Multi-million selling soul band The Real Thing are ready to give their much loved disco-inspired hits a new lease of life, with an extensive UK tour. Featuring the group’s two original vocalists Chris Amoo and Dave Smith, along with their 5-piece band, The Real Thing deliver a funky ‘in your face’ show with a strong ‘retro flavour’ with the band’s classic songs mixed with contemporary grooves. Celebrating over 45 years in the music industry. As well as the success of their debut hit single ‘You to Me Are Everything’, these Liverpool lads boast three million selling hit singles including, ‘Can’t Get by Without You’, ‘Whenever You Want My Love’ and ‘Can You Feel the Force’, making them the UK’s best-selling black group of the late 70s.

The legendary Blues Kitchen house band take to the stage for three incredible live sets. Expect to hear the likes of Aretha Franklin, Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Wonder & The Rolling Stones.

From Beyoncé to Drake and Burna Boy to Lauryn Hill, Manchesters crème de la crème of DJs & musicians play old & new school goodness all night long.

American bandleader and trombonist, known as one of the architects of funk, and responsible for penning many hits such as House Party, Blow Your Head, Use Me and Same Beat.

The Signatures are the UK's leading Northern Soul Band. The band put their own expression to many classic Northern Soul numbers creating a true balance between authentic and modern in sound. The Signatures give a full set of passion and energy guaranteeing to get the audience out on the floor.

Hejira is a 7-piece band set up to celebrate and honour the masterpiece works of Joni Mitchell, mostly from the late ‘70s. Having released the albums The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Hejira, Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter and Mingus (regarded as her ‘jazz period’), Joni then toured briefly with a band formed from the crème de la crème of contemporaneous jazz musicians (Metheny, Mays, Brecker, Pastorius and Alias). The tour was recorded, producing the outstanding live album, ‘Shadows And Light’; it is from this album that the band Hejira is drawing the body of its repertoire. Comprising highly experienced jazz musicians, this band is fronted by the brilliant Hattie Whitehead who not only has - in her own way - assimilated the poise, power and beauty of Joni’s vocals, but also plays guitar with Joni’s stylistic mannerisms. Expect an evening of the ‘great’ songs from Mitchell’s back catalogue, such as Amelia, Woodstock, A Case Of You, Song For Sharon, Edith And The Kingpin etc.!

Romare (AKA Archie Fairhurst) is one of the most sought-after DJ’s and producers in the world of global dance music. Romare's sound is unique, blending electronic with jazz, psychedelia and African rhythms. His releases on Black Acre and Ninja Tune reflect his broad musical education, whilst his unpredictable DJ sets demonstrate his unique ability to captivate the dance floor with his chameleonic style.

Detroit's Slum Village have carried the old-school, funk, and soul-filled hip-hop torch of genre pioneers A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and the Pharcyde. The group debuted in the early '90s as Ssenepod, later changing their name to Slum Village for the release of their debut album.

Known for his exceptional vocal prowess and remarkable range, Durand Bernarr’s distinct style and magnetic stage presence have cemented his status as a true musical icon. Having learned from and collaborated with legends such as Earth, Wind & Fire, The Internet, Anderson. Paak, Kaytranada, Ari Lennox, Thundercat and Erykah Badu, he has created an individual sound that has been coined as "Gangster Musical Theatre" by Qveen Herby.

The latest project from Acid Jazz superstars Brand New Heavies founder/songwriter and drummer Jan Kincaid, as he teams up with fellow ‘Heavy’ and renowned vocalist Dawn Joseph to bring MF Robots to Hideaway as part of London Jazz Festival 2018. Kincaid and Joseph met when Dawn joined the Heavies in 2013, the pair clicked instantly and found a spark as a new collaborative writing team. The duo aims to create a brand-new sound that draws inspiration from across the spectrum of musical styles and influences. “We want to provide a little escapism for the soul” explains Jan Kincaid, “providing exciting energy and music that is both current and able to stand the test of time.” Music For Robots launched onto the scene in 2017 with their debut single, ‘The Night Is Calling’, and followed this with the funked up grooves of their second track, ‘Come On With The Good Thing’ (both tracks taken from their self-titled debut album). With a brand-new groove from two well-established artists, MF Robots fuse musical styles in their unique and eclectic way.

Bien is a globally recognised Grammy award winning songwriter, musician and celebrated vocalist from Kenya. Bien has commanded respect across the continent and the world over for his musicianship. He is best known for his raspy vocals, his beautiful songwriting, his infectious personality and his bald head!

Testing not only knowledge but willingness to get stuck in, let loose and earn the official title of The Blues Kitchen Champion - we're certainly not your conventional pub quiz... Each week we hand the winning team £500 to spend on as many Spicy Margaritas, Negronis and Passionfruit Zombies as their heart's desire.

With a remarkable career spanning over 3 decades and with record sales in excess of over 30 million albums LEEE JOHN and his group IMAGINATION released and successfully had so many amazing classic hits singles and platinum, gold and silver albums such as, Body Talk, Just An illusion, Flashback, Music and Lights and Changes and many more presenting the perfect Brit Soul/Jazz/Funk songs and establishing their position as essential 80’s crossover hit-makers and an influence for future generations in the music industry. It’s fair to say founding member, lead singer and songwriter LEEE JOHN is one of the hardest working men in music, touring internationally both as LEEE JOHN of IMAGINATION and as LEEE JOHN in his ever-popular solo performances showing his continuous diversity across multi genres from the pop stream as well as his more classic presentation in the jazz world, none better reflecting this than with the release of his last critically acclaimed solo album “Feel My Soul”. More recently, we see the release of Imagination featuring LEEE JOHN’s penultimate long awaited new album “Retropia” which delivers a distinctive combination of soul, funk , jazz with a classic contemporary retro sound from that back in the day feel, which creates a very special atmospheric sensitivity with mid-tempo grooves and that unmistakable LEEE JOHN vocal sound with those famous IMAGINATION harmonies creating that familiar blend of melody which makes you remember each individual song, supporting from its release the “Retropia” album scores an incredible 2 x Number # 1 songs in the UK Soul Charts with ‘Do It Right Now’ and “Make Your Mind Up/Fantasia and with “Police & Thieves” Produced by British Reggae maestro legend Dennis Bovell (the originator of Lover’s Rock and producer of big hits such as Silly Games (Janet Kay) securing a third Number 1 in the UK Reggae Charts taking you on a magical musical adventure into the world of “Retropia” Singer, Songwriter, Live Performer, Producer & Director LEEE JOHN forever continues to challenge his own unique creativity and driving force in its endless boundaries and remains to delight fans around the globe with his timeless classic hits and new music releases and continues to tour the world and has appeared with many world renowned Artists such as The Jacksons, Earth Wind and Fire, Kool and the Gang, Nile Rogers of Chic, Incognito and Kid Creole and the Coconuts.

For a very special one-off event The Doctor's Orders bring super producer 9th Wonder to Manchester. The Grammy winning producer responsible for hits by the likes of Jay-Z, Destinies Child, Mary J Blige & Drake is already a good friend of and firm favourite of The Doctor’s Orders this his first ever show in Manchester is sure to cause a stir. When not working with a who’s who of Hip-Hop and RnB he is a lecturer at both Harvard and Duke Universities. With a soul drenched sound crafted in his time as one third of Little Brother, 9th Wonder will be spinning a selection of his own productions and the music that influenced one of the greatest living producers. He is joined by one of the Manchester’s own soulful production power house, Konny Kon of Children of Zeus. You can expect a night packed with classic Hip-Hop, Soul, RnB from two of the most respected and in demand names in the world.

This October, House and Soul icon Tracy Hamlin joins Howard Johnson, former frontman of the chart-topping group Niteflyte, whose solo hits like "So Fine" and "Keepin' Love New" have become staples of the funk and soul world. We cannot wait.

Judith Hill has been praised for her stellar powerhouse vocals. In addition to penning and performing her own material, Judith – who wrote her first song at the age of four – has backed such artists as Stevie Wonder and the late Michael Jackson.

Live show upstairs with Greg Scotts and very special guests. Old School Jazz comes back to Manchester.

Kareem Dennis, better known by his stage name Lowkey, is a British rapper and activist from London. He first became known through a series of mixtapes he released before he was 18.

Josh Karpeh, AKA Cautious Clay, is a profoundly modern songwriter and visionary producer. While his sound often echoes the emotional depth of artists like James Blake and Sampha, his roots run deep, crediting Stevie Wonder and Quincy Jones as ever-present influences. Cautious has made his mark as a writer and producer, with credits spanning artists such as Billie Eilish, John Mayer, John Legend, Khalid, Kavinsky, Melanie Martinez, Remi Wolf, and more.

We celebrate two of neo soul's biggest voices with a live performance of their greatest hits, back to back with a full live band of Manchester's finest musicians. Led by the city's own soul/RnB starlet Mali Hayes, Zee Musiq and Pops Roberts, this will be a night of pure music therapy with nothing but loving energy and memorable hits from both artists' extensive collections.

Highly sought after label and party Toy Tonics are taking Europe by storm with a selection of hand picked special friends and guests of the label. The label is held in high esteem across the world, thanks to releases and remixes from the likes of Dimitri From Paris, DJ Koze, Adesse Versions and more. The Toy Tonics label is a home for passionate young producers, vinyl diggers and household names alike.

Obie Trice went from no one to someone in the rap world quickly when Eminem signed him to Shady Records and executive produced his debut. Born on the west side of Detroit in the Schoolcraft and Greenfield area, Trice began his rap career humbly. He dropped out of Cooley High School in the early 90s and began making ends meet, which wasn't too easy in the cold, abandoned streets of Detroit. His turning point came in 1998 with the birth of his daughter, Kobie. Shortly afterward, he took note of Eminem's breakthrough success in 1999 and began to have faith that he too could make it in the rap game, despite living in wayward Detroit. Trice had begun rapping at a young age. His mother had bought him a karaoke machine that he used to practice, making tapes of himself over the beats of Run-D.M.C. and Big Daddy Kane. Over the years he improved his craft remarkably, releasing street tapes that began to generate some buzz in the local underground scene. These recordings came to the attention of Eminem, who in turn called up Trice for an audition, and it was all smiles and handshakes from that point on. First came a plug on D12's Devil's Night album (Obie Trice [Intro] [2001]), then features on the Eminem Show album (Drips [2002]) and the 8 Mile soundtrack (Love Me, Adrenaline Rush, and Rap Name [2002]), and finally Trice's album debut, Cheers, in 2003. The album went platinum, and Trice wrapped up recording his follow-up by the end of 2005. On New Year's Eve 2006, he was driving home from a Detroit club with his girlfriend when he was shot in the head. Remarkably, he was able to exit the freeway, and an ambulance took him to a hospital in Southfield. It was determined that removing the bullet would be too risky; Trice was released within hours of arriving at the hospital. Between that event and the shooting death of D12's Proof, a friend and one of the people who met him at the hospital, Trice was compelled to record new tracks for his long-finished album. Second Round's on Me was finally issued in August 2006. Two years later he left Shady, feeling the label had failed to give him the proper promotional push but making it clear that Eminem was not to blame and the two were still very close. Mixtapes and guest appearances would carry Trice until 2012 when Bottoms Up became his first release for his own Black Market Entertainment label. Dr. Dre produced the album's title track while Eminem made two guest appearances, lending his vocals to Richard and producing the song Going Nowhere. Jason Birchmeier

In September 1975, Pink Floyd made global history with the release of "Wish You Were Here," an undisputed rock classic. It topped the record charts on its release in both the UK and US and was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios. Pink Floyd fans rejoice: Our legendary house band recreate this psychedelic masterpiece in full glory for one night only. Expect the full album from start to finish with other timeless Pink Floyd material added in for good measure.

Experience the music of Aretha Franklin and James Brown’s Funky Divas played live by one of the most exciting funk and soul bands in the UK. This soul power sensation pairs Lisa Grand on vocals with hammond and horns from the Jezebel Sextet. You’ll hear Aretha's hits such as ‘Respect’, ‘I Say A Little Prayer’, ‘Think’ and ‘Natural Woman’, alongside funk classics from James Brown’s favourite female singers Lyn Collins, Marva Whitney, Vicki Anderson and Sugar Pie DeSanto - all performed by an incredible 8-piece band. This event is not in association with Aretha Franklin or James Brown.

Charles Stewart, better known as Chali 2na, is an American painter and rapper, associated with the groups Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli. He is known for his bass-baritone voice and quick-delivery rapping style.

The latest artist to break through the bubbling west coast scene, Nicholas Carter aka Murs is not your average rapper. With his name standing as an acronym for "Making the Universe Recognize and Submit" or "Making Underground Raw Shit", Murs has worked with everyone from 9th Wonder to Terrace Martin – and set a Guinness World Record for rapping for 24 hours non-stop in 2016.

A cornerstone of golden-era hip-hop and co-founder of the iconic D.I.T.C. crew, Lord Finesse touches down for a rare London set. With a legacy that spans MCing, production, and crate-digging wizardry, this is a night for true heads. From his 1990 classic The Funky Technician to producing for Biggie, Big L, and Dr. Dre, Finesse’s fingerprints are all over the DNA of hip-hop. His sound has shaped generations - even providing the sample for Fatboy Slim’s global hit ‘The Rockafeller Skank.’ Now a globally respected DJ and tastemaker, Finesse brings his deep crates and deeper knowledge for a genre-spanning set of raw hip-hop, soul, and funk. A rare chance to catch one of the game’s most enduring icons in action. This is an 18+ event

Corto.alto is Glasgow's 8-piece Nu-Jazz sensation, fronted by mastermind Liam Shortall, blending sounds from Afrobeat, Hip Hop & Soul, backed by an integral jazz mindset and comprising some of Scotland’s finest young jazz talents.

The History of Drum & Bass Orchestra returns with a brand-new live show that reinterprets classic drum & bass tracks through the power of a full orchestra. Expect an immersive night where strings, brass, and percussion bring new depth to the genre’s most influential anthems. Think Goldie, SHY FX, LTJ Bukem & many more...

Billy Cobham is a legend in the jazz scene, whose work with trumpeter Miles Davis and then with Mahavishnu Orchestra rose him to the pedestal as one of if not the greatest drummer of the jazz fusion genre

Whether you consider yourself the Pep or Pardew of the niche & niggly world of international and domestic football trivia we'll be serving up an abundance of hefty two footed questions, Who Am I? rounds, exclusive content and quality prizes should be enough to tide you over 'til game day comes. Not to mention the winning team takes home a £200 bar tab.

Jehst, one of UK hip hop's most influential artists, returns having been at the forefront of the UK hip hop scene from 1999 through the early 2000s, with releases such as Falling Down and Return Of The Drifter established him as a voice for a generation.