O2 Ritz

The Ritz has been a Manchester institution since 1927 and the sprung dancefloor is still one of the best things about going out in this city. You can literally feel it bouncing under your feet when the room fills up. The building is an art deco ballroom that’s seen everything from northern soul all-nighters to The Smiths to modern club nights. The O2 branding is corporate but the room itself still has character.

Capacity is around 1,500 which makes it that sweet spot between small venue and arena. Bands that are too big for the Deaf Institute but not ready for the Apollo end up here, and the atmosphere at a sold-out Ritz show is hard to beat. The sound has improved over the years – it used to be muddy but recent upgrades have sorted most of that out.

Club nights rotate. You’ll find indie nights, rock nights, alternative stuff, and the occasional dance music event. Student nights are predictably messy. The bar is standard venue fare – nothing special, functional. Location on Whitworth Street West means you’re in the thick of things for carrying on afterwards. The Ritz isn’t the coolest venue in Manchester but it might be the most important. That dancefloor is reason enough.