As Trigger in Only Fools and Horses once said, ‘That’s a long time, Dave’.
Although whether it seems like it in the current hellscape is maybe more up for debate.
Regardless, this year marks the tenth year of this wonderful festival we call MPF, and as part of it, we asked you, our loyal fanbase, to share your best memories of the festival.
And oh boy, did you ever.
We were inundated with responses, from MPF veterans to relative newcomers, and had some wonderful memories to pick from.
The answers spun the gamut from one-time attendees (we hope to see you again), to every-year loyalists, and you all had different things to share with us.
Those of you with us from the start recalled many sadly-missed venues on the MPF circuit. One frequently referenced venue was The Ducie Bridge, and there was a really evocative memory shared of the very first stirrings of the festival:
“My favourite memory of MPF was standing at the front in The Ducie Bridge on the very first day of the very first MPF watching 2 Sick Monkeys completely tear the room to shreds. There were piles of people everywhere. I remember thinking that this was going to be the start of something really special. It was ambitious. Seeing a bunch of DIY bands from the same circuit that I had toured myself for the past 8 years taking over the city, seeing that there was a demand for it, being greeted by the smiling familiar faces of people who had travelled from miles around. MPF don’t need a massive headliner to bring people together, just a lineup of bands that get what this whole thing is about, unity and community.” Ben Hannah
This was also backed up by Matt, who simply wrote: “2 Sick Monkeys at the Ducie Bridge. Proper carnage in a much missed place.”
While Bod Cooke wrote poetically on the combination of a loved venue and MPF legends Wonk Unit:
“2016: Front centre, Wonk Unit, Sound Control Basement, hot, sweaty, singing every word, surrounded by genuinely beautiful people. One of my all time favourite gigs.“
It wasn’t just fans, though, as those who played or otherwise supported chipped in with memories both beautiful and hilarious:
“In 2016: Playing downstairs at Sound Control with Chewed Up to a packed house. Even though we played terrible, I had the best time with some of the best people who are now lifelong friends.“ Brian Damage
“In 2018 Beat the Red Light returned to what we called our 2nd home, Manchester. Headliners Propagandhi had just finished their headline set to close the day and we were in another venue preparing to open the after-party. Before we even played the first song, the venue hit capacity at 500 and I heard there was a further 200 waiting to come through the door. I’ve never felt so much adrenaline in such a long time. It was easily the most beautiful and chaotic show BTRL had ever played and a great way to end the band. This is what I love about that festival, it doesn’t matter what band you are, what genre of music you play. Everyone comes out and supports each other. It’s a community.“ Pook
Others didn’t play, but still went home with unforgettable memories:
“I’ve had loads! Watching Propaghandi sound check at Gorilla whilst sitting with Tree who was basically balling his eyes out was up there…or watching Jimbob from the green room, bent over puking in the street with his arse hanging out…” Kaz
Quite the Walt Disney moment, I’m sure. Anyway, who hasn’t been there on MPF weekend?
Scatalogical moments aside, we also received some great prose on some of the bands that have graced MPF:
An air raid siren played over the sound system and the legends that are DISCHARGE tore in to “The Blood Runs Red”, then straight in to “Fight Back”, “Hear Nothing, See Nothing, Say Nothing” and “The Nightmare Continues” … the nightmare continues indeed … it doesn’t matter how many times I see this current incarnation of DISCHARGE; it doesn’t matter that the set list doesn’t change much; it doesn’t matter where it is; they are always, absolutely blazing. The searing intensity of the two guitars, Rainey’s apocalyptic bass runs, the thundering relentlessness of the drums and the raw energy frontman JJ brings to the 40 odd year old classics will never ever get boring for me. They have, in their back catalogue, some of, if not, the, greatest Punk songs of all time and a whole hour of it? Well, it sent me bonkers. TOTAL FUCKING DISCHARGE. Anon.
Seeing Martha and Paint It Black back to back at Gorilla in 2017. What an unbelievably great one two punch. Lukas Hauser
In 2016, seeing Stöj Snak in Underdog for the first time and ending up in a conga line round the room smashing a tambourine. Awesome music and general good vibes with a room full of happy people. John O’Hare
My personal favourites of what we received, though, were those who captured the very essence of the festival that our merry band of volunteers do such an amazing job curating and bringing to life every year.
It helped to hear from one, too, of course – our very own Andy wrote some great words that resonated:
“As one of the organisers it’s so hard to pick. It’s relentless work, then the chaos of the weekend takes over and it’s so hard to take it all in. I love the bigger bands we get to play, but I’m doing this because I love supporting to smaller DIY bands. Seeing bands I’ve seen touring the small venues week in week out filling The Union, Gorilla or Breadshed always brings a tear to my eye. Seeing everyone enjoying themselves is just beautiful every year.“
While Troels possibly comes up with the best description of the festival – I think they think it’s “something else…”
This festival is something else. Been to a million festivals, but this is something else. It is hard to formulate into words what it is.
It is something else to see small bands that would normally play a basement in front of 20 people suddenly up on a stage with 500 people, and for it to feel that the band has been doing that for all their lives, even though it might be a first for them playing in front of such a huge crowd.
All the love you feel at every street corner is something else. All the community feel you experience every time you turn your head is something else. The amount of dedication, passion and honest warmth for this scene is something you can’t fake and it is in every drop of labor put into this festival. That is something else.
And the fact that the organizers managed to get a person in to greater Manchester from a suburb somewhere in 30 minutes to get all our gear that was locked away, so we didn’t miss our plane home was something else. Well, that was some words, but still not enough to do this festival justice. It is something else! Troels
They’re right, of course. This is an award-winning festival for a reason, but even if we had nothing to show for it, everyone’s response to the festival every year tells us enough. Whether you walk, fly, or even take this thing that occasionally turns up called a ‘train’, whatever that is – we all do it together, and it wouldn’t be the same without any of the wonderful people – you – who make it what it is.
I’ll use those who captured that feeling best with their words back to back as closers, because, frankly, I couldn’t have put it better myself.
There’s so many to pick from – but rather than a past memory, I focus on memories to be made. This year will be 10 years with one of my partners & we’re celebrating our Hag do (It’s like a stag do but cute) at 10 years of MPF! Thanks for all the epic queer punk loving times. Erik Rattus
My favourite MPF memory is how at home and included I felt, even though I’m not the ‘typical’ punk. I’ve been exposed to so many new things, music, bands, people and it really has made such a huge impact on my life. I adore the whole weekend and it’s something I look forward to every year now, thank you so much. Nadia Ingham
I say to Erik, Nadia, and all of you; I couldn’t agree more. We’ll be together again soon – and it’s time to start on the next decade of memories.
