‘Can we do Pride every weekend?’
THE Manchester Pride Big Weekend brought some of music’s biggest acts to the city.
Former Spice Girl Melanie C headlined Friday night – in a sparkling jumpsuit. It was her first appearance at the event and she went down a storm with the capacity crowd.
She played some of her biggest solo hits including I Turn To You and When You’re Gone. The crowd were already warmed up thanks to chart-topping star Pixie Lott, who wowed the crowds in her skimpy pink bikini top, belting out hits including All About Tonight and Boys and Girls.
After Manchester Pride took the party through the streets of Manchester with the annual parade on Saturday, the dancing continued on into the night for revellers heading to the Big Weekend in the Gay Village.
It was down to Example to keep those tired limbs that had shimmied and shook some miles across the city centre bouncing into Saturday night as he headlined the main stage. And boy did he do that.
He encouraged waving of arms, giant group hugs, bouncing competitions and even initiated a Pride mosh pit during his extraordinarily energetic set.
He yelled: “Shall we start some mosh pits? I’m desperate to see what moshing at a Pride Festival is going to look like.”
Well it looked really rather special as the crowds, buoyed by their day of revels under sunny skies, united in a joyous rave as Example belted out a host of his chart dance hits, including Say Nothing, All The Wrong Places and the euphoric Kickstarts. Example, backed by the excellent DJ Wire, may have seemed a leftfield choice for the Saturday night slot at Pride – and the star himself acknowledged the extraordinary reception he received.
He said: “Even if you came here by accident I still thank you for being here tonight. Can we do Manchester Pride every weekend?”
But it was an inspired choice – and his finale of Changed the Way You Kissed Me saw the packed crowd of some 7,000 revellers united in a frenetic bounce of joy.
Example’s set came at the end of a packed day of entertainment on the main stage, which was opened by TV fashion guru Gok Wan showcasing his DJ skills.
The atmosphere was built throughout the afternoon with a fabulous set from So Solid Crew’s Lisa Maffia lighting up the stage in an extraordinary yellow caped jumpsuit and fishnet tights. Ultra Nate got some of the biggest cheers with a romp through her gay anthem Free, before bouncing sets from Cutmore and Blonde.
Pixie’s bikini look: Diary Page 17