For a city with a cultural footprint as rich, historic and significant as ours, it really is no surprise that Manchester has left its mark and made itself known on the global nightlife scene.
It’s probably why we’re known for being the city of 24-hour party people – and we think that’s something worth celebrating.
Now more than ever.
Over the past 15 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve watched musicals from our cars, experienced Zoom parties, solo kitchen discos, and seated half-capacity gigs – but nothing beats the buzz of a Greater Manchester night out in person, right?
To celebrate the long-awaited lifting of restrictions and the reopening of some iconic venues, StreamGM and The Manc teamed up last month to show some serious love and support to the region’s renowned theatres, nightclubs and live music hubs with the launch of SeeGM – a digital campaign to shine a bright spotlight on many of the amazing events, club nights, gigs and shows in our region.
#SeeGM is all about encouraging people to post happy memories of their times spent at gigs, shows and events on their social media platforms.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSM7hJyIBKC/
Now that it’s been a good few weeks since venues reopened, we thought we’d get stuck into asking our 700K loyal audience of Mancunians on Facebook the all-important question – ‘Where has your best night out been since restrictions were lifted and clubs reopened?’.
The Crown & Kettle (Instagram – @jahoe22) | History Nightclub (Instagram – @historymcr)
But what’s our take?
The Manc Group put our heads together with the team over at Stream GM to come up with a short list featuring a handful of our favourite venues that have recently reopened doors with a packed schedule of events for the summer, and here’s our recommendations:
‘Funkademia’ is Manchester’s longest-running club night.
Born in 1995 and taking place every Saturday at Mint Lounge in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter to a consistently full house, Funkademia is said to “feed a friendly crowd with a diet of pure unadulterated soul-funk”. Billing the night as a “chronological history of soul”, there is a collective of talented DJs taking you on a journey through four decades of the very best soul, funk, disco and hip-hop, with a touch of smooth R&B and big house classics.
You can find out more about Funkademia and grab tickets here.
Tucked away at DownTex Mill in Cheetham Hill is Manchester’s “award-winning music and arts playground” that’s covered with idiosyncratic graffiti and offers a creative environment like no other. There’s also no shortage of action happening this summer and throughout the year, with regular promoters at Hidden including Homoelectric, Hit & Run, Lo-Fi, You&Me, Zutekh, High Hoops, Cirque Du Soul, Ossia, B.L.O.O.M., Teletech, Pooku, and so many more.
Find out about upcoming events at Hidden Nightclub here.
First opening its doors on Oldham Street all the way back in 1991, Night & Day eventually began morphing from a humble cafe into a dual venue that doubled as a boisterous live music club, and is nowadays known as an important meeting place for all the city’s creatives.
TOYC, Jesse Malin, Scuttlers, American Aquarium, and Manchester’s-own Tim Burgess from The Charlatans are just some of the acts set to put on a show at the Northern Quarter institution over the coming months.
Lions Den may be slightly off the beaten track at Great Northern’s quirky Deansgate Mews, but it’s the perfect sun trap and one of the best places to head to for a laid-back night out and a laugh this summer.
Known as “a social space for everyone”, Lions Den is known for its large covered outdoor seating area, its real ales and craft beers, and for welcoming DJs, live music, various events, open mic nights, and a popular stand-up comedy night every Thursday courtesy of The Laughięnda Comedy Club.
It’s also a great place to play some pool, darts, and other retro games.
Gorilla & The Deaf Institute / Credit: Gorilla | The Deaf Institute
Ask any Mancunian music fan about Gorilla and The Deaf Institute, and they’ll only tell you good things.
These city centre stalwarts are two of the most historic and iconic music venues in Manchester, and although they may have gone through a well-documented rocky patch due to the COVID pandemic last year, they are having a new lease of life in 2021 with a packed calendar of events and so much to get stuck into.
You can find out what’s on a Gorilla this year here, and The Deaf Institute here.
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Not found somewhere that takes your fancy? Still after some more recommendations? Head on over to our post on Facebook to check out more audience suggestions here.
You can also find out more about the #SeeGM campaign here.
Featured Image – Pxfuel
Gigs & Nightlife
Beloved British boy band Five are BACK in FULL for the first time in 25 years
Danny Jones
No, your eyes don’t deceive you: all five members of the beloved British boy band Five are set to reunite for the first time in a quarter of a century.
Formed way back in 1997 and dominating the charts throughout the period in and around the millennium, the iconic pop group was the UK’s answer to the Backstreet Boys and NSNYC, as well as a much-needed replacement for Take That just after their split.
And they did exactly that for a number of years, with hit tracks like ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘Keep On Movin”, ‘Everybody Get Up’, ‘If Ya Gettin’ Down’ and more still firmly stuck in our memories.
It doesn’t matter how long it’s been, we still remember all the words and the dance moves to go along with them – and we’ll be able to prove it when the Five UK reunion tour comes to Manchester.
Although the London-formed group has reformed every now and again in different configurations over the years for special occasions, anniversary events, etc., this is the first time that the original lineup has been together for 25 whole years.
That’s right, Abz Love, J Brown, Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson and Sean Conlon will all be reuniting on stage for a limited UK arena tour – because anything less simply wouldn’t be enough to mark this throwback celebration.
More importantly, if you don’t think every single one of these massive rooms is going to sell out in a flash, then you clearly can’t count to five.
As for the Manchester crowd, fans will be welcomed inside the equally legendary AO Arena for the ‘KEEP ON MOVIN’ 2025’ Tour later this year and we can’t wait.
Fellow domestic DJ and producer Naughty Boy will also be joining them as the main support act. We’re rolling back all the memories this autumn.
You can see the rest of the tour dates below, including equally massive shows at The O2 in London, the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, a First Direct Arena date in Leeds and more.
We really can't wait to get back on stage together and see you all in person, it's gonna go OFF!! Let's goooooo! International fans, make sure to sign up there so we know where in the world you are too 👀
Scott says: “This has been a long time coming and it really does feel right for all of us now – 25 years on and we’re so ready for it. Reconnecting as a 5 over the last year has been special and I know I speak for all the boys when I say we can’t wait to do this all over again. Hope you’re ready!”
Another fifth of the throwback boy band, Abz, added: “We really can’t wait to get back on stage together & see the fans, it’s gonna go OFF! Buzzing to have Naughty Boy on tour with us too… 5 bad boys and a naughty boy, that sounds like a lot of fun. Let’s gooooo!”
General admission for Five’s 2025 UK reunion tour goes live on Friday, 7 March from 10am but die-hards can access the exclusive pre-sale window on Wednesday, 5 March by signing up for the mailing list.
2000s indie rock icons The Enemy continue comeback trail with must-not-miss UK tour
Danny Jones
For fans of old-school indie and noughties contemporary rock, you do not want to miss the one because The Enemy are not just back making music but they’re heading out on a pretty big UK tour and, of course, they’ll be stopping right here in Manchester.
The Enemy first reformed back in 2022 for a limited run of shows, but it turns out the Coventry-formed trio were satisfied with a one-off reunion and a fifth studio album officially being worked on, the fierce Brit rock throwbacks have announced a series of pretty large UK tour dates.
Following on from some hugely successful comeback performances at TRNSMT, Isle Of Wightand a headline slot at Godiva Festival 2023, not to mention the instantly hit ‘Indie Til I Die’ shows last year – including an absolute stormer at Victoria Warehouse – they returning for more.
One of the few bands to make their way back to the live music circuit fully intact, with all three members still performing together, nothing has changed other than a few more grey hairs.
If you weren’t there at the outset, The Enemy’s debut LP We’ll Live And Die In These Towns (2007) was one of the most seminal domestic releases of its time, with songs like ‘You’re Not Alone’ going on to become indie anthems of the era.
To be honest, we’d argue their sophomore outing Music For The People just two years later is the better album, with tracks such as ‘Be Somebody’, ‘Elephant Song’ and ‘No Time for Tears’ still in plenty of our playlists to this day – but, you know, each to their own.
The point is, we’re very glad these lads are back and having played with everyone from Oasis and The Killers to even The Rolling Stones, we’d wager lots of other music lovers are too.
Set to play New Century Hall in Manchester as well as the legendary Leadmill in Sheffield, Beckett Students’ Union in Leeds, Rock City in Nottingham and more, it’s going to be a big tour.
We're absolutely buzzing to be back on tour & in some of our all time favourite venues.
We'll be trying out new material for the first time in years ahead of the new album we're making, we're all really excited to try some new tunes and see what you think whilst we finish it!
Frontman Tom Clarke, who has put out two solo records of his own in past years, said of the announcement: “We’ve been working long days in the studio recording new material, so we’re really excited to get out on the road again.
“The plan is to experiment with some of the new tunes, maybe different ones on different shows to see how the crowds react and which ones connect with fans, and let that guide the track listing on the record which is nearing completion.”
Co-songwriter and bass player, Andy Hopkins, added: talking about the upcoming tour: “My favourite part of being in a band is having those nights with the fans where the atmosphere is electric – I think this tour is going to be really special for the 3 of us.
“It’ll be the first time we’ve been back to some of these cities in a long time, in venues we absolutely love and have been really important to us on the way up – Electric Ballroom was the first venue we ever played in London supporting The Fratellis, I drove us there with all the amps & guitars in my Fiesta!”
The Enemy come to New Century, one of our favourite live music venues in all of Greater Manchester, on Saturday, 1 November.
Pre-sale has already been snapped up in the blink of an eye, which is no surprise whatsoever, but general admission will go live from 10am this Friday, 28 February.
Emily Sergeant -
13th August 2021 
