Aviva Studios, Manchester, December 7
“WE’RE all part of history,” declares Johnny Marr, standing on the stage of The Warehouse in Aviva Studios with the full might of an orchestra behind him for the first time. It’s a milestone moment, with one of Manchester’s most beloved artists having been selected to open the city’s brand-new arts hub – which, at a cost of £242m, is the UK’s biggest cultural investment since the opening of Tate Modern in 2000.
The Warehouse is not necessarily the kind of space you’d expect to find anup; as Marr and co take to the stage, the response is more cordial than ecstatic. His 2019 song “Armatopia” teems with infectious hooks as strings replace the prominent synth lines of the recorded version, although the steady thud of the drums drowns out some of the detailed orchestral nuances taking shape.
