Music & Manchester: A Match Made In Heaven

By Beth Shackleton

Manchester is magical; a cultural mixing pot, with its architecture and art attracting people from Birmingham to Beijing. But nothing shines quite like its music scene.

Manchester and music; the two go hand in hand. It’s the lifeblood, the very beating heart of music in the UK, boasting an impressive list of bands and artists who call this city home.

90’s bands like Oasis, The Smiths and The Stone Roses have become icons throughout the city, changing the face of the music scene forever. Their influence remains culturally and musically relevant still, paving the way for future generations of musicians to make their own mark in the industry. After the tragic bombing at the Ariana Grande concert at the O2 Arena, our beloved Oasis’ ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ became a theme of hope, love and endurance for the city; their mark on the music world powerfully unwavering to this day.

The popularity of indie music has risen in recent years, finding its footing in grungy student bars and local pubs. Bands like Blossoms and The 1975 have burst onto the indie scene, further cementing Manchester’s reputation for producing great music artists.

That’s not to say that other genres haven’t had their time in the spotlight. The punk rock era of the 1970’s, which saw the rise of bands like Buzzcocks, represented youthful rebellion and buffeted the popularity of leather jackets, spiked belts and graphic tees. The 1980’s ushered in the ecstasy-fuelled dance club scene that saw the origin of Madchester.

The 1990’s introduced Britpop bands, propelling our own Oasis to extraordinary heights. Manchester’s music timeline is rich with genre and always encompasses the down-to-earth nature you can expect from its’ inhabitants.

Yet, as ever, the music scene is fluid; constantly changing and evolving. The influx of students making Manchester their home has seen a trend of student bands taking up the mantle and putting their sound out. Pubs, bars and clubs can often be seen hosting gigs and open mic nights and every day you could find your next favourite band.

You might recognise

Furrowed Brow from stickers slapped across the city, but they made their name in Manchester and continue to hold a heavy presence.

DEAFDEAFDEAF, with their dark sound, and King Violet—an all girl rock band— still play in Manchester, but have made it big across the country, even reaching popularity in The Netherlands.

Wondering where you can go to watch live music?

Thankfully, Manchester is packed full of large venues:

Manchester Arena - located north of the city centre and partly above Manchester Victoria station. One of the largest venues in the UK, it has hosted music concerts since opening in 1995. Tends to host bigger artists who can sell out the 21,000 seats.

Manchester Apollo - Located in Ardwick Green. Became used solely for music performances in the 1970’s and hosts them all year round.

Manchester Academy - located in the University of Manchester campus. Began hosting concerts in 1963. Split up into 4 venues - Academy 1, 2, 3 and Club Academy.

Victoria Warehouse - located in Old Trafford. Made up of 2 storage warehouses and became exclusively a music venue in 2012.

Northern Quarter - considered the cultural heart of the city, and houses some of the best known (but smaller) venues such as Band On The Wall, The Roadhouse, and The Night And Day Café. In fact, Blossoms played their first gig at TNADC in 2013, and have skyrocketed to fame since. A great place to get started if you’re musically inclined!