Free things to in Manchester this weekend ft. Jamie Groovement + more

Free Vibes at Band on the Wall
Our first pick of free things to do in Manchester this weekend is this gig at Band on the Wall, the latest in their Free Vibes series. The legendary music venue will be hosting psych five-piece Psyblings – pronounced ‘siblings’ – who pull from influences as diverse as Hendrix and Ty Segall. Joining them on the night are krautdance outfit Afghan Sand Gang and electropoppers Hazy. If that’s not enough for you, DJs from Only Joking Records will also be hosting an after party in the venue’s Picturehouse bar.
Fri 26 Jan, Band on the Wall, 25 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JZ. 7.30pm – 11pm, www.facebook.com

Jamie Groovement at Hold Fast (pictured)
DJ, music writer and podcaster Jamie Groovement – also known by the moniker Agent J – comes to the Northern Quarter’s favourite nautical-themed bar this Friday night, for a free party. Jamie typically spins hip-hop, electronica and R&B and his set at Hold Fast will be no exception. He’s even helpfully assembled a Spotify playlist to give you a flavour of what to expect on the night. This is the first of what will become a monthly event.
Fri 26 Jan, Hold Fast, 50 Newton Street, Manchester, M1 2EA. 9pm – 3am, www.facebook.com

Trevor Griffiths at The Working Class Movement Library
This Saturday afternoon you can catch this free talk from playwright Trevor Griffiths on the life and ideas of Thomas Paine. Paine is one of the most important figures of the American revolution, and arbiter of many of the political ideas we take for granted. See our full preview for more details.
Sat 27 Jan, Working Class Movement Library, 51 Crescent, Salford, M5 4WX. Tel: 0161 736 3601, 1pm, www.wcml.org.uk

Journal and Sketchbook Making at Partisan Collective
DIY space Partisan Collective is opening up to the public this Saturday afternoon for a free craft session helping you create your own journals and sketchbooks, hosted by crafting collective Make Stuff. In the workshop they will be covering how to assemble your own journals on limited resources, and give some handy tips on how to arrange your sketchbooks to make them easier to scan through. The event is free to attend, but Make Stuff do ask for donations to keep their programme running – and bankroll the next workshop, which will focus on risograph printing.
Sat 27 Jan, Partisan Collective, 19 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, M4 4FY. 2pm – 6pm, www.facebook.com