For The Locals: Community champions Club Curated win SOUP Thursday Initiative

For over 14 years, SOUP has been a pillar of Manchester’s underground music scene, giving a platform to emerging DJs and promoters while maintaining a fiercely independent, community-driven ethos. That ethos took centre stage in late 2024 when they launched their Thursday Initiative—a competition designed to find and nurture the next generation of Mancunian club promoters, offering three winners the chance to run their own night at SOUP’s formidable Thursday slot.

At the end of last month, the winners were announced, and we’re diving into each of them to give you a taste of what to expect. First, we looked at -140, a grime and dubstep-fueled clash of heavyweight sounds. Now, it’s time to turn our attention to ‘Club Curated’ - a night built on musical discovery, genre fluidity, and grassroots community spirit.

Founded by PJ, Club Curated is all about variety and inclusivity. The night champions open decks, grassroots events, and genre-blurring sets, and looks set to bring a fresh, dynamic energy to SOUP’s basement. With lineups spanning from garage to jungle, this night promises a high-energy musical journey with a strong focus on Manchester’s underground talent.

On Club Curated, PJ said: "We do all different projects. We do a great variety across the community. So like open decks, club nights, anything in between. This one in particular is really exciting because we've got Selecta Cee headlining

"I'm excited to see a return to the basement with that energy. We've also got some incredible co-headliners who are a new collective that are launching some of Manchester's strongest female jungle DJs."

The emphasis of this first Club Curated at SOUP is on the journey - starting with garage and gradually building up to fast-paced jungle rhythms, showcasing the evolution of UK club sounds in a single night.

"Grassroot events, you know, focusing on these smaller capacity venues is really important to me and the brand."

"Grassroot events, you know, focusing on these smaller capacity venues is really important to me and the brand. As well as community projects, we love doing open decks. We've always got an open deck on the calendar. And I think that's a really vital opportunity to help build that bridge for people."

Having navigated the challenges of being a young promoter and artist, PJ is looking to use this opportunity at SOUP to give back and is passionate about giving others a space to grow, experiment, and find their sound.

"I DJ myself as well. So I know what it's like to go on that journey of trying to find your feet and to help others find their feet through different means I think is really special. Being a young promoter has been interesting. I've been doing it for a couple of years and done different projects, different scopes and stuff. It's always been quite challenging I think, but it's nice to get to somewhere that's so respected and so loved."

"It's amazing to get that support, questions, even just like share where I'm at and like hear new ideas and fresh ideas. It's really valuable and I'm really grateful for that."

Club Curated is shaping up to be a must-attend event for anyone looking to explore the full spectrum of UK club music in an intimate and community-driven setting. Expect deep basslines, rapid-fire breakbeats, and a night dedicated to pushing Manchester’s underground scene forward—one carefully curated selection at a time.

Grab tickets to the first edition of Club Curated at SOUP on Thursday 27th February below:

Buy tickets:

Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

Header image credit: SOUP on Facebook

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