5 Of The Best Manchester Gig Venues

Manchester is THE home of music in the UK. So many bands have come from this great city, influencing many others along the way. New bands love to play gigs here due to the fact many of their heroes played on the very same stages. The Smiths, Stone Roses and New Order all started out there, and their influence is still heard in music today. Below are the top 5 gig venues in Manchester:

MEN Arena Easily the biggest venue in Manchester, fitting in over 20,000 people for a standing gig. There are two vast tiers of seats and a massive floor area. This venue brings mixed reactions, with some saying its too big and not liking the size of bands that play there anyway, and others saying it is amazing for the same reasons, with the atmosphere of so many people in such a big place making the gigs really good. Either way, with bands of the size of Coldplay, U2 and Muse playing there you can’t knock the pulling power of such a big venue

Apollo A middle venue that bands play during their rise to the top, when they are in that first and second album phase that puts them too small for 20,000 people but way too big for 1,000 people. The capacity of 3,500 means that demand can be met for these smaller bands and give them a chance to prove they can go up to a higher level. It is a converted theatre that has the original stalls seats left inside, just with the floor ones taken away for a standing section.

Academy The smallest of the main Manchester gig venues, this is where bands start off. They have got some radio plays and some interest and then play at the Academy. All the biggest bands started here such as Oasis and Blur. It is a small, intimate venue and an opportunity to see the next big thing before they are massive.

GMEX Officially known as “Manchester Central” but in the eyes of most it is known by its former name of the “GMEX”. Formerly a train station but now a conference centre hosting occasional gigs it is historically THE venue for the big bands from Manchester to play. Like a cave inside but the atmosphere is electric.

LCCC The cricket ground at Old Trafford is the biggest outdoor venue for the city that is regularly used. Huge bands like Coldplay and Take That play there, with crowds pushing 80,000 it is the pinnacle of a band’s career to play at venues like this. Great atmosphere especially if the sun is shining!

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