MANCHESTER
When you first hear the word, Manchester, a group of men swigging stella doing their best Liam Gallagher impersonation will probably come into your head. Despite it being praised on being the home of some of the greatest music acts of all time, Manchester has another thing to pride itself on…the wide variety of nightlife it has to offer students.
If you are a fresher with any sense, you will be looking for the cheapest place to direct yourself when the sun goes down and lets be honest, sometimes flat parties just don’t have that same feeling as going out around the town. Lucky for you freshers, everything in Manchester is basically within walking distance or a £1 magic bus journey away. So let’s start with the obvious…nightclubs!
If you are a fan of indie music you have successfully applied to a university in a city that boasts itself on its typical indie nightclubs. Get yourself down to the iconic 42’s on Tuesday’s, Thursday’s, Friday’s and Saturday’s (even some Sunday’s if you are lucky). With free entry on the guestlist and drinks less than £2, 42’s is the perfect place to spend your night, dancing away to Stone Roses whilst being bladdered. Similar venues to 42’s include Factory, Venue and Fifth just incase you want a change of scenery.
If being around drunk people shouting along to the lyrics of ‘Not Nineteen Forever’ isn’t your thing, and being in a warehouse sweating away to some upbeat techno refrain isn’t your thing either, the Northern Quarter is likewise a faultless place to spend your nights (if you have the cash). With cocktail lounges such as MOJO and Dusk till Pawn being open till 2am, if you want to spend your nights living in the lap of luxury (being in an overdraft), watching resident DJ’s playing records then the Northern Quarter is for you! Not to dismiss the Northern Quarter as being an area for rich indie young adults, ‘nightclubs’ such as Twenty Twenty Two and Mint Lounge often have free entry and cheap drinks!
For those who have come to Manchester to seek the sound of the underground rave scene, Manchester is still the place to be. From September – December you will find the Warehouse Project which take place every year under Piccadilly train station. Acts include Skepta, MIA, Four Tet and Chase and Status with tickets costing from £18. Be warned, this event is very strict, don’t be hoping that you can slide a few pre drinks under your coat and get into the venue. If dancing in a warehouse isn’t your style but you still thrive for a bit of techno, Antwerp Mansion could be the place you spend your friday nights. Cheaper than Warehouse project but still priding itself on its sound Antwerp Mansion is the place to be for any student looking for a class night out on a very small budget.
So there you have it! A round up of the main fresher(y) things in Manchester. If you are reading this from the perspective of a potential student at MMU, UoM or even UoS and this hasn’t persuaded you to study in the greatest city in the World, then I don’t know what will.
Words by Brigid Harrison-Draper