Manchester

Sankeys

Beehive Mill, Radium Street, Ancoats, .

Even at its quietest moments, the Mancunian clubbing scene has never been less than loud. Since September 2006, though, the volume has been cranked up to 11, as a new – or at least, rematerialised – heavyweight addition to the scene, Sankeys, arrived in the city. Situated in a landmark building, and featuring serious line-ups, it now commands a substantial slice of the action.

Following a radical refit that mirrored the rapid regeneration of its formerly industrial surroundings, Mancunian clubbing institution Sankeys (formely Sankeys Soap) is open for business once again. The Beehive Mill-based club was closed from May to September 2006, during which time its owner, David Vincent, was busy rewriting the script. A third room was added, the sound and light was bolstered, the music policy reinvented and the grimy interior radically overhauled to reveal a new club space primed for futuristic fun.

‘We’re aiming to be the most forward-thinking venue north of Fabric [in London],’ says Vincent. ‘85 per cent of the DJs we’ve got booked have never played Manchester before, and that’s always good for the scene. It helps music move forward and evolve.’

Sankeys relaunched on 22 September 2006 and is open five nights a week with stalwart minimal house, breaks, electro and techno-based Tribal Sessions, including the mixed/gay electro event Bitch at weekends. The place also hosts a mix of student and live music nights, including Thursday’s Club NME sessions, to round out the calendar.

The recent refurbishment may have given Sankeys a more slick and mainstream image, but the place continues to push the musical envelope.

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