Top Picks
Guides
What’s on
Where to go
See all

O2 Apollo

Creative Tourist

Visit now

O2 Apollo

Stockport Road, Manchester, M12 6AP
Website
Visit now
O2 Apollo (Some rights reserved by The Message)
Book now

Originally built as a cinema in 1938, The Apollo is a majestic, Grade II listed Art Deco building which, for a 3500-capacity venue, offers great views of the stage wherever you stand, thanks to sloping steeped floor.

Springsteen, Dylan, Elton, Freddie Mercury, The Who, U2, Bowie, Oasis, Prince… The list of legends who’ve graced the Apollo stage is endless, and wildly eclectic; shows span every genre, from rock to pop, with lots of comedy in the programming, too.

With both fully seated and part-standing formats, this versatile venue increases its footfall and presentations year on year, and remains central to the British touring circuit, attracting Best Venue nominations and patrons from across the globe.

Want to read about more Manchester music venues? We have a guide for that.

Featured in

Photo of the Halle orchestra at Bridgewater
Music Venues in Manchester

Manchester is still a great place to watch new and innovative music – so here’s a guide to where to watch the best live music in the city.

What's on near O2 Apollo

See all events

Where to go near O2 Apollo

Manchester
Shopping Centre
Longsight Market

Sick of overpriced “vintage” markets? Try Longsight’s bustling neighbourhood market which, every Tuesday, lays on a thriving flea market that’s a miniature (albeit slightly less glamorous) version of the famous Les Puces in Paris.

Much Ado About Nothing at Victoria Baths
Manchester
Event venue
Victoria Baths

Victoria Baths no longer functions as a ‘water palace’ and Turkish Baths, but the Grade II-listed building hosts regular events and is a stunning visit.

Manchester
The Circus House

Learn a new skill or take on a new challenge within a warm and friendly community of circus performers at The Circus House.

Manchester
Gallery
Chuck Gallery

Chuck Gallery is the first private art space in North West England dedicated to the promotion of contemporary African art in Manchester and beyond. Our focus is the provision of a varied collection of high quality, original and exceptional artwork

Manchester
Gallery
texture mcr

Possibly one of the city’s most mysterious art galleries, texture is a small and perfectly-formed independent space in Ardwick.

Manchester
Library
Gaskell Society

These regular talks in both Manchester and Knutsford unpack the meaning and significance of Elizabeth Gaskell’s writing.

Manchester
Museum
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House

Elizabeth Gaskell’s House has been lovingly restored; you can now sit at her desk, see where Charlotte Brontë hid behind the curtains, and have tea in the downstairs café. The Pankhurst Centre is also nearby.

Manchester
Event venue
Number 70 Oxford Street

70 Oxford Street (the building formerly occupied by Cornerhouse) has been transformed into the Manchester Metropolitan University Arts and Culture Hub. It now hosts a vibrant and exciting programme of theatre, film, and creative writing.

See all places

Manchester District Guides

The front of Didsbury restaurant Volta.
Didsbury, Manchester

Didsbury has the perfect split between big brands and independent businesses, welcoming all from far and wide.
Ancoats, Manchester
Ancoats & New Islington

Ancoats, just off the Northern Quarter in Manchester, is one of the city’s most increasingly desirable neighbourhoods. Find out why.
People enjoying drinking in Altrincham
Things to Do in Altrincham

Plan a day out down Altrincham way, and you’ll soon find that one day isn’t nearly enough. Getting there is easy on the tram, or how about cycling along the…
Salford museum and art gallery exterior
Salford, Greater Manchester

Cross over the River Irwell, and you’ll find yourself in another city entirely – Salford, which is enjoying something of a regeneration.
chinatown, manchester in sun by ben williams
Chinatown, Manchester

Chinatown is a network of back streets dotted with Chinese restaurants – go to Ho’s Bakery for perfect honey buns, Hunan for spice and Middle Kingdom for a very affordable menu.
The Quays, Greater Manchester

The Quays is home to MediaCityUK (the largest media hub in Europe) and studios purpose-built for the BBC’s move up North in 2011.
Chorlton, Manchester

Chorlton is a left-leaning suburb a few miles south of Manchester’s city centre (and only 10-odd minutes away by tram). A sprawling hive of artisan coffee shops, boutique clothing stores,…

Culture Guides

Cinema in the North

This month we recommend a season of Film noir, cult Australian movies and a huge celebration of DIY community cinema.

Author portrait
Literature Events in the North

Our latest round-up features plenty of one-off live literature events to wrap your ears about, so get those diaries ticking over...

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

This season’s theatre is gloriously eclectic: from radical cabaret and reinvented classics to new musicals and boundary-pushing performance.

Sprints
Music in the North

10 fresh shows across Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool, threading together noise, ritual, euphoria and release in all their messy, beautiful forms.

Detail of an abstract sculpture, with burned materials and rusty chicken wire at the centre, with rusted metal bars bent around it.
Exhibitions in the North

Chocolate fountains, beautiful batiks and medieval marginalia - this month's supersized Exhibitions Guide has it all.