After what could have possibly been the longest summer of your life, the time has finally come to pack up your things and say hello to the big city. With venues that provided the spring board for Mancunian artists’ international success such as Happy Mondays, 808 State and New Order, and modern talents like Bugzy Malone, The 1975 and Blossoms, music is woven through the infrastructure of Manchester, and is written into the DNA of its people. If you’re wondering where to even begin in the city that has it all, and how to make the most of it on a student budget, this guide will point you to the right places.
The Deaf Institute
With its massive disco ball, animal-print wallpaper, and red velvet booths, The Deaf Institute is known for hosting some of the city’s best emerging talent. The building itself has a history just as eclectic, dating back to 1878 when it housed the Manchester’s Adult Deaf and Dumb Institute. Nowadays, it’s a staple of the Manchester music scene, hosting a range of indie, alternative, and acoustic gigs, as well as themed club nights. Just a stone’s throw from Oxford Road, it takes centre stage of student-ville and offers live music from evening into the night.
💸 Event tickets from £3
📍 The Deaf Institute, 135 Grosvenor St, Manchester M1 7HE.
SOUP
In the corner of the Northern Quarter’s Stevenson Square you’ll find SOUP, known by natives and newcomers alike for its distinctively Mancunian embrace. Hosting a selection of live artists, inhouse collection DJs and Steam radio residents, SOUP blends international icons and homegrown talent to fill its jam packed programme across the two floor venue. With some free events and many tickets starting from just £5, this no frills, music first venue will become a staple of your nightlife roster.
💸 Free events
📍31-33 Spear St, Manchester M1 1DF.
O2 Ritz
Most notable artists who passed through Manchester on their rise to fame have played at the Ritz, from The Smiths to the Arctic Monkeys, the venue has an atmosphere thick with the energy of gigs that later became legends. Its mix of established acts, rising stars and club nights make it a must for students wanting to soak up the top dogs while catching the next big thing.
📍Whitworth St W, Manchester M1 5NQ.
YES
Think of YES like the Disneyland of nightlife— the kind of place you meet a friend for a post-lecture £3.95 Amstel and end up leaving at 4am. Across its four floors it has everything; a club in the basement where it platforms up and coming musicians, a ground floor dining area serving fresh Pepperoni Playboy pizza, the 250 capacity Pink Room where established artists on the rise perform, and a rooftop terrace overlooking the city’s post-industrial skyline. Its location between Oxford Road and Canal Street, generous all day happy hour, and both free and budget friendly ticketing make YES a firm staple of Manchester’s student culture.
💸 £3.95 Amstel, 2 for £12 cocktails, free events
📍 YES, 38 Charles St, Manchester M1 7DB.
Manchester Academy
Tucked in the basement of the University of Manchester’s Students’ Union you will find Manchester Academy, a space which unites students and locals alike in its hosting of up and coming artists. Despite the venue’s small capacity, it has provided a stage for some of the biggest acts in the world, with The Smiths, Amy Winehouse, Wu-Tang Clan, Kylie Minogue and The Stone Roses passing through. In the upcoming months, they will host Bob Vylan, sombr, and Bar Italia— possibly the last chance to catch these rapidly growing artists in an intimate venue. Not many Students’ Unions can confidently say they have contributed to their city’s musical culture as successfully as the Academy, which is an enduring symptom of the music-consciousness of Manchester’s students and locals alike.
📍Manchester University Students’ Union, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PR.
Band On The Wall
In the heart of Manchester’s historic market district and on the site of many demonstrations during the Industrial Revolution, Band on the Wall is testament to the Mancunian ethos, where community is forged by creativity. One of the oldest music venues in Manchester and the world, they have been hosting concerts since 1803, and have seen the likes of Buzzcocks, Björk and most of Factory Records’ signings pass through their walls. Their programming still receives international acclimation, offering funk, folk, reggae and jazz to name a few, and nights from their resident DJs Mr. Scruff and Craig Charles. Visiting this venue feels like stepping into Manchester’s history while watching new chapters being written.
📍 Band on the Wall, 25 Swan St, Manchester M4 5JZ.
Amber’s
Amber’s have a mission to bring back the art of raving. With unannounced performers and a total ban on filming, Amber’s frees the club-goer from the distractions of chasing big names and Instagram worthy moments, rewarding the partier with £5 tickets in their plight to reignite the intimacy of the nightclub space. Just across the road from YES and within the student golden triangle, this budget-friendly, style over substance space is where you can catch up and coming talent or seasoned DJs, all you need to do is take the chance.
💸 £5 tickets
📍1, Circle Square, 3 Symphony Park, Manchester M1 7FS.
renae
New kid on the block renae is a multi-concept music led space in the heart of Thomas Street. It’s home to Manchester’s only L-Acoustics Syva sound system, crafted by the city’s leading sound designer Soundhaus, and hosts a plethora of events from album launches, to jazz nights, live sets, plus resident and guest DJs on rotation. Offering a selection of bespoke cocktails, natural wines, and craft beers, renae is definitely more up market than your typical student venue, however its pioneering approach to listening bars in Manchester earns its spot as a well deserved treat.
💸£6.50 cocktails 4 – 7pm, Monday to Friday
📍45-47 Thomas St, Manchester M4 1NA.
Manchester Cathedral
Although a big part of it, Manchester’s musical heritage is not all about sweaty club rooms or maxed-out amps. At over 800 years old, Manchester Cathedral’s concerts offer the perfect respite from the city’s late night music scene. Now hosting Candlelight concerts with classical pieces to pop tributes, there is not a more relaxed and memorable way to connect with the city’s music heritage than under the warm glow of candlelight. It’s the perfect place to take a date, a mate, visiting parents, or just to try something new.
💸10% student discount with StudentBeans
📍 Manchester Cathedral, Victoria St, Manchester M3 1SX.
What makes student life in Manchester so exciting is not just our world-class universities, but the city’s culture that is as diverse as it is vibrant. It’s an exciting era to join the Mancunian family as many things continue to evolve over recent years; our skyline, road systems, and MUFC’s positioning in the Premier League table. But one thing about the city will never change— its nuclear position within the UK music scene. How will you be a part of it?