LADYFEST MANCHESTER 2008

Event Information

Ladyfest is a female-focused not-for-profit arts and music festival.

Ladyfest Manchester is a celebration of women in the creative and cultural arts - from music to literature; from the visual arts to comedy.

We also provide a space for workshops on a range of topics from creative/practical skill-sharing to informative explorations of feminist debate.

Friday night sees the most amazing cabaret night Manchester has hosted in some time in the form of the excellent Lady Carnival. Hosting the night is Rosie Lugosi who will compere a night of burlesque, performance, poetry, dancing and music from the following ladies:

Kaye Mitchell, Lou Whatling, Your Orange Coat, Pianofingers, Ultra Violet Violence, Leni Ward and Sisters of Transistors.

It's also the first band night, featuring the cream of the North's music talent from Zombina and the Skeletones, Das Wanderlust, Hotpants Romance, Geek Girl, Town Bike and Sophies Pidgeons, followed by dancing until 2am from the finest indie/riot grrrl/alternative DJ's Lola and the Cartwheels and Manifesta.

Saturday will see the second cabaret night with music and performance featuring Gnew and the Shrew, Madame Laycock and her Debeno Pleasures, Caro and Lisa B and more. Plus a fantastic panel of ladies discussing feminist issues including Amelia Fletcher of Tallulah Gosh/Heavenly/Tender Trap fame, a whole host of art on display throughout the building, a variety of films shown throughout the day and, of course, the second band night featuring Manda Rin (ex-Bis), Shrag, Kids Love Lies, Penny Broadhurst, Miss The Occupier, Nikki Patin and The Duloks, again followed until dancing until 2am in two rooms playing everything from indiepop to dance (more details on the ladyfest website)

Sunday will see more art, more film (all details on the website www.ladyfestmanchester.com) and more music from the godmothers of female punk themselves, The Slits, Vile Vile Creaturers, Hooker, MC Envy, Hug Party, Candy Panic Attack, The Bobby McGees and The Lovely Eggs.

Saturday and Sunday will also see a whole host of workshops from everything from self-defense for women to car mechanics, from radio presentation to Asian women's issues.