Manchester Nightlife

[n_mcfc]

What do you make of it these days?

Just having a browse on the internet and having a conversation with a mate and wondered what people reckon about the Nightlife in Town these days. Only being 19 I can't say I've had a lot of experience but when I've been out it's been generally ok. But has it worsened since the Hacienda closing do you think? I obviously never went but you hear stories about the place and the amount of bands and artists that played there.

It seems to me that it's become a bit too commercial and there's far too many R&B nights, especially in an around the Printworks and a fair few clubs seem to be a bit up their own arses with the whole exclusivity of the place. Looking at clubs like Circle. That place looks extremely 'fashionable' but does it really deliver a decent night out?

For students it seems quite decent, but a bit too focussed on Indie, 5th Ave, 42's etc. I mean, there are loads of bars, clubs and pubs, all of which suit different tastes. I don't really know why I'm asking, I just think it'd be interesting to hear where people go/went, why and the age ranges of certain places.

 

[Ducky_]

Sankeys is the best. Especially for your age.

http://sankeys.info/

 

[mancmackem]

I don't rate town much these days, you have to really look hard for any gems.

When i was 16/17 i regularly went down the Venue (old Venue opposite the Brickhouse) and it was quality. Teasers was ok for a bit of a laugh. 42's was good (Thursday nights especially) and actually played decent music without being absolutely penned in like cows. Even 5th Ave had some quality moments on Thursdays but got old pretty quickly when it was the same play list every week (could predict Prodigy - Out of Space within 15 minutes of it coming on).

Now, you have 5th Ave that only tend to let you in if you are a student. 42's is gash IMHO, they played the Pussycat Dolls the last time i was in :S Also, if you aren't in the queue by 10:30 you tend not to get in during student months. Mojo would be good if it was bigger and had draught on. Factory just seemed old, been here/done that when i was in the other week. A lot of standard bars just seem the same, i try to avoid the Printworks at all costs. Northern quarter just isn't for me, good for a pint with no trouble but just always left feeling underwhelmed pottering about around there.

Usually just end up in bars now as i can't be arsed with the sweat, the queues, the gash chart music in 80% of places in town. Space is good for a beer with its rooftop bar, Oddbar too. Sinclair's is decent for a chat over a cheap beer. Bar Fringe for something different and for a guaranteed leathered feeling. Even still pop in Fab Cafe sometimes.

One embarrassing point is that i have never had a bad night in Walkabout! That's for about 5 visits.

 

[The Blue]

I don't rate town much these days, you have to really look hard for any gems.

When i was 16/17 i regularly went down the Venue (old Venue opposite the Brickhouse) and it was quality. Teasers was ok for a bit of a laugh. 42's was good (Thursday nights especially) and actually played decent music without being absolutely penned in like cows. Even 5th Ave had some quality moments on Thursdays but got old pretty quickly when it was the same play list every week (could predict Prodigy - Out of Space within 15 minutes of it coming on).

Now, you have 5th Ave that only tend to let you in if you are a student. 42's is gash IMHO, they played the Pussycat Dolls the last time i was in :S Also, if you aren't in the queue by 10:30 you tend not to get in during student months. Mojo would be good if it was bigger and had draught on. Factory just seemed old, been here/done that when i was in the other week. A lot of standard bars just seem the same, i try to avoid the Printworks at all costs. Northern quarter just isn't for me, good for a pint with no trouble but just always left feeling underwhelmed pottering about around there.

Usually just end up in bars now as i can't be arsed with the sweat, the queues, the gash chart music in 80% of places in town. Space is good for a beer with its rooftop bar, Oddbar too. Sinclair's is decent for a chat over a cheap beer. Bar Fringe for something different and for a guaranteed leathered feeling. Even still pop in Fab Cafe sometimes.

One embarrassing point is that i have never had a bad night in Walkabout! That's for about 5 visits.

I'm 23 so been going out round town for about 6 years now and i feel exactly the same! When i first started going out round town, we always ended up in Jumping Jacks on Portland St, i think most 17/18yo at the time started off their town days in there. Full of lads who can't handle the beer, fighting over women and get thrown out before 1am!

Mojos was great the first few times i went in, but then the layout and being pushed from piller to post started to do my head in. We sometimes go there late on, but most of the time the queue has extended to mulligans and we usually cant be arsed and just go in Purple Pussy next door for a quick drink and go.

Although a few of us have been going in Label bar on deansgate, which isn't too bad, until around 1.30am when it starts to empty out.

There isn't really any new places opening, that feel different, they all just seem the same.

Even though the Northern Qtr is supposed to be unpretentious, i can't help but think that some of the bars are, like Blue for instance (the bouncers on there are dickheads) . Everytime i've tried to get in The Northern with more than one person, they've turned us down saying they are too busy, when there has been around 6 people at the bar. Its mad!

I agree about the walkabout, although it was better when they had live music on a saturday night.

I'm off round Altrincham tonight (where a few of my mates live), its alright for a few beers and a laugh, but nothing major. It'll probably cost me about £35 in a taxi home as well!

 

[m27]

I'm 34 and I've gone out in Town the majority of weeks from being 18 so I'm probably in a decent postion to comment.

To be honest, I have as good a time now as I have ever have done but I tend to stick to the Northern Quarter and wander from bar to bar. Never any mither and a decent mix of people. If you want a dance there's the likes of TV21 which have a club downstairs as well.

As a kid I used to go in South (when it was the Bar Kay as well), 42s (met the missus in there),5th Av, The Venue and Yellow at The Boardwalk. As Mancmackem quite rightly pointed out above, both 42s and 5th Av have changed for the worse and The Venue, which served a purpose on a Wednesday when EVERY drink was 50p) is no more, ditto The Boardwalk.

If someone went into Town without much knowledge of the place and ended up on Deansgate, Deansgate Locks or The Printworks then I could imagine they could think Manchester as full of orange women and roid-fuelled, perma-tanned, shaven headed twats, but if you know where to go it's still a good night.

Sankeys has always been consistently good to be fair.

-- Fri Aug 06, 2010 7:40 am --

I don't rate town much these days, you have to really look hard for any gems.

When i was 16/17 i regularly went down the Venue (old Venue opposite the Brickhouse) and it was quality. Teasers was ok for a bit of a laugh. 42's was good (Thursday nights especially) and actually played decent music without being absolutely penned in like cows. Even 5th Ave had some quality moments on Thursdays but got old pretty quickly when it was the same play list every week (could predict Prodigy - Out of Space within 15 minutes of it coming on).

Now, you have 5th Ave that only tend to let you in if you are a student. 42's is gash IMHO, they played the Pussycat Dolls the last time i was in :S Also, if you aren't in the queue by 10:30 you tend not to get in during student months. Mojo would be good if it was bigger and had draught on. Factory just seemed old, been here/done that when i was in the other week. A lot of standard bars just seem the same, i try to avoid the Printworks at all costs. Northern quarter just isn't for me, good for a pint with no trouble but just always left feeling underwhelmed pottering about around there.

Usually just end up in bars now as i can't be arsed with the sweat, the queues, the gash chart music in 80% of places in town. Space is good for a beer with its rooftop bar, Oddbar too. Sinclair's is decent for a chat over a cheap beer. Bar Fringe for something different and for a guaranteed leathered feeling. Even still pop in Fab Cafe sometimes.

One embarrassing point is that i have never had a bad night in Walkabout! That's for about 5 visits.

I'm 23 so been going out round town for about 6 years now and i feel exactly the same! When i first started going out round town, we always ended up in Jumping Jacks on Portland St, i think most 17/18yo at the time started off their town days in there. Full of lads who can't handle the beer, fighting over women and get thrown out before 1am!

Mojos was great the first few times i went in, but then the layout and being pushed from piller to post started to do my head in. We sometimes go there late on, but most of the time the queue has extended to mulligans and we usually cant be arsed and just go in Purple Pussy next door for a quick drink and go.

Although a few of us have been going in Label bar on deansgate, which isn't too bad, until around 1.30am when it starts to empty out.

There isn't really any new places opening, that feel different, they all just seem the same.

Even though the Northern Qtr is supposed to be unpretentious, i can't help but think that some of the bars are, like Blue for instance (the bouncers on there are dickheads) . Everytime i've tried to get in The Northern with more than one person, they've turned us down saying they are too busy, when there has been around 6 people at the bar. Its mad!

I agree about the walkabout, although it was better when they had live music on a saturday night.

I'm off round Altrincham tonight (where a few of my mates live), its alright for a few beers and a laugh, but nothing major. It'll probably cost me about £35 in a taxi home as well!

The bouncers in the NQ can be a nightmare. Fours of us tried to get in Odd last Friday and the bouncer said "No groups. Sorry lads." Fucking four of us????

I didn't shed any tears, we just took our custom over the road.

I agree that Bluu is pretentious at the weekend and so is Walrus, but there are other great places to go. Get in Cord. The most chilled out bouncer in the world, a free juke box, a dancefloor downstairs, and organic cider in the fridge. It's hard to beat.

 

[fast eddie]

I don't go out in town like I used to but I had a good evening in and around Oldham Street recently. Quiet Pubs away from the spotlight.

Best off finding a well kept secret somewhere and keeping Mum.

 

[Blue-Eyes]

I think a major problem we have at the minute is that Manchester has gained a reputation as a "good night out" and as such has attracted a mass increase in the amount of Stag and Hen do's over the last 18 months. (I've been going out in town for the last 10-12 years and can never remember seeing any large groups of slightly rotund females wearing pink tiaras and angel wings in the late 90's????).

The bars along Deansgate, Quay Street, Printworks etc have cottoned on to this trend and are catering for the Stag and Hen crowd, like Newcastle and Dublin did in the past. As a result Manchester's "great night out" is exactly the same as the night out available in Liverpool, Leeds, Nottingham, Cardiff for example - big, overly branded bars, playing cheesy chart and dance music.

I've never been to The Circle or Panacea or any trendy celeb hang outs, I don't think it's my scene but if thats your sort of thing, fair play.
If it's not, there's some good bars in the NQ as previously stated and always new ones popping up around there.
The Warehouse Project is worth a look - Van Dyk and Sasha arelined up to play there at some stage if your into "proper" dance music. Doves and Delphic are playing a night as well.

If theres a few of you wanting a "good drink" The Marble Arch is a welcoming venue.

 

[Ederson1000YardDrive]

Sankeys is the best. Especially for your age.

http://sankeys.info/

This 1,000,000 times... I'm 21 and love Sankeys... Get your self there sweetheart!

Also it's not all about Manchester, travel the country there are some amazing clubs out there if you know what you like!

For instance i'm into trance and tonight there's a party at Sountcontrol with a pre-party at Vodka revs on Oxford Rd this starts at 6pm with the party finishing in soundcontrol at 3am! You need to look away from the big clubs for the best nights sometimes ;-)

 

[n_mcfc]

If someone went into Town without much knowledge of the place and ended up on Deansgate, Deansgate Locks or The Printworks then I could imagine they could think Manchester as full of orange women and roid-fuelled, perma-tanned, shaven headed twats, but if you know where to go it's still a good night.

Well that's the impression I get when I go! So true. I've never been to the NQ, well, not yet. I've heard loads about it but never really had the chance to try it out on a night out.

5th Ave and 42's in particular have provided me with good nights in the past but like you say, it's a bit repetitive. 5th Ave is full of people my age, but it's a bit hit and miss in there, and a bit boring. I'm going to Venue soon, not been there yet so don't know what to expect.

Like others have said, I avoid the Printworks as it's just full of, "Orange women and roid-fuelled, perma-tanned, shaven headed twats." And the clubs all seem too similar.

 

[Originals]

Don't go to the venue. Its really shit. They don't play requests which is the same as 42s. Every friday you can name the playlist after you've been once.

5th Ave is shite aswel. They never change the playlist and the bouncers can be over the top there. Seen 1 smash a lads head off the wall.

NQ is alright when I've been out down there.

Don't mind the Factory as its 3 floors of different music but can be pricey inside.