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Some might say the nightclubs in Manchester just ain’t what they used to be. And I’d agree. Long gone are the days of one-genre-fits-all. Manchester today offers such a variety of venues at which to feel young and alive, you’d be a fool not to check out the city’s solid-gold after hours scene.
There are plenty of places to get your groove on and if you’re in the mood for a bit of cheese, house or commercial dance then make your way down to Deansgate Locks or Canal Street, both of which offer an array of options for you to shake your tail feather ‘til the sky turns blue. And if it’s live music you’re after, see our gig guides for suggestions catered specifically to your taste.
But if you’re looking for a slightly less sleek slice of Mancunian atmosphere, shimmy over to one of the spots on this ‘ere guide. We’ve got the pick of the bunch from funk n soul through classic indie right down to yer proper rave-ups. So if you’re looking for somewhere to have a few drinks and dance the night away til the wee hours, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are our picks
The White Hotel, Salford,
Unit 3
Dickinson Street, Manchester, M3 7LW
- Visit now
This self-proclaimed sin slide is one of the most exciting clubs the North West has to offer, its reputation travelling internationally. Located in an unhipstered industrial zone in the shadows of Strangeways prison, it’s sort of in the middle of no-where, and it makes the most of that fact by throwing some of the wildest parties around, club nights regularly running until unmentionable o’clock.
Hidden, Downtex Mill, 16-18 Mary St, Manchester, M3 1NH - Visit now
The techno-aficionados behind Hidden have had resounding success with this Salford club. A reliably authentic raver haven is a previously neglected textile mill, rejuvenated with the healing vibrations of heavy bass. Every weekend in the wee hours happy partygoers spill out into the barren industrial surrounds, all danced out with smiles aplenty.
The Deaf Institute, 135 Grosvenor Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 7HE - Visit now
Covering no less than three floors head in on the ground floor and pick up a drink before choosing between the sweaty upstairs dancefloor and the cosy basement. The cocktail list reads like an old-school sweet shop and there’s plenty of craft beers if you’ve more of a taste for grapefruit than bubblegum.
Band on the Wall, 25 Swan Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 5JZ - Visit now
Band on the Wall, with its 200 year history, has been transformed. The capacity of the main room has been extended to 500, the bar’s had a major facelift, and there’s more DJ nights on the line-up than ever.
Soup, 31-33 Spear Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, Manchester, M1 1DF - Visit now
Though the bar has been around for a while, and during the day Soup is a decent place to go to for a Northern Quarter, communal-style lunch, the basement plays hosts to some excellent club nights. As a room, it’s a little bit dingy, but it more than comes to life when there are 150 people stuffed inside.
Joshua Brooks, 106 Princess Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 6NG
Long-established Manchester bar and nightclub, Joshua Brooks is just off student hotspot Oxford Road, open until 4am on the weekends with regular DJ-led club nights.
Albert’s Schloss, 27 Peter Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M2 5QR - Visit now
You’ll find this self-confessed ‘bohemian pleasure palace’ on the ground floor of established music venue the Albert Hall. This Bavarian-themed den of delights is well known for the glamorous entertainers and frequent dancing on the tables.
Rebellion, 2B Whitworth Street West, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 5WZ
Live music and 4am nightclub venue Rebellion provides a rock-heavy alternative with smatterings of bass, across from the Manchester’s Deansgate Locks.
Bar Pop, 10 Canal Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 3EZ
Nightclub identifying as an ‘IndieDiscoElectroHomoMadHiphopBritPopFunkyKindaShagtasticQueerThing’, Bar Pop on Manchester’s vibrant Canal Street is known for its friendly atmosphere.
G-A-Y, 63 Richmond Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 3WB
Smack bang in the centre of Manchester’s Canal Street, colourful club on the corner, G-A-Y, is popular with a youngish crowd looking for pop tunes, cheap drinks and a lively atmosphere. And there’s a rooftop terrace for the smokers.