Megan Vaughan looks back over a heady, literary and Sushi October...

Fans of live music refer to the month just past as ‘Octobercoaster’.  Every band who has so much as sniffed the inside of a recording studio since last Christmas throws some clean pants and a tuning pedal into the back of a Transit and hits the nation’s live music venues. 

The very beginning of October seems like several lifetimes ago, with amazing performances witnessed since by the likes of Seasick Steve, Tunng, Maps, The Checks, Kyte, Badly Drawn Boy, Stephanie Dosen, The Deadbeats, The Ting Tings, José González… (takes a breath!) and all that was outside of last weekend’s In The City music conference and festival, when 600 bands descended on Manchester from around the world, showcasing their musical wares to a wealth of industry suits.  My head still spins just thinking about it…  While the big buzz surrounded local boys Twisted Wheel, I had my head in the clouds after a performance from Newbury’s Godwits.  Sounding like Mercury Rev and Arcade Fire at the same time as, somewhat inexplicably, Aled Jones, I hope Godwits made as much of an impression on the A&R brigade as they did on me. It was amazing stuff.

Similarly impressive was the tour I took during the Mai Bai open studio night last week.  Tucked away by the Town Hall is the Mai Bai Sushi Deli, and tucked away behind that (and up some stairs and around the corner) is a hidden artists community; a creative space for painters, jewellery makers, tailors, photographers, and the embroidery of Jessica Williams, whose soft buttons I could have bathed in, they were so beautiful.  I’m sure there are many more studios and workshops around the city; little rabbit warrens of colour and creativity, and I intend to find them all!

Less concealed, of course, is Heal’s department store, which opened Manchester Literary Festival early in October with readings from the acclaimed poets Rosie Lugosi (pictured) and Kei Miller, who lay back on a four-poster bed in the window to serenade shoppers.  As brilliant an idea as it was, much larger crowds flocked to sample lobster with Antony Worral Thompson at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival’s Learning Pavilion on Albert Square (I tell you, these festivals are like waiting for buses…). Shimla Pink’s served up a biryani that wiped the floor with any such delicacies though, and they carved chillies into lilies to decorate our plates.  Mmmmmm….  

Food is staying on the agenda next month (after I’ve had a little lie down to recover from the last few weeks, of course) as I attempt to find a Paris eatery that will serve chips and gravy, and sleigh bells are heard when the European Christmas markets roll into town.  Expanded so they now fill five sites across the city, the travel time between office monotony and mulled wine will be significantly reduced.  Here’s to sauerkraut and mince pies for lunch every day!

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Megan Vaughan, MyVillage, 30th October