Aitch has unveiled his upcoming ‘Close to Home’ UK and Europe tour, and there is a massive Manchester gig in the pipeline.
The New Moston-born rapper shared the details of his tour across social media this afternoon, where he announced fourteen dates across the UK and even more further afield.
The tour will kick off in Dublin on October 3rd, before visiting other locations including Glasgow, Leeds, Newcastle, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol and London.
The tour will then conclude in Manchester on October 24th with a show-stopping concert at the O2 Victoria Warehouse.
While tickets aren’t on sale yet, anyone who pre-orders Aitch’s debut album ‘Close to Home’ – set for release on August 19th – by this Friday, May 27th will get exclusive access to early bird tickets.
Aitch – real name Harrison Armstrong – recently released the single ‘1989’, which samples The Stone Roses’ hit track ‘Fools Gold’ and brief vocals from Happy Mondays’ very own Shaun Ryder.
In an interview with The Face, Aitch said Ryder took very little persuading to feature on the track, unlike Liam Gallagher, who ignored his recent offering of Ā£7m for a collaboration.
The Happy Mondays frontman croaks for the intro of the song: “Iāve [had] loads of nights out involving drugs, sex, f***ing ā you name it.
The rapper recalled: “[Ryder] said, āāIāll come to the studio if you bring me four cans of Guinness'”.
On the new track, he added: “Thereās not really been a representation of Manchester on a worldwide scale sinceĀ Oasis and The Stone Roses, so itād just be good to carry that on.”
To get priority access to the ‘Close to Home’ tour, click here.
A Hot Wheels interactive experience is coming to Trafford Park this summer, the first time the event has ever taken place in Europe. Coming from Live Nation, BeFUN, and Mattel, the Hot Wheels City Experience is heading to the B.E.C Arena in Trafford Park this August, making its European debut as it brings the legendary toy cars to life. Spanning a series of immersive stations and interactive activities, the event will have something for families and devoted collectors alike.
Hot Wheels City Experience
The 6,000 square metre experience will let fans step through a nostalgic and educational journey consisting of 10 stations, including a design centre, immersive museum, playground, gamer zone and Hot Wheels Lab.
Fans will go on a journey through the colourful world of Hot Wheels, starting with an introductory video which will take a deep dive into the history and culture of the brand.
LuĆs FranƧa / Hot Wheels City Experience
The next station features an immersive museum and expo where visitors will get to see the best of the Hot Wheels collections – including graphics with the history of Hot Wheels, classic arts of the brand, and the Hot Wheels legendary life-sized cars.Ā
Thereās also the Gamer Zone, where gamers can show off their skills, the Design Centre, where the latest technology is used to introduce colour and graphic projection onto virtual cars, and a Digital ābuild your carā and painting workshop where fans can create and have their work emailed to them or projected on the walls.
Hot Wheels City Experience
Lastly, the Hot Wheels Lab will let guests play with the most popular Hot Wheels toys, including giant tracks and pre-built racecourses – with the opportunity to win prizes.
The Hot Wheels City Experience opens its doors on August 13th and runs until September 12th 2024, with presale tickets launching at 10am next Wednesday, April 24th – sign up for pre-sale HERE. On-sale tickets will be available at 10am on April 26th, starting from Ā£27.50 for adults and Ā£22.50 for children – head here for more info.
A Greater Manchester indoor inflatable park has reopened after a revamp revealing the addition of a huge new ball pit filled with nearly half a million balls.
Inflata Nation has reopened its doors in Trafford Park after undergoing a renovation, revealing some exciting new features for visitors to enjoy.
If youāre wondering what you can do to keep the kids entertained, why not take them to this newly upgraded indoor park?
An incredible blue ball pit filled with 418,000 balls looks like an ocean as it floods the open space. Other new features include the epic double tipping slide, a ballcano, ball pit blasters and obstacle courses.
The park has also upgraded its mini arena, which is exclusively for children under four.
Packed with ball pits and engaging soft play activities, this area offers sensory stimulation and opportunities for cognitive development, tailored specifically for the little ones, the park says.
Since opening back in 2017, the site has attracted thousands of visitors looking for fun-packed family days out.Ā
Visitors have jumped into its ball pits, bounced on its inflatables and dived down its slides, where theyāve enjoyed plenty of fun and laughter that has brought them back time and time again.
Tickets for Inflata Nation Manchester cost Ā£13.99 for visitors aged four and above and Ā£6.99 for under fours. You can add an extra hour for Ā£8.50 and Ā£3.50 respectively.Ā The park is also offering 15% discount of all visits when booked in advance online until April 17th.
To get the discount simply head to the booking panel on the website, choose the location, complete your details and enter the correct discount code at checkout. For Manchester use the code: EASTERMANC. For discount on bookings and more information, click HERE.
Inflata Nation Manchester is located on Textilose Road, Trafford Park, Manchester, M17 1WA.Ā
A sustainable charity fashion pop-up is coming to Manchesterās King Street this month.
The pop-up marks the first event as part of a new concept āKing Street Presentsā and will feature some of the best and newest names in fashion including the likes of Adanola, Barbour, Nobody’s Child, Pretty Lavish, Rixo, Saint & Sofia, Whistles and more.
Shoppers can enjoy up to 70% off items with all proceeds raised being donated to the female-founded charity, Smart Works.
Smart Works Greater Manchester can be found at 35 King Street from Thursday, April 18th to Saturday 20th, with its sustainable fashion pop-up shop, selling brand new high street, designer and pre-loved clothing and accessories.
The pop-up will raise vital funds to support Smart Works’ two Greater Manchester centres, in Manchester city centre and Stockport.
The team will also be on hand to provide advice and guidance on how to access their free services to any women looking for support in finding employment and preparing for job interviews.
During its time on King Street, Smart Works will share the postcode with its roster of high- profile tenants which include; GAILās artisan bakery, The White Company, El Gato Negro restaurant and vintage football shirt hotspot, Stunner, to name just a few.
Thomas Royston, director at DTZ Investors, said: āWeāre delighted to be welcoming Smart Works Greater Manchester to King Street. At its core is a female founder on a purpose-led mission to make a difference to women.Ā
āFor them to choose King Street as their platform for reaching and showcasing their offering and commitment to women across Manchester is a testament to the reputation this now renowned street has developed in recent years.Ā
āAs part of our ongoing ESG policy we will be continuing to work with a selection of exclusive brands throughout 2024 to take up pop-up stores in currently vacant units on the street, enriching the retailer experience for visitors and giving a physical presence to out of area and online brands.ā