The city has given the world so much, from Coronation Street, to Vimto, football, and even rain – but above all, it’s known for its musical roots, having set countless iconic bands on their road to success and most-notably inspiring the creation of the iconic Factory Records and the ‘Madchester’ scene that followed.
From Joy Division and The Smiths, to Oasis, Elbow, and more, there are pieces of music history hidden across Greater Manchester – some you may not even know about.
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86 Palatine Road
It may be in the heart of West Didsbury, but it would be easy to walk past 86 Palatine Road without giving it a second glance – but this unassuming detached house split into flats was where Factory Records was founded in 1978.
It was in one of the top floor apartments where Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus set up Factory Records. They would go on to release the likes of Joy Division’s ‘Unknown Pleasures’ and become one of the most influential independent record labels – playing a major part in the city’s transformation from an industrial powerhouse to a beacon of art and culture by reclaiming its past and leading a new wave of creative industries.
Although music lovers can’t go inside, there is a blue plaque commemorating the important role the apartment played in musical history.
86 Palatine Road, West Didsbury, M20
The Haçienda
The most famous of all landmarks of the Manchester music scene had to be the Haçienda.
Opened on the 21 May 1982, the nightclub and music venue was the brainchild of Rob Gretton and largely financed by Factory Records and the band New Order, along with label boss Tony Wilson. Everyone from The Smiths to even Madonna – who appeared there for her very first UK performance – played at the Haçienda, and it is known for being instrumental in the careers of many of the UK’s biggest bands, including Oasis and The Happy Mondays.
But it was during the ‘Madchester’ scene that the venue rose to fame, before becoming world famous during the Acid House years.
The nightclub was demolished in 2002 after years of issues and replaced by modern flats – with a plaque being all that remains of the legendary ravers’ paradise.
15 Whitworth Street West, Manchester, M1
86 Palatine Road & Haçienda Apartments / Credit: Manchester Digital Music Archive | Flickr
Epping Walk Bridge
To some this is just another bridge in Hulme – but to Joy Division fans, this is an important piece of the band’s history as it’s the bridge where one of the most famous photos of the Macclesfield band was taken by photographer Kevin Cummins.
Hulme, Manchester, M15 6DU
Free Trade Hall
It may now be home to a Radisson Hotel, but this is one of the most significant buildings in Manchester’s music history thanks to playing host to the famous ‘gig that changed the world’ in its upstairs venue The Lesser Free Trade Hall, when the Sex Pistols played to a crowd of about 40 people in 1976.
While the gig itself wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, what was special was that many of the those who attended were inspired enough to go on to form some of Manchester’s biggest bands, including The Smiths, Joy Division, The Fall, and Buzzcocks.
Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5QR
FAC 251 Factory Manchester
A nightclub and live venue, FAC 251 Factory Manchester is based in the former Factory Records headquarters at 118 Princess Street and the name comes from the fact that the label employed a unique cataloguing system that gave a number not just to its musical releases, but to artwork and other objects as well.
118 Princess Street, Manchester, M1 7EN
Free Trade Hall / Credit: Wikimedia CommonsSalford Lads Club / Credit: Flickr
Salford Lads Club
A must-visit for any The Smiths fan is the Salford Lads Club.
Not only is it famous for appearing on the inner sleeve of The Smiths’ 1986 album The Queen is Dead, it’s also the perfect excuse to recreate your own version of one of band’s most iconic photos.
St Ignatius Walk, Salford, M5 3RX
Southern Cemetery Gates
Another one for diehard fans of The Smiths, the Southern Cemetery Gates at Barlow Moor Road in Chorlton were the inspiration for their song Cemetery Gates, which focuses on Morrissey’s fascination with death – singing about taking a stroll through the cemetery.
One of Britain’s legendary music venues and practice spaces, The Boardwalk is known as the place where Oasis made their live debut, and is also known for having hosted other ‘Madchester’ icons such as The Charlatans and The Stone Roses.
Although the club closed in 1999 and was converted into apartments, there is a blue plaque on the building paying homage to the venue’s importance.
Little Peter Street, Manchester, M15 4PS
The Temple of Convenience / Credit: Geograph (Thomas Nugent)Sifters Record Shop / Credit: Twitter (@matt_cork)
Sifters Record Shop
For any Oasis fan, it’s worth paying a visit to Sifters Record Shop on Fog Lane in Burnage.
It’s where Liam and Noel Gallagher used to buy their music when they were growing up and it’s even mentioned in the band’s song Shakermaker in the line: ‘Mr Sifter sold me songs when I was just sixteen.’
177 Fog Lane, Burnage, M20 6FJ
The Temple of Convenience
This bar and former Victorian public toilet in the centre of Manchester is referenced in one of Bury band Elbow’s most famous songs Grounds for Divorce, with the line: ‘There’s a hole in my neighbourhood down which of late I cannot help but fall’.
The on-the-nose lyric is literally talking about a hole in the road of the street where lead singer Guy Garvey used to live.
100 Great Bridgewater Street, Manchester, M1 5JW
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Use Hearing Protection: the early years of Factory Records at the Science and Industry Museum is located on the first floor of the museum, and tickets are priced at £8 for adults and £6 for concessions, with under-12s going free.
You can find more information about the exhibition here.
Featured Image – pxhere
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Olivia Rodrigo at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for GUTS: Spilled tour
Thomas Melia
The wait is finally over, as everyone’s favourite teen-pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo is bringing her GUTS: Spilled tour to Manchester, playing two nights at Co-op Live more than a year after the high-profile postponement.
Poor Olivia Rodrigo found herself caught up in the delayed Co-op Live opening last year, with the popstar postponing her two gigs just days before they were meant to take place.
Fans then went into a meltdown waiting for new dates, which got announced months later – but it’s finally time.
‘Deja vu’, ‘traitor’, ‘All I Want’ singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo is making her long-awaited debut at Co-op Live Manchester for two nights of heartbreak, angst and back to back hits.
Now, this 22 year old super star is wearing her heart on her sleeve or as Rodrigo phrases it, spilling her guts, playing songs from her impressive discography right here at Co-op Live.
Olivia Rodrigo gig guide
Olivia Rodrigo last visited Manchester in 2022, when she played O2 Apollo.
Olivia Rodrigo UK tour dates
Fri 27 June – London, UK – Hyde Park
Sun 29 June – Glastonbury, UK – Glastonbury Festival
Mon 30 June – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Tue 1 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Olivia Rodrigo tickets for Co-op Live gig
If you’re after a way to ‘get him (or anyone) back!’ getting your hands on Olivia Rodrigo tickets might just be the way to do it, and luckily for you there’s a small selection left.
Anyone looking to attend Rodrigo’s 30 June show have a few options, just make sure you don’t get bled dry like a ‘vampire’ trying to buy these prized possessions with exclusive tickets HERE.
For those after tickets to ‘GUTS: Spilled’ night two on 1 July can live out their ‘teenage dream’ in style with a handful of hospitality packages up for grabs HERE.
What are the stage times for Olivia Rodrigo in Manchester?
Olivia Rodrigo is visiting Co-op Live in Manchester on 30 June and 1 July.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm so rest assured you’ll be tucked up in bed before the early hours and you’ll be asleep faster than you can say ‘ballad of a homeschooled girl’.
Doors to open at 6pm with no confirmed kick off time or support act yet but there is an offical afterparty happening at Co-op Live’s new Backstage Club from 10pm onwards for both dates with tickets HERE.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
‘GUTS; Spilled’ has seen this American super star jet-setting across the globe.
Featured Images – Supplied via Larissa Hoffman / Nick Walker
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Popular noodle bar Chopstix to host ALL-NEW live music event in Manchester
Thomas Melia
Much-loved noodle box eatery Chopstix are hosting an all-new series of live music events, with the first kicking off at one of Manchester’s most popular venues.
Chopstix has become a foodie’s favourite in the city centre with its combo boxes and now they’re about to win over the musiclovers thanks to these brand-new live-performances.
The Asian restaurant chain is launching ‘Red Box Live’,a first-of-its-kind music event series taking place in some of the UK’s best independent music venues,, and it kicks off at one of the city’s most beloved music venues,YES.
These events will see a rising star headline slot, DJ’s, free drinks and of course, food, because it couldn’t be a Chopstix party without some of its iconic flavour-packed boxes.
Chopstix is known for serving up flavoursome feasts in their combo boxes.The Asian restaurant chain has chosen YES as the first spot for their ‘Red Box Live’ event.Credit: Supplied
Indie-pop artist Liang Lawrence is claiming the first headline spot and she’s definitely no stranger at frequenting some of the most famed stages in the country, having recently performed at Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sefton Park on the BBC Introducing stage, following in the footsteps of Manc rap-talent Aitch.
The ‘Red Box Live’ music events build from the eatery’s previous music-focused series ‘Red Box Sessions’ which saw acts like Flames Collective and Grace Davies (X-Factor) in intimate studio sessions.
Rob Burns, Marketing Director for Chopstix, said: The launch of our brand new Red Box Live event series is incredibly exciting.”We’re bringing big, bold flavour and raw music talent together – serving up an unbeatable combo for our flavour craving crowd right here in Manchester.”
“We’re bringing BIG, BOLD flavour and raw music talent together – serving up an unbeatable combo for our Flavour Craving crowd right here in Manchester.”
Liang Lawrence will be performing at ‘Red Box Live’ organised by Chopstix.There will be free food and live music at this exclusive event.Credit: Supplied
The first ‘Red Box Live’ is taking place on 16 July with a headline performance from Liang Lawrence at YES in Manchester. Doors open from 7pm with a DJ set, and tickets are available to win for free on Chopstix’s website.
Emily Sergeant -
15th November 2021 
