The critically-acclaimed exhibition is set to close on 3 January 2022.
Since opening to the public back in June, over 25,000 visitors from all across Greater Manchester and beyond have had the chance to experience the popular exhibition, which uncovers the lesser-known stories of one of Manchester’s most influential record labels, Factory Records, and celebrates its place at the heart of the city and in the UK’s music and creative industries.
Visitors have been guided through the lesser-known story of the pre-Haçienda years to learn all about the history of Factory Records label and discover how it earned its status as a catalyst for innovation.
From the first 50 numbered artefacts from the Factory catalogue, to getting hands-on with pioneering technologies of the time, getting to discover previously-untold stories of the first four years of the label is undoubtedly one of main highlights of the exhibiton.
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There’s also the chance to immerse yourself in the unique culture and technology that made the Factory Records era such an important one for both music and Manchester.
Some of the artefacts featured in the exhibition include the iconic FAC 1 poster – designed by Peter Saville – as well as items relating to Joy Division, New Order, and The Durutti Column, and there’s even a series of amplified stories which shed light on individuals who played an important but lesser-acknowledged role in Factory Records’ early years, including five key women involved in its beginnings – Lindsay Reade, Lesley Gilbert, Gillian Gilbert, Ann Quigley and artist, Linder.
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Time's running out to visit Use Hearing Protection: The early years of Factory Records 🎧
Discover the formative years of the iconic record label and how its unique sound changed music. This must-see exhibition closes 3 January.
But, if you’ve not been able to head on down to the city’s leading cultural museum yet to see the exhibition, then you’ve still got a couple of months left to catch it.
Speaking on the success of the exhibition and its final weeks, Sally MacDonald – Director of the Science and Industry Museum – said: “Factory Records was always distinctly and proudly Mancunian, and the music it generated helped define our city, inspiring countless other bands – proving revolutionary in all sorts of ways – from design, to music technology.
The exhibition uncovers the lesser-known stories of one of Manchester’s most influential record labels – Factory Records / Credit: Science and Industry Museum
“That’s why it has been such an honour to be able to give our visitors the opportunity to have access to an important part of our musical heritage, whether it be so they can reminisce about what they experienced first-hand, or to discover something completely new about the city and music they love.
“The reaction to the exhibition from visitors has been incredible so far, and we want to make sure that before the exhibition closes as many people as possible get to experience for themselves this truly Mancunian exhibition.”
Use Hearing Protection: The early years of Factory Records can be found on the first floor of the museum until Monday 3 January 2022.
Tickets are priced at £8 for adults and £6 for concessions, with under-12s going free.
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You can see Use Hearing Protection: The early years of Factory Records until Monday 3 January 2022 / Credit: Science and Industry Museum
In case you didn’t know, the Science and Industry Museum is currently undergoing a multi-million-pound restoration project, and as well as the now-complete Special Exhibitions Gallery, the much-loved Power Hall is also being renovated, and improvement works are currently being made to the historic 1830s Station and Warehouse – the world’s first passenger railway station and the oldest existing railway goods warehouse respectively.
These areas will remain closed until works are complete.
There’s also some exciting new exhibitions arriving at the museum in the new year too, so keep your eyes peeled.
Featured Image – Science and Industry Museum
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Win VIP tickets to see Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Stockholm – plus fights, accommodation, a bar tab AND an annual pass for The Mezz
Daisy Jackson
We’ve got a treat for you – a rare chance to try and get yourself tickets to see Taylor Swift live in concert, on the European leg of The Eras Tour.
The enormous tour is already the highest-grossing the world has ever seen, worth more than $1 billion.
Taylor Swift’s mammoth three-and-a-quarter hour live show has driven so much demand for tickets, ticketing platforms had to change their usual models so their websites didn’t crash.
These tickets are gold dust – but now we’ve got a couple of VIP ones up for grabs, completely free.
The Manc has teamed up with the AO Arena and its brand-new members-only restaurant and bar The Mezz for huge giveaway.
The grand prize is an all-expenses paid trip to see Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Stockholm.
It includes two VIP tickets to the show itself on Saturday 18 May, plus two return flights to to Stockholm from Manchester, and accommodation for two at the Quality Friends Hotel in Stockholm.
While you’re at the show at the Friends Arena, you’ll have a £250 bar tab to enjoy.
And when you return home to Manchester, your new VIP lifestyle will continue, with two annual passes to The Mezz for the rest of the year.
That gets you access to The Mezz’s incredible restaurant space – where the menu is designed by Michelin chefs Simon Rogan and Tom Barnes – and huge exclusive bar area.
And then you can enter the AO Arena itself through The Mezz’s designated doors to watch any show you fancy from the best seats in the house.
All you need to do to win is head to our Instagram page here or click on the post at the end of this article.
Tag who you’d take with you on this once-in-a-lifetime trip in the comments, then share to your story for an extra chance to win (don’t forget to tag us!).
The competition for Taylor Swift tickets ends on Monday 22 April at 23.59.
There’s a big listening party for Taylor Swift’s new album happening in Manchester this week
Emily Sergeant
One of the biggest, if not the biggest, popstars in the world right now will be releasing a brand-new album this Friday, and there’s a dedicated listening party happening in Manchester especially for the occasion.
In case you aren’t a Swiftie, or you just generally weren’t aware, Taylor Swift announced back in early February that she would be unleashing her eleventh studio album, titled The Tortured Poets Department, on the world on 19 April.
Just like anything the 34-year-old singer-songwriter does, the surprise announcement of the new album – which is a follow-up to her 2022 critically-acclaimed and GRAMMY award-winning album, Midnights – pretty much broke the internet when it happened, and her dedicated fans have been counting down the days ever since.
Now, after months of eagerly waiting, the big day is finally happening this Friday, and in a bid to properly mark what a massive day it will be, one popular Manchester venue has decided to host a dedicated listening party, so that Swifties can unite under one roof and celebrate the special occasion together.
Fairfield Social Club (FSC) which has recently opened its doors in the heart of Manchester city centre, is inviting fans to “gather with your closest Swifties” and head on down to its Green Quarter venue this Friday for a night that’s “dedicated to Tay Tay and her legacy”.
Not only will you get to hear The Tortured Poets Department in full from start to finish surrounded by dozens of fellow fans, but there’ll also be a bunch of other Swift-themed activities too.
There’s a big Taylor Swift new album listening party happening in Manchester this week / Credit: FSC
These include a Taylor Swift pub quiz with questions to all about her life and groundbreaking career to test your knowledge, friendship bracelet-making sessions, and just the chance to share the love and swap stories with other Swifties.
If all of that didn’t sound brilliant enough as it is, there’s also set to be a selection of themed cocktails to sip whilst you spend time ruminating on what Taylor meant in the lyrics of her songs only released a few hours prior.
Oh, and the best bit? FSC promises there “won’t be a Scooter Braun in sight” on the night.
The Tortured Poets Department Listening Party is taking over Fairfield Social Club this Friday 19 April from 7pm right through until 10pm – with tickets now on sale setting you back just £6 each, and already selling fast.
Emily Sergeant -
15th December 2021 
