Mr. Scruff, Mikey D.O.N and MC Kwasi at Escape to Freight Island

Johnny James, Managing Editor

Book now

Mr. Scruff, Annabel Fraser & Lee Andrews

Freight Island, Manchester
12 December 2020

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Mr Scruff
Book now

Mr. Scruff, Mikey D.O.N and MC Kwasi bring us 11 hours of musical escapism, presented live at Escape to Freight Island and streamed online.

Headlining the event is Manchester club legend Mr. Scruff, who’ll be spinning his usual potpourri of genres including hip hop, soul, house, funk, jazz and reggae. In addition to his highly acclaimed production work, his inimitable raw dancefloor magnetism has seen him host his own tent at The Big Chill Festival and run regularly rammed-to-the-rafters Keep It Unreal sessions at Band On The Wall (Manchester) and KOKO (London).

Joining Mr. Scruff will be Mikey D.O.N, another legend in the local music scene, whose musical tastes are just as ecclectic. He started DJing reggae, soul and electro at parties and venues from the age of 12 years old, before starting a rap group called KRISPY 3, who later became one of the first Hip Hop acts from the UK to do BBC Radio 1 Sessions for ‘Sir’ John Peel (R.I.P.) and also Steve Lamacq and Jo Whiley. Later he became involved in the acid house scene, frequenting and DJing at countless warehouse parties in Lancashire, while also starting the legendary ‘TAKE 5’ club night, which specialised in funk, disco, soul and hip-hop.

 

Stringing everything together will be the ever-vibrant MC Kwasi, who’s worked with the likes of Black Swan Lane, The Chameleons, Suns Of Arqa, The Messengers, Mark Rae, DJ Vadim, Beatphreak and Mr. Scruff.

To attend the physical event, reserve your table via the Escape to Freight Island website. Or tune in on the day via Mixcloud live for a fundraising live stream, in aid of the Reach out to the Community organisation in South Manchester.

Where to go near Mr. Scruff, Mikey D.O.N and MC Kwasi at Escape to Freight Island

One Star Doner Bar
Manchester
Bar or Pub
One Star Doner Bar

One Star Döner Bar is the latest addition to the fast-growing Escape To Freight Island, the exciting urban market located at Depot Mayfield.

Mayfield Park (Map location 13) - Manchester Bloomtown Map photos
Manchester
Mayfield Park

Manchester has a new green heart: The 6.5 acre Mayfield Park, complete with the largest public playground in the city.

Manchester
Music venue
The Star & Garter

The Star and Garter is a legendary Manchester pub and music venue located in a grade II listed building on Fairfield Street.

Manchester
Restaurant
Brasa
at Freight Island

Brasa is the latest project from Caroline Martins, serving up an inspired take on Brazilian barbecue feasts at Manchester’s Freight Island.

Manchester
Restaurant
Mayfield

Mayfield is about to be reborn. Innovation, audacity and imagination are in the air, as energy, ideas and life return to this neglected part of Manchester city centre.

La Clique at Depot Mayfield
Manchester
Event venue
Depot Mayfield

A former railway station now acting as a multi-purpose event space and home to various pop-up events

ABC Taproom
Manchester
Bar or Pub
ABC Taproom

ABC Taproom is part of the Alphabet Brewing Co. Open Friday and Saturday nights, go here to enjoy some of Manchester’s very best beer.

What's on: Music

Greg Freeman by Steve Gullick
MusicManchester
Greg Freeman at YES

Greg Freeman mines local history for character-driven tales of violence, loss and epiphany on his second album, Burnover.

From £18.00
Music
Kavari at The White Hotel

Fresh from one of the year’s most uncompromising EPs, Kavari brings her Aphex Twin-endorsed, hard-clipped sound to Salford.

From £11.00
Ora Cogan by Alexa Black.
MusicManchester
Ora Cogan at The Abbey

Gothic country ballads, psych-folk drones and pedal steel drawn long and slow. Ora Cogan brings her witchy country to Now Wave’s new (old) pub.

From £18.50
MusicManchester
Wednesday at The Ritz

Victory lapping the best album of their career so far, there hasn’t been a better moment yet to catch these North Carolina rockers.

From £29.95
MusicManchester
Manchester Psych Fest 2026

O2 Apollo becomes Pysch Fest’s main stage for the first time, with Billy Nomates and bdrmm heading the final wave.

From £44.80
Encounter Festival 2026
FestivalsLancashire
Encounter Festival in Preston

Preston comes alive with outdoor theatre, live music, dance and family-friendly creativity in one of the North West’s most joyful festivals.

Free entry

Culture Guides

Food and Drink in the North

Squeeze the most out of these final weeks of summer thanks to our mid-August guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.

Exhibitions

Summer isn’t usually a high point in the exhibitions calendar, but Greater Manchester’s small galleries seem to have made a pact to change that this year.

Matt Spratt.
Music

Aphex Twin-endorsed electronica, an eight-hour organ marathon and the most exciting band in Ireland's current folk revival all feature this month.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre

From intimate dramas to spectacular outdoor festivals, discover the North West performances worth adding to your diary.

Emily Lloyd-Saini as Grace in Space and Harrie Hayes as Lieutenant Strong in Horrible Science
Family things to do in the North

Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Cinema in the North

There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.