Music provides icing on cake

CHARLIE BOON

GREAT music and fabulous cakes ­- what more could a young family wish for on a leisurely Saturday afternoon in Manchester's Northern Quarter?

Now, you can enjoy both in plentiful supply each weekend once again thanks to the re-launch ­- after six years ­- of 'Mrs Boon's Tea Parties' at the Bunker inside the Black Dog Ballroom every Saturday from 1pm to 4pm.

Baking expert Charlie Boon provides the cakes and tea, husband (and Inspiral Carpets legend) Clint spins the tunes, while a top-notch band or solo artist add an acoustic set during what is a most pleasurable afternoon's entertainment.

The tea parties returned a couple of weeks ago with a terrific short set from Mossley's finest, Cabbage, and they have proved extremely popular since.

Charlie, whose first tea party was staged almost exactly a decade ago in Manchester's TV21 Bar, said: "We took a break for a while to have another child, but it was always in the back of our minds to bring it back.

"It was flattering when people remembered the tea parties and they were asking 'when are you going to start them up again?'

"We did look at a few venues last year, but it has been hard to find the right one.

"We've got one now, and it is lovely to see the children feeling like grown-ups next to the bands.

"That's one of the most appealing things. You can go into town, parents can have a drink if they want, but the kids are opening their eyes to live music.

"There were two little girls in princess dresses at the launch party in front of Cabbage. They were just holding hands, twirling round while the band were playing. That will never happen at any other Cabbage gig!"

The Travelling Band, Feed the Kid, Liam McClair and Billy Bibby are just some of the terrific acts who will feature at forthcoming tea parties, with hopefully some even bigger names to follow for parents and kids to enjoy.

Clint said: "A lot of time it will be well-known bands or artists, depending on who's in town really and what favours I can pull.

"In the past we had people like Maximo Park, the Enemy, Reverand and the Makers and even Franz Ferdinand.

"It's great when people like that come and play."

Tickets are available via links on the Mrs Boon Twitter page ­- @mrsboonscakes.