It’s safe to say last year’s new intake of university students were robbed of a decent freshers week in 2020. This year, however, is a whole different story.
Manchester’s music scene is unrivalled – we all know that. And being a student in the city, you’re usually spoilt for choice with club nights. Sadly, over the past 18 months that’s not been the case.
But since COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in July and nightclubs could reopen again, our calendars have been blowing up with music events.
So, if you’re heading to the city for the first time, or are returning for the new academic year, you’ll be pleased to know that the city’s clubs are throwing some serious parties this time around. And we’ve put together our very own guide to Manchester club nights in and around freshers week.
Which university you’re heading to, will of course determine your official freshers week dates are. But here we’ve included events spanning two weeks to cover all bases.
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These aren’t your typical ‘freshers’ events. There’ll be no foam, UV paint and £1 Jagerbombs. There will, however, be some decent music and even more decent vibes to kick off your time in Manchester properly.
Lean and Bop is back at The Deaf Institute
Fans of Drake, AJ Tracey, Post Malone, Kanye West, Cardi B, Frank Ocean and the likes of, this one’s for you.
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Lean & Bop – Manchester’s biggest hip-hop, grime and R&B club night – is back with a freshers part one event at the Deaf Institute from Tuesday 14 September.
They’re putting on a freshers week double header, with a part two the following Tuesday. And Lean & Bop fans will be pleased to know the club night will be returning for a weekly Tuesday night residency going forward, too.
The Deaf Institute | 135 Grosvenor Street, M1 7HE | 14 September | 10pm – 3am
90s nostalgia at Hatch
Did you know Hatch is launching a new weekly student night ‘Show Me Love’ on 14 September?
Every Tuesday for the foreseeable, you can enjoy a whole evening of old school hits and 90s nostalgia. All this alongside the usual Hatch offerings of beers, cocktail and tasty food options to line your stomach – or sober you up.
Oh, and it’s free to get in. But you’re best booking a table in advance anyway.
On Friday 17 September, newcomer Discopia returns to The Bread Shed for a second time, offering a night of funky beats, house and underground disco.
Discopia’s last visit to The Bread Shed was a delightful concoction of music, confetti and bubble guns.
But joining the lineup this time around will be Matty B, Dom C. Taylor and Cameron Rawson. Together, they’ll concoct the good-vibes-only dancefloor atmosphere that we all need right now.
If Purple Disco Machine, The Shapeshifters and Fat Boy Slim are a bit of you, get yourself down.
The Bread Shed | 126 Grosvenor Street, M1 7HL | 17 September | 11pm – 3am
Festival-like lineups at The Warehouse Project
The Warehouse Project will take over Mayfield Depot for 12 weeks. Credit: whp_mcr/IG
If you really want to go all out with one of the biggest scale Manchester music experiences, the Warehouse Project at Depot Mayfield is a must.
With a capacity of 10,000, the disused train depot opposite Piccadilly Station is like having a mini festival right here in the city.
Known for putting on festival-calibre lineups every single weekend, the 2021 Warehouse Project season is probably one of the biggest we’ve seen to date.
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On Friday 17 September, the lineup is heavily funk, house and disco orientated with Nile Rodgers and Chic, Horse Meat Disco, Craig Charles, Gina Breeze, DJ Paulette and more.
Tickets are generally more expensive but you’ll more than get your money’s worth. Find info and tickets here.
New students might not be familiar with the legend of Rusholme’s Antwerp Mansion. If you’re one of them, Google it.
But whilst it’s gone but never forgotten, the spirit of the beloved mansion lives on in the Antwerp Mansion Presents series. And this latest one at The Bred Shed on Saturday 18 September will see a collab with Bass Face for celebration of the rich history of drum and bass music.
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Seasoned drum and bass DJs will join fresh up-and-coming talent to bring the filthy beats and wobbly basslines. Mampi Swift will also play a two-hour set using a six-deck set up and it’s not to be missed. Plus, a ‘B3B’ with Kara, Kelvin 373 and Katalyst, and B2B from Frankee D and Bad Habitz will make this a big one.
The Bread Shed | 126 Grosvenor Street, M1 7HL | 18 September | 11pm – 3am
Hidden turns ‘weird and wonderful’ with Triple Cooked
The house and techno party starters Triple Cooked are experts at bringing venues to life with their colourful stage design and props. Hidden will undergo a Triple Cooked makeover on Sunday 19 September where two floors of the venue will be transformed into a ‘weird and wonderful adventure’.
Downtex Mill | 16-18 Mary Street, M3 1NH | 19 September | 11pm-4am
The biggest lineup ever from Hit & Run
Hit & Run’s annual ‘Start of Season Slammer’ always kicks off the academic year properly. Credit: gbmultimedia/IG
Longstanding bass music student night Hit & Run has revealed a giant lineup of DJs and MCs for its annual ‘Start of Season Slammer’ which coincides with freshers week.
Across the three floors of Hidden, you can expect to revel in five hours of drum and bass, jungle, bass, and dubstep from all the familiar Hit & Run faces.
Join Chimpo, Metrodome, Truthos Mufasa, Tonn Piper, Strategy, Slay, Rich Reason and more to kick off the academic year in a heavy bass-driven fashion. Plus, there’ll be an exclusive classic liquid DnB set from Ivy Lab.
What else would you be doing on a Monday? Nothing. Tickets on Skiddle here.
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Downtex Mill | 16-18 Mary Street, M3 1NH | 20 September | 11pm-4am
Moxy Muzik returns to Joshua Brooks
After a number of years, Moxy Muzik will return to the new-look Joshua Brooks. Credit: jackkirwin/IG
After an extended hiatus, Darius Syrossian’s Moxy Muzik residency finally makes its returns to the new and improved Joshua Brooks just in time for freshers week.
It all kicks off on Monday 20 September with an extended three-hour set from the man himself. Plus, appearances from Hock and Jake Adams.
This’ll be a one-off event due to such popular demand, because from early November the residency will resume a monthly Friday night slot like old times.
If you fancy one last dance before lectures get serious, tickets are only a fiver. Get them on Skiddle here.
Enjoy some FREE live music at Hatch with Open Beat. Credit: Hatch/IG
If you’re still going by Thursday, there’s another freshers all-dayer on down at Hatch with a music lineup curated by Open Beat in association with BIMM Institute.
The live music will start from 7pm, with performances from Kid Blue, Manta, Minerva Daisy, The Demo, Foxglove, plus DJ set from Unity Radio and BBC Radio1Xtra DJ Jermaine Lee to round things off.
This one is completely free too, which is a bargain considering all this live music! You still need a ticket to get in though, register here.
As one of our favourite small venues in the city, we strongly recommend you get down to Stage & Radio. And there’s a Lucid Juice event happening there on Thursday 23 September which falls within freshers week.
With Samurai Breaks, Hardcore Soy, Tee, Shannon From Admin B2bB Chande and Ekkinz B2B Gina all on the lineup, it’ll be a busy night of jungle, bass, breaks, acid house and grime.
For more music, club nights, gigs and events in Manchester, click here and follow The Manc Audio on Instagram.
Featured image: Hit & Run by gbmultimedia/IG
Gigs & Nightlife
The Strokes at Co-op Live, Manchester – stage times, setlist, tickets and more
Lydia Mastrolonardo
This Autumn, everybody’s favourite New York-based indie band The Strokes have been treating fans across the globe to their energetic live shows – and Monday is finally Manchester’s turn.
That’s right – one of the most iconic indie rock bands of the era are set to bring their Reality Awaits tour to the Co-op Live for the first ever time, with their decade-spanning catalogue of indie anthems purely for our listening pleasure.
The Strokes formed back in 1998 and soon earned attention from major labels after becoming known for their intense live shows and with the release of their 2001 EP The Modern Age. This was closely followed by their first album, ‘Is This It,’ and ever since they’ve had fans absolutely transfixed.
These American rockers have dominated the charts with four Top 10 albums over the last decade, earning numerous awards along the way and even landing a spot on Rolling Stone’s Top 10 Debuts of All Time list. Now it’s our time to see them in the flesh – we absolutely can’t wait.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Manchester night, including dates, tickets, support, setlist, and how to get to the arena.
Gig Guide | The Strokes at Co-op Live, Manchester
Stage times for The Strokes at Co-op Live, Manchester
These are the only times that are confirmed, but it’s expected that support acts will begin around 8:00pm, followed by The Strokes on stage around 9:00pm.
For the Manchester gig, The Strokes will be joined by special guests, Alex Cameron and Fat White Family.
Alex Cameron is an Australian singer-songwriter, specialising in synth-pop and soft rock, joining us all the way from Sydney. He also has an impressive history having written for the likes of The Killers.
Fat White Family are and English rock band, which formed in 2011 in Peckham, London. The band are set to provide one of their typically high energy performances, which will be sure to get the crowd warmed up for The Strokes.
What songs can fans expect to hear?
It is set to be an unmissable show with frontman Julian Casablancas’ distinct vocals on albums containing crowd favourites like “Reptilia” and “Last Nite,” as well as material from their most recent album ‘The New Abnormal,’ and upcoming album ‘Reality Awaits.’
Based on the reported setlist from their Paris show on 22 October, Manchester fans can look forward to a strong selection of familiar hits, however as always it is subject to change.
The suspected set list goes as follows:
Going to Babble On
Reptilia
Hard to Explain
Dine N’Dash
Soma
Lonely in the Future
Juicebox
The Adults Are Talking
Heart in a Cage
Going Shopping
You Only Live Once
Meet Me in the Bathroom
One Way Trigger
Automatic Stop
Someday
Tyrants of the Mellow Moon
Take It or Leave It
Last Nite
Encore
New York City Cops
Threat of Joy
Ode to the Mets
Encore 2
Selfless
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 1am 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.
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 on 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 on 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. 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.
Mercury Prize 2026 review: RAYE takes home the crown as Newcastle celebrates the very best in music
Clementine Hall
One of the biggest nights in music kicked off last night as the Mercury Prize 2026 was awarded.
If there was ever a night to fall head over heels in love with British and Irish music, the 2026 Mercury Prize made a very convincing case.
Bringing together some of the country’s most exciting artists under one roof in Newcastle, this year’s ceremony was a reminder of just how much talent is packed into the current music scene.
From established legends to the names shaping what comes next, it was an absolute belter.
Images: Audio North
Held at the Newcastle Utilita Arena for the second year running, I think everybody in that room felt very lucky to be there to see firsthand who took home the coveted prize.
The shortlist brought together an impressive mix of artists, with Florence + The Machine, Olivia Dean, JADE, Suede, Pulp, Dave and Sir Paul McCartney among the big names making the lineup very star studded indeed.
Suede kicked things off with ‘Dancing With The Europeans’, bringing their unmistakable energy to the ceremony, while Pulp delivered ‘Begging For Change’ as part of the HELP(2) charity compilation.
It was a line-up that demonstrated the sheer range of music being made across the UK and Ireland, from contemporary pop to established rock and even jungle thanks to Bradford’s own Nia Archives.
And of course, there was one woman who had every reason to leave with a smile on her face.
RAYE took home the coveted Mercury Prize for THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE., an ambitious, genre-hopping album that blends jazz, soul, R&B and classical influences into something so fabulously unique.
Image: Audio North
Newcastle’s own Knats performance was definitely a highlight of the evening, combining slick jazz with spoken-word poetry against a projection of The Tyne Bridge.
A fitting image, and one that underlines the importance of holding such huge events in the north and highlighting the obvious talent that thrives here.
The 2026 Mercury Prize was a brilliant showcase of the country’s music at its best.
And with RAYE taking home the trophy, it’s clear there is plenty of ‘hope’ left in British music.
Hannah Starkie -
10th September 2021 
