MANCHESTER'S world famous music scene is celebrated with a three-day event in Barrow this spring.

The Drawing Room will play host to the MCR Weekender, from Thursday March 30 to Saturday April 1, with film screenings, live performance and DJ sets all paying tribute to the city's legendary names.

The event gets under way on the Thursday at the Duke Street venue, where Signal Cinema will host a screening of the recent Oasis documentary, Supersonic.

Award-winning director Mat Whitecross tells the remarkable story of the iconic band – in their own words. Featuring extensive unseen archive, Supersonic charts the meteoric rise of Manchester's biggest indie band, from the council estates of Manchester to some of the largest concerts of all time in just three short years.

Footage of new interviews with Noel and Liam Gallagher is included, as well as contributions from their mother, and members of the band and road crew.

Friday night will see a live performance from Girlfriend and a Korma - Furness' own tribute to The Smiths.

The band has been playing shows across Cumbria for the past 18 months, and last year they played a series of shows covering the Queen Is Dead in its entirety to mark the 30th anniversary of the iconic album.

Also sharing the Friday billing is a special Shock and Roll event. DJs Dane Shields and Louis Wall have been packing out venues locally for almost seven years, spinning the best in indie, soul, funk and house cuts.
Girlfriend and a Korma

For this Manchester-themed weekend, expect to hear the best of the North West, with the likes of Oasis and The Smiths almost certain to get another airing, alongside cuts from the Stone Roses, Happy Mondays and more.

The stand-out guest for the weekend arrives on Saturday night - one of the Manchester house scene's pioneering DJs, Graeme Park, will be making his first appearance at the Drawing Room.

The former Haçienda nightclub resident, and one of the first British DJs to play in places like Australia, South America, the USA, Asia, will be headlining a night of classic house, with support from the Liaison and Rhythm Is Rhythm DJs.

One of the organisers of the weekender, Robbie Gallagher, says that the booking is a coup for the town: "We’ve been dying to announce it for ages! It’s great to see someone in Graeme Park’s calibre heading through to Barrow, especially as the local music scene is continuing to gain even more traction than it has for a long time.

"We’re always keen at The Drawing Room to test new ideas, appeal to wider audiences, and most importantly, strive for great shared experiences.

"Manchester’s music scene has always been a driving force in promoting unity and equality, especially around the time of the legendary Haçienda, when house and disco were triumphant in promoting these ideas. I can’t quite put my finger on exactly why Barrovians identify with it so much, maybe it’s its proximity, its relatability, or its attitude.

"Whatever it is, it’s always been a huge trove of inspiration for many of us - so to have such a busy weekend celebrating Manchester, is fantastic."

The MCR Weekender takes place in Barrow from Thursday March 30 to Saturday April 1. Tickets for the Saturday event are being snapped up quickly, and can be booked in advance at www.skiddle.com or bought at The Drawing Room.