The Divine Comedy at Hard Rock Cafe Manchester

Ever popular with Stags and Hens for its food, atmosphere, friendly staff and convenient Printworks location, the biggest Hard Rock Cafe in the UK (there are unbelievably only 4!) was the venue last night for a Q Music sponsored gig by The Divine Comedy. Neil Hannon has been producing brilliant music since the early 90’s and his latest album “Bang goes the Knighthood” continues this trend.

Stag and Hen Manchester decided to go for a quick meal at Tampopo just across exchange square on the outside lower floor of the Triangle shopping centre beforehand. For Manchester Stags and Hens that don’t fancy any food at the Hard Rock Cafe Manchester and fancy instead just a Manchester cocktail masterclass with a spot of far eastern cuisine afterwards it is an ideal and relatively cheap option ahead of a good stag or hen night out.

As it happened though as we had been invited there was the wide ranging buffet that Hard Rock Cafe put on with their brill Manchester cocktail masterclasses to have before The Divine Comedy came on stage. So chicken strips, mini burgers, stuffed potato skins and warm brownies later the team were more than stuffed! We then hit the bar with avengeance – Sorry guilty as charged but we don’t get many Monday nights out and got a smidge Giddy! J

When The Divine Comedy hit the stage Neil Hannon was on good form and played a real mixture or back catalogue classics and new music from his latest album and had the crowd of 650 competition winners and mad keen fans eating out of his hands from the stage. He played for a full hour before shooting off to another appearance that Stag and Hen Manchester believe was on the radio (not confirmed and we can’t be sure

For a taster of the man himself and the fab venue that is the Hard Rock Cafe Manchester check out our Facebook and Youtube channels for pictures and videos from the Gig.

So remember stags and hens if you are in Manchester on a Friday night head to the Hard Rock Cafe at the Printworks for live music, good food, tasty cocktails and an atmosphere for food that struggles to be beaten.

Stag, Hen and Sten/Hag Hard Rock Activities

Platinum Menu = £25 per person

Cocktail Masterclass = £20 per person

Cocktail Masterclass with buffet = £35 per person

Until the next time Stag and Hen Manchester signing out

Manchester Go Karting

Long known as a nation of speed demons the United Kingdom and its stags and hens have for a long while seen a spot of Stag or Hen Karting as an ideal Stag Weekend or Hen Weekend activity. Allowing you to safely speed around a course of long straights and sharp challenging turns whilst racing your fellow stags and hens it is great fun and with the lap times the true F1 champion of the group can be crowned.

Stag and Hen Manchester caters for those wanting to a spot of Manchester Go Karting with two tracks one in East Manchester and one in Trafford Park Salford close to where Manchester United play their football. One has slightly more modern facilities but a smaller track and the other has slightly less modern facilities but a bigger track. Stag and Hen Manchester always try to send those stags and hens that fancy a spot of Manchester Karting to the longer track where possible as at the end of the day you are there for the hi-octane action and not to admire the additional facilities.

With either track please do be aware that neither are within walking distance of the town centre and therefore when you are quoted for their use on your Manchester Stag Party or Manchester Hen Party you will need to factor in getting a large amount of people from the city centre to the track into your timings and costings. Stag and Hen Manchester always will tell you this but unscrupulous others might not!

What about the format of your stag karting or hen karting in Manchester? Well put simply at both tracks your session will go as follows:-

1. Arrival and Sign in – Making sure everyone is there that needs to be and that you sign the necessary disclaimers. (both tracks have full Public Liability Insurance)

2. Safety Session – Not a long lecture but a necessity to make sure you know the rules of the track, how to safely operate the cars and the signals of the stewards

3. Practice Laps – Five or Six drivers at a time will be allowed to take the karts out to make sure they know what the accelerator and what the brake is!

4. Heats – This is where you sort the Wheat from the Chaff, The Men from the Boys, The Women from the girls. Winners go through to semi finals, losers face humiliation and sitting out to watch the finals.

5. Semi finals – Narrows the field down further to form the final line up

6. Finals – Typically there will be a B Final and then the A final

7. Presentations and Applause

As most Saturdays in Manchester will see stag groups, hen groups and Mancunians packing the track on Saturdays both the tracks run open sessions where anything up to 40 drivers take part. Don’t get too concerned with this though- Stag and Hen Manchester have found this to be enjoyed by stags and hens alike as it really adds to the competition and fun.

Should you however want a private session the track in East Manchester will allow groups of 12 drivers or more to book private sessions on Friday and Sunday which follow exactly the same format as the open sessions on Saturday but simply allow you the track to yourselves. The cost even remains the same.

If you have those that don’t fancy the drive then don’t worry as both tracks have large viewing areas to stand on and watch and with a cafe and TV at both there is enough to keep the none drivers amused whilst you pit your wits to be the next Lewis Hamilton!

Be careful not to mix partying and driving though as if you are perceived to be drunk or over the limit to operate the go karts on arrival then you will be barred from taking part and will lose not only your chance for a bit of fun but your money to. So either get it booked for early in the morning or just after breakfast so your day of drinking isn’t eaten into too much.

Stag Karting Manchester and Hen Karting Manchester at £45pp is a value for money activity that lasts three hours and will be well received by all. Check out our YouTube and Facebook channels for some images and videos to give you a flavour of Manchester Go karting.

Let us know if you have any questions or you want to book and we would be delighted to help you.

Kind Regards

The Stag and Hen Manchester team