THE Manchester Food and Drink Festival (Sept 10-21) ought to be a voyage of discovery. One event that certainly is yokes multi-award winning chef Mary-Ellen McTague (below) with a pioneer of UK electronic music in a multi-sensory experiment.
If that sounds a bit daunting, the BBC Radiophonic Workshop’s Delia Derbyshire (1937-2001) was responsible for realising the original Doctor Who theme in 1963.
Taste of Manchester doesn’t expect to see Daleks at the food and music collaboration called The Green Lampshade at the Whitworth Gallery on Saturday, September 12.
It will see Huw Bunford (musician, soundscaper and guitarist from Super Furry Animals) play alongside performances of Derbyshire works by each of the founding Delia Darlings ( Caro C, Ailís Ní Ríain and Naomi Kashiwagi) in the Whitworth’s new Grand Hall.
Mary-Ellen McTague will serve an inventive and playful menu inspired by Delia Derbyshire, while experimental musician Denis Jones will also debut a new piece inspired by the Delia Derbyshire Archive, acquired by Manchester University in 2007.
Kara Blake’s The Delian Mode, a creative documentary exploring the life and work of Delia Derbyshire will also be screened.
Why is it called The Green Lampshade, TOM had to ask? It is named after one of the the electronic music whizz’s favourite effects: "My most beautiful sound at the time was a tatty green BBC lampshade."
The Green Lampshade. The Whitworth, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6ER. Saturday September 12, 4-10pm. Doors open 3.30pm. £50. Buy tickets here.
