJ Shadow released his groundbreaking debut album Endtroducing – an album that inspired a generation of DJs and musicians alike, and which still sounds as fresh today as it did back in 1996.Endtroducing was a unique piece of work, partly because it made it into the Guinness Book of Records as the 'First Completely Sampled Album', but also because of the intricacy with which, using an Akai MPC60 sampler and an early Pro-Tools set-up, DJ Shadow created completely original-sounding compositions. So, despite being made entirely of samples, it's not an album that could be, or ever has been, played live by a DJ, not even the man himself... until now. 

Advance booking for this very special event strongly advised. Tickets also available in person from Band on the Wall Box Office and from Academy Box Office at Manchester University Students Union, Oxford Road.

CLICK HERE NOW TO BUY TICKETS!!