The legendary venue is where many people discovered a love for alternative music and spent countless nights out in their formative years as university students.
Based on the stories sent to The Manc, Fifth Ave was the venue where people met their wives and husbands and celebrated some serious milestones.
Even the bad bits – like the way your shoes would aggressively stick to the floor and the toilet doors never locked – now seem like part of its charm.
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Fifth Avenue on Princess Street. Credit: Google Maps
It also had its own microclimate, with the sweat from the dancefloor turning into condensation across the ceiling and dripping back down on revellers. Lovely.
Across the board, the nostalgia is real, and as Joe commented: “So, my youth is officially dead.”
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Some people are so upset, they’re actually calling on Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham to save the club.
Here are some of our favourite tales from this cornerstone of Manchester’s nightlife scene.
Will wrote: “Arctic Monkeys getting rinsed in 2007 when they broke through! Such good times with three VKs in hand.”
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Mark said: “First ever nightclub i went in when it was Legends in 1988.Remember going in and Blue Monday ’88 booming out.”
Bev posted: “Indie night on Thursday was a great night. Another icon of Manchester closing , very sad.”
Chelsey added: “Friday nights, university, sticky floors, finding love for alternative/rock music. Getting excited if they threw in a bit of Skrillex.”
Claire said: “Spent many a Thursday night there in the early-mid 90’s during my student days! The best indie tunes.”
Shelly remembers the indie music too, saying: “Was mostly a great place to work during the indie revival in the early naughties x”
This one’s funny – Mark said: “I remember going to lean against a wall, and only realising it was a fire escape when a bouncer was picking me up off the floor and pulling me back into the club.”
Jude said: “Ahh gutted! Creep and I Am The Resurrection playing at the end of the night, about 2002 maybe? Quality nights sticking to the floor and getting dripped on from the sweaty ceiling!”
Melissa on Twitter said: “RIP throwing vodka Red Bulls over myself whilst screaming Mr Brightside hysterically at 2am on a Thursday.”
Chris wrote: “Spent most Friday nights in there around 2007. £1 Vodka Redbulls and an amazing set list every time. You could never forget you’d been there as your jeans and trainers absolutely stunk of Red Bull the next day.”
Jude said: “The security guard asking us if we’d been ‘on the rob’ when he found shot glasses from a vodka bar in our bags, picking up pound coins from the dance floor after ‘Jump Around’ had been played (paid for my night out several times), leaving the club one frigid New Year’s Eve and standing out in the middle of the icy road in a strappy dress and heels trying to flag literally ANY car down to get a ride home!”
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Yvonne wrote: “Vodka and a cheap equivalent of red bull, shoes always stuck to the floor. 75p a drink and never, ever remember leaving the club as was too intoxicated. Christmas bank holidays were always good! Oh and the candy floss machine in the middle of the dancefloor.”
Fifth Ave was pretty significant to Stephen, who said: “When it was legends night club met my 1st wife 1984. Great club with all the mirrors and lights.”
Andrew met his other half too – he wrote: “Met me wife of nearly 10 years in there, awesome memories of cheap drinks, sticky floors and good music!”
Jamie, too, said: “Met a girl there one night, now we are married and have a baby girl!”
Adam said his career started there, writing: “Fifth nightclub offered me my first ever residency as a DJ, played my first ever DJ set in the mezz (if you know you know) met some amazing people along the way staff and regulars. Fifth Nightclub will always have a special place in my heart.”
Sara said: “1/ throwing up all over my now husband’s James t shirt on only our second date ( never drink tequila then beer) and getting thrown out by the bouncers and 2/ arriving there for my hen do having a fab time dancing with friends to find husband to be and all his group were also there on his stag do (they couldn’t get into 42nd st apparently).”
Chris seems to be having an existential crisis about the whole situation, writing: “Weird how somewhere can be such a big part of your life for so long and then one day you go for the last time and don’t even know it. And then next thing you know a decade has passed and it’s gone for good.”
Barry Can’t Swim books huge headline show at The Warehouse Project with unbelievable supports
Danny Jones
It’s another big win for dance and electronic fans in Manchester as the beloved Barry Can’t Swim has been announced as part of the WHP25 programme, revealing a massive headline show.
The Edinburgh-born beat-maker, producer and solo artist has played Manchester before, he’s even played The Warehouse Project before, but nothing quite like this.
Confirming not just his own twin performance, with a full live show and an accompanying DJ set, but nothing short of an incredible lineup of support acts, this event could very well be the best night of the 2025 WHP calendar already.
Not only is ‘Everything Is Going To Be Alright’, it’s going to be bloody brilliant.
21.11 /// BARRY CAN’T SWIM – LINE UP REVEALED TOMORROW 10AM
The full line up for Barry Can't Swim's return to The Warehouse Project will be revealed tomorrow 10AM. Registration for presale access is available – https://t.co/z6yGfAvXSN
Undoubtedly one of Scotland’s biggest music exports in recent years, Barry Can’t Swim – real name, Joshua Spence Mainnie – was one of several acts who absolutely smashed Warehouse Project last year.
Having been shortlisted for the recent Mercury Prize, earned a nomination for Best Dance Act at the 2024 BRITs, being named DJ Mag’s ‘Breakthrough Producer’ award and winning ‘Best Dance Album’ for his most recent record, When Will We Land?, it’s been a great 18 months or so for him.
As it happens, his debut LP was one of our most played on Spotify and favourite albums of the year, full stop, so we were delighted when we got to see his curated show at Depot Mayfield back in November.
Now he’s set to come back to one of Manchester city centre’s leading nightlife venues for one of his biggest and most ambitious sets.
To be honest, with the other names already confirmed as joining him, this is essentially shaping up to be an ultimate club event for us.
That’s right, as well as Barry Can’t Swim‘s own impressive credentials, there is plenty more pedigree on show as part of the second curated evening, with the likes of Chloé Caillet, Prospa, firm favourites Jayda G and DJ Seinfeld, as well as Ross From Friends presents Bubble Love.
Better still, there’ll also be a special ‘b3b’ set (how many times have you seen that?) featuring Etiénne de Crécy, Cassius and DJ Falcon.
Set to land at WHP Manchester on 21 November, Barry Can’t Swim general admission goes live at 10am this Friday, however, pre-sale is available via the venue and for anyone who pre-orders his sophomore studio album, Loner, set to release on 11 July.
Featured Images — Annika Wallis (supplied)/Audio North
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Manchester Day is back with a ‘mammoth day’ of music-themed FREE fun next month
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is making a grand return for 2025 this summer, and you can expect a day filled with loads of music-themed fun.
Oh, and it’s free fun at that… doesn’t get much better.
With a whopping 1.3 million music tourists expected in Manchester this summer – apparently a little band called Oasis is performing or something? First we’ve heard of it – and a massive lineup of live music legends set to take over venues and parks across the city these next couple of months, this year’s Manchester Day is aiming to get everyone ‘in the groove’.
Manchester City Council is working with outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank on a programme that promises something for music fans of all ages and all musical abilities.
From the English National Opera teaming up with Manchester’s football fans, to community choirs, West End show tunes, juggling drummers, hip-hop wrestling, and loads more, this year’s Manchester Day has got all musical tastes covered.
Manchester Day is back on Saturday 26 July. 🎉
Inspired by music, expect pop-up performances, spontaneous sing-a-longs and have-a-go activities. 🎶
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) June 2, 2025
As always, activities will be taking place right across the city centre – from St Ann’s Square to Cathedral Gardens, and everywhere in between.
Organisers say there will be plenty of chances throughout the day for visitors, both young and old, to get stuck in, try their hand at making music and maybe even uncover a hidden musical talent they didn’t know they had.
You can expect strum-along ukulele sessions, spontaneous sing-alongs, dancing to a steel pan band or some surprising Ska, and the stand-out music parade event travelling from St Peter’s Square to the Cathedral, with families invited to take a ‘musical meander’ through the city streets.
Manchester Day is back with a ‘mammoth day’ of music-themed free fun next month / Credit: Manchester City Council
“We’ve got a mammoth summer of live music coming up in the city this year, which means it’s only right that we max out on the music for Manchester Day,” commented Councillor Pat Karney, who is the Chair of Manchester Day, as this year’s theme was announced.
“Everyone in Manchester loves music, Mancs have music in their bones, there’s so much talent here – we’re either making it or playing it, and that’s why everyone’s on the guest list for this year’s Manchester Day to help us celebrate the music that Mancunians make best.
“We’ve got a fantastic day lined up, so loosen up those vocal chords, grab a guitar, grab your granny, all the family, and don’t miss it.”
Daisy Jackson -
16th February 2022 
