TCTS Guide To Manchester

Beneath the city's surface...

TCTS was born and brought up in Manchester.

The city has made its way inside of him, its out-of-the-way warehouse parties and illicit club culture remaining a constant inspiration.

The producer now helms the Make Something imprint, a vehicle both for his own work and a platform to support new talent.

New cut 'Jelly' is out now on Make Something, and it's an ecstatic return that peers back into TCTS's rave roots. With that in mind, here's his subterranean guide to Manchester.

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It’s been a couple of years since I moved to London from Manchester and pretty regularly I have a little pine for the city. Don’t get me wrong, I love London but there is something unique in the buzz of Manchester. Its renowned for a stellar music scene, and this is often epitomised in the Warehouse Project – arguably the best curated set of parties in the UK.

However it isn’t all that Manny has to offer – these are some of my standout elements…

1. Antwerp Mansion
One of my favourite venues in the UK. It’s a grimy old mansion tucked down a side street in Rusholme, just a big space with a great system and room to party. Its got a proper house party vibe and when its filled full of smoke, lasers and people it’s unbeatable. Don’t wear your new white Nikes though.

2. Sankeys
It's a Manchester establishment and I have a soft spot for it. Some of my favourite clubbing memories as a student were at Sankeys, and I cut my teeth here doing some early DJ shows for some very trusting Manc promoters a few years ago. Sankeys manages to get the balance right as a massive club that still retains a vibe inside. It was mad playing a bunch of shows in Sankeys’ Ibiza outpost this summer, like a little slice of Manchester in the white isle.

3. Teacup Kitchen
I feel like I can include Teacup because it’s owned by Mr Scruff. If you haven’t been you need to check it out immediately. Its in the heart of the Northern Quarter and its basically cakes and homemade food and loose leaf tea – a hazy morning there is probably as essential a component to a party weekend as the club is. Seriously though, its a wicked vibe and the food and tea selections are amazing. There’s also Scruff art on the walls and you can buy the teabags to take away.

4. Piccadilly Records
Personally, it’s my favourite record store in Manchester. It's a really important part of the scene and it’s got a nice chilled vibe inside – they’re always at the centre of things like Record Store Day and is another integral part of the Northern Quarter.

5. Parklife Festival
I used to live on the edge of Platt Fields Park when it was still there and still called Mad Ferret festival. Its grown into this huge, huge thing and you often hear gripes about the new location or some of the types of people who go, but you can’t argue with the atmosphere in the city during that weekend. It’s not just the festival itself, there are a whole series of afterparties and satellite parties that spring up, everyone is just on one. Last year I played for Drop The Mustard at the festival and then played an afterparty at Antwerp Mansion – ideal.

Honorary Mention…

Roadhouse
It closed it’s doors nearly a year ago but Roadhouse was so good. Another dingy basement venue in the NQ, with this weird curtain separating the dance floor from the bar. It was home to some really forward thinking and fun club nights like So Flute and Madam X’s BPM, which have now moved elsewhere in the city. RIP Roadhouse.

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'Jelly' is out now.

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