Audio File
Fingathing, Rae & Christian, Aim, Unabombers, Jon K, Mark Rae, Riton, Only Child, Kate Mountain, Grand Central Records, Funky Fresh Few
The Roadhouse, Fat City
2026

A radio programme on Wythenshawe FM about Friends and Family:

This week, we’re in the mix as we look back at the legendary Friends and Family club night at the Roadhouse in Manchester. A legendary night where the sweat-soaked basement pumped out hip-hop, jazzy breaks, funk, soul and disco, as a sea of smiling faces bounced along — helping to shape Manchester’s musical identity in the early 2000s.

There were so many talented people involved but not exclusively, it included Aim, Rae & Christian, The Unabombers, Fingathing, Riton, Martin Brew, and Jon K, alongside a much wider community of DJs and regulars. Many later gravitated towards the Mint Lounge when the night moved — but the beloved basement club is where it all began and, for me, where its true home and heyday will always be.
Rooted in the Fat City Records and Grand Central Records scene, the night was more than just a party — it was a hub for underground music culture. Its legacy isn’t found in individual line-ups, but in the sense of belonging and shared experience it created — proof that small, independent spaces can leave a lasting cultural imprint.

A shout-out to Kate Mountain, who ran the Roadhouse — someone who truly understood the nuances of Manchester’s musical landscape. She had a gift for bringing the right people into her club and giving them the chance to showcase their talent. By giving nights like Friends and Family and Electric Chair a home, as well as the many bands that played week to week, she firmly stamped her mark on the city’s underground sound — helping those nights flourish while giving emerging bands a place to grow. A true legend.

I also want to pay tribute to the late, great Steve Lloyd of Noise box, who was responsible for the powerful sound that filled the club week after week and who, alongside Kate, gave me the chance in the mid-2000s to work under him and his team as a shadow sound engineer. I worked many band gigs and club nights at the Roadhouse while studying sound in Salford and learnt many tricks of the trade from Steve — a generous, kind, and humble man. Rest in peace, sir.

We are Plastic Fantastic – the vinyl show on Wythenshawe FM. Join us Wednesdays at 10 pm and Sundays at 11 am. www.wfmradio.org/ soundcloud.com/plastic-fantastic-on-wfm