Confidential choice

MUSIC

Westlife

What: The seemingly unstoppable group embark on the Manchester leg of their Back Home Tour. This will be the 27th time they have played at the MEN Arena and still no plans to call it a day. And why should they? The band has sold over 36 million records globally in their nine year reign as boy-band royalty.
When: Sat 15 Mar and Sun 16 Mar, 7.30pm
Where: Manchester Evening News Arena
Price: £32.50
www.ticketmaster.co.uk

ACTIVITY

Rockyoke

What: This is karaoke with an edge. The difference being that you get your very own band.
Professional rock band, Dirtyweekend give you the opportunity to experience singing and performing on stage with a real live band. Beats staring at a monitor on your tod. Your band, consisting of 2 guitars, bass and drums awaits you.
When: Tues 18 Mar, 9pm-1am
Where: Revolution, Deansgate Locks
Price: £3
www.rockyoke.co.uk

FILM

Before the devil knows you’re dead (15)

What: Director Sidney Lumet's razor-sharp heist thriller. A return to form for 83-year-old director Lumet, this razor-sharp heist thriller tracks an ill-fated plan to rob a jewellery store that belongs to the thieves' parents. Inevitably, it all goes very, very wrong, and the tension ratchets to almost unbearable levels.
Where: Cornerhouse, 70 Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 5NH
When: Mon 17 Mar: 8.35pm, Tues 18 Mar: 3.30pm, 6.10pm, Weds 19 Mar: 1.30pm, 8.35pm
Price: Matinées (before 5pm): £4.60 full / £3.30 concessions, evenings (from 5pm): £5.70 full / £4.00 concessions
www.cornerhouse.org

COMEDY

Dave Spikey

What: The British Comedy Award winner, co-writer of Phoenix Nights, and ex-team captain on Channel 4’s 8 out of 10 Cats returns with a brand new show, the aptly titled Laughter is the best medicine. For those who don’t know, Dave worked as a chief biomedical scientist in haematology at the Royal Bolton Hospital before he broke onto the comedy circuit, hence the name.
When: Sun 16 March, 7.30pm
Where: The Lowry, Pier 8, Salford Quays, M50 3AZ
Price: £18.50
www.thelowry.com

BAR/CLUB

Paradise Factory

What: Ape in Session with Stanton Warriors, Magnetic Man feat. Skream & BengaHouse, breaks, drum‘n’bass, tech house and hip-hop. Magnetic Man is the once mysterious dubstep guise that was later revealed to be an outlet for scene visionaries Skream, Benga and Artwork. After repeatedly making cutting-edge bass science: i.e. gut-grabbing music that can make you cry for your nanny - the three of them decided to dig out their laptop bags and embark on a tour. Expect fused improvised sounds with recognised underground anthems.
When: Fri 14 Mar
Where: Paradise Factory, 112-116 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7EN
Price: £8 online, more on the door
paradisefactorytickets.co.uk
northernights.co.uk/

MUSIC

Velvet Revolver

The Grammy-award-winning hard rock supergroup made up of Slash (guitarist), Duff McKagan (bassist, backing vocals), Matt Sorum (drums) of Guns N' Roses, Scott Weiland (lead vocals) of Stone Temple Pilots and Dave Kushner (guitarist) of Wasted Youth are ready to rock the Apollo.When: Mon 17 March, 7pm
Where: Manchester Apollo
Price: £32.50
www.alive.co.uk/apollo

ACTIVITY

Bellydancing

What: Opium is a universal approach to belly dance combining the best of world belly dance with a layer of lambada, Brazillian moves and Romani gypsy with a slight twist of fusion.
When: Tues 18 March, 7pm - 8.30pm
Where: Dancehouse Theatre, Opposite BBC building, Oxford Road
Price: £5
www.thedancehouse.co.uk

MUSICAL

Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra

What: The World's leading Chinese orchestra, the 85-member Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra (HKCO) will perform with a combination of more than thirty different kinds of Chinese instruments. Having been established over thirty years ago, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra is one of the foremost exponents of traditional Chinese music. Go and get cultured.
When: Sat 15 Mar, 7.30pm
Where: Bridgewater Hall
Price: £15 - £27
www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

FILM

Vantage Point (12A)

What: This is a film made by Manchester-born director Pete Travis. The thriller tells the familiar tale of eight strangers with eight different viewpoints, all trying to unlock the one truth behind an assassination attempt on the president of the United States. Even if you find the story unoriginal, the car chase scenes are said to make it worth viewing.
When: All week, 1.15pm, 3.15pm, 5.15pm, 7.15pm, 9.15pm
Where: AMC, 253 Deansgate, Unit 2 The Great Northern, Manchester, M3 4EN
Price: Off Peak- Adults: £5 Senior: £3.75 Students: £4
Peak- Adults: £6 Senior: £3.75 Students: £4
www.amccinemas.co.uk

EXHIBITION

How Manga Took Over the World

A new Urbis exhibition about the global phenomenon of Manga. Manga’s influence in shaping contemporary culture is given a new perspective in this first exhibition of its kind at Urbis. From cutesy to violent, erotic to commercial, the graphic art-form of Manga is explored through its manifestation in everyday life in the 21st century.
When: Thurs 13 Mar- Sat 27 Sept
Where: Urbis, Cathedral Gardens, Manchester, M4 3BG
Price: Free
www.urbis.org.uk

THEATRE

Zion Arts

Celebrate the launch of the new www.zionarts.com in style. The event includes youth performers, website viewing, a chance to meet the new Zion Youth Panel, web developers Ichameleon and Manchester Digital Development Agency. All with the added bonus of refreshments.
When: Fri 14 Mar, from 6pm
Where: Zion Arts Centre 335 Stretford Road, Hulme, Manchester, M15 5ZA
Price: Free
RSVP:caroline@zionarts.com