Manchester’s nightlife scene is world-famous for good reason – we’re not known as the 24 hour party people for nothing.
As the years have gone on, our city’s nightclub industry has evolved and changed beyond recognition.
The world-famous Hacienda days are long gone, but now Manchester is famed for huge clubnights like Warehouse Project and its under-the-radar events at venues like Hidden and The White Hotel.
We asked our readers which venues they miss dancing the night away in.
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Here’s what you had to say.
Paradise Factory
25 years ago I walked through these doors and into my first gay club – Paradise Factory. I was excited, terrified, turned on and overwhelmed, and this mix of emotions inspired a key scene in my novel #TheMadonnaOfBolton. It’s great to be back + once again I’m feeling overwhelmed. pic.twitter.com/PuRSiz4r1W
On the corner of Princess Street and Charles Street stands a venue that’s been an integral part of Manchester’s music scene for decades.
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Initially the headquarters of Factory Records, in the 90s it became the Paradise Factory, a lively gay club.
Alexier Mayes said the Paradise Factory was the ‘best nightclub ever’, and dozens have agreed with her.
Cedna Jo said: “No other club like it.”
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Maria Telford added: “Indeed! Where else could you bump into the iconic Sue Pollard and Paul Nicholls together in the toilets?”
The Boardwalk
The Boardwalk Climbed the steep narrow stairs in there a lot in the early/mid 90s to see bands play. First visit was in Jan 1990 to see an outfit, The Charlatans who were about to release a debut single. I liked what I saw. They quickly became quite successful
The Boardwalk was a mecca for fans of alternative music, and an iconic live music venue in the 1980s and 1990s.
Its stage was graced by the likes of Oasis, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, James and The Verve.
These days it’s an office block, but back then the action took place well outside the hours of 9-5.
Jim Covert-lly remembers it as a ‘great live venue and indie joint’.
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He wrote: “Bit more effort to reach than its rivals and felt like more for those there for the good tunes than to just get battered.”
Janine replied: “I worked there and loved Molotov pop. Great night which luckily moved to the music box.”
Marvin Deans also posted: “Yellow on a Friday night was my first experience of clubbing regularly. When we were allowed in of course. Got turned away a few times.BUT also saw my favourite ever concert there…Maxwell ‘96 and cost £7”
Brahms & Liszt
The old site of Brahms & Lizst on Brown Street, Manchester. Credit: Google Maps
A lot of Mancs seem to remember the trip to the toilets in Brahms & Liszt the most, describing it as the ‘staircase of doom’.
But the venue was also a popular bar in the 1980s, named after Cockney rhyming slang rather than the classical composers.
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In the space that is now Habas, and was previously Panama Hatties, The Manc readers remember some ‘strangely good nights’.
Julie wrote: “Oh the hangovers after the beer kellar… But brahms and list was a little less crowded, so it gets my vote”
Jilli added: “Brahms & Liszt with that very dodgy spiral staircase to the loos”
DeVille’s
They just don’t make nightclubs like this anymore.
DeVille’s and its neighbouring bar Lazy Lil’s were a staple of the Madchester days, but at the heart of the bar was something a bit more unusual.
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The nightlife spot was home to an actual bucking bronco that would fling revellers around regardless of alcohol consumption.
Mike King said: “Devilles with the bucking bronco – great fun when you were hammered”
Damian added: “Devilles, more for the people than the club”
Sankeys is one of those nightclubs that everyone remembers, even if you never stepped foot inside.
The super club was in Ancoats, before the area was filled with the apartments and restaurants.
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Over the years of openings and closures, the venue expanded across several floors of Beehive Mill and added features like a beach (with 50 tonnes of sand), a glowing ceiling, and a non-stop roster of huge names in the world of dance, techno and house music.
Carrie Caffrey said: “Water dripping off the ceiling, bodies tightly packed, bass thumping in your chest and no mobile phones sucking the joy out of living in the moment. Excellent memories”
Will added: “Hadmy best nights in that place! Absolutely rocking”
Michael remembered: “Sankeys – nothing compared to those resident Kaluki parties around 2010 when the basement was only half full but full of absolutely sound heads and not a single d*ck head in sight. Unreal times. We didn’t know how good we had it.”
Adam wrote: “Sankys with resident DJ Avicii RIP! The sad thing is, there really isn’t another superclub in Manchester anymore?!”
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Chris posted: “Met my beautiful GF in Sankey’s in 1996, 26 years later we’re still joined at hip!!!! Forever old house cats!!”
The Hacienda
The Hacienda was arguably Manchester’s most famous nightclub of all time
This one’s pretty obvious – even 25 years after the Hacienda shut down, its traces linger in the city.
The venue was the cornerstone of the Madchester era and credited with changing the face of rave forever.
Lee Berry commented: “The Hacienda was the mecca of house music in Manchester and i had some amazing nights there.”
Nicola said: “The hac, hands down, but I expected most answers wld be, but lots of others named! Just shows how fantastic Manchesters club scene was!”
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Rhys wrote: “we use start at the Athenaeum than workaway along all the bars up to the hacienda … cheerleaders before before the hacienda and then big jugs of beer. Thursday nights were good”
Caravan added: “Hacienda, only went a handful of times but was banging everytime.”
Jilly’s Rockworld
Jilly’s Rockworld shut down in 2010. Credit: Google Maps
Jilly’s Rockworld was one of Manchester’s best nightclubs, a haven for indie rock and alternative music.
The legendary Oxford Road venue shut down for good in 2010, but Mancs will never forget the friendly, welcoming vibe of the venue.
Ursula Tucker wrote: “Jillys. Used to love it. Always felt safe in both and had a great night out.”
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Natalie Power said: “Easily Jillys rockworld! Such an awesome place filled with amazing people, it was the heart of the rock/alternative culture in Manchester, so many good memories from there! Miss it nowhere else compares”
Gavin added: “Jillie’s rock world by far. Everyone was respectful of each other, and in general people would be more than happy to help each other. It wasn’t just a club, it was a community hub.”
Featured image: Flickr
Audio
Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month | May 2025
Danny Jones
Oh, hey, didn’t see you there. Come looking for more top Manc tunage, have we? You’re in luck, because Greater Manchester just keeps pumping out top bands and artists all the time, hence why we do this.
If you’re new around these parts, first of all, welcome and secondly, the whole thing is very simple: every month, we round up some of the best talents coming out of 0161 and talk about why we like them. I know, groundbreaking stuff, right?
They don’t have to be born and bred in Manchester, but they do need to have made this their music home – the first the correct career decision they made, the second being working their way into our ears.
So, now all the housekeeping is done and dusted, let’s dive into some delightful new Manchester music, shall we?
Five Manc bands and artists we’ve been listening to recently
1. IST IST
This month we’re starting off with one of those Manchester bands that may not be new but still crop up for us at regular intervals to remind us of two things: first of all, that they’re brilliant and secondly, that they should have featured on our regular round-up of artists a long time ago.
We’re talking about IST IST, who returned with another live, multiple LP-spanning compilation (plus some extras) this past March, which we’ve had on plenty over the past month. It goes without saying that they sound brilliant live, and we feel bad for only just remembering how good and prolific they’ve been.
You always get plenty of New Order, but also White Lies and Editors; Future Islands, The National and lots of other baritone-driven bands that bring that element of melodrama to layer over the instruments themselves. ‘You’re Mine’ might be their biggest track, but ‘The Kiss’ and ‘Exist’ are also favourites.
2. Robbie Cavanagh
Now, we all know that country music is having a real moment right now and we, for one, couldn’t be happier about it, to be completely frank. Though arguably simplistic at times, it’s soulful, often impressively pared-back, and when something does impress you lyrically or technically, it sticks.
With that in mind, we recently realised that award-winning songwriter Robbie Cavanagh has been on somewhat of a comeback since 2023, and we hadn’t noticed until painfully recently. Returning after a six-year hiatus – bar some little ditties during lockdown – his latest project has some of his best work yet.
Fully tilting from folk into country and folk, the stunning vocalist belatedly blew us away with the bluesy single ‘Helpless’ and a gorgeous new collaboration with solo artist, Abby Gundersen (equally talented sister of Noah), but please still start with his 2016 Mahogany Session, where it arguably all began.
Named after Manchester city centre’s famously eclectic indie emporium, Afflecks Palace have never quite blown up in the way they way we thought they would when we first came across them years ago, but there’s still plenty of time and we’ll be damn it if they don’t deserve more regular listeners.
You’ll also be glad to know that, despite the name, they aren’t one of those trite, overly performative bands who wear a stereotypical Manc-ness on their sleeve that we sometimes come across; they’re just good and deserve a lot more recognition for their contribution to the neo-pysch genre.
As for where to start, we’ll admit we prefer their first album; ‘Forever Young’ is noodley and catchy, ‘Everything Is an Attempt to Be Human’ has those shoegazey guitars, but it just doesn’t get better than the incomparable ‘Pink Skies’, which still makes us feel some type of way – we just can’t quite describe.
We just love it. ‘Nu-Madchester’, or whatever you want to call it, its distinct sunniness never fails to tickle a part of our brains.
4. Findlay
Next up is Stockport singer-songwriter Findlay, who released more new music this past February, and has been making indie pop that ropes in plenty of other influences for more than a decade now.
That being said, she’s always experimenting with her sound, as her collabs with Blossoms, Miles Kane, Bill Ryder-Jones, Joris Delacroix have shown, and this latest iteration seems to have her tapping into everything from almost 50s and 60s female soul singers to slow electronic and more.
We love the smooth sexiness and sheer ambition of her latest single, ‘Stay Kinky’ and ‘Waste My Time’ always feels like a late-night chiller fit for music video set in a dingey bar, however, we still have a soft spot for her debut, ‘Your Sister’, with the riff that’s almost reminiscent of ‘Blockbuster’ by Sweet.
Last but not least, it’s the second time we’re featuring a returning artist and it comes in the form of young Alex Spencer, whose journey from busking around the streets of Greater Manchester to sold-out headlines shows and featuring on the likes EA Sports FC 25 (yes, FIFA) is a truly remarkable one.
The charming and still fresh-faced local lad from Droylsden is nothing short of proof that hard work and determination can pay off, and those ‘Bucket List’ dreams really are within reach. Obvious talent aside, this teenager has grafted his arse off and we couldn’t be more proudof how far he’s come already.
He last featured in this round-up back in April 2024 but even in the time between then, he’s released plenty and developed even further as musician, so much so that we’re not going to suggest which songs to try; instead, you can watch our most recent interview with him and relive his last year or so with us.
I’m Alex Spencer and This is my journey so far!
8 years of my music journey summed up in 1 minute 55😅 Thankyou to everyone who’s followed my journey so far, to anyone new or to anyone who doesn’t know my story, I made this video to show where it all started and how I got here❤️ pic.twitter.com/Hi3W7MHMxX
So, the next time you hear someone foolishly complaining that the Greater Manchester music scene ‘isn’t what it once was’, you can go right ahead of show them these bands and artists.
In fact, you could just point them in the direction of this very page and Audio North, in general, as we do this round-up every month and plenty more every week, meaning you’re headphones never dry up.
For instance, you can check out which Manchester bands and artists we were listening to back in April, both new, current and old, down below. We’ll see you again very soon.
Parklife 2025 – dates, line-up, day splits, tickets and more
Daisy Jackson
Parklife is, hands down, the biggest party of the year in Manchester, luring tens of thousands of music-lovers to Heaton Park for two days of live music.
This year’s is shaping up to be the biggest in years, with huge headline slots from Charli XCX and 50 Cent, plus festival favourites like Bicep, Pawsa and Confidence Man.
With just a few weeks to go, festival-goers will be deep in their Parklife prep, whether it’s planning how to get there or what to wear all weekend.
Parklife is now releasing plenty of information about this year’s festival, including VIP upgrades, travel passes, and a few changes to the festival site, including new stages.
So we’ve rounded up a load of essential information you’ll need if you’re heading to the fields of Heaton Park.
When is Parklife 2025 and what times?
Parklife 2025 will be taking place on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June, at Heaton Park.
Parklife gates open from midday on Saturday 14 and 1pm on Sunday 15 June. On both days the event finishes at 11pm.
Last entry to Parklife is strictly 5pm.
Who’s on the line-up for Parklife 2025?
It’s a whopping year for the Parklife line-up, pulling in two huge headliners – artist of the moment Charli XCX, and hip-hop heavyweight 50 Cent.
Next up will be performances from incredible talent like soul singer Jorja Smith, Parklife favourite Peggy Gou, Pawsa, Bicep, Overmono, Confidence Man, Hybrid Minds, Rudimental, and Chris Stussy.
There’ll also be slots for Mancs like Interplanetary Criminal, Antony Szmierek, and Morgan Seatree.
Sadly, one of the hottest names on the bill, Lola Young, has pulled out of the festival this year, but it’s still shaping up to be a massive weekend.
You can see the full Parklife line-up below.
How to get tickets, and ticket prices
Tickets for Parklife are still on sale, with decent availability for most ticket types – but they’re selling fast as the festival gets nearer and nearer.
Below are the prices for the main ticket options.
Weekend tickets – £164.45 each
VIP weekend tickets – £218.90 each
Saturday day tickets – £95.20 each
VIP Saturday day tickets – £137.50 each
Sunday day tickets – £95.20 each
VIP Sunday day tickets – £137.50 each
How much is a VIP or Backstage upgrade, and what does it get you?
If you’ve already bought a ticket but want to upgrade yourself to VIP, it’s not too late (and speaking from experience, WORTH IT).
You can upgrade your whole weekend to VIP for £72.80 each, or £44.80 each for day tickets.
The Parklife VIP area has jumped across to the other side of the festival site this year and is now right in the heart of the action near the Valley Stage.
From here, you have an exclusive viewing area of the stage, plus exclusive food and drink, priority entry, VIP toilets, a hair and makeup pamper station, and plenty more.
Then there’s a new Backstage ticket type this year, which gets you on-stage access to the Hangar stage, an exclusive viewing area of the Valley Stage, a backstage bar and a chill out area – it’s £165.00 each to upgrade for the weekend.
How to get to and from Parklife festival 2025, plus travel pass
Parklife takes place up at Heaton Park, so it’s a little way out of the city centre – but it’s a doddle to make your way up to the fields.
The festival still advises using the dedicated shuttle bus to get there and back, which is the quickest and easiest route.
The shuttle bus leaves from Lever Street in the Northern Quarter and will drop you right outside the festival site within about 30 minutes.
Alternatively, you can get a Bee Network tram to Bowker Vale or Heaton Park tram stops, and walk up to the gates.
As for getting home, buses will operate from early evening until everyone has safely left the festival site.
Trams will operate on their normal schedule but note that Heaton Park station closes at 9pm on both evenings, so that crowds can be safely managed at Bowker Vale instead.
There’s a special Parklife Travel Pass that allows you to travel on any bus or tram service including the shuttle bus – it’s £8 per day, or £14 for the weekend, and is available on the Bee Network app.
Parklife 2025 festival map and stages
There are some big changes on site at Parklife this year – including The Parklife Stage disappearing altogether.
Now, The Valley will act as the main stage, and there are two brand new stages to check out too.
Both Matinee and Big Top will be new this year.
Magic Sky will move a bit more centrally into the festival site, while the truly impressive Hangar stage dominates the western side of the event.
And at the top of the hill will be the small but mighty G Stage.
What you can and can’t bring to Parklife 2025
There’s strict security in place getting in and out of Heaton Park for Parklife festival, for everyone’s safety, and a long list of what you can and can’t bring with you.
You can bring your own water bottle on site with refill stations all over Parklife, but it mustn’t be larger than 500ml and can’t be metal.
You can also take sun cream as long as it’s 200ml or less and in original containers, and if the weather goes the other way, compact umbrellas are okay.
As for the banned list, it includes obvious stuff like alcohol, drugs, knives, aerosols and flares/fireworks, as well as less obvious things like hoverboards and skateboards, hi vis jackets and selfie sticks.
Daisy Jackson -
4th March 2022 
