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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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Celebrating 30 remarkable years of AO Arena – one of Manchester’s BIGGEST music hot spots
Thomas Melia
The AO Arena is the home of core memories in Manchester, and is about to celebrate a monumental 30 years of creating magical music moments.
Over the last three decades, the AO Arena has been pulling in massive acts across a variety of genres, scales, demographics and styles of entertainment.
It’s hosted some of the world’s biggest tours and been a nurturing place for homegrown talent to perform their first-ever arena-level shows.
From head spinning and record breaking performances in 2008 with the company ofKylie Minogue to hundreds of comedy shows (a hundred of them courtesy ofPeter Kay alone) this live music space really has welcomed some golden moments and continues to do to this day.
Manchester has been a pioneer city for the Northern music scene, and there’s no denying AO Arena has played a major part in transporting this scene to some unreal heights.
To celebrate the venue’s 30th birthday, we chatted with director of operations Miriam Stone, and although her name may not be familiar to a lot of you, we wouldn’t have the incredible memories we hold so dearly without her.
Interview with Miriam Stone, Director of Operations at AO Arena
There have been lots of acts who have made AO Arena their home for the night or for a couple of nights with their various tours and shows, who’s been your favourite to see live?
That is the question that people ask a lot. If you imagine over 130 shows a year, for 18 years, that’s a lot of shows. Tina Turner always stands out as being one of the most incredible events that we ever did, partly because you look at the stage and go, that’s Tina Turner. She had these big, massive heels, and went striding out to the audience, incredible!
Prince was the one that made me cry. We had three weeks notice that we were doing Prince’s concerts, and because of my age and where he sat in my life, that made me cry. That was amazing. Those two shows just make me sit back and take a breath.
Kylie Minogue has played more than 30 shows at AO Arena. Credit: Supplied
Living legends and rock royalty alike have stepped out and played shows here over the years, have there been any pinch me moments in your career that still leave you feeling starstruck to this day?
Billy Bragg. He was always one that made me laugh and made him laugh, I suppose it’s who you grew up listening to, isn’t it? Spice Girls were an interesting one too, because I was too old for the Spice Girls, when they were first around and but when they had their reunion tour, and I stepped out again and had a listen, there was just that swooping moment.
It’s the audiences, almost as much, if not more, than the artists, because when you have that many people all singing all at the same time its magical. When Coldplay did an arena tour I’d never seen seats behind the screen and stage sold before. That’s how much people wanted to be in that room and that crowd, because they all wanted to sing their heart out.
Spice Girls at AO Arena. Credit: Supplied
I had my first ever concert experience here at AO Arena, my first ever show was Ariana Grande all the way back in 2014, who was the first artist you saw play here?
The first concert I worked here was Richard Ashcroft in 2006 followed very quickly by Christina Aguilera, two massive shows!
What are some of the strangest requests the team have received from a performer?
Most of those requests go to the promoter. We’ve had artists install doors and temporary walls to cut off certain parts of the room. We have a we have a wire that runs around the dressing room walls, because some artists like to style the dressing rooms the same everywhere they go. Most artists have a curtain that they then would normally bring a framework to hang things on to make the room more homely but in our venue, they don’t need to. They can just clip it around the walls. Whatever it is that makes the artists feel the most comfortable, we’ll do it.
What’s the most surprising event that you’ve ever held here?
The World Taekwondo championships, Disney on Ice the day after, and then, Cirque du Soleil was coming in the day after that, Oh my God!
We had to start building ice which we then covered up with wood, carpet and plastic so that we could then build the Taekwondo mats all on top of that, we did the Taekwondo on top of the ice. As soon as the event finished, we whipped it all out, carried on making the ice, did the ice show, brought in mini diggers, to break the ice up,and then loaded in Cirque du Soleil. I suppose those back-to-back days showed a really good range of the of the kind of events that we do.
David Haye at AO Arena, highlighting just the range of events this entertainment space can do. Credit: Supplied
We’re only in the first few weeks of 2025 but I know music lovers like myself will be buzzing to fill up their concert calendars, what artists can we expect to see at the arena so far this year?
We’ve got, again, that range of things, from James Blunt to Toto to Sean Paul and Ashanti. Olly Murs, The Lumineers, Twenty One Pilots, Busted head to head with McFly, Lynnyrd Skynnyrd, Parkway Drive and Deacon Blue.
As Director of Operations for AO Arena, you will have spoken to plenty of attendees that have walked through the door and into this incredible live entertainment arena, which seat/view have people said is the best?
I mean that changes depending on your taste. When it comes to tennis some people want to be on the net line in 103 and 114. 108 and 109 are just brilliant, if you’re struggling for tickets, the front rows of the upper tiers are brilliant with a great view. The good thing about the front rows of of 102, 103, 114 and 115 is that you can feel like you’re part of the standing floor, but you still get your own seat.
You’ve worked in the music industry for more than a decade so you will be more than aware of how much planning goes into events and concerts, but if you could pick three individuals to play a special one night only show at AO Arena who would you choose?
If I could have David Bowie here, then, then that I could end my career! Billy Connolly, I have never laughed so much as I have watching him, people talk about crying laughing, I was almost sobbing laughing. And finally, The Dalai Lama, I’ve got this photo of him holding my hand, if they could come back and I could do that again, that’s a once in a lifetime, opportunity.
Another living legend, Madonna performed at AO Arena, opening her European leg of her ‘Invention World Tour’. Credit: Supplied
AO Arena turns 30 on 15 July 2025 and to celebrate they want you to submit your favourite pictures and memories in return for a chance to win free tickets, more info HERE.
Bask founder announces latest music and events venue in Stockport
Danny Jones
The man behind the beloved Bask bar in Stockport has just announced details of his latest live music venue and events project in the town centre.
Local entrepreneur Benji Taylor set up the immensely popular Bask back in 2022 and since then what could have been just another bar and cafe has turned into one of SK’s busiest food and drink spots, not to mention its leading music venue and late-night destination.
With a background in music promotion, the live scene and gigs have always been a big part of Benji’s vision, so it’s no real surprise that his latest venture is even more in that wheelhouse than ever.
After a series of social media teasers in recent weeks and months, the popular local figure has now officially revealed the name of his next venue – and it couldn’t be more fitting.
We’re bringing in a heavy PA, incredible lights and one beautiful stage. It’s really going to be something.
The bar will be stocked with the finest worldwide and local beers, spirits, wines, AF tackle and some pretty tasty fresh ground coffee.
That’s right, taking direct inspiration from the historic old town district that has a character all of its own, ‘The Underbank’ is about to take on a whole new meaning in Stockport.
Replacing the former Syndikat site on the corner of Great Underbank, in close proximity not only to the recently renovated White Lion but also the likes of SK1 Records, it’s a perfect location to catch the footfall and overspill on those big street party nights and Foodie Fridays.
The announcement post goes on to add: “Need you all to get behind us on this, please give us a follow and join the journey. The UK needs more venues, and we’re here to stay. We’ll be announcing the first set of events next week. Some absolute belters.
“See you for the opening party very soon.”
Benji actually opened a spin-off site simply named Bask Live over Wigan way back in August 2024, but the idea didn’t quite work out (ultimately reopening as an Irish bar), he and his team have now pivoted to another music-first venue in a locale where they already have a strong following.
Speaking to The Manc, Benji explained that the new gig and live events space is a complete rebrand and re-fit of Syndikat, with existing owner Des O’Malley – who also runs Nook in Heaton Moor – still on board as an operational and creative partner.
Credit: Syndikat (via Facebook)Credit: Benji Taylor (via X)Stockport is set for a new live music venue and arts space from the brains behind Bask.
The hope is no doubt to bring over some of that glowing Bask reputation with them, even if Benji did recently step away from the business.
Having taken some well-deserved time out after being signed off sick last summer, we’re glad to see him back up and running and sinking his passions into something new.
“I’m excited to pick up where I left off with the other place, but taking it up a notch”, he told us. “So many exciting plans that’ll all be announced over the next few weeks.”
Although it’s still early days, The Underbank is promising “more big artists, who haven’t played Stockport before, all the best in upcoming artists, a brand new comedy showcase” and, “of course, we’ll be going heavy on Stockport County match days”, says Benji.
Better yet, you won’t have to wait too long to see how it all turns out, as The Underbank is looking to open at the start of March.
Emily Sergeant -
15th November 2021 
