The Blue Cat is a little enclave of city bohemia picked up and transplanted to the 'burbs. It proudly showcases the best new bands, both local and touring,...

Bolton has never been content to sit in Manchester's shadow. Its Town Hall, completed in 1873 and dominating the town centre, easily has enough grandeur to...

With such impressive musical accoutrements as a 5,500-pipe organ, and a menu of 300-plus events every year, there's no better place to tune into classical,...

Tatty but charming, Charlie's occasionally mutates from karaoke hangout into club proper. Decadent cabaret soirée the Whim Wham Club is on the first Friday...

Chetham's is a stunning piece of the 15th century that has survived more or less intact to the present day, the former college's library and surrounding...

Although best known for its comedy nights, this art deco former cinema puts on dance, drama and music gigs, and is the home of the Northern Ballet School.

The Deaf Institute - aka Trof 3 - is the third bar in the Trof empire, following Trof 2 in the Northern Quarter and the original in Fallowfield, called...

This unpretentious, welcoming set-up has seen a number of additions and improvements to its already eclectic schedule. Stop in for long-running weekly...

Islington Mill, a converted cotton warehouse, has led something akin to a cultural revolution in Salford over the past decade. The building, just a few...

A long way from the grimly functional mill buildings so often captured by its eponymous subject and raison d'être, the Lowry marked a tipping point for the...

Inhabiting a slightly tired-looking leisure development, Manchester 235 is a luxury, Vegas-influenced restaurant/bar/casino/live music complex. It was the...

Three spaces on the university campus accommodate acts across all genres, from unsigned to well-established. The Academy now includes Club Academy, home to...

A staple of the Manchester gig circuit, and just a short walk from Piccadilly, this former theatre turned mid-sized concert venue is packed nightly by music...

This venue quietly hosts some of the city's best literary events. Its concert hall is home to the Quatuor Danel string quartet (which often gives free...