28 Sept 2008
Haçienda Care Homes 
Rob Brady writes:

Wednesday 24th September saw An Evening with Peter Hook at the intimate, 70 capacity Orlando’s in Chorlton. The event was essentially a Q&A that began tentatively but picked up pace after the interval. Aside from tales of debauchery Hooky revealed New Order reforming was "as likely as the Haçienda re-opening", although 2009 will see left over tracks from the WFTSC sessions released as an album - including remixes of the Control soundtrack.

Other points of note include:

The band had no input into 1 Top Class Manager. Rob Gretton was the best manager he ever had, having sacked around 12 to date, adding that bands are ten-a-penny but a good manager is hard to come by.

DJ'ing gave Hooky back his love of music after initially taking it up as "the best way to get pissed for free".

Hooky and Mani have joked about setting up Haçienda Care Homes for elderly ex-clubbers... Tea and disco-biscuits anyone?

Many thanks to Rob and Jo Brady for becoming Cerysmatic deputies for the evening.

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Mondo Mancunia cancelled 
According to MasseySpace, Mondo Mancunia scheduled for 1-4 October 2008 has been cancelled.

Massey says the event may be rescheduled for later in the year and that the cancellation was not the venue's fault.
27 Sept 2008
Peter Saville: Two Estates in NYC 
This coming week will see two events in NYC for the U.S. launching of Peter Saville's Estate 1-127 book.

On Thursday October 2, the Burberry clothing label hosts a launch party at its Madison Avenue flagship store, and on Friday October 3, Saville will be in conversation with Matthew Higgs at White Columns (followed by a book signing reception).

Peter Saville In Conversation
Estate 1-127
White Columns
Friday, October 3, 2008
8pm
320 West 13th Street
(Enter on Horatio Street, btwn Hudson & 8th Ave.)
New York City
whitecolumns.org

Cerysmatic links:
Estate 1-127 European publishing details
White Columns Fac 171

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22 Sept 2008
Insert gratuitous Factory Records reference here 
It seems that some of our fashion critics were lazy enough to all use the same press release quotes AS their reviews of designer Giles Deacon during London Fashion Week.

Financial Times: "Deacon's collection riffed the bold colour palette associated with designer Peter Saville's album covers for 1980s Manchester bands such as New Order."

The Independent: "His inspirations this time around were the art director Peter Saville, and the interior designer Ben Kelly."

International Herald Tribune: "I was looking at all the graphic artists of the 1990s - Mark Farrow, Ben Kelly, Peter Saville."

We're still breathlessly awaiting further expansion on that "bold colour palette" associated with Peter Saville & New Order...

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Mondo Mancunia 
Graham Massey presents 'Mondo Mancunia' at the Shunt Lounge in London on 1-4 October 2008.

'Never go back to a lit firework,' Graham Massey reminds us in these days of faked special effects and dubious digital spectacle. From his days with Biting Tongues he still maintains the concept of live performance as an information explosion, with the group functioning as an experimental audiovisual laboratory at the centre of it. 'It's about what happens when you don't stop,' he explains. 'Biting Tongues was a media whirlwind, shredding sound before digital effects came in, cutting up texts and chants before rapping. We rewrote the rulebook but forgot to tell anyone. That's why Biting Tongues is still the band we never quite understood but could never quite leave alone.'

What began with Biting Tongues, however, has continued with Massey's other projects: from 808 State to The Sisters of Transistors, from Tool Shed to Massonix. Presented together over four days between October 1 to 4 at the Shunt Vault in London, alongside a whole range of friends, collaborators and kindred spirits, are various stages of a live tradition of deeply committed, full-force performances, shards and trajectories from the original information explosion. This is a unique opportunity to witness moments of secret transmission, a live line of descent that continues to this day. Supported by DJ sets, installations, lectures, screenings and seminars, Mondo Mancunia is about to rewrite the rulebook yet again – 'only this time we're telling everyone,' Massey adds, 'so there's no excuse if you miss it.'

Mondo Mancunia Day One - 1 October 2008

20:00 Ego In Exotica Sum: In memoriam Martin Denny 1911-2005
21:00 Seaming
22:00 Toolshed

DJs for the evening will be The Simonsounds.

Mondo Mancunia Day Two - 2 October 2008

20:00 Dr X (A Version of Events)
21:00 Oort
22:00 Toolshed

The second half of the Toolshed residency: not a repeat performance of Wednesday night as a different line up will be in place.

DJs this evening are Resonance FM's Kosmishe DJs.

Mondo Mancunia Day Three - 3 October 2008

20:00 Triclops
21:00 Homelife's Atlas
22:00 Biting Tongues
DJs for this evening Resonance FM's Kosmiche crew and Kelvin Brown
Special After-show Performance by Graham Clark and Graham Massey.

Mondo Mancunia Day Four - 4 October 2008

20:00 Mayming
20:00 Homelife's Atlas (see Day Three)
21:00 The Sisters of Transistors
22:00 Biting Tongues

DJs for the night Liela Arab and Kelvin Brown

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More info at www.shunt.co.uk

Shunt Lounge
20 Stainer Street
London SE1 9RL

Doors: Wed & Thurs 18:00 - 23:00, Fri 18:00 - 00:00, Sat 20:00 - 00:00
Once inside, bar open 'til late
Entry fee 5.00 GBP Wed & Thurs, 10.00 GBP Fri & Sat
Entrance on Joiner St inside London Bridge Tube Station.

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21 Sept 2008
The Will of the Underworld 
Recently released extracts from the forthcoming book 1 Top Class Manager: Rob Gretton - The Notebooks of Joy Division's manager, 1978-1980 reveal that rejected titles for Unknown Pleasures include Kinetic Outtake, House of Correction, Symptoms of Collapse, Bureau of Change, Convulsive Therapy, The Aura and On the Threshold of Collapse.

The book is published on 7 October 2008 with pre-orders now being taken.

It will be available to buy through 1topclassmanager.co.uk priced at 20.00 GBP (+ P&P) or over the counter at the Vinyl Exchange record shop in Manchester.

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19 Sept 2008
Dark side of the M 
Once upon a time seasoned Manchester watchers could guess when the bigwigs were in town as the screaming TAG vans would suddenly be replaced by pairs of shiny, happy, multiracial policemen and women having fun on the beat, signifying that some royalty or IOC or other were enjoying the local council's largesse.

Nowadays it's a bit more obvious, what with the with cordons, tank-traps, helicopters, security seals, road-closures and snipers hiding behind.....Peter Saville branding!

As a swathe of central Manchester is in lockdown for the annual conference of the right-wing neocon New Labour Party, once again selective parts of the city centre are festooned with full on security trimmings and a new incarnation of that Manchester M logo.

First aired in 2006 as part of Saville's Original, Modern treatment for the branding of the city, the new series consists of a number of lamppost banners and a 'The City of Manchester welcomes the Labour Party Conference 2008' poster, on view, probably, until the apparatchiks and party faithful leave town early next week.

The veneer of democracy.

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15 Sept 2008
Remastered Reissues Revisited 
It's (finally) official: The New Order 'deluxe' 2-disc "Collector's Edition" 'remastered' reissues of Movement, Power Corruption & Lies, Low-Life, Brotherhood, and Technique arrive September 29 in the U.K. and November 11 in the U.S. "The second disc of each reissue will contain rare and previously unreleased B-sides, remixes, and extended and alternate versions of tracks." While we question the definition of "unreleased" (unreleased on CD perhaps), and await with a jaundiced eye those "alternate"-described versions of 'Ceremony' and 'Temptation' (see tracklists below), this will be the first CD release for many (if not most of the) full unedited 12" versions (including the much-reviled [by Peter Saville & some persons other than me] John Robie-mixed 12" of 'Sub-Culture'.)

The tracklists (as per Rhino) are as follows:

Movement:

01 Dreams Never End
02 Truth
03 Senses
04 Chosen Time
05 I.C.B.
06 The Him
07 Doubts Even Here
08 Denial

Movement bonus disc:

01 Ceremony (12" Version)
02 Temptation (12" Version)
03 In a Lonely Place (7" Version)
04 Everything's Gone Green (12" Version)
05 Procession (7" Version)
06 Cries and Whispers
07 Hurt (12" Version)
08 Mesh (12" Version)
09 Ceremony (Alternate Version)
10 Temptation (Alternate 12" Version)

Power, Corruption & Lies:

01 Age of Consent
02 We All Stand
03 The Village
04 5 8 6
05 Your Silent Face
06 Ultraviolence
07 Ecstasy
08 Leave Me Alone

Power, Corruption & Lies
bonus disc:

01 Blue Monday (12" Version)
02 The Beach (12" Version)
03 Confusion (12" Version)
04 Thieves Like Us (12" Version)
05 Lonesome Tonight (12" Version)
06 Murder (12" Version)
07 Thieves Like Us (Instrumental)
08 Confusion (Instrumental)

Low-Life:

01 Love Vigilantes
02 The Perfect Kiss
03 This Time of Night
04 Sunrise
05 Elegia
06 Sooner Than You Think
07 Sub-Culture
08 Face Up

Low-Life bonus disc:

01 The Perfect Kiss (12" Version)
02 Sub-Culture (12" Version)
03 Shellshock (John Robie Remix) (12" Version)
04 Shame of the Nation
05 Elegia
06 Let's Go
07 Salvation Theme
08 Dub Vulture

Brotherhood:

01 Paradise
02 Weirdo
03 As It Is When It Was
04 Broken Promise
05 Way of Life
06 Bizarre Love Triangle
07 All Day Long
08 Angel Dust
09 Every Little Counts
10 State of the Nation

Brotherhood bonus disc:

01 Bizarre Love Triangle (12" Version)
02 1963 (12" Version)
03 True Faith (Shep Pettibone Remix) (12" Version)
04 Touched by the Hand of God (12" Version)
05 Blue Monday '88
06 Evil Dust
07 True Faith - True Dub
08 Beach Buggy

Technique:

01 Fine Time
02 All the Way
03 Love Less
04 Round & Round
05 Guilty Partner
06 Run
07 Mr. Disco
08 Vanishing Point
09 Dream Attack

Technique bonus disc:

01 Don't Do It (12" Version)
02 Fine Line (12" Version)
03 Round & Round (12" Version)
04 Best & Marsh (12" Version)
05 Run 2 (12" Version)
06 MTO
07 Fine Time (Silk Mix)
08 Vanishing Point (Instrumental) (12" Version)
09 World in Motion (Cabinieri Mix) (12" Version)

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10 Sept 2008
2 Kilos Of Funk + CTR DJs @ Trof Bar 
Shrewsbury party throwers and acclaimed record label hit Manchester's Northern Quarter on Friday 19 September 2008.

CTR's JK and Ayd blend a tough mix of Funk / French Pop / Punk-Funk / Hip-Hop / Northern Soul / Disco / Soul / Hip-Hop / Fuzzed Pop / Post-Punk.

9pm Onwards @ Trof Bar, Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester

ADMISSION FREE

"Caroline True Records release Post-Punk / Punk-Funk records and have been name checked in this Nu-Balearic craze too. They also do some DJ'ing!"

This is also the launch night for the new CTR release Manicured Noise Faith 7” Remixed by NYC Producer Pocketknife.

Come along and feel the force!
9 Sept 2008
From Blackpool With Love 
There's a new addition to the four Peter Hook Section 25 gigs announced last week in the shape of a gig at the Piper Club in Rome, Italy on 25 January 2009. Support comes from Tunnelvision.

Plus, Section 25 play a special benefit gig for their friend Fes Parker who was recently struck down with cancer. The gig is this Friday 12 September 2008 at the West Coast Rock Café in Blackpool from 8pm. All proceeds go to Mr Parker and other bands are to be confirmed in the line-up.

Finally, the band return to the West Coast Rock Café on 20 December 2008 for a pre-Christmas gig.

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Adios to the bearded bassman 
An announcement on the official Section 25 MySpace reads:

"Section 25 and bassist Roger Wikeley have parted company..... The reasons are several, but overall the feeling is amicable with the band as a whole remaining good friends with the bearded bassman!

We all sincerely thank Roger for his contribution and most of all, the laughs.....! .... We wish him well in his future musical endeavours."

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Factory (Classical) Music 
Kings Place is the first new concert venue in London since the Barbican. It opens on 1 October and two of Factory Classical's most celebrated alumni are helping to launch proceedings.

John Metcalfe curates Beyond The Loop featuring The Duke Quartet, Max Richter and The John Metcalfe Band. There is a further performance by The Duke Quartet later in the year. Plus, Graham Fitkin (FACT 346 Flak) presents The Multiplier Series of concerts focusing on single instrumental timbres.

Sadly 'Factory Music' on 9 December has nothing whatsoever to do with Factory Records.

More info and how to book at www.kingsplace.co.uk.

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Metcalfe: Beyond The Loop
Wednesday 1 October
Hall Two
Curated by John Metcalfe

"An extremely rare chance to hear three of the UK's most distinctive and absorbing ensembles and composers in one space. World renowned for their passionate dynamism, the Duke Quartet perform Steve Reich's iconic Different Trains, followed by pianist-composer Max Richter and ensemble playing his hugely powerful and haunting music from the acclaimed CDs Songs from Before and The Blue Notebooks, both on Brighton's seminal label Fat Cat. John Metcalfe's band, featuring outstanding musicians from the electronic scene, produce searing strings and beats coupled with electric intimacy and lush cinematica. Not to be missed."

The Duke Quartet plays Steve Reich's Different Trains
Time: 14:45

Max Richter plays Max Richter
Time: 16:00
[Max Richter, piano Louisa Fuller, violin Natalie Bonner, violin John Metcalfe, viola Chris Worsey, cello Ian Burdge, cello]

The John Metcalfe Band plays John Metcalfe
Time: 17:15

Unfortunately, Beyond The Loop is already sold out but check with the venue for returns.

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The Multiplier Series
Curated by Graham Fitkin
Tue 28 October and Tue 16 December 2008
Hall Two
8.00pm
Ticket prices from 11.50 GBP

"Composer Graham Fitkin has put together a series of concerts focusing on single instrumental timbres, monochromatic if you like, eschewing necessary orchestration. Whether it's a string quartet, four pianos, two basalt stones or three accordionists, each evening looks at how multiples of similar instruments are a potent musical force."

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London Chamber Music Series
Sun 2 November 2008
The Duke Quartet + Tom Kerstens
Hall One
6.30pm
Tickets 16.50 GBP, Saver Seats 9.50 GBP

"The Duke Quartet is joined by guitarist Tom Kerstens in a concert of bowed and plucked string music. Britten's last quartet is followed by the Quintet by Cuban composer Leo Brouwer. Schubert would have often heard his lieder played on guitar by friends in the private house concerts in Vienna: his famous 'Death and the Maiden' Quartet based on the lied of that name, completes the recital."

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8 Sept 2008
ESG Are Back, To Front 
As first reported on the 99 Records list, legendary New York No-Wavers ESG have reformed almost exactly a year after playing their last gig (in Chicago) and splitting up. More details at myspace.com/esgtheband.

To mark the occasion they play a gig at Andrew W.K.'s new NYC venue Santos Party House on Saturday 13 September 2008.

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Santos Party House
100 Lafayette St
New York
NY 10013
USA

Tel: +1 212 343 8088

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7 Sept 2008
Really, I just like bagpipes 
When the avante garde do mainstream, do they become mainstream?

Not according to Fractured Music, "an imprint which specialises in one-off editions and artists' projects", whose debut release Recovery features twenty of the most left-field electronic musicians performing their favourite guilty secrets: "cover versions, tributes and appropriations of classic hits from the 70s, 80s and 90s".

Read 'em and weep, the Recovery track list in full:

BJ Nilsen: 'Heart and Soul' Joy Division
People Like Us & Ergo Phizmiz: 'Mull of Kintyre' Wings
Fennesz: 'Hunting High and Low' a-Ha
:zoviet*france: 'Bomber' Motörhead
Ryoji Ikeda: 'Back in Black' AC/DC
Mika Vanio: 'Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)' Kate Bush
Robert Henke: 'Lucifer' Alan Parsons
Susan Stenger: 'My Sharona' The Knack
Jenny Hoysten's Paradise Island: 'Dream Tree' Buffy Sainte-Marie
Alva Noto: 'Planet Rock' Afrika Bambaataa
Matmos: 'C30, C60, C90, Go!' Bow Wow Wow
Barbara Morgenstern: "Temptation" New Order
Carter Tutti: 'Lucifer Sam' Pink Floyd
Robert Lippock with Caroline Thorp: 'Freedom! '90' George Michael
snd: 'Billie Jean' Michael Jackson
Richard Chartier & CoH: 'Bleak Is My Favourite Cliché' Soft Cell
Momus & Germlin: 'Ashes to Ashes' David Bowie
Jason Forrest: 'Damn Love' 10cc
J.G. Thirlwell: 'Warm Leatherette' The Normal
Jóhann Jóhannsson: 'Souvenir' OMD

Recovery is a collector's limited edition box set (500 numbered) of 10 x 7 inch singles priced at GBP 60.00 (plus postage) available from the Fractured Music site.

Irony or legitimisation? You decide.

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6 Sept 2008
They came from Manchester, apparently 
UK resident Cerysmatic visitors may be pleased to hear that last night's BBC4 documentary: They Came From Manchester: The Story Of Mancunian Pop is available for viewing via the BBC iPlayer service until 01.04 am on Monday 15th September 2008.

The hour long documentary, believed to have been produced by the makers of lasts year's Factory: Manchester From Joy Division To Happy Mondays - itself available for viewing on iPlayer until 12:19am on Saturday 13th September 2008 - features "A compilation of some of the great Manchester bands in BBC studio performance from the 1960s till the present, including Freddie and the Dreamers, The Hollies, 10CC, the Buzzcocks, The Fall, Joy Division, James, M-People, Oasis and many more."

True to recent BBC form the compilation is made up of excerpts (rather than full performances), leans toward the sensational (ooh! Michael Clarke's bum!), is clumsily edited and heavily overtyped with subtitles (Curtis' 'dead fly dance' and New Order's 'nazi connotations' anyone?) that manage to miss more intra-Manchester connections than they actually highlight.

So. Keep an eye out for:

Factory artist Marcel King miming the lead vocals of Sweet Sensation's 'Sad Sweet Dreamer'.

Swing Out Sister's Martin Jackson miming the drums alongside composer Barry Adamson in Magazine.

Durutti Columnista Vini Reilly playing guitar and esoteric Factory producer Martin Hannett playing bass in John Cooper-Clarke's backing band The Invisible Girls.

One time Durutti Column collaborator Tim Kellett miming keyboards and trumpet with Simply Red.

Electronic co-founder Johnny Marr miming guitar with The Smiths.

The entire Voodoo Ray video, which was shot almost exclusively in the Haçienda by the - at that time - Haçienda lighting crew Swivel.

Further smug points to note:

Mancunian artists certainly like to keep an eye on the camera!
Shaun Ryder's band were, in fact, PLURAL.
The Bee Gees are neither sufficiently pop nor Mancunian to have been included.
The Charlatans are not actually from Manchester.
Unfortunately Freddie and the Dreamers were.

NB Apologies for the original posting that erroneously directed non-UK residents to the iPlayer service. According to the men in suits: "BBC iPlayer television programmes are only available to users to download or stream (Click to Play) in the UK. However, BBC Worldwide is working on an international version, which we will make available as soon as possible."

Otherwise known as youtube.

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1 Top Class Manager - 1 week earlier 
'1 Top Class Manager', the new book of Rob Gretton's notebook writings, is now confirmed for publication on 7 October 2008 (with pre-orders being taken from 8 September 2008).

As previously announced, it will be available to buy through 1topclassmanager.co.uk priced at 20.00 GBP (+ P&P) or over the counter at the Vinyl Exchange record shop in Manchester.

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5 Sept 2008
1 Top Class Manager 
'1 Top Class Manager' is a collection of Rob Gretton's working notebooks kept during his time as Joy Division's manager.

It condenses twenty-odd notebooks into one volume, and also contains posters, letters, invoices and studio notes, all dating from August 1978 to late 1980. It is a full-colour, 220-page softback, with a foreword by Jon Savage. The initial run will be strictly limited to 1500 copies. Design is by John Coulthart with Lesley Gilbert and Abigail Ward.

The book is expected to be released "on or around" 14 October 2008 and will be available to buy through 1topclassmanager.co.uk priced at 20.00 GBP (+ P&P) or over the counter at the Vinyl Exchange record shop in Manchester.

The book will be available to pre-order from 8 September 2008.

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4 Sept 2008
Remixed Noise 
Caroline True Records has just re-released the Punk-Funk / Leftfield classic 'Faith' by Manicured Noise as 'Faith 08' in a limited edition of 500 copies 7" single and digital download (via iTunes and other digital stores).

Catalogue number: CTRUE9
Tracklisting: A: Faith (Pocketknife's Straight Line Edit), B: Faith (Original Version)
Release date: Monday 1 September 2008

'Faith' was acclaimed on its original PRE Records release in 1980, its tough Northern backbeat acknowledging an indebtedness to the days of the Twisted Wheel and the Wigan Casino.

Lauded NYC producer and DJ Pocketknife whittles the track into a totally floor-friendly form with his Straight Line Edit, whilst the original version is on the flip side.

Pocketknife has creatively remixed and re-edited a wide range of artists from folkster Joanna Newsom, through to Feist and Paul Simon. The recent Tambourine Dream 12" drew much applause.

The 7" release trails a remix EP set to appear later in the year which will feature radical and groovy reworks of Manicured Noise tracks from Fred Deakin (Lemon Jelly), Jon Da Silva (The Haçienda) Cousin Cole (Pocketknife's DJ NYC associate), Jon Kennedy (Grand Central) and Steven Walsh (Manicured Noise).

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www.carolinetruerecords.co.uk
www.myspace.com/manicurednoise
Rodrigo Leão + The Durutti Column @ Barbican 
Hot on the heels of the Ruby Lounge gig announced yesterday, comes another new date for The Durutti Column, this time at The Barbican in London on 6 November 2008 as part of the Autumn Contemporary Events 08 season.

Rodrigo Leão + The Durutti Column
6 November 2008
19:30 GMT
Barbican Hall

Tickets priced 10.00, 15.00 and 20.00 GBP are on sale now.

From Barbican.org: "Rodrigo Leão, co-founder of Madredeus, was hailed by Pedro Almodóvar as 'one of the most inspired composers in the world'. There is a cinematic scale to his work which has attracted collaborators from Ryuichi Sakamoto to Beth Gibbons, and which comes out in his new work O Mundo, in which he and his band draw together much of his greatest music as part of an imagined soundtrack.

Rodrigo Leão's special guests will be The Durutti Column, Vini Reilly's legendary Manchester band playing a very rare London show, linked to the forthcoming 30 Years of Factory Records boxed set."

More on the Factory Records boxed set as and when it transpires.

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3 Sept 2008
The live return of The Durutti Column 
The Durutti Column make their long-awaited live comeback with a special intimate show as part of In The City. It's on 7 October 2008 at The Ruby Lounge and promises to be a terrific show. Support comes from The Chemists (with more tbc & DJs till late).

Tickets priced 20.00 GBP (+ booking fee) are on sale now from Ticketline and SeeTickets.

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Doors: 7.30pm

The Ruby Lounge
28-34 High Street
Northern Quarter
Manchester M4 1QB

The Ruby Lounge on MySpace

Thanks to Jay for info.

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1 Sept 2008
Peter Hook Section 25 Live 
Peter Hook and Section 25 will be playing a selection of Joy Division, New Order and Section 25 songs as they embark on a 4-date European Tour together with Kevin Hewick supporting on all dates.

The four dates, in France, Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany, are now confirmed as follows:

November 2008

6 - Elysée Montmartre, Paris, France
7 - Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
8 - Cultuurpodium Groene Engel, Os, Netherlands
9 - Kulturfabrik Krefeld e.V., Krefeld, Germany

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