Beloved Manchester music venue Band on the Wall has announced that they have bought the equally popular Rose and Monkey pub and hotel next door.
The two Great Ancoats St favourites on the edge of the district and the Northern Quarter have both served as reliable, entertaining gig spaces for years now, not to mention a great spot for a drink, and their business models have always aligned so perfectly, with visitors heading from one into the other for years.
With that in mind, and in a concerted effort to support the local music and hospitality industry, Band on the Wall have decided to turn that long-standing relationship into an even closer collaboration.
Confirming the acquisition of The Rose and Monkey earlier this week, Band on the Wall and its next-door neighbour are now official partners.
Speaking in an official statement on their website, the latter wrote: “This exciting development marks another step in Band on the Wall’s mission to support grassroots music and enhance its role within Manchester’s vibrant cultural scene.
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“The Rose & Monkey (formerly The Burton Arms) has a long and chequered history dating back to 1783, but in recent years has been transformed into a beloved destination for music lovers and locals alike.
“Known as one of the city’s oldest public houses, originally built as part of the original Smithfield Markets and over the road from what was the ‘New Cross’ area of the city, the venue boasts an intimate atmosphere and commitment to live music.
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“The pub is now a vital part of the Northern Quarter’s creative fabric with unique features, including a beer garden, small music stage, and even Airbnb accommodation upstairs; the venue perfectly complements Band on the Wall’s (BOTW) ethos of fostering community through music.”
As it turns out, the deal to take over The Rose and Monkey was actually agreed upon a while ago and fully finalised last 2024.
With backing from Figurative – a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in ‘impact investment’ throughout the cultural and creative sector – this most recent development follows the £3.5 million refurbishment of BOTW, which was finally completed back in March 2022.
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Audio North was still ‘The Manc Audio’ back then, but Band on the Wall was busy being reborn first.
Gavin Sharp, CEO of Band on the Wall, said: “We are delighted to welcome The Rose & Monkey into the Band on the Wall family. This acquisition allows us to expand our footprint while preserving one of Manchester’s most cherished independent venues.
“Together, we aim to create even more opportunities for emerging artists and provide unforgettable experiences for music fans.”
As for the pub and lodging house itself, The Rose and Monkey Hotel, to use its full name, will still remain its own bar and live music entity but will now work closely with Band on the Wall to achieve better and more diverse programming.
In addition to a place to stay on the first floor, the pub now features a newly installed ‘Wurlitzer Jukebox’, too, which has been curated by none other than American alternative rock band Pixies, BBC 6 Music DJ Chris Hawkins and the in-house team.
Finally, Band on the Wall went on to add: “The Rose & Monkey is ideally positioned to become an even greater hub for Manchester’s thriving music scene.
“Visitors can look forward to an enhanced calendar of events as well as continued dedication to inclusivity and creativity, and a jukebox specially curated by several high-profile friends and supporters of the venue.”
The Strokes at Co-op Live, Manchester – actually very hard to explain
Daisy Jackson
Manchester has waited a long, long time for this – The Strokes back on stage in our city.
I’ve been a fan of the band for as long as I can remember, but have never managed to catch them live, partly because they’ve left it TWENTY YEARS between shows here.
But back they are, with an enormous gig at the Co-op Live on their Reality Awaits tour.
The Strokes are known as one of the most solid indie bands of the 2000s, going triple platinum with their debut album Is This It and releasing massive anthems like Last Nite, Reptilia, and Someday.
They’re also known as a bit of an unpredictable live act – some will say they’re one of the best on the circuit, others will say they’re disappointing, and it really can depend on the night.
What they’re not known for is their audience interaction, so when frontman Julian Casablancas tries to have a bit of a chat with the audience, we all sort of stare blankly back at him. He’s speaking to us? What do we do?
“Wow, tough crowd,” he says, which is the first time I’ve ever heard anyone describe a Manchester audience as tough.
Then he turns back to drummer Fabrizio Moretti and says: “This is f*cking hideous, let’s play some songs.”
The setlist seems to get a shake-up every couple of shows, which is a nice surprise for us – and apparently also Julian, who regularly pops over to ask his bandmates what’s up next.
It doesn’t really matter that he’s not done his homework, because the second that drum kicks in, along with the impeccable guitar work of Schiltz, Fraiture and Hammond Jr., he snaps into action.
It’s impressive that their songs still have such singalong quality when Casablancas enunciates like a man with a dislocated jaw. For certain songs he’s so incoherent that if you weren’t a fan you’d walk in this room and wonder what the f*ck was going on.
But then, that’s sort of why us The Strokes fans love them so much. There’s a calamitous beauty to the work they put out and it’s so fun to belt out some words, even if they’re not the right ones.
I was hoping that seeing it live would sell that divisive new album, Reality Awaits, to me, but it didn’t. It’s too autotuney, too languid, and too often the victim of everyone’s toilet breaks.
Their earlier tracks still land best in a live setting, especially Reptilia, an absolute juggernaut in their back catalogue.
Rollercoaster set and tricky crowd interactions aside, we all had a great time – I’m just not sure I could say the same about Julian Casablancas.
Sam Fender describes his own ticket prices as ‘b*llocks’ and demands change for fans
Daisy Jackson
Sam Fender has kicked off about ticket prices for his own tour, ahead of his huge stadium summer next year.
The Geordie star announced his Proper Massive stadium tour last week, which will visit some of the UK’s biggest venues including The O2 in London, Etihad Stadium in Manchester, and St James’ Park in his home city of Newcastle.
But after ticket prices for the tour were announced, Sam Fender surprised us all by joining in with a moan about how expensive they were.
He described the ticketing strategy for his tour as ‘b*llocks’ and said he was ‘not happy’ with ticket prices.
And proving just how much sway an artist can have on ticket prices, Sam Fender then demanded that things be redone.
Sam first appeared in the comments on Gavin Davis’ Instagram account, which frequently shares tour leaks and ticket prices.
There, he wrote: “I’m not happy with these prices, they’re getting changed. It got inflated well more than I’d had in mind, it should only be inflated in relation to the cost of putting the show on.
“The standing will not be split as well, I had no idea about it. I have no idea how this was normalised in gigs.
“It’s bollocks and it won’t be happening on this tour.”
Then later, on his own Instagram stories, Sam Fender posted: “I’ve managed to get Front Standing tickets removed from the UK stadium tour. Whoever buys a standing ticket gets as much chance as anyone to be at the front.
“No more £120 standing tickets either.
“Costs are astronomical compared to two years ago, I can’t control the venue and ticketing fees, that’s a sad reality of today’s industry.
“This is gonna be the biggest and best show we’ve ever put on. Can’t wait to see everyone on the road next summer!”
The ticket prices for the Proper Massive tour are now confirmed by Sam Fender himself as being £85 for GA standing, and £55/£75/£95 for seats.
Danny Jones -
30th March 2025 
