Music Walking Tour

Big Hands

Big Hands is a firm favourite among Manchester’s gig-goers, known for its warm dive-bar aesthetic, giant speakers, and intimate-but-never-quiet gigs.
 

Both Big Hands and its sister bar, The Temple, were run by the much-loved and sadly missed Scott Alexander. A musician himself, Scott was passionate about supporting up-and-coming talent. Though he passed away in 2018, his spirit lives on in both bars. 

Just a stone’s throw from Manchester Academy, Big Hands is the perfect spot for pre- or post-gig drinks—keep your eyes peeled, you might just spot a band member from the show you’ve been watching. 

For a complete contrast to the Twin Peaks-esque interior, head up to the fabulously well-tended roof garden. 

Contact

The castle-shaped Contact has been a leading national theatre and arts venue for young people since its modern reinvention in 1999, playing a key role in supporting the next generation of Manchester artists. 

Manchester Academy

Manchester Academy sits at the heart of The University of Manchester campus, forming part of the Students’ Union. Despite its name, it has no connection to The Academy Group, which runs venues across the UK (including The Ritz here on the Corridor).

Hosting gigs in one form or another since 1963, Manchester Academy has welcomed a staggering lineup of musical icons. Think AC/DC, Pink Floyd, Blur, Oasis, The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, Queen, David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, Lady Gaga… you get the idea. And it’s still going strong—in 2024, a packed Academy saw Chappell Roan just as her star was about to go supernova.

In February 2014, Prince stunned Manchester with two last-minute gigs here as part of his Hit and Run Tour. Fans braved freezing rain hoping to snag a £10 ticket. Once inside, discomfort vanished as Prince and 3rdEyeGirl delivered an electrifying, career-spanning set, packed with extended jams.

The venue is split into four spaces. Academy 1 – the largest, with a 2,600 capacity, making it one of Manchester’s biggest non-arena venues. Academy 2, Academy 3, and Club Academy – each offering a more intimate setting for rising stars and cult favourites.

There is a story Ben told me about The Academy Group trying to stop them using the name even though they’d been around for years.

Holy Name Church

German pianist and conductor Sir Charles Hallé transformed Manchester’s musical landscape by founding Britain’s first permanent professional orchestra. Launching the Hallé Orchestra at his own expense, he set new artistic standards, championed affordable access to classical music, and helped establish what is now the RNCM, shaping the city into a powerhouse of musical excellence.

In 1895, the death of Hallé shocked Manchester and the wider musical world, with his funeral procession bringing the city to a standstill. His funeral service was held here, at the Neo-Gothic style Holy Name Church designed by Joseph A. Hansom and opened only twenty-four years previously. The Hallé Orchestra and Choir performed Mozart’s Requiem at the service presided over by the Bishop of Salford who said, “few men of our generation have brought greater renown to our country”.

The Holy Name is famously namechecked by The Smiths in the opening line of their song ‘Vicar in a Tutu’ from their 1986 album The Queen Is Dead. “I was minding my business, lifting some lead off the roof of the Holy Name Church.”

Do take a look around the back of the church for stunning, lesser-seen views.

Jabez Clegg

Built in 1892, the former Holy Name Church Hall later became a beloved student haunt in the ’90s and 2000s—Jabez Clegg. Named after the lead character in Isabella Banks’ (who wrote under the name G. Linnaeus Bank) Victorian novel The Manchester Man. A quote from the book can be found on the grave of Factory Records co-founder Tony Wilson in Southern Cemetery: 

Mutability is the epitaph of worlds
Change alone is changeless 

People drop out of the history of a life as of a land
though their work or their influence remains 

The Manchester Man
G. Linnaeus Banks, 1876 

Wilson was the driving force behind 1995’s In the City festival which saw Chemical Brothers in a headline slot here at Jabez Clegg. The venue welcomed many artists over the years with notable early shows for Babyshambles and The Arctic Monkeys before closing in 2013. 

The University of Manchester

The University of Manchester is better known for its 25 Nobel laureates, the discovery of graphene, the invention of modern computing, and the splitting of the atom than for its role in musical history. That said, amongst its current and former staff and students, the university can count Radiohead’s Ed O’Brien, composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, broadcaster, musician and writer Mark Radcliffe, composer and music academic John Casken, producer Giles Martin, keyboardist-turned-physicist Brian Cox, and the aforementioned Chemical Brothers’ Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands. 

Marian Millar made history here as the first woman in England to graduate with a degree in Music. She went on to work at the Manchester High School for Girls as a Professor of Pianoforte and Harmony, while also contributing articles, translations, and lyrics to musical publications. 

Today, the Martin Harris Centre for Music & Drama hosts a busy calendar of events, it’s a great spot to catch free lunchtime concerts from classical artists from around the world.

Optional Stop – University Green

If you’re looking for a spot to eat or drink, there are plenty of options here at University Green. We’ll point out more as we go.

Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM)

Epping Walk Bridge

Epping Walk Bridge is the site where iconic images of Joy Division were captured by photographer Kevin Cummins. It remains a popular spot for fans of the band to recreate the famous shot. As we cross Princess Parkway into Hulme, take in the views of the city centre—much of what you see today wouldn’t have been here when Stephen Morris, Ian Curtis, Bernard Sumner, and Peter Hook posed for Cummins on that snowy day, January 6th, 1979.

NIAMOS/Hulme Hippodrome/Playhouse Theatre

Originally known as the Hippodrome, this theatre space opened in 1902 and was designed to resemble a factory from the outside to match its surroundings. Over the years, it underwent several transformations before being purchased by the BBC. In 1962, The Beatles made their first of several visits to the Playhouse Theatre, where they recorded their BBC radio debut for Teenager’s Turn – Here We Go. Other artists to record here included The Kinks, U2, and A Certain Ratio.

The venue’s next incarnation was The Nia Centre, an arts centre dedicated to African and Caribbean cultures, which opened in 1991 with a performance by Nina Simone. Other notable acts in the 1990s included Zion Train, Mad Professor, and Aphex Twin. In 2012, Un-convention 39 took place here, bringing local favourites Fingathing, The Mouse Outfit, and Honeyfeet to the Nia stage alongside 808 State’s Graham Massey.

Optional Stop – Kim’s Kitchen

Kim’s Kitchen serves up responsibly sourced food and drink in a space which offers a relaxed atmosphere with good music. An ideal place to stop and recharge.

The Arch Bar

At just 20 years old, Amy Winehouse played her first gig outside London right here in Hulme. During the visit, she was interviewed by The Guardian, capturing a now-famous photo of a legend in the making. The Arch Bar—later known as Zar Bar—closed in 2013 and was eventually demolished to make way for student accommodation.

Manchester School of Art

Manchester School of Art, part of Manchester Metropolitan University, is one of the oldest art schools in the country. It was here that L.S. Lowry studied under Adolphe Valette—two painters renowned for their depictions of Manchester. Decades later, Oasis paid homage to Lowry’s style in the video for their 1995 single ‘The Masterplan’, which features a cameo from nearby music shop Johnny Roadhouse.

Another notable fine art student was Mick Hucknall, who, shortly after graduating, fronted The Frantic Elevators before forming Simply Red in 1985. He returned to the university in 2024 to receive an honorary doctorate for his contribution to music.

Many influential designers have graduated from Manchester School of Art, but two stand out for this tour. The first, Malcolm Garrett MBE, became a pioneering graphic designer, creating iconic record sleeve artwork for artists such as Buzzcocks, Duran Duran, Simple Minds, Heaven 17, and Peter Gabriel. He remains closely connected to the school as an ambassador and as a co-founder of the annual Design Manchester festival.

The second, Peter Saville CBE, is central to both modern Manchester and the story of Factory Records, which he co-founded in 1978 alongside Tony Wilson, Alan Erasmus, Joy Division manager Rob Gretton, and producer Martin Hannett. Saville’s designs are as synonymous with Factory Records as the music itself, with every release assigned a catalogue number—from FAC 1, his famous Use Hearing Protection poster, to FAC 501, Tony Wilson’s coffin, which Saville and designer Ben Kelly created after Wilson’s passing in 2007.

Saville has had a long career in music design, with his most famous work being Unknown Pleasures and his most infamous, the die-cut 12” sleeve for ‘Blue Monday’, which was so expensive to produce that Factory lost money on every copy sold.

In 2004, Saville was appointed Creative Director of the City of Manchester. He contributed to the redesigned Metrolink corporate identity and served as Artistic Advisor for Manchester International Festival.

The list of stage and screen talent who studied here is extensive, but one name worth mentioning is Steve Coogan. Best known for his TV character Alan Partridge, Coogan also portrayed Tony Wilson in Michael Winterbottom’s 2002 film 24 Hour Party People, which follows Wilson through the Madchester era. How much of the film sticks to the facts is debatable—after all, as Wilson himself said, “When given a choice between the legend and the truth, print the legend.”

Kurt Cobain Mural/The Bread Shed

A mural of Kurt Cobain was painted on the side of The Bread Shed in 2024 to mark the 30th anniversary of the Nirvana frontman’s death and encourage people to seek mental health support. Created by Akse P19 and commissioned by Headstock, the artwork raises awareness of the Shout 85258 text support charity. The location on the Corridor was chosen due to Nirvana’s historic gig at Manchester Academy.

The Deaf Institute

The Deaf Institute is a fantastic venue for live music. Housed in a striking neo-Gothic building, it first opened in 1878 as the Adult Deaf and Dumb Institute—a name still visible in the stonework above the main entrance. Funded by charitable donations and subscriptions, the institute often struggled financially and eventually closed in the 1970s. After years of varied use, it was abandoned for a long period and fell into disrepair.

In 2008, it was revived as the live music venue we know today. Now an essential stepping stone for rising stars, it has hosted acts such as Metronomy, Tame Impala, St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, Perfume Genius, Father John Misty, Charli XCX, Kae Tempest, and Little Simz. It’s also a favourite for intimate gigs by established artists, with lucky fans getting up close to legends like The Pretenders, Edwyn Collins, Jarvis Cocker, and Johnny Marr.

Johnny Roadhouse

Johnny Roadhouse was a professional saxophonist who played with the BBC, Hallé, and Liverpool Philharmonic orchestras, working alongside legends like Bob Hope and Elton John.

In 1955, while still performing, he opened his music shop on Oxford Road—a store that would go on to become a Manchester institution. Over the years, it has welcomed customers ranging from Joy Division and The Smiths to Buzzcocks and Oasis, who, as mentioned, featured the shop in their Lowry-inspired video for ‘The Masterplan’.

Legend has it that Paul McCartney once found himself in urgent need of a guitar while recording a session at the BBC’s old Oxford Road studios. Johnny stepped in to save the day, and that very guitar is now proudly on display in the shop.

His influence extended beyond rock—A Guy Called Gerald even named a song after Johnny Roadhouse, and 808 State are said to have sourced much of their early music equipment from the shop. By selling second-hand synths, keyboards, and other gear at affordable prices, Johnny helped fuel Manchester’s Acid House movement, giving bands the tools to experiment and create.

In 2005, Johnny Roadhouse was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Lord Mayor of Manchester, recognising his outstanding contribution to the city’s musical history. He passed away in 2009 at the age of 88, but his legacy lives on. Today, Johnny Roadhouse remains a family-run business managed by his son, John.

Circle Square/ New Broadcasting House

Opened in 1975, New Broadcasting House was the home of BBC North, housing BBC Radio Manchester, BBC North West, and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra— which is now one of three resident orchestras at the Bridgewater Hall.

The building played host to numerous TV productions, including performances filmed for The Old Grey Whistle Test, featuring The Police and Patti Smith. During the height of the Madchester era, it was home to the production of cult sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf—much to the frustration of its producers, as the cast spent their nights partying at The Haçienda before rolling straight into filming the next morning.

From 1981 to 1985, it was home to The Oxford Road Show, a youth-focused magazine programme that blended elements of Top of the Pops, The Tube, and Blue Peter. Hosted by a rotating lineup of presenters—including guest appearances from Ben Elton, Ade Edmondson, and Rik Mayall—the show featured an impressive roster of contemporary artists, such as Duran Duran, The Cure, Spandau Ballet, Madness, Queen, U2, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Bronski Beat, and The Smiths.

Legendary BBC Radio 6 Music DJs Mark Radcliffe and Marc Riley (better known as Mark & Lard) also broadcasted from Oxford Road for over a decade, including their infamous stint on the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show.

In 2012, New Broadcasting House was demolished, and BBC North relocated to MediaCityUK in Salford. The ‘On Air’ sign can be found behind the bar at YES later in the tour.

Its former site is now home to Circle Square, a vibrant pocket neighbourhood filled with offices, apartments, and an eclectic mix of food and drink spots. For a brief period, Canvas became its first music venue before making way for Ambers—an underground club with a strict “No Photos” policy and a secret lineup of top DJs. Since 2023, Circle Square has served as the hub for Manchester Psych Fest, a 6,000-capacity festival that takes over venues across the Oxford Road Corridor every summer.

Po Na Na

A lost hidden gem on Charles Street, was this Moroccan-themed club that felt worlds away from the usual Manchester nightlife. Tucked down a side alley, its low ceilings, candle-lit alcoves, and fabric-draped décor created an intimate, almost cave-like atmosphere. The music was just as distinctive, with DJs spinning funk, soul, and tribal beats, while the upstairs space hosted live bands and special guest sets from the likes of Mani (The Stone Roses) and Huey (Fun Lovin’ Criminals). Though Po Na Na was short-lived, it was a favourite for those looking for something a little different. Today, the site has been transformed into a restaurant, but for those who remember, it will always be one of Manchester’s most unique nightspots.

YES

Few music venues can truly claim to have something for everyone—but YES has always done things differently. Since opening in 2018, it’s become impossible to imagine the city without it. The brainchild of acclaimed Manchester independent promoters Now Wave, YES is the place to discover your new favourite band.

From its rooftop bar to its basement club, YES offers four floors of festivities, with The Pink Room (painted entirely pink, in case the name didn’t give it away) as the star of the show. Despite being only a few years old, it has already become one of the city’s most important stages, welcoming the likes of Yussef Dayes, The Murder Capital, black midi, Warmduscher, Weyes Blood, Arlo Parks, Julia Jacklin, Squid, Bob Vylan, Yard Act, Dry Cleaning, and countless others who have since gone on to fill much bigger stages across the world.

Joshua Brooks

Twice winner of the MEN ‘Best Venue’ Award, Joshua Brooks has been a mainstay of Manchester’s clubbing scene for more than 25 years. Its impressively equipped basement offers stunning sound and visuals, hosting some of the best names on the circuit.

FAC251/Paradise Factory/Factory

This previously derelict building on the corner of Charles Street was bought by Factory Records in the late ’80s. It was immediately covered with a mosaic of Shaun Ryder’s face from the iconic cover of Bummed by Happy Mondays, designed by Central Station. In 1990, it became the official headquarters of Factory Records—until the label declared bankruptcy in 1992.

Factory’s excess is perhaps best summed up by FAC 331, ‘The Temporary Contemporary Table,’ designed by Andy Woodcock. Commissioned by Tony Wilson for the Factory offices, the elaborate floating table was intentionally designed to be uncomfortable, in the hope of shortening meetings. It cost £2,000 at the time—nearly £5,000 in today’s money—but didn’t last long before being broken by Happy Mondays.

Paradise Factory was a groundbreaking gay nightclub that opened here in 1993. Designed by Factory-go-to Ben Kelly, it featured two dancefloors, three bars, a gallery, and a cinema, attracting a diverse crowd and hosting DJs like Chemical Brothers and performances by David Hoyle’s “The Divine David”. A key part of Manchester’s 1990s nightlife, it blended music, art, and LGBTQ+ culture, making it an iconic venue of its time.

In 2010, former Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook, along with original Haçienda designer Ben Kelly (again!) and audio specialists Funktion-One, renovated and reopened FAC 251 as the nightclub now known as Factory—a popular spot to this day.

This may lose relevance when the walks are plotted I.e. it could be the first time he’s mentioned

UMIST Barnes Wallis Building

This area was once home to the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). Among its notable graduates was Martin Hannett—producer, musician, and co-founder of Factory Records—who earned a degree in chemistry. Hannett produced the music of Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Psychedelic Furs, New Order, The Stone Roses, ESG, U2, and many more before his untimely death at 42 in 1991. His headstone in Southern Cemetery reads: “Record Producer And Creator Of The Manchester Sound.”

From 1966 to 1995, the Barnes Wallis Building hosted legendary gigs, drawing audiences to see Pink Floyd, Chuck Berry, Led Zeppelin, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Fall, Iron Maiden, Stereolab, Mazzy Star, and The Verve.

Today, the former UMIST campus is part of Sister, a £1.5 billion development set to transform the area.

Granby Row/Pluto Studios

Keith Hopwood, former guitarist and backing vocalist for Manchester 60s pop band Herman’s Hermits, opened Pluto Studios here on Granby Row.

Ahead of their gig at The Apollo, The Clash stopped by to record the single ‘Bankrobber,’ which would appear on their compilation Black Market Clash and reach number 12 in the UK charts. Interestingly, future Stone Roses co-founder Ian Brown was present at the recording, as he told The Observer in 2006:

“I was at the recording of ‘Bankrobber’. Me and my mate Pete Garner were walking down Granby Road in the middle of Manchester one day and we could hear these drums coming through the walls. Pete was a proper Clash fan and he was convinced it was them. Then Topper Headon walks out on to the street right in front of us!

He invited us downstairs into the studio to see what was going on. Mikey Dread was there and we got chatting. They were dead cool. Joe Strummer was sitting in the corner with a big, wide-brimmed hat on beneath this big grandfather clock, clicking his fingers in time to it. Paul Simonon asked us what our favourite film was and then said [affects authentic west London drawl]: ‘Mine’s Death Race 2000!’ Funny, the things you remember. Afterwards, we showed Johnny Green, their tour manager, the way to the record shop and he bought two copies of ‘London Calling’ – one for each of us. I’ll never forget it.”

The studio isn’t here anymore, but Pluto continues as a music production house specialising in composing and producing music for film, TV, advertising, animation, and games.

India House

Oasis songwriter Noel Gallagher lived in this apartment block between 1989-1993 where he wrote songs that would go on to define an era.

“India House is literally ground zero in the story of my musical life. I moved into a flat there with my then girlfriend in 1989, broke and bored. By the time I left in 1993 I’d joined my little brother’s band and had written ‘Live Forever’ and ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’”

Palace Theatre

Known as The Grand Old Lady of Oxford Street when it first opened in 1891, the Palace Theatre is a venue deeply woven into the fabric of the city’s cultural history. It has seen many legends of the entertainment world tread its boards, from Charlie Chaplin and Lillie Langtry to Judy Garland, Noel Coward, and Laurel and Hardy. Today, the Grade II-listed theatre remains one of the largest and best-equipped venues in the UK outside of London.

While better known for its stage shows today, the venue previously hosted some of the biggest names in music history, including Frank Sinatra, The Kinks, Helen Shapiro, The Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Fats Domino, Otis Redding, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Diana Ross, The Beach Boys, Queen, Tina Turner, and The Smiths—among many others!

More recent concerts at the venue have featured Thom Yorke, Tori Amos, and Joanna Newsom. The Palace has also been the venue of choice for some of the most famous shows in Manchester International Festival history, such as Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson’s The Yellow Pony, Rufus Wainwright’s opera Prima Donna, and a couple of stage collaborations with Damon Albarn. The first of these, Monkey: Journey to the West, saw Albarn partner with Gorillaz co-founder Jamie Hewlett to create an opera based on the Chinese novel. It premiered at the 2007 Manchester International Festival, with Albarn saying it was “Gorillaz, really, but we can’t call it that for legal reasons.”

Gorilla

Gorilla is just across the road, nestled underneath the railway arches. It was formerly home to the much-loved and highly influential theatre/creative space, Greenroom, until it closed after its removal from the Arts Council England’s National Portfolio.

Since 2012, it has become a very popular bar and music venue with a 550-capacity room. Johnny Marr describes it as one of the best venues in the country, and it’s the largest of the artery stages found along the Corridor, which help to propel talent to bigger stages.

Loyle Carner, Jamie xx, Hot Chip, Young Fathers, King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, Big Thief, Dua Lipa, Jorja Smith, Perfume Genius, IDLES, Phoebe Bridgers, and Fontaines D.C. have all played intimate shows here. In 2018, it was chosen by Kylie Minogue for one of only a few warm-up gigs before setting off on her arena tour.

The sound system is excellent, and there’s something quintessentially Mancunian about enjoying a gig beneath a railway arch. If you’re looking for a place to stop, the food and drinks are great too.

O2 Ritz Manchester

The Ritz is another classic music venue with rich history. Built in 1928 by architects Cruickshank and Seward, the Grade II-listed venue was central to Manchester’s nightlife in the 1930s and 40s, drawing visitors to the dance hall with its famous sprung dancefloor and revolving stage. As entertainment evolved in the city, so did The Ritz, with club nights and live bands becoming mainstays.

Salford punk poet legend John Cooper Clarke’s 1978 song ‘Salome Maloney’ is all about Oxford Road and a night at The Ritz, it’s worth sticking on your headphones for a listen:

“I was walking down Oxford Road, dressed in what they call the mode, I could hear them spinning all their smash hits, at the Mecca of the modern dance, the Ritz.”

In the 1980s, the Ritz’s club nights lived somewhat in the shadow of The Haçienda, with the venue attracting more students in the 1990s. A much-needed £2 million refurbishment in 2011 revitalised the venue, making it one of the most successful gig venues in Manchester during the 2010s.

New Order, The Nosebleeds, The Stone Roses, Doves, Elbow, The Fall, and other Manchester favourites have graced the stage. The Smiths played their very first gig at The Ritz in 1982, and just over a year later, they were appearing on Top of the Pops with “This Charming Man.” The venue has also hosted star-studded acts from across the world, including R.E.M., Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Rage Against the Machine, The Pharcyde, and MF DOOM.

De La Soul celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut 3 Feet High and Rising here as part of the Manchester International Festival, with special guests including Prince Paul, Mos Def, and Damon Albarn.

First Street

In 2014, ahead of the opening of HOME and the launch of First Street as a new city-centre destination, several streets and squares were named in tribute to pioneers who shaped Manchester’s cultural landscape: Tony Wilson Place, Jack Rosenthal Street, Isabella Banks Street, Annie Horniman Street, and James Grigor Square. 

Annie Horniman was a key figure in Manchester’s theatre scene. Jack Rosenthal was a renowned television writer. Isabella Banks, as we know, wrote The Manchester Man. James Grigor played a major role in Manchester’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games, which acted as a catalyst for the city’s transformation. He was also instrumental in the construction of Bridgewater Hall and the redevelopment of Manchester Central. 

Of course, Tony Wilson needs no introduction. In Tony Wilson Square, you’ll find a statue of Friedrich Engels, the 19th-century German writer and philosopher who authored The Condition of the Working Class in England. His friend Karl Marx frequently visited Manchester, and together they co-wrote The Communist Manifesto. 

Wilson once described himself as “a bit of a communist,” preferring to “make history rather than make money”—a philosophy that very much shaped the ethos of Factory Records. 

HOME, a £25 million multi-arts venue, opened in 2015 following the merger of two beloved institutions: Cornerhouse and Library Theatre Company. While its focus is on visual art, theatre, and cinema rather than music, its first-ever official performance was actually a gig. As part of the BBC 6 Music Festival, Nadine Shah, introduced by Mary Anne Hobbs, performed for an audience of builders in full hard-hat gear on what is now HOME’s main theatre stage, while the venue was still under construction. 

Since its opening, HOME has only hosted a handful of music events, including a David Lynch-curated series for Manchester International Festival and a summer of socially distanced outdoor gigs during COVID. 

Today, First Street plays a key role in Manchester Jazz Festival, hosting its opening weekend with three days of performances across multiple stages. 

Boardwalk

This converted office space, easily identified by its blue plaque complete with an acid smiley, is one of the most significant stops on this tour. Opened in 1876 as a Sunday School, the building would go on to host some of the most important cultural movements that helped shape modern Manchester. First up was The Hallé Orchestra, who used the upstairs as rehearsal space as part of Sir John Barbirolli’s post-Second World War revival of the orchestra. 

Its next occupants were The Green Room Amateur Dramatics Society. They didn’t have a lasting impact, but the next tenants did. Radiator, a performance collective, had a brief stint on Little Peter Street in the early ’80s. They borrowed the name of the previous tenants and set up under the arches at Whitworth Street a few years later as Greenroom. 

This building would come to be forever known as the Boardwalk when it was opened as a music venue by Colin Sinclair in 1985. Describing the scene in 1986, The Manchester Evening News reported the crowd were “so cool they make the Hacienda regulars look like a bingo outing.” 

The venue would become one of the most important in ushering in the Manchester music boom, with The Stone Roses, A Certain Ratio, Inspiral Carpets, Happy Mondays, The Charlatans, Badly Drawn Boy, and every other Manchester-centric band playing here. Oasis played their first show at the Boardwalk on 14 August 1991, returning to the stage several more times and using the building’s basement as rehearsal space, which was also used by Simply Red, James, and ACR. 

The venue also hosted major club nights, with the likes of Pete Tong, Erick Morillo, and Dave Haslam at the decks. Funkademia, Manchester’s longest-running club night, started here in 1995 and continues to this day just down the road at The Deaf Institute. 

Other bands who played here before it closed in 1999 include (and this is just a small selection) Radiohead, Blur, Rage Against the Machine, Doves, The Verve, The Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, The Replacements, and Spiritualized. It’s hard to imagine this vibrant past when looking at the quiet, smart-looking building that sits here today. 

Also, on this street once stood TJ Davidson’s rehearsal rooms, where the video for Joy Division’s ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ was shot.  

Haçienda

On the corner of Whitworth Street, now stands an apartment block named Haçienda; this was previously the location of the most famous, and arguably, the most important site in Manchester’s modern musical history: the Haçienda nightclub. 

The former warehouse, which opened in 1982, became the club that would go on to most characterise the Madchester era. Financed by New Order and Factory Records, the club’s iconic interior was designed by Ben Kelly. Early performances at the venue were varied, with Manchester regulars like The Smiths playing alongside Factory Records artists. Madonna’s first-ever UK TV performance was filmed here in 1984 for the television show The Tube. 

The Haçienda’s rise to prominence, as well as its infamy, developed alongside the acid house and rave scene of the late ’80s. Tracks like Happy Mondays’ “Wrote for Luck,” A Guy Called Gerald’s “Voodoo Ray,” and the rise of The Stone Roses and ‘baggy’ culture triggered a cultural movement to gravitate around Manchester, with The Haçienda at the centre of the storm. 

Despite this, the Haçienda lost money consistently. Partly due to bad luck, but also because of poor management. Entrance fees and bar prices were low, and staff and suppliers seemed to have continually ripped them off. As ecstasy became more widespread, most of the money made in the club was going to drug dealers. 

As Factory continued to lose money, various artists hit sticky patches and problems escalated with dealers and gangs, both inside and outside the club. Tragically, the first UK ecstasy death occurred here when 16-year-old Claire Leighton suffered a fatal reaction to the drug. 

Factory Records went bust, and the Haçienda became too notorious (and financially unstable) to continue. It closed its doors for the final time in 1997, and the original building was demolished. 

Before demolition, much of the Haçienda’s interior was auctioned off, with the proceeds going to charity. Some of the items listed included the DJ booth, parts of the stage, the bar, seating areas, the dance floor, and even the urinals. 

The Haçienda’s Factory Catalogue number was FAC 51, a nod to the “çi” in Haçienda. 

If you cross the road and access the Rochdale Canal towpath near the steps to the Metrolink, you can walk by the back of the apartments, where you will find a timeline illustrating key moments in the history of the club. 

Rochdale Canal Tow Path

Bridgewater Hall

The Bridgewater Hall opened in 1996 and became a state-of-the-art base for the Hallé Orchestra. It hosts many performances by the Hallé, the BBC Philharmonic, and the Manchester Camerata. 

The acoustics at the Bridgewater Hall are superb, partly due to its very unusual, multi-award-winning design. The hall’s 26,500-tonne superstructure sits on nearly 300 ‘giant springs,’ which would normally protect a building from earthquakes. In this case, they silence the noise and vibration from passing trams. 

The auditorium seats just under 2,500 people, with the focal point being a £1.2 million pipe organ featuring 5,500 pipes. At the time of its construction, the organ was the largest instrument to be installed in the UK for a century. 

One of the most fascinating buildings in Manchester and emblematic of the city’s post-industrial transformation, it’s well worth booking yourself on one of Bridgewater Hall’s regular building tours. 

The Bridgewater Hall sits in Barbirolli Square, and to the right of the main entrance, you’ll find a bust of John Barbirolli. Barbirolli was a cellist and conductor who joined the Hallé Orchestra during the Second World War, when it was on the brink of collapse due to dwindling numbers. After an intense audition and recruitment campaign, he quickly strengthened the orchestra’s musicians, allowing the Hallé to begin playing again. He remained with the Hallé for the rest of his life. 

As well as welcoming classical orchestras from around the world, the Bridgewater Hall has provided a stunning stage for concerts by the likes of Paul McCartney, Joan Baez, Van Morrison, Dolly Parton, Sinéad O’Connor, Morrissey, Nick Cave, PJ Harvey, David Byrne, Ólafur Arnalds, Liza Minnelli, Ravi Shankar, Kraftwerk, and Arvo Pärt. 

Manchester Central Convention Complex

Commonly known as Manchester Central—or for those who have lived here for some time, still affectionately thought of as the G-MEX (Greater Manchester Exhibition Centre, as it was called until 2007)—this iconic building has had a fascinating history. 

Originally opened in 1880 as Manchester Central Railway Station, it served the rail network for 89 years. At its peak, more than 400 trains passed through the station every day. 

In 1986, the old station was brought back to life as a concert venue and exhibition centre. The first major music event was Factory Records’ FAC 151: Festival of the Tenth Summer, celebrating ten years since the Sex Pistols’ infamous 1976 gig at The Lesser Free Trade Hall—the “gig that changed the world.” The festival lineup included Frank Sidebottom, John Cooper Clarke, New Order, The Fall, and The Smiths. 

From then on, G-MEX became Manchester’s biggest indoor music venue, with a 9,000-capacity that made it the city’s go-to arena until the opening of Manchester Arena in 1995. Over the years, it hosted performances from Simply Red, Depeche Mode, James, INXS, Björk, The Prodigy, Pixies, Prince, Metallica, Radiohead, Take That, Carl Cox… and even MC Hammer. 

In 1992, it was the site of Stop Sellafield, a Greenpeace-organised concert protesting the construction of a second nuclear plant in Cumbria. Originally planned for Heaton Park with an expected audience of 100,000, the event was denied a licence and moved to G-MEX instead. U2 headlined a lineup that also featured Kraftwerk, Public Enemy, and Lou Reed. 

A £30 million overhaul was completed in 2009, and since 2015, Manchester Central has primarily functioned as an exhibition and conference centre. However, in 2021, Manchester International Festival briefly reimagined the space as a music venue once again, with Damon Albarn and Arlo Parks performing. 

Edwardian Hotel/Free Trade Hall

Look up to the top of this building, and you’ll see the words “Free Trade Hall.” Originally opened in 1856 as a political meeting hall, it later became one of Manchester’s most significant concert venues. While the original façade remains, much of the building was reconstructed after suffering damage during World War II. 

Two legendary concerts held here have gone down in music history. 

The first was Bob Dylan’s infamous 1966 gig, where he was heckled for “going electric”—switching from his traditional folk sound to an electric guitar. A bootleg recording of the concert captures an audience member shouting “Judas!” at Dylan, a moment that became one of the most famous in rock history. The recording was mistakenly labelled as the Royal Albert Hall concert, a myth that persisted for years. Interestingly, the 2024 biopic A Complete Unknown inaccurately relocates the event to the Newport Folk Festival, but make no mistake—it happened right here in Manchester. 

The second historic moment came in June 1976, when the Sex Pistols played at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in what has been called “the gig that changed the world.” Only 35 to 40 people were in the audience, yet hundreds—if not thousands—later claimed to have been there. A second gig took place the following month, which might explain some of the confusion. 

Among those in attendance at one of these shows were future Manchester music legends: Morrissey, Mick Hucknall, and members of both The Fall and Joy Division. Also watching was Tony Wilson, who would later give the Sex Pistols a slot on his TV show So It Goes, helping to launch their influence beyond Manchester. 

For those in the audience, seeing the raw energy and rebellious spirit of punk firsthand was a revelation. It proved that anyone could get up on stage and make music—no record label, industry backing, or musical training required. This wasn’t just a gig; it was a catalyst. 

The Sex Pistols may not have changed the world that night, but they definitely changed Manchester. 

Albert Hall

Across the road stands The Albert Hall, a breathtaking venue with a fascinating history. Originally built in 1908 as a Wesleyan chapel, its grand meeting space remained hidden for decades—until its revival in 2013 for the Manchester International Festival. 

That year, Maxine Peake took to the stage in a haunting performance, evoking the memory of the Peterloo Massacre, which took place just yards from the building in 1819. In an unforgettable moment, she recited all 37 verses of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem The Masque of Anarchy, as the audience sat in silent reverence. 

Following this, The Albert Hall was fully transformed into one of Manchester’s most visually stunning music venues. It officially reopened in 2014, with Anna Calvi performing the inaugural show, and has since become home to some of the best gigs in the city. 

The Theatre Royal

The Theatre Royal, opened in 1845, and was originally dedicated to William Shakespeare whose statue still watches over the entrance today. Despite its grand beginnings, competition from other theatres led to its transformation into a cinema in 1921, followed by a stint as a bingo hall. 

In 1989, the building took on a new life as Discotheque Royale, one of Manchester’s most popular nightclubs at the time. It even played host to the TV music show The Hitman and Her. Among its notable moments was Take That’s first-ever TV appearance in 1990, where they were introduced by Michaela Strachan as “Britain’s answer to New Kids on the Block.” 

Since 2011, the Theatre Royal has remained abandoned. While various redevelopment plans have been proposed, none have yet come to fruition. 

Manchester Gentleman’s Concert Hall

The Concert Hall on the corner of St Peter’s Square and Lower Moseley Street opened in 1830. Built in Greek Revival style, it held around1200 people before being demolished in 1898 to make way for the Midland Hotel. The Manchester Guardian said of its demolition: 

“not only one of the most elegant rooms in Manchester, but it has interesting music traditions such as attach to no other place in the district” 

It was here that Fredric Chopin played in 1848, and The Guardian review is still available to read online today: 

“Chopin appears to be about thirty years of age. He is very spare in frame, and there is an almost painful air of feebleness in his appearance and gait. This vanishes when he seats himself at the instrument, in which he seems for the time perfectly absorbed. Chopin’s music and his style of performance partake of the same leading characteristics – refinement rather than vigour – subtile elaboration, rather than simple comprehensiveness in composition – an elegant, rapid touch, rather than a firm, nervous grasp of the instrument.” 

This concert is why the RNCM still hold the ‘Chopin Prize’ to this day. 

Central Library

Manchester’s Central Library was opened by King George V in 1934.  Its style is neo-classical and was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, recently benefiting from a four-year, £40 million renovation. Its reopening was curated by the band Everything Everything and featured a haunting performance from Jesca Hoop in the library’s Reading Room. 

The Henry Watson Music Library (located on the first floor) is one of the largest public music libraries in the country, offering a huge range of books, printed music, CDs and DVDs to borrow.  There is also a music streaming service, and a collection of manuscripts, rare material that can be viewed on appointment and pianos, digital drum kits and guitars you can practise on. 

Not to be missed is the first floor Wolfson reading room.  Many a Manchester student has spent hours studying here, including Morrissey who talks fondly of the library.  “I was born in Manchester Central Library. In the crime section” he once quipped. Years later, he was reportedly thrown out of the library for trying to do a photo shoot without getting permission. 

In the mid-eighties, when The Stone Roses were still struggling for attention, singer Ian Brown and drummer Reni went on a graffiti spree, tagging the band’s name across the city including here at Central Library. Long since scrubbed off, the stunt somewhat backfired with the band being branded ‘hooligans’.  

Singer-songwriter Ewan MacColl was a regular at the library.  He left school in 1930, when there were limited job prospects.  Central Library offered the chance of self-education and was a great place to meet friends.  MacColl s best-known for ‘Dirty Old Town’ about his childhood in Salford. 

Fagin’s/Rafters/Jilly’s

Now home to Tesco at the St James Building on Oxford Street, this site was once a cornerstone of Manchester’s music scene, hosting legendary venues that left a lasting impact on generations of Mancunians. 

It began in 1970 with Fagin’s, a ground-level club that welcomed cabaret, comedy, and music, featuring performances from Lulu, Scott Walker, and even Nico with Bauhaus in 1981.  

In 1974, Rafters opened in the basement, becoming a key venue for live music. On April 14, 1978, Joy Division played there as part of the Stiff Test/Chiswick Challenge, a UK talent show run by London record labels. Taking the stage at around 2 a.m., the band was in an aggressive mood—Ian Curtis, already frustrated, had drunkenly confronted Tony Wilson for not featuring them on his TV show. But that night changed everything. Wilson later claimed it took just seconds of their performance to convince him they were something special. Rob Gretton, who worked at Rafters, would soon become the band’s manager, playing a key role in their journey to Factory Records. Ian Curtis’s suicide in 1980 left behind a seismic legacy, influencing generations of artists. The surviving members would go on to form New Order, continuing to shape music far beyond Manchester. 

Rob Gretton recalled that night in Rafters: 

“So they went on about ten to two and they were blazing madmen. And I just went and watched them. Great! Best band I’ve ever seen – and they sent a tingle up my spine. And I was dancing all over…I went up telling them – at the end – telling them how brilliant I thought it was … And I went raving about them all next day.” 

In its later years, Rafters became a vital hub for jazz-funk and Black music in Manchester, with DJs like Colin Curtis, John Grant, and Piccadilly Radio legend Mike Shaft shaping the city’s club culture. After Rafters closed in 1983, the space evolved into Jilly’s, already a popular rock night that later expanded into Jilly’s Rockworld. In the early 1990s, the basement became The Music Box, home to Eclectic Chair, one of Manchester’s most influential club nights. 

When Jilly’s Rockworld and The Music Box finally closed in 2010, it marked the end of a four-decade chapter in Manchester’s music history. But the memories live on—Jilly’s, in particular, is still mourned by a loyal following, with its spirit revived at one-off nights at The Ritz throughout the year. 

The Gaumont /Rotter

It’s hard to imagine that on the spot of this uninspiring car park once stood the finest Italian Renaissance-style picture house in Manchester. The Gaumont was a stunning auditorium that could pack in as many as 2,300 people per show from 1935 until 1974, when it eventually closed its doors. It lay dormant until the decidedly rougher-around-the-edges Rotters nightclub opened in its basement before the building was ultimately demolished to make way for the car park that stands here today. For a brief period in the late seventies and early eighties, Rotters welcomed some big names to its stage, including Slade, Ozzy Osbourne, Motörhead, and Killing Joke. 

The Temple

In the 1970s and 1980s, number 3 Chepstow Street was home to Yanks record shop, which specialised in imports. One customer was Pat Carrol, cousin of Shaun Ryder and one-third of Central Station, along with his brother Matt and Karen Jackson. They were the artists behind the artwork for Black Grape and Happy Mondays and famously fly-posted The Factory office with Shaun’s Warhol-influenced portrait.   

Behind the counter worked a young Steven Patrick Morrissey. He writes in his autobiography: 

“Yanks is a messy record shop somewhere behind the old Gaumont Cinema on Oxford Road. It is a large, damp cellar stacked with cut-price US deletions, and it is here that I ring the till for a few months – wrapped in a heavy overcoat, as the cellar quite naturally has no heat.” 

Here is where we end the tour, a bar in a converted Victorian underground public toilet.  The Temple of Convenience, to give it its full name, is somewhere you need to check out for yourself. It is quirky and small – very small – with a fabulous jukebox; another favourite hangout amongst local musicians. 

Guy Garvey of Elbow used to live nearby and spent a lot of time here, with other members of the band.  The line “there’s a hole in my neighbourhood down which of late I cannot help but fall” from the song ‘Grounds for Divorce’, is referring to The Temple. 

When Elbow won a Grammy Award in 2008, they said it didn’t really sink in until they took it into The Temple.