Copyright manchestereveningnews
Of all the Manchester venues that you might expect to host a huge electronic dance act, the city's museum may not be the first place that comes to mind. However, later this month Manchester Museum will come alive with the sounds of Groove Armada as they headline the venue as part of a full day of performances, events, and talks focused on nature, climate and biodiversity. Hosted by Pace of War’s global project EarthSonic it will feature will feature discussions and workshops from speakers and organisations including the RSPB, Wildlife Trust, Music Declares Emergency, Andy Cato (Groove Armada) and Tori Tsui, with evening performances from Groove Armada (DJ set), Werkha, Natural Symphony and more. They'll play a DJ set as part of an evening ticketed show which also incudes performances from Natural Symphony - an electronic artist who uses plants as instruments - plus Manchester-based artist Werkha and their new immersive audio-visual experience. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE Free events in the daytime include sessions where participants can learn how to sample the sounds of nature, create beats and make music, while workshops span Sam Lee on Nightingales & Music; biosonification workshop from Brian De’Souza; singing with The Climate Choir; paper lantern making with the RSPB; and designing your own container garden with The Cloud Gardener. Since forming in the 1990s, the hit-making dance duo Groove Armada have gone from dancefloor upstarts to Grammy-nominated, music fan favourites. Andy Cato and Tom Findlay founded their own Groove Armada night in London, taking their name from a 70s French disco. They released their first single under the moniker, At The River, in 1997, followed a year later by their debut album Northern Star. EarthSonic is a global project devised by non-profit organisation In Place of War. EarthSonic tells the story of climate change and brings together a diverse range of people - from musicians to scientists, climate activists and indigenous communities. Ruth Daniel, CEO at In Place of War, said: “It’s incredibly special to bring EarthSonic Live to Manchester - a city with deep roots in creativity, activism, and community. "In Place of War started in Manchester over 20 years ago, and to return with a project that unites global artists, scientists, and changemakers around climate action feels like coming full circle. Manchester has always been a city that uses culture to challenge and inspire, and EarthSonic Live continues that legacy - showing how music and art can connect us to the planet, to each other, and to hope for a better future.” Addressing the climate and nature crisis is a fundamental part of Manchester Museum Museum's mission to build understanding between cultures and a more sustainable world. As part of this, the Museum is committing to opening up its spaces, resources and the collections it cares for to empower communities and changemakers to explore the issues they care about. Hannah Hartley, Environmental Action Manager at Manchester Museum added: Manchester Museum's collections have underpinned vital conservation work, research and learning for more than 130 years, helping to develop greater understanding of how our future is deeply connected to the wellbeing of our natural world. "In Place of War and Manchester Museum share rich experience in co-curation, working with communities to bring multiple cultural perspectives to social and environmental issues. "We're so excited to host the EarthSonic Live programme, which highlights how artists play a critical role in telling stories of the climate and nature crisis that help us imagine different futures and inspire action. By drawing on the Museum’s research and the collections we care for, those stories can become even more compelling." The event takes place on Saturday, 22 November at Manchester Museum from 10am until 1am. More information and tickets can be found here . Manchester Museum, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PL
