O2 Ritz Manchester

Of the Oxford Road Corridor venues that are in widest use, it’s the Ritz that arguably carries the most history.

Built in 1928 by architects Cruickshank and Seward, the Grade II-listed Ritz was central to Manchester’s nightlife from its earliest days, drawing crowds in the 1930s and 40s with its famous sprung dancefloor and even a revolving stage. Originally designed as a dancehall, the venue retains much of its 1920s character — a large, circular room with one of Manchester’s only remaining sprung floors. Take the time to look up and around: the art deco interiors aren’t always obvious in the rush of a busy show, but they remain one of the venue’s enduring pleasures.

As entertainment in the city evolved, so did the Ritz. Club nights and live bands became its lifeblood, with the venue threading its way through Manchester’s changing musical landscape. John Cooper Clarke captured its place in city life in his 1978 track “Salome Maloney”, a snapshot of Oxford Road nights and the pull of the dancefloor.

It was on this stage that The Smiths performed their very first concert, and where Liam Gallagher chose to relaunch his post-Oasis career. Over the years, the venue has hosted a roll call of artists from Manchester and beyond, including New Order, The Stone Roses, Rage Against the Machine, R.E.M., and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.

At 1,500 capacity, including standing and seating options on the balcony that wraps around the venue, it’s as common with established big names as it acts enjoying their first flush of success – occasional student club nights tie the venue back nicely with its dancehall origins. Ritz is located at the very central end of Oxford Road, taking it outside of the university section of the city and right into the heart of Manchester centre, backing off onto Rochdale Canal and a stumble away from the site of the old The Haçienda. Before or after the show, this great heritage venue is perfectly accompanied by a pint at nearby heritage pubs the Britons’ Protection and the Peveril of the Peak, both dating back to the 1820s and both just behind the venue on Great Bridgewater Street.

Currently owned by o2, the venue has been lucky in its custodians – in the early 2010s, a £2m regeneration of the venue ensured not only state-of-the-art sound and lighting but enough future-proofing of the venue itself to ensure that the Ritz endures as a fixture here on the Oxford Road Corridor for many decades to come.