The second of four Easter weekend nights at the Warehouse Project sees the return of a series of bug names. Skream is back after an appearance with Magnetic Man in October and with huge new releases under his belt including the recent collaboration with Example, ‘Shot Yourself In The Foot Again’, and his remix of Cassius’ ‘I Love You So’, be sure to expect a memorable set of chart-toppers, dubstep favourites and everything you need to party to.

As expected, The Warehouse Project returns this Easter, dragging us in our droves to get up to all kinds of mischief until the very early hours of the morning. Headliners include the French techno DJ Laurent Garnier, Steve Angello of the Swedish House Mafia, dubstep producer Skream, as well as further regulars to the Manchester scene Andy C and Shy FX.

Joe Sandler Clarke As of 26th February 2011, thousands of people were outside the State Capitol in Wisconsin fighting to prevent Republican Governor Scott Walker taking away the collective bargaining rights of trade unions in that state. Despite Walker’s claims that the apparent assault on trade union rights has been made necessary by Wisconsin’s sizeable […]

Lucy Hall “What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the cold war, or the passing of a particular period of post-war history, but the end of history as such: that is, the endpoint of mankind’s ideological evolution and the universalisation of Western liberal democracy as the final form of human government.” […]

Joe Sandler Clarke Today in America, approximately 50.7 million people cannot afford health insurance. Further, an estimated 10 per cent of the population are unemployed; there are 5 applicants for every job going in the country; the percentage of Americans in poverty has been climbing gradually to 20 per cent for more than a year, […]

“The Students’ Union elections may represent a hypothetical bridge between personal belief and national participation, it is student responsibility to cross that gulf and embrace union politics”

Tom Hoctor An early action of the coalition government was to commission a report into the merits of health and safety legislation. This was much trumpeted by the media, and was seen as a victory for the papers that had campaigned tirelessly for common sense against the incursions of the nanny state telling people how […]

Martin Scott The recent guidelines proposed by the Health Secretary undoubtedly mark a major shake up of the function and future of the National Health Service. On the surface, the plans seem rather democratic. Foundation Trusts are the embodiment of the Government’s commitment to devolution and decentralisation in the public services, and are at the […]

The Creole Choir of Cuba’s invocatory, cultural whirlwind of a performance at the RNCM left me both astounded and invigorated; grateful that at least in other parts of the world there are musicians who stick to their roots rather than becoming over-produced and losing that raw ‘spirit’ of music. The Creole Choir is not simply a group formed to showcase the outstanding natural talent of their individual voices, they fervently fight to depict the plight of their ancestors who were bought from Africa and forced to work in slave conditions in the sugar and coffee plantations of Cuba.

James Blake’s self titled debut album is under scrutiny this time around as Sophie Donovan and Phoebe Hurst

The music world erupted in both tribute and despair last week when The White Stripes announced they were no more. Rob Fuller looks back at their career.

Let me first begin by stating that I like PJ Harvey. I like concept albums. I like history. And I like weird, plinky music. If these things are not true of you, you may not share my enthusiasm for Let England Shake.

Bugged Out! has been at the cutting edge of electro since its conception at Sankeys in 1994. However, the drought of bodies at the door suggested that the excitement surrounding electro-house at the end of the last decade had finally subsided. Luckily, the night left a convincing impression of where the future of this sub-genre may lie.

Not often does a night split itself into extremes as much as this. Opening act Hammers start the night painfully dull for such a crushingly heavy band and, whilst anything but dull, following act Iron Will’s haphazard set leaves you wondering if it is deliberate that they sound so incredibly out of time from one another. No surprise then that they announce to the waiting crowd that they are looking for a new drummer.

News of the eagerly anticipated final Streets album release has excited fans, hearing claims that Mike Skinner had returned to the high standards of ‘Original Pirate Material’ and ‘A Grand Don’t Come For Free.’ Once again Mike Skinner has produced a fresh and impressive album, reminiscent of the early work that made him the success he is. Many feel that it is definitely not his best album, perhaps third in line, and I would have to agree. Whilst this may seem harsh, this still gives Computer and Blues ample high praise.

2010 was the year of the auto-tune. With the increasingly popular Glee, the controversial use of the plug-in on X Factor and a Billboard number one album from Ke$ha- it’s everywhere. Yet, we forget that 15 years ago, international superstar Cher brought it to the forefront of musical technology, creating almost a revolutionary new sound with her hit ‘Believe’. Today it has created problems of “over produced” sounds, with untalented stars being given an easier pathway to success.

It’s a wild life for us music journalists, constantly rubbing elbows with the stars. Nearly every week, we’re barraged with requests to meet the pinnacles of musical excellence. Imagine such treats as interviewing the occasional fill in keyboardist of a local rising band, or chatting on the phone with somebody you’ve been assured is next year’s big thing; we’re just too lucky. Occasionally however, outside of busy journalistic hours, your glowing aura of musical obsession helps you stumble upon an amazing chance meeting and it’s at these times you remind yourself why you bloody love music.

“A few collected generalisations demarcate the arrival of conversation, a ‘have you seen the news?’ or ‘isn’t it awful about…?’ emerge, as ripe and provocative as the after effects of yet another episode of green cannon-ball warfare.”

Tom Hoctor The result of the Oldham East and Saddleworth (OES) by-election was not quite, but almost, a foregone conclusion. For reasons best known to themselves a large portion of the electorate voted for the Liberal Democrats at the general election last May. Many of these were what are technically known as protest voters (although […]