Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region’s most cherished ensembles and venues.
Want more music? Head to our general Music guide for our latest scoop on the North’s best gigs and festivals.
Explore the uplands near Bradford with a sound walk from opera north featuring newly commissions sonic worlds as well as the music of Bradford’s compositional son Frederick Delius.
Home to the Hallé and the BBC Philharmonic orchestras, the Bridgewater Hall attracts some of the biggest names in classical music. Purpose-built to the tune of £42m, the hall was designed around its acoustic needs; it floats on 280 earthquake-proof isolations springs that mute all external noise, perfect for shielding around 250 performances a year from the trams outside.
The Royal Northern College of Music is both a music venue and an academic institution training up some of the country’s finest music students.
Still Manchester’s newest kid on the concert hall block, The Stoller Hall opened its doors in April 2017 to further enhance the city’s already enviable live music provision.
The 1930s Art Deco Philharmonic Hall, home to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, gives no hint of the sensuous curves of the auditorium inside from its hard exterior.
Hallé St Peter’s is a deconsecrated Grade-II listed church, once a theatre prop store, then a knitting factory, before being restored and becoming home to the Hallé orchestra.
Manchester’s Albert Hall is an astounding Wesleyan Chapel turned live music venue, regularly hosting classical concerts.
Manchester Cathedral dates back to at least the 1400s and has been rebuilt many times. In current, striking form, it’s still a place of worship, but also host to regular gigs and events.
Somewhere in Trafford, behind an unmarked gate, a former garden centre hosts one of Greater Manchester’s most original festivals.
From £20
The White Hotel loads the booth with serious weight, as four of the scene’s most uncompromising figures bring a night of industrial techno, electro and scorched circuitry.
From £27.60
Manchester Psych Fest, the UK’s trailblazing psychedelic music and arts festival has announced a massive bill for its 2025 edition.
From £44.80
A quietly radical force in contemporary club culture, John Talabot returns to The White Hotel for one of his signature all-night sessions.
From £13.00
Back for 2025, Trafford’s flagship arts festival returns to Waterside for six days of experiential performance and cultural delight.
The Hallé invites audiences to a year of classical masterpieces, world premieres and appearances by some electrifying artists and composers.
From £17
Get priority booking on the best seats, special discounts, invitations to exclusive events and much more. Are you in?
From £45.00
Band on the Wall bring people together to make, as well as watch, music. Join them to learn folk tunes from all over the world.
Once a post-rock collective, now something closer to a live techno machine, Leeds band vessels bring it home to the Brudenell.
From £17.00
With sardonic wit, towering hooks and distortion dialled high, Blondshell lands at New Century this September, armed with album number two.
From £24.00
Buxton International Festival rips up the rulebook with Shorts, a punchy programme of 4 brand-new 20-minute operas.
From £10.00
Join the electrifying musical ‘That Night in Manchester’. Immerse yourself in the vibrant Manchester indie scene. Step into the Madchester time machine as you hear a father recount the highs and lows of his life to his only son during the Madchester era spanning his life through the 70’s 80’s & 90’s as you experience the music performed live on stage.
Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.
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From the team behind the Kazimier, the Invisible Wind Factory is Liverpool’s most eclectic live music venue and nightclub.
District Liverpool is a multi-purpose venue in the Baltic Quarter, hosting gigs, club nights, films, cabaret, festivals and much more.
The “bombed out church” is brought back to life with music and arts events.
The Manchester Academy is a mid size, modern warehouse venue adjacent to the University of Manchester Students’ Union. It lacks any architectural merit and has always been a difficult place…
Located inside a former fire station, this pub in Sheffield serves a contemporary brunch and burger menu plus cocktails and cask ales, alongside lively gigs and DJ sets.
Located in the city centre’s eastern Art Quarter, The Wardrobe features a bar and kitchen on its ground floor plus a cosy dedicated event space in the basement. Dance, jazz and world music regularly feature on The Wardrobe’s gig calendar, while the venue hosts popular club nights and comedy too.
The Castlefield Bowl is an outdoor events pavilion in the inner city conservation area of Castlefield in Manchester. The 8000-capacity arena is often used for food festivals and music events.
From tongue-twisters to twisty page-turners, we have all kinds of spoken word surprises in the latest literature round-up.
Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.
The sun is shining in the North, so use our guide to get out there and eat, drink and be merry in it.
The summer holidays are here and what a packed programme of events we have in store for you!
Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.
July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.
Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.
