Ramona Live at Ramona

Ramona, purveyors of outrageous Detroit pizzas and lip smacking spicy margz, have launched their latest series Ramona Live, which sees a globe-trotting selection of touring acts take to the former MOT garage in Ancoats.

Ramona Live is the latest addition to the venue’s busy entertainment programme, which also includes Ramona Radio (Wednesdays) and Ramona Club (Fridays and Saturdays). But Thursdays are where it’s at if you want live music, and free live music at that, performed in an industrial den adjacent to the ever-packed restaurant and campfire beer garden.

This place may be a hotspot for Insta kids, but the gigs here feel pleasingly DIY, with a simple stage plonked in the corner of the restored (but not restored too much) garage. We headed over in August to watch Mefisto Brass, who quickly whipped up a carnivalesque atmosphere and had crowd dancing until the wee hours.

Our tip: get down early, diligently work your way through the margarita menu in the heated beer garden, then grab a spot for the show.

But who’s playing next?

First up on 3 October, it’s Manchester’s own Beautiful Sinners, a seven-piece making a mark on the city’s underground scene with their fusion of RnB, hip hop and indie. The following week, we start a journey around the world, the first stop being Cuba, as Salsa De Cuba bring their sizzling, high-energy tunes to the garage.

On 17 October, catch Lagos Thugs, a Nigerian, Lagos-based afrobeat band of 12 young musicians, led by singer/saxophonist Adetunji Adeyemi. Then it’s Afrodream, who thread together dreamy pop and African rhythms, before Town Of Cats shapeshift through Latin, afrobeat, jazz and hip hop.

And that’s just October. Head over to Ramona’s website and you’ll find a whole bunch more great gigs on the cards as autumn unfolds. Each show is free, though they do tend to fill up, so guarantee entry by booking a ticket ahead.