Monthly Archives: June 2013
Lancashire cheese – more than meets the eye
When you think of Lancashire cheese, what comes to mind? Creamy, tasty, crumbly and nowt else? Wrong, there’s tons of other stuff.
Read the full story..Manchester Sound: The Massacre
On a muggy evening in central Manchester, I found myself in the uncomfortable position of confronting the ghosts of my past. And I’m sure I wasn’t the only one experiencing unnerving flashbacks to a time when acid house, poppers and day-glow were part of everyday life.
Read the full story..Making Music in the Slipstream
When Bonnie Raitt launched her career in the late 60s, she took her lead not from flash-in-the-pan chart-botherers but from the blues and folk greats she would see on the Boston club circuit, people like Muddy Waters, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker and, a particular favourite of hers, Sippie Wallace.
Read the full story..The Birthday Party at The Royal Exchange, Manchester
When you think of Harold Pinter‘s plays, what comes to mind? The Pinter Pause? Naturally. Dysfunctional relationships? Probably. Brutal dialogue? Maybe. But what about humour? Last night, at the Royal Exchange’s production of The Birthday Party, I was reminded of how funny Pinter could be.
Read the full story..Coriander, Chorlton
The trouble with coriander is this: it’s a herb that divides opinion.
Read the full story..Behind the Candelabra at Cornerhouse, Manchester
There’s really no better way to spend a sunny, Sunday afternoon in Manchester in June – in my humble and correct opinion – than in the dark. Not everyone likes the sun, you know.
Read the full story..John Shuttleworth, Oldham Coliseum
Isn’t it always the way? You wait for one Northern comedy hero and then two come along at once.
Read the full story..Prisoner of Words
Who would be the usual suspects? Reading groups, maybe. Bookshops and libraries, definitely. Book bloggers, with their ever-rising influence, worth a try. Local media, yes. And the review sections of the national press, a cert.
Read the full story..Ólafur Arnalds, RNCM
In his publicity shots, Ólafur Arnalds looks like a model in a Topshop advert. But at his concert at the Royal Northern College of Music he was more rugged, befitting someone who had spent two weeks travelling and sleeping in a coach criss-crossing Europe.
Read the full story..Chorlton and The City of the Dead
In the city of the dead, life is to be found in abundance.
Read the full story..Editor's Picks
- “The need for us is still there.” Junior Akinola, Chair of the Board of Trustees at Manchester’s Contact Theatre
- Brute Strength: Why Our Northern Concrete is Worth Keeping
- Writing a novel in 2021? Tips and guidance from a successful 2020 debut author
- “We’re a resource for the whole of the North of England.” Kenn Taylor, Lead Cultural Producer North at The British Library North
Advertising and Sponsorship Opportunities
Is your organisation interested in supporting quality journalism about culture, life and enterprise in the North of England?
For advertising and sponsorship opportunities contact Northern Soul’s Founder and Editor Helen Hugent at helennugent@northernsoul.me.uk.
Sign up for Northern Soul newsletter
The Northern Soul Poll

Recent Tweets for @Northern_Soul_
Thought for the Day: pic.twitter.com/fyi3v87Z7a
Right Good Mid-Week Read: The Man on the Street by Trevor Wood @TrevorWoodWrite pic.twitter.com/XBJk9DugG3
The People’s Choice Wine Awards 2021 northernsoul.me.uk/the-people… @PCDrinksAwards @GrazeRamsbottom pic.twitter.com/fv0luz1Uq6
“The need for us is still there.” At 28, Junior Akinola is the first person under 30 to chair a board of a major performing arts venue in the UK. But that didn't stop Manchester's Contact Theatre from hiring him. northernsoul.me.uk/the-need-f… @cparkwriter @Jr_JT3 @ContactMcr pic.twitter.com/tobyXTPpOc