IT'S a bumper weekend of events across Greater Manchester with everything from hard rockers Skid Row to theatre with The Producers.
Four our picks of the best stuff on around the area, check out our guide...
GIGS
CHRIS SMITHER — Bury Met, Thursday, January 17
THE HUNNA — Manchester Academy, until Friday, January 18
MERRY HELL — Darwen Library Theatre, Friday, January 18
THE SKIDS and BIG COUNTRY — Preston Guild Hall, Saturday, January 19
NATHANIEL RATELIFF AND THE NIGHTSWEATS — Manchester Academy, Saturday, January 19
CHARLES ESTEN — RNCM Manchester, Saturday, January 19
DAN + SHAY — Manchester Ritz, Saturday, January 19
SKID ROW — Manchester Ritz, Tuesday, January 22
YOUNG FATHERS — Albert Hall, Manchester, Wednesday, January 23
THE 1975 — Manchester Arena, Thursday, January 24
AZEALIA BANKS — Manchester Ritz, Thursday, January 24
ISRAEL NASH — Deaf Institute, Manchester, Thursday, January 24
THE STREETS — Manchester Apollo, Thursday, January 24 to Saturday, January 26
DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE — Albert Hall, Manchester, Friday, January 25
ULTIMATE POWER — Manchester Ritz, Friday, January 25
MAT WALKLATE — Bury Met, Friday, January 25
ISHTEN — Bury Met, Friday, January 25
FRANK TURNER AND THE SLEEPING SOULS — Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, Saturday, January 26
JAH WOBBLE AND THE INVADERS OF THE HEART — Gorilla, Manchester, Saturday, January 26
THE VACCINES — King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Monday, January 28
MASSIVE ATTACK — Manchester Arena, Tuesday, January 29
SNOW PATROL — Manchester Arena, Wednesday, January 30
JARROD DICKENSON — Deaf Institute, Manchester, Wednesday, January 30
KAISER CHIEFS — King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Thursday, January 31
THE DANDY WARHOLS — Albert Hall, Manchester, Thursday, January 31
DON BROCO — Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, Friday, February 1 and Saturday, February 2
KAISER CHIEFS — Manchester Apollo, Friday, February 1
THE DELINES — Bury Met, Friday, February 1
GORGO CITY — Albert Hall, Manchester, Friday, February 1
BOYZONE — Manchester Arena, Saturday, February 2
DODGY — Manchester Ritz, Saturday, February 2
FAIRPORT CONVENTION — RNCM Manchester, Saturday, February 2
RICHARD HAWLEY — Bury Met, Saturday, February 2 and Sunday, February 3
THE SEARCHERS — Albert Halls, Bolton, Sunday, February 3
THE CHURCHFITTERS — Darwen Library Theatre, Sunday, February 3
ENTER SHIKARI— Manchester Academy, Sunday, February 3
OZZY OSBOURNE — Manchester Arena, Sunday, February 3
BUCKCHERRY — Manchester Ritz, Tuesday, February 5
THE RESIDENTS — Gorilla, Manchester, Tuesday, February 5
KRIS BARRAS BAND — Deaf Institute, Manchester, Thursday, February 5
FM —Preston Live, Friday, February 8
RED SKY COVEN — Bury Met, Friday, February 8
BROKEN BRASS ENSEMBLE — Gorilla, Manchester, Friday, February 8
BEHEMOTH — Manchester Ritz, Saturday, February 9
JACKIE OATES — Bury Met, Saturday, February 9
THE SPITFIRES — Gorilla, Manchester, Saturday, February 9
JOHN GRANT — Albert Hall, Manchester, Sunday, February 10
THE LEMONHEADS — Manchester Ritz, Tuesday, February 12
RUTS DC — Manchester Ritz, Wednesday, February 13
BEANS ON TOAST — Gorilla, Manchester, Wednesday, February 13
BARBARA DICKSON — Albert Halls, Bolton, Wednesday, February 13
COMEDY
LOVE LETTERS FROM BLACKPOOL — Bury Met, Thursday, January 24
COMEDY CLUB — Darwen Library Theatre, Saturday, February 2
DARA O’BRIAIN — King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Thursday, February 7
FIRST THURSDAY COMEDY CLUB — Bury Met, Thursday, February 7
LOL COMEDY CLUB — Palace Theatre, Manchester, Saturday, February 9
THEATRE
THE PRODUCERS — Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, until Saturday, February 2
RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE — Albert Halls, Bolton, Thursday, January 24 to Saturday, February 2
TRIAL BY LAUGHTER — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Tuesday, January 29 to Saturday, February 2
NT LIVE: I’M NOT RUNNING — Darwen Library Theatre, Thursday, January 31
CROSSING — Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre, Friday, February 8
MURDER SHE DIDN’T WRITE — Darwen Library Theatre, Saturday, February 9
NT LIVE: TRAGEDY OF RICHARD II — Darwen Library Theatre, Saturday, February 16
ROUGH CROSSING — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Monday, February 18 to Saturday, February 23
THE LIFE I LEAD — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Friday, February 22 to Sunday, February 24
NO MORE FIFFING AND FAFFING — Bury Met, Saturday, February 23
NOUGHTS AND CROSSES — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Tuesday, February 26 to Saturday, March 2
BALLET
MOSCOW CITY BALLET — Palace Theatre, Manchester, Thursday, January 17 to Saturday, January 19
BIG BAND
RNCM BIG BAND — RNCM Manchester, Saturday, February 2
BRASS
BRASS BAND FESTIVAL — RNCM Manchester, Friday, January 25 to Sunday, January 27
DANCE
STRICTLY COME DANCING LIVE — Manchester Arena, Saturday, January 26 and Sunday, January 27
FAMILY
BILLIONAIRE BOY: THE MUSICAL — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Thursday, February 14 to Sunday, February 17
TWIRLWOOS LIVE — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Friday, February 15 to Monday, February 18
ELMER THE PATCHWORK ELEPHANT — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Tuesday, February 19 to Thursday, February 21
THE SELFISH GIANT — Darwen Library Theatre, Monday, February 18
ALICE IN WONDERLAND — Albert Halls, Bolton, Wednesday, February 20 to Saturday, February 24
MUSICALS
ROCKY HORROR SHOW — Manchester Opera House, until Saturday, January 26
THE BAND — the Lowry, Salford Quays, until Saturday, January 26
SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER — Palace Theatre, Manchester, Tuesday, January 22 to Saturday, January 26
JERSEY BOYS — Palace Theatre, Manchester, Tuesday, January 29 to Saturday, February 16
ANNIE — Manchester Opera House, Saturday, February 2 to Saturday, February 16
THE FULL MONTY — Manchester Opera House, Monday, February 18 to Saturday, February 23
LES MISERABLES — Palace Theatre, Manchester, Tuesday, February 19 to Saturday, March 30
MOTOWN THE MUSICAL — Manchester Opera House, Tuesday, February 26 to Saturday, March 23
OPERA
OPERA NORTH — the Lowry, Salford Quays, Tuesday, March 5 to Saturday, March 9
SPOKEN WORD
PROFESSOR BRIAN COX — Manchester Arena, Saturday, February 9
LEE MEAD — King George’s Hall, Blackburn, Sunday, February 17
TRIBUTE
GAGA — Bury Met, Friday, January 18
ELO EXPERIENCE — Albert Halls. Bolton, Thursday, January 19
SONGS OF LEONARD COHEN — Bury Met, Saturday, January 19
JEAN GENIE — Bury Met, Saturday, January 26
ROY ORBISON STORY — Albert Halls, Bolton, Saturday, February 9
THE JERSEYS — Bury Met, Friday, February 15
VARIETY
ADULT PANTO — Albert Halls, Bolton, Friday, January 18 and Saturday, January 19
AFTERNOON VARIETY SHOW — Darwen Library Theatre, Wednesday, February 6
WRESTLING
WRESTLING SPECTACULAR — Albert Halls, Bolton, Saturday, February 16
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