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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Wolf Alice at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
London-formed rock band Wolf Alice are now on the road for their UK tour, and they’re visiting AO Arena in Manchester to put a ‘Smile’ on our faces.
We’re trying our best to be ‘Formidable Cool’, but when Wolf Alice come to town, we think everyone is allowed to lose it a little bit.
Known for bangers like ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’, ‘Silk’ and ‘Lipstick On The Glass’, just to name a few, this band have built a cult following thanks to their always-impressive discography.
15 years since forming and just over 10 years since their debut album My Love Is Cool hit airwaves, with their lead singles ‘Fluffy’ and ‘Bros’, just three months later, they’ve been on a roll since. Now, Wolf Alice are playing their biggest Manc gigs to date at none other than our iconic 21,000-seater venue, AO Arena.
Gig guide | Wolf Alice at AO Arena Manchester
Wolf Alice’s upcoming gig is taking place at AO Arena in Manchester on Friday 28 November / Credit: Press Shots (via Supplied)
Wolf Alice UK tour dates
Fri 28 November – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
Sat 29 November – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Mon 1 December – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
Tue 2 December – London, UK – The O2
Wed 3 December – London, UK – The O2
Fri 5 December – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena
Sun 7 December – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Mon 8 December – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Wolf Alice tickets for AO Arena gig
This band might be bigger than any ‘Giant Peach’ you could possibly think, but you might just be able to get your hand on a ticket or two for the last Wolf Alice gig in Manchester on their final night this Friday, 28 November.
Stop ‘Leaning Against the Wall’ and get onto your favourite ticket site as there are still a handful of tickets for Wolf Alice’s upcoming Manchester show available right HERE.
What are the stage times for Wolf Alice in Manchester?
AO Arena has a curfew of 11pm, meaning you can get home in time for some ‘Bread Butter Tea Sugar’ before the early hours.
There’s not one but two incredible acts set to support Wolf Alice, and it’s none other than former-FRIGS lead singer, Bria Salmena, as well as American rock trio, Sunflower Bean.
Doors for this event are opening from 6pm, and Wolf Alice are expected to take the stage from around 7:30pm onwards before combining into a supergroup in time for closing time.
Thank u Europe and thank u @Florence_Road Touring in Europe is magic. We don’t take it for granted, so grateful for you all turning up. 🥹 Lots of love xxx
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
Getting there by car and parking
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
Featured Images — Press Shots (via Rachel Fleminger Hudson/Supplied)
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Oasis and adidas drop yet more new merch in the Live ’25 collection
Danny Jones
The Oasis and adidas love affair isn’t over just yet; it isn’t going anywhere, as the legendary Manc band group and global sports apparel franchise are releasing another batch of merch as part of the smash-hit Live ’25 collection.
After shirts, shoes, jackets and bucket hats galore sold out all over the world, adidas is now toasting not only the end of the reunion world tour but “the year that was Oasis” with a second drop in the already iconic crossover.
If you passed through Manchester at all during their Heaton Park homecoming run, you will have no doubt seen countless examples of the ‘adidas Originals x Oasis’ football shirt collaboration alone, not to mention several other bits of fashion in the official Live ’25 fashion line.
Now, just in time for Christmas, there’s a whole new set being introduced into the range of casual wear.
Simply titled ‘Oasis Live ‘25 Drop 2’, the latest additions to the adidas Originals collection are releasing next month and, obviously, will be sold in stores and online.
While the pop-up stores that opened up here in the city centre all over have now shut up shop, Greater Manchester’s adidas locations on Market Street – which turned into an Oasis fan paradise this past summer – and Pear Mill in Stockport will still be stocking the various bits of Britpop clobber.
Although the most recent items will be exclusively available domestically for now, they will be rolled out overseas in 2026.
Considering how quickly most of it sold out last time, you can guarantee most of the options to fly off the shelves just as fast here in the UK.
Honestly, we’ve only just managed to get our hands on the standard black ‘jacquard jersey’.
As you can see, a good chunk of the second drop is that same footy shirt in different colours and other tees in different lengths/variations.
Scheduled to launch on Friday, 12 December, the ‘Oasis x adidas Originals Live ‘25 Drop 2’ will go on sale at 9am sharpish, so you’d best get ready for a scrap in that digital queue.
Naturally, fans, fashionistas and collectors can expect virtually identical costs for the majority of pieces (and buying in-person will obviously help keep the cost down), though it does look like some price points have been adjusted.
As for the Live ’25 tour itself, now that the dust has settled on the ‘Oasis Mania‘ take two, Liam himself has taken to social media to express his gratitude in the most Gallagher way possible…
Emily Sergeant -
15th November 2021 
