Manchester International Festival announces new creative director

Everything Everything have announced that they will release their new album, ‘Raw Data Feel’, in May. And for this record they’ve brought in a new collaborator – some AI software.For the lyrics, song titles and artwork on the album, frontman Jonathan Higgs created an AI programme, which he pumped full of selected pieces of information, including the entire terms and conditions of LinkedIn, the ancient epic poem ‘Beowulf’, 400,000 4Chan forum posts and the teachings of Confucius.

An international teammate of Kevin De Bruyne has been tipped to join Manchester City.

Some of Manchester’s best-known restaurants are uniting for a city-wide fundraising takeover in memory of much-loved hospitality king Tim Bacon.

Manchester Orchestra have announced details of two UK shows, set for later this year – get all the details below.The full-band gigs replaced two acoustic shows originally set for January this year, which were cancelled due to COVID-related issues.The new shows, at London’s Kentish Town Forum and Manchester’s O2 Ritz, come in support of their sixth studio album ‘The Million Masks of God’, which came out back in April last year.The band will play Manchester on September 15, before heading to London the following night.

Record-high energy prices will mean the end for some nursing homes in Greater Manchester, a care manager has warned.

Nia Archives is a British producer and vocalist whose throwback jungle beats act as a bed for timeless emotional content. New song "Luv Like," premiering above, fits the template exactly. Upbeat drums whizz and bang as the tempo drives things into overdrive.

It was a night to remember for Alex Telles on Wednesday as he made his first competitive international start – and received praise from a true Brazil legend.

Manchester United are back in action on Friday as they take on Middlesbrough in the FA Cup fourth round.

New Order to release a second collaborative line.The Manchester sports brand has joined forces with the Manchester-based band for new items that celebrate the synth-pop legends’ influence on uniting indie, dance and football fans in the early ’90s.A football shirt featuring Umbro’s iconic all-over jacquard pattern is included, which features an England ’90 woven tape along the sleeves. The £50 football shirt is emblazoned with an Umbro logo as well as the New Order logo.There is also a ‘World In Motion’ globes motif on the chest, referencing the fact that New Order’s song, ‘World In Motion’, was often sung by English fans at the 1990 World Cup.Also available is a New Order training-top (priced at £55), a New Order Celebration Jacket (£65) and a New Order Bobble Beanie (£20).

In June 2020, the Manchester Evening News spoke to five patients who were suffering from the debilitating effects of long Covid.

Hospitals in Greater Manchester have been hit by a wave of staff off sick with stress and anxiety.

Kathryn Joseph has announced that she will release her third album – ‘For You Who Are The Wronged’ – in April.The follow-up to 2018’s ‘From When I Wake The Want Is’, the new record was written in early 2020 and features songs themed around different types of violation. She says that she hopes the album might help someone who recognises themselves in one of these songs.“Partly, it feels like the only thing I can do in terms of saying it out loud”, she explains.

Bright Eyes have announced plans to reissue their entire back catalogue.The band – comprised of Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis and Nate Walcot – will reissue all nine of their studio albums along with a Companion EP for each LP featuring new recordings of songs from the original release plus a cover version from an artist they found particularly inspiring at the time.They will kick off the campaign on May 27, with their first three albums – ‘A Collection Of Songs Written And Recorded 1995-1997’, 1998’s ‘Letting Off The Happiness’ and 2000 LP ‘Fevers And Mirrors’. You can view a trailer for their reissues below.The band have also shared new recordings of ‘Falling Out Of Love At This Volume’, ‘Contrast And Compare’ featuring Waxahatchee and ‘Haligh, Haligh, A Lie, Haligh’ with Phoebe Bridgers, from the six track Companion EPS all of which you can listen to below.“It’s a meaningful way to connect with the past that doesn’t feel totally nostalgic and self-indulgent,” says Oberst of the series.

Plans to install a 189-metre ‘spiral ramp’ at a new Stockport park have been met with a mixed reaction online - with some heavily criticising the proposals.

Zidane Iqbal became Manchester United’s latest international player on Thursday as he made his debut for Iraq.

Warpaint have announced that they will return with new album ‘Radiate Like This’ – their first album for six years – in May. New single ‘Champion’ is out now, alongside the announcement of a string of UK and Ireland tour dates.In the time since their 2016 album ‘Head’s Up’, the four members of the band have been kept busy with other commitments in their personal lives, but eventually they decided that they still wanted to find a way to work together.Unable to physically get into the same room at the same time to record – due to the pandemic, as much as anything else – they recorded alone, passing round tracks and adding new layers separately.“I was saying the other day that we should’ve called **this album ‘Exquisite Corpse’”, jokes the band’s Emily Kokal, referencing both the parlour game and the title of the group’s debut EP.The new single, the band say, is about “being a champion to oneself and for others.

Anthony Martial has declared he is happy to play anywhere for Sevilla following his loan move from Manchester United.

Chase & Status have been announced as the headliners of the new London festival Electric City.The inaugural event will take place on Clapham Common in the capital on August 28, and will see the duo performing their only live London date of 2022.Chase & Status will be performing their brand new live show during their headline slot at Electric City, with the likes of Headie One, Andy C and Jme (presenting ‘Grime MC FM’) also set to perform during the day.Pre-sale tickets will be available to purchase on February 3 at 10am by signing up here, while general sale is set to commence at 1pm the same day.Electric City. Clapham Common.