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 BlackburnBlackburn
Immortalised in the lyrics of A Day in the Life, the closing track on The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper album. John Lennon was inspired by a story in the Daily Mail newspaper about a plan to fill 4,000 potholes in the streets of Blackburn, Lancashire.
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 BlackpoolBlackpool
Immortalised in The Kinks' song Autumn Almanac, meanwhile the Blackpool Winter Gardens was the venue and site of a momentous Stone Roses gig in 1990. Blackpool is also England’s most popular seaside resort and launches a new white-knuckle ride at the Pleasure Beach this year!
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 Haigh Hall Country Park, WiganHaigh Hall Country Park, Wigan
The Verve came out of Wigan and the culmination of their career was at this venue as it was the last time they appeared together on stage. Once the home of Earls and Lords, Haigh Hall is surrounded by 250 acres of park and woodland, with magnificent views across the Douglas Valley to the Welsh Hills and offers free access to the public. Concerts and events are still held here a free, all-day event showcasing the best unsigned bands from across Wigan Borough
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 In the City Festival, Manchester.In the City Festival, Manchester.
Founded in 1992, this has become the music industry date in everyone's diary. By day, Manchester becomes home to the brightest and best in the business, as industry leaders debate the present and plot the future. And by night Manchester hosts the biggest city-based music.
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 Life Café &The Late Room, Manchester.Life Café &The Late Room, Manchester.
A modern and stylish venue, which is a cafe bar by day and an intimate live music haunt at night. Up and coming bands are a hot favourite, whilst established ones such as Space, Stereophonics, Starsailor and Fun Loving Criminals have all appeared in the past.
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 Macclesfield Crematorium.Macclesfield Crematorium.
Born and bred in Macclesfield, just outside Manchester, Ian Curtis from Joy Division was buried at the Crematorium here in 1980. The memorial stone was erected by his wife and bears the words 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'.
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Manchester Academy.Manchester Academy.
Located as part of the Manchester University campus and with good transport links, the Academy enjoys a long tradition of hosting gigs by bands of the moment. The Buzzcocks played the year it opened in 1990, whilst Simple Minds appeared in 2006 and all weird, wonderful and well-known have gigged in between.
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Manchester Carling Apollo.Manchester Carling Apollo.
A venue that has seen countless bands perform over the years, including greats like The Beatles, Queen and Prince. Headliners this year include new hot acts The Fratellis, James Morrison and Paulo Nutini to name just a few.
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 Manchester Evening News Arena.Manchester Evening News Arena.
This huge state-of-the-art music venue has hosted a versatile range of world-famous sounds from Eminem to Pavarotti to Robbie Williams. It’s Europe’s largest indoor concert venue and has direct access to public transport, located next to Manchester’s Victoria station.
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Night and Day, Manchester.Night and Day, Manchester.
A more intimate but basic venue for international and local acts; food and drink is also served and makes for a fairly relaxed atmosphere.
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 Piccadilly Records, Manchester.Piccadilly Records, Manchester.
A treasure trove for music lovers and a monument to the city’s musical culture, selling punk, dance, rock, funk, electronica and loads more.
A treasure trove for music lovers and a monument to the city’s musical culture, selling punk, dance, rock, funk, electronica and loads more.
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 Salford Lads Club.Salford Lads Club.
Thousands of Smiths fans from around the world have made the pilgrimage to this building, which provided the background for the band on the inside cover of their classic album The Queen is Dead. Salford Quays injects a large dose of culture into Manchester, home to the impressive buildings of The Lowry gallery and the Imperial War Museum North.
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 Sifters Records, Manchester.Sifters Records, Manchester.
A record shop immortalised in the 1994 Oasis single, Shakermaker. This is where Noel and Liam Gallagher shopped for records as kids.
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 Southern Cemetery, Manchester.Southern Cemetery, Manchester.
Believed to be the inspiration for the mis-spelled song Cemetry Gates by The Smiths on The Queen is Dead album
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 Strangeways Prison, Manchester.Strangeways Prison, Manchester.
Provided The Smiths with the title of their album Strangeways Here We Come and was famous for the rebellion that took place in 1990, which went on to create an initial liberalisation of the prison system.
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The Roadhouse, Manchester.The Roadhouse, Manchester.
Located on the edge of The Northern Quarter, it’s just five minutes walk from plenty of decent watering holes and is a historic music venue attracting mainly Indie kids and the a new generation of trendy Indie-lovers. The Chemical Brothers, Feeder and Lady Sovereign are just some of the names to grace the stage.
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 Vinyl Exchange, Manchester.Vinyl Exchange, Manchester.
Even the most tight-fisted won’t leave Manchester’s largest second-hand music store empty-handed, it’s nirvana for music-lovers!
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Musical Connections
Looking for a city that has everything –
then look no further! Manchester remains one of Britain’s edgiest and
friendliest cities. With fantastic nightlife,free events and festivals,
great value places to stay and free entry to some of Britain’s best
museums and galleries, a visit to Manchester won’t burn a hole in your
pocket…
Joy Division, New Order, The Smiths, Happy Mondays, Stone
Roses and Oasis… these are just some of the great bands to come out of
Manchester.
Music
Manchester is one of the world’s most
innovative, original and exciting places for both making music and going
out to listen to it. Here you can have it all: follow in the footsteps
of Morrissey, look out for the next Happy Mondays or Oasis, enjoy
world-class classical performances, or club it like there’s no tomorrow…
The
Hollies, Herman’s Hermits, The Bee Gees…The Buzzcocks, The Fall, Joy
Division…The Smiths, New Order, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays,
Oasis…Take That, Simply Red…Badly Drawn Boy, Elbow, Doves, The
Courteeners…Manchester’s music scene has provided the soundtrack for
generations of music fans. When The Sex Pistols played in Manchester in
1977, the likes of Factory Records, Joy Division emerged. The Smiths
were the sound of the city for much of the eighties, while Madchester’s
Happy Mondays and Stones Roses paved the way for Britpop kings Oasis.
Soundtrack
Freddie
and the Dreamers’ You Were Made For Me evokes the innocent optimism of
the early 60s’ vibe. From Rusholme Ruffians to Cemetery Gates, every
Smiths’ track is Manchester through and through. The Stone Roses’ Fool’s
Gold and Oasis’ Live Forever express a very Mancunian talent for just
having it.
Every autumn, Manchester hosts 'In The City'.
Brainchild of Factory records founder Anthony Wilson, this five-day expo
attracts over 500 unsigned bands.
Did you know...?
1) The
infamous Sex Pistols show at the Free Trade Hall was notoriously only
seen by a handful of people but amongst them were the future members of
Joy Division, Mick Hucknell from Simply Red, as well as Tony Wilson, the
infamous founder of Factory Records and the Hacienda - and subject of
the recent film 24 Hour Party People.
2) The Smiths cover photo
for the back of the classic The Queen is Dead album was taken outside
the front of Salford Lad’s Club on Coronation Street, though no relation
to the popular TV soap.
3) Justin Timberlake caused shopping
chaos last year in Manchester’s city centre when the pop star decided
he wanted to buy some cool new trainers.
4) The Chemical Brothers
formed at Manchester University in 1988 and here they developed their
world famous DJing styles.
5) Ian Brown of local legends the
Stone Roses and a proud Mancunian, famously said 'Manchester's got
everything except a beach...'
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