Love gigs? We have put together a list of gigs in Manchester; perfect locations to watch your favourite band or artist. Going to gigs is fun but trying to find the right gig venue is not and can be very time consuming. This is why we gathered them all to one page just for you.
Manchester Arena- AO Arena
Manchester Arena is the most popular gig venue in Manchester, holding a capacity of 21,000 people and one of the busiest venues in the world. The arena is known as ‘AO Arena’ adopting the name from the AO sponsorship. You can find this gig venue North of the city centre located near Victoria train station.
The AO Arena has history with worldwide artists such as Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones and Madonna with leading comedians such as Peter Kay. Not only this, famous sporting events such as boxing with Mike Tyson have taken place here. With over one million visitors each year, the AO Arena ensures to make your visit a safe and welcoming experience and an enjoyable night.
02 Apollo
The O2 Apollo is a well known venue for gigs in Manchester. They are partners with well known brands: Carlsberg, Pepsi, Barclaycard, Amazon music, Ticketmaster, Truly and Uber and partner venues with 02 Ritz having a number of venues across the UK. A fun fact about the O2 Apollo is they avoided three Luftwaffe bombs during world war II.
The styles of events here have always been versatile from open shows of major rock, comedy, music for older generations as well as classic pop. The artists range from modern british music artists to artists from overseas, an exciting opportunity to see your favourite famous performers.
02 Ritz
Built in 1928 the 02 Ritz went from a dance hall and revolving stage to a now legendary gig venue in Manchester. Since then 02 Ritz has been a popular destination in Manchester to watch live music. This venue has had famous performers including The Stone Roses, The Beatles and Happy Mondays.
The 02 Ritz continues to be one of the top venues for gigs in Manchester, continuing the ray of exceptional live sets from performers including Arctic Monkeys and Gary Numan. Find out when your favourite artist is playing and go down for an exciting and fun-filled night.
Band on The Wall
The Band on The Wall was so popular back in the 20th century, the live music bands had to practically perform on the wall (hence the name). The venue has since had a refurbishment in 2009 and is currently undergoing another refurbishment. Their guests are at the heart of what they do which is why providing a fresh and up to date space is important for them.
This gig venue offers international music from jazz to blues to folk, with a record history of all performances in their archives and Youtube channel. Impressive right? Fun fact, Buzzcocks and Joy Division have both played here. Manchester offers many other pubs which preform live music like Band on the Wall. Check out pubs in Manchester here.
Manchester Academy
Manchester Academy is located next to the buzzing life of university students. Located on the campus of Manchester University and next to student accommodations, this gig venue created by the student union. The venues for this gig are situated in two buildings being the original built student union and the academy.
The music venue has become a popular music scene especially for students and further needed to expand the gig space. After advancing the capacity space, the first performer was a well known artist named Buzzcocks. This space is lively and friendly and everyone is welcome.
Castlefield Bowl
Castlefield Bowl is an amazing venue if the weather is up to scratch. You can enjoy a night of outdoor entertainment packed with quality live music gigs. With a history of Kylie Minogue, Noel Gallagher, The Courteeners and other famous names around the world.
Playing host to a number of gigs in Manchester, The Castlefield Bowl can hold a large number of 8,000 people. Perfect in creating that lively atmosphere to enjoy with your friends and family. This venue is not only home to some of the best gig nights but also food festivals! If you enjoy outdoor entertainment, check out our best outdoor bars in Manchester.
Overview
We hope we helped in your journey to finding a gig location in Manchester. If we inspired you to visit one of the music venues we mentioned please be sure to tag us on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
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