Manchester Directory

Four musicians from Stockport built Strawberry Studios, wrote I’m Not in Love, and made pop music smarter than anyone expected. Stockport’s original musical export.

Named after the Roland TR-808, 808 State were making acid house in Manchester before most of the country knew what acid house was. Pacific State is still untouchable.

Gerald Simpson made Voodoo Ray in his bedroom in Moss Side with a Roland 303 and changed the course of British dance music. One track. That’s all it took.

Harrison Armstrong from New Moston went from YouTube freestyles to top 5 singles and became the first Manchester rapper to break into the genuine mainstream.

Manchester’s original big arena. 21,000 capacity at Victoria station, still pulling massive tours despite the new competition down the road.

Manchester’s massive new arts venue. £211 million, designed by OMA, still working out what it wants to be. The ambition is undeniable.

Damon Gough won the Mercury Prize with his debut album, soundtracked a Nick Hornby film, and became Manchester’s most unlikely star. Always wore the hat.

Five lads from Stockport who rehearsed above a scaffolding yard and turned into one of the biggest indie bands in the country. Stockport is properly proud of them.

Manchester’s international concert hall and home of the Hallé Orchestra. 2,357 seats, acoustics, right in the city centre.

Aaron Davis from Crumpsall took Manchester grime national, beefed with Chip, sold out the Apollo, and proved the north had bars to match anything from London.

Pete Shelley wrote perfect pop songs disguised as punk. Buzzcocks helped organise the Sex Pistols gig at the Free Trade Hall and kickstarted Manchester’s entire independent music scene.

Manchester’s newest and biggest arena. 23,500 capacity, opened 2024, and already pulling the biggest tours away from the AO.

Before they were Doves they were Sub Sub, and their studio burned down. What came out of that disaster was one of the finest guitar bands Manchester has produced.

Guy Garvey and four mates from Bury spent a decade being ignored before winning the Mercury Prize and writing the song every wedding DJ in Manchester has on standby.

Jonathan Higgs sings in a falsetto that shouldn’t work over math-rock rhythms and pop hooks, but Everything Everything have made it their own thing entirely.

A three-room club on Princess Street named after Factory Records. Live music, indie nights, and club events. Manchester music history on the door.

Small live music venue on Oldham Street. Punk, indie, alternative. An NQ stalwart.

Shaun Ryder and a gang from Little Hulton stumbled into Factory Records and made the messiest, most joyful collision of rock and acid house anyone had heard.