Band on the Wall

Great customer service from Laura B. and her team. I had a complex entry to the Rick Amiri gig this week. I was supervising younger people to a gig and the box office team made it as smooth as possible for entry and ID checks etc. Really friendly professional staff all round, rather than the curt, take it or leave attitude most music venues have. They'll help with anything - just give them decent notice. Plus sold out but they don't packed people in. Space to breath. Safe and secure gigs. Great venue!

Visited on a Saturday night, it was busy yet not overly packed. The atmosphere was superb and the band was really energetic and talented. I recommend coming in advance if you wish to be seated, as seating is limited.

Excellent venue. Great beer and really lovely people working there. The sound quality is amazing.

Would be good to have the choice of table seating on the balcony, especially if could be tall tables/stools. As there is an obstruction from the banister when you're trying to watch the stage sat up there. Good place otherwise.

Live music venue in the Northern Quarter, with a varied programme of indie music spanning multiple genres. Decent bar attached.

One of the best venues in Manchester. Had the pleasure of being both a punter and performer. They treat all artists well, no matter big or small. The stage, sound, lighting and vibes are all perfect. A fantastic team of people behind the scenes who keep the venue running are the unsung heroes of this fab venue. Both stages are clean and well kept and both have brilliant bars. I look forward to popping in for another gig soon. Keep up the great work!

A decent-sized music venue in a very nice area of Manchester. Lots of surrounding bars and restaurants to go to before your gig. The venue was well-run, clean and the sound quality was good. Some of the upstairs area is quite awkward to find a good view from but the layout is quirky. Plenty of nearby parking options make it accessible to those travelling to the concert too.

An Unforgettable Jazz Experience! What a fantastic show! The performance by this talented Jazz ensemble was nothing short of extraordinary. From the very first note, they had the entire audience captivated. Each musician brought their own unique energy and skill to the stage, blending seamlessly to create a soulful, vibrant, and deeply moving performance. The improvisation was masterful, the rhythm tight, and the solos—absolutely stunning. You could feel the passion and joy in every piece they played. It wasn’t just a concert—it was an experience. The chemistry between the performers was palpable, and their love for the music truly shone through. Thank you for such a memorable evening. This was Jazz at its finest, and I can’t wait to see them perform again!

Cam, Ry, and Olly were great & friendly bartenders. Very respectful and made great drinks!!! Sully, Cal, and Greg, on the other hand, were rude and were incapable of manning the bar. Will not be coming back. (due to the fact that I live in America, not Manchester)

Hallelujah! After four years of redevelopment, not-for-proft charity Inner City Music finally re-opened the doors of Band on The Wall last September. Aside from redecoration and a spacious chill out area, the main difference to the legendary music venue is the stage. There's a spanking new state of the art PA system installed, new lights, new audio-visual equipment and for the jazz fans amongst you, a concert grand piano. What's more, the venue looks set to make local funk, soul, blues, jazz, hip hop and world music fans extremely happy with a packed programme of live shows and deejays most nights of the week. They've already had gigs from Breakestra, Nitin Sawhney and The Mad Professor and Southern soul legend Candi Staton is set to grace the stage in April. The show you have to reserve a ticket for however, is 27 March when 10 piece band Introducing will be attempting to recreate DJ Shadow's seminal Entroducing album live. Yup, that's note for note, loop for loop, for the very first time, live AND in front of an audience! Listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmzHRGoKca0&feature=related

Band on the Wall - yes! Myself and Elite Yelper Nicolas R attended the most boutique CMYE so far at Band on the Wall on Saturday night and instantly I thought what an amazing place! Another Manchester institution that has just been missed by me with waiting for the right gig to appear and on Saturday the draw of Mad Professor was too much to pass up! Having a full refurb a few years back you've basically got an amazingly fresh venue that nods to its classic architecture and is a pretty big even though it feels intimate. The main music hall is a great place to get up close and personal with the performer on stage and the upper balcony is perfect for a chilled out viewing if dancing isn't high on your agenda. The bars are stocked with a few good beers (the First Chop Porter and Squawk IPA sorted us out) even if most of the beers on tap were crappy lagers. The loos are huge, plentiful and clean - the exact opposite of a lot of music venues! Overall an amazing night out and experience, I'm so combing the listings of band on the wall every month from now on!

For some reason I thought Band on the Wall would be a small, scruffy, underground situation but it has a large, slightly corporate hipster, but very well presented and comfortable bar with some vicious 5% cider on tap. Like Sound Control, it does well on the clean and plentiful ladies loos, which is a nice change from the door fell off and it's just a hole in the ground scenario. The performing space is also large and it's good to have a mix of the downstairs standing area (with some seating along the side to the front) and upstairs tables and chairs. However it does feel a bit empty on a Monday open mic night like the one I went to. Also, although I bear in mind it was a Monday and open mic, the quality of the music was a bit sub par. Out of three acts not one was particularly good which was a bit disappointing - you expect open mic to be a bit hit and miss in terms of both quality and whether it fits your own taste but I did expect a bit better and to like at least one act. So bear in mind this is a risk you take going to a night you haven't been to before and/or when you don't know the artists, even at a place this well established and professional. All that said, it's a great venue and I'll definitely be back to sample their other more popular nights.

One of my favorite live music venues, Band on the Wall is pretty famous for its shows. It is a great place that does venture out from jazz to offer a decent variety (folk and even some reggae and soul). The poor comments I have heard about it are usually concerning employee dress - I couldn't care less about that- or being unable to hear to carry on a conversation? That's ridiculous- you don't go to see live music and expect to have an intimate conversation during the show... Just know that if you go - it gets crowded (as any live music venue tends to) and even more so with it being a big tourist draw. None-the-less, if you are a music-lover - GO!

I went to this place many years ago but I'm told it has had a major refurbishment quite recently. It's an excellent venue. I wish more places were like this - compare Manchester's awful Sound Control as a contrast. The venue is essentially 2 rooms. One is a bar with a decent range of drinks, nice staff (both bar staff and bouncers) with plenty of room. Next door is the main venue room which is small to medium size but with a deceptive amount of space to the rear where there is a bar, and upstairs on the balcony. Some may grumble about the pillars which are dotted about but I found you could move around the place easily enough although the show I saw wasn't packed. The sound system was really good. Readers of my reviews may know how fussy I am about sound, but it worked a treat for the Dead Skeletons last night, and they produced quite a noise. Conveniently situated slightly to the north of the city centre it's easy for public transport, and we even managed to park without much difficulty. Lots of fast food and eateries around so good for grabbing a snack after. Recommended!

If there's one thing I love, it's old buildings converted into something new, and while I mourn the loss of every ancient cinema in Manchester and Salford I'm glad to see them being used for something. Especially if the something involves booze. Such is the case with Picturehouse, located cosily right next to Band on the Wall and a Grade 2 listed building which just tells you in a sentence how pretty it is. Having lived as a cinema in the early 1900s, when Band on the Wall reopened Picturehouse was a space where gig-goers could nab their tickets from the box office and socialise with a few beverages. A perfect meet n' greet spot. Now, however, it's actually a standalone venue for live music, music-related screenings and events. It's open from 5pm with free wifi and some nights even connects to the main venue as a calmer, quieter café bar and additional space for revellers to chill out. Band on the Wall's great on its own, but the fact that it has the gorgeous Picturehouse in residence is a bonus and a half.

This definitely has turned out to be my favorite venue for watching live performances. I have been to several jazz clubs and bars across UK and Europe but I cant help but give a 5 star review to Band on the Wall. They don't just have live performances but they have some real good quality bands playing from across the globe. I would much rather pay 15 quid entry here than pay the same for any club where you can barely enjoy yourself (Probably I am getting old). Let me start with my experience last night where Jenn Bostic played with her band, I had no idea who she was (Wasn't even that keen on going) but when I heard her sing I was bowled over. I looked her up later when I got back (yes she was that good) and realized that she is a pretty big deal out there. She is a country and blues singer/songwriter and some of her songs specially the one about her father actually got a tiny drop of tear rolling down my cheek (doesn't happen very often, I can assure you). The venue is big with a seating area outside where you can get a drink and chill if you are tired of standing. The crowd was very sophisticated, mostly working professionals with the exception of a few tamed down students (who like good music). Having said that they definitely made a good audience and kept cheering, clapping and singing along. Jenn kept mentioning how much she loved the audience that even though it was a Monday night they were full of enthusiasm and if i must say the venue was quite packed (Surprised to see that). Verdict: If you like music, this is a place you MUST visit. I am definitely going to be a regular here!

Newly reopened and remodelled to within an inch of its life. Traditionalists might not like the nouveau swankiness but traditionalist is just another word for 'please don't ever change, it frightens me and makes me question my place on the planet' so, you know... Not only is this bar apparently on the Wall, it has also jumped on the fairly recent bandwagon of mixing band and club nights- which if you're nights are like mine, is awesome as it stops all the moaning, whilst I do love my little band of pals for being individuals some Saturdays I could quite easily hurt them with the wrong end of a spoon. Turn up, watch a band do it properly till around 11, then do it really wrong yourselves till 3. Perfectico.

This bar has really got it right since reopening. The music could not get better, the crowd is just the right type of people I want to spend my Saturday nights with and the prices are fairly decent! When a club closes you expect it to reopen with fresh ideas but more than that you can tell the owners of this bar wanted to complete reinvent it and I applaud them for all there hard work and effort. It paid of guys.....ROCK ON!

Where I work they have Xfm playing most days and so constantly for over a week all I heard about was Athlete playing Band on the Wall. Literally. Oh wow, they aren't selling tickets. You have to enter competitions on the radio. La dee da. But it got me wondering about this newly reopened music venue slash club so went along for a few drinks. And it was really cool. I couldn't actually stay that long as we were meeting some people somewhere else but for the brief drink that I managed here I got a good feel for what they are trying to do with this place. Its all about the music here at this not for profit venue run by Inner City Music so I was gutted not to see a band whilst I was there but I will definitely be returning. Plus Mr Scruff's Keep It Unreal club night is here from this month on and there is such a variety of live music - from Polar Bear, soul and jazz to The Magic Numbers.

Comments about Band on the Wall and its existence were knocking about but it took me a while to actually take notice and think I need to check this place out. At the moment there's a two courses for a tenner deal which includes a lucky dip free ticket to one of the future gigs for everyone dining. A perfect opportunity to check out the Picture House and the Band on the Wall venue for a very good price. So you have to email and book a table beforehand which is easily done. The Picturehouse was not what I expected. It's a strange one because it acts like a stop off before the gig with a box office to buy tickets there too. It felt a bit like an empty space to accommodate a pre-warm up which now has become an after thought cafe. The crowd seemed like a sophisticated bunch yet there was no table service for food or drinks, you have to go up and order it yourself. Interesting. I think the main issue was the menu. Firstly there were only a select few menus in the place itself. We were told we'd had to go pinch one off other people's tables. Hmm. Then when we'd battled with one menu between us, there seemed like an odd choice and very limited selection. Soup and ciabatta or hummus and pitta for starter and a chickpea curry, a leg of mutton dish or a chorizo, chicken and king prawn jambalayaa for the mains and not much else interesting to remember for dessert. We'd all gone for one of each of the mains and a sticky toffee pudding with ice-cream. Not bad for a tenner but quite a strange choice. I couldn't help wonder what theme they were going for. Indian, Italian, Moroccan, British? I wouldn't take a veggie friend here that's for sure. When our mains came it was quite tasty, the chickpea curry my friend had could have done with a bit more than just chickpeas in a curry sauce but nonethless not too many complaints. The sticky toffee pudding, which was the main event, appeared to be some syrup sponge cake that seemed like it could have been out of a packet. Not impressed. What's more, ice-cream was actually cream. Oh dear. The establishment itself is not a place to go for food or not to expect much in terms of service or the exquisite of dishes. It simply is a place to go for a few drinks perhaps before seeing a band. I'd recommend it for that but not much else. Although a bottle of pino grigio was £13.85, pretty extortionate for a cafe. Can't wait to see Matt Schofield on the 4th May however. No idea who he is, but it's going to be an exciting one. Most of all for free!

My second venture to Band on the Wall was for a Craig Charles funk and soul night last weekend - my first venture was buying the ticket from their box office a few days before. The staff in the ticket kiosk were efficient, quick, and while seeming like they wouldn't suffer fools they added a smile with their service. The same can be said for the door staff, who I witnessed helping a couple who had lost their E-ticket to locate the confirmation in their inbox (at which point we cheered - this didn't seem to be desirable behaviour from their point of view... But we were having fun!) From a music perspective, the venue is brilliant. Quite a small but wide room, allowing for much needed elbow-dancing room. Craig was hanging off the balcony announcing the acts, the volume wasn't deafeningly loud (my pet hate of music venues) and you could see all of the stage from most points in the room. Nice warm and modern decor in the bar area and friendly barstaff might just have helped this into my top 3 Manchester music venues.

I've been playing gigs at this venue for a good 20 years! Despite its closure! But seriously this is a fundamental venue on the Mancunian music scene and was a stepping stone to my awesome years as a musician! Awesome bands, outstanding venue with incredible heritage. This place just vibrates with what it means to love music and live in Manchester. Go there or you know NOTHING. I have now thoroughly amused myself.

My long overdue 'discovery' of live music venues in Manchester continues with a visit to Band on the Wall, to go and see Quantic (a hard to categorise band, genre-wise!). The building used to be a late 19th century pub and in the 1930s a stage was built high on the far wall where acts used to play and its nickname was born. After the local area declined in the mid 20th century, it was reopened as a jazz venue and went from strength to strength. The entrance area is glass fronted and as you pass the booking desk there is bench seating in the Picturehouse Bar where you can grab a drink or some food pre gig (I'd advise going to The Smithfield nearby instead though). BotW had a major refurbishment a few years ago, so they got the investment and modernisation they needed. Though it's not the largest of spaces, there was still enough room (just about) to move through the audience. If you want the pick of the views from the mezzanine balcony though, best get there early. They have an international reputation for World Music and there probably isn't anywhere else in the city where you could get as close to the performers as you can here, so you experience the action up close and personal which was terrific.

What a great venue. I can't believe I've been around Manchester for 14 years and have never been to band on the wall, it has a great split between bar area and the room where the stage is, reminds me a little bit of the rescue rooms in Nottingham. I came along by myself (seems to be the case these days, it's OK you can put your tiny violin away) and I met some nice folk to chat to for a bit, I think friendly people make a venue tbh, you can have the greatest bar in the world but if it's frequented by arseholes then it's not a fun place to be, thankfully band on the wall does not have this problem. The stage was occluded slightly by two pillars and the shorter amongst us may struggle with a decent viewpoint from the ground floor as the floor is flat, I always think a sloping floor is a no brainer for a stage area. There is an upstairs area for the vertically challenged to get a good view though. The bar has a good stock of good beer and spirits and I hear the food is very good, it certainly seems reasonably priced. All in all a fantastic small venue, with good bands and lovely people

An amazing venue, sadly often overlooked because of its location, but amazing nonetheless! All of the basics of a great venue are here. Well looked after, great in-house sound, polite staff, not too big/small, well stocked bar etc etc but there's so much more to this place. The variety of events they put on is outstanding, working with a bunch of partners to help bring acts you wouldn't always see in the UK to our shores. This in itself makes BOTW worthy of 5 stars. On top of that, Band on the Wall is oozing with over 200 years of history, which just makes the place so much more appealing for me. I won't bore you with all of the details here, but I highly suggest checking our the extensive archive on their site: http://bandonthewall.org/archive Pretty much my favourite venue in Manchester. I don't see that changing any time soon!

I've lived in Manchester for over 20 years and Band on the Wall has always been one of my favourite venues and a place I hold close to my heart. So many amazing gigs and nights. Last night I was let down by this venue and its door staff who quite frankly are a joke. 1st night out with my best mates since before lockdown. Stayed sensible on the drinking side in order to enjoy a good dance at the Huey Morgan and Don Letts night only to be turned away by the idiot door woman who stated that myself and a friend had drank too much. It was humiliating and totally uncalled for. As a longstanding Manchester club scene veteran I understand club eticate and know fully that neither myself or my friend were in any sort of state to have been given this treatmemt. We weren't inebriated, could talk completely straight and hold ousrelves together. We were absolutely no risk to anyone. No refund for our tickets either. The power hungry door staff need a talking too. Sad and disappointed by their very bad judgement. Also sad to say I won't be returning to this much loved venue. Do not recommend. Discriminate door staff. Saw this happen to other friendly not drunk revellers too. Hope they put a complaint on here and persue a refund. Still reeling.

Many people before me have spoken about the re-opening of Band on the Wall, however as I was not a Manchester resident when it was opened before (nor of a gig-going age) I do not remember its former status-symbol within the city. All I can comment on is what it is now and THAT is just amazing! What a venue! There is nowhere else like it in Manchester, let alone anywhere else in the whole of Blighty that I have ever been to. It's setting is a beautiful old building at the back of Manchester's most bohemia area- The Northern Quarter and it's interior does not let you down either! It's a juxtaposition between the old and the new. Elaborate Edwardian cornicing meets crazy 3D carpets with images of headphones and cables stretching across the floors. The venue is big enough to attract large acts but still small enough to feel intimate, cosy and calm, something which most other music venues seem to miss the mark on. Next to the large venue space is The PictureHouse which is usually open before gigs and serves fantastic food. It usually has offers on for pre-gig eating and there is often a prize draw to win tickets to future gigs included in your meal. Great venue, always a good atmosphere, always worth a visit. 5 stars!

OK, OK, I know that I am obviously biased towards this particular venue, it being the place of my employ. But having spent the vast majority of my time in this venue over the last year, both for work and as a punter, I can honestly say that it is one of my favourite venues in the city, if not the country. First and foremost, there is such an eclectic mix of events held at Band On The Wall that there is certainly something for everyone. From their various reggae nights (including Night Of The Living Dread on 21st September), to their high level of involvement with the We Face Forward festival that ran throughout Manchester this summer, to the bi-annual Beer and Blues festival, to their incredibly popular club nights (Soul:ution, Mr. Scruff and Craig Charles all have residencies there), it's not hard to see why this is one of the best loved venues in Manchester. All this, and I haven't even touched on the live music gigs they hold there up to seven days a week yet! I have seen everything from SambaSunda (Sundanese gamelan fusion all the way from west Java), to Lee Fields on a comeback tour, to Cass McCombs, to D.J. Format performing a D.J./V.J. combo! There have been country gigs, lots of jazz gigs, folk gigs, unsigned nights... anything and everything you can think of for live music as probably happened at Band On The Wall - and if it's not happened yet, it's probably happening in the next couple of months!! They are very accommodating, and have hosted birthday parties, weddings, staff do's, conferences, and Christmas parties as well as the live music nights. Obviously, I know the staff personally, but everyone is always happy and smiling, and makes the time to speak to customers, ensuring people are satisfied with their evening and are having as good a time as possible. Also, the range of booze available is fantastic (much better than most music venues) and it's very reasonably priced for anywhere in the Northern Quarter, let alone a venue! Although, as I say, it could be perceived as bias on my part, everything I have said about the variety of events and happy temperament of the staff has been reinforced by customers on a very regular basis. If you are looking for a special night out around Manchester, it's definitely worth checking out. And for those of you who would like to learn something a bit more about musicianship, they have a great range of Learning and Participation programmes running throughout the year, from guitar lessons, to the Picturehouse Choir and tap workshops. One of the most popular Learning and Participation groups is Shake, Rattle 'n' Roll, which is held on a Saturday morning where parents can bring their babies and toddlers to Band On The Wall to play with baby-safe instruments in a family-friendly environment. Something for absolutely everyone! If you've not been to a night here and you are in to live music, you must change this immediately! I hope to see you there in the not-too-distant future!

Band on the Wall is a really great music venue, educational space, bar and club. Having undertaken a huge redevelopment, BOTW reopened its doors a few years ago and has grown from strength to strength, now sitting high as one of Manchester's best cutting edge performance venues. BOTW is split across two main spaces, one large room with a stage, bar and balcony, and 'The Picturehouse' which is a more intimate bar and lounge space. Hosting regular club nights, one-off gigs and open for hire for private parties, there is always something happening at Band on the Wall. As well as providing a platform for music and performance, BOTW also hosts educational workshops and provides space for youth groups and art organisations. BOTW is an ethically run business and works to feed energy and profits back into the local creative scene, this ethic comes through when speaking to the wonderful staff who are always friendly and cheery. A great place to drop by and discover something new, or just pop in for a drink at one of the lovely bars, Band on the Wall really offers something different and is well worth a look.

A little treat which was quite unexpected - attending a music event I was a little early & hungry....lucky for me there's onsite catering in a friendly bar area. A mixed plate of the daily curries on offer was delicious and good value. A tasty selection was available with the option of having a mix of the curries rather than being stuck with a single choice of one dish. The dining area is clean and functional with a good bar selection available. A pleasant surprise!

Had an excellent time at the Craig Charles night at Band on the Wall. The music was brilliant and the live band superb. Danced so much my feet hurt. Craig Charles really knows how to get the crowd going the whole place had a real party atmosphere. Definitely go and try it if you haven't already.

Pub attached to a music place. Having indie pop today (pretty lousy). Not really special here and only two cask beers. Would not cone here unless a really good band was playing!

I have been to this place just once but was taken back by how good it was. Looking at it from the outside i didn't quite know what to make of it but when you get inside its warm, welcoming and a cool place to enjoy music. I'm not really a gig type of person and went here with a few friends to watch Craig Charles and his monthly DJ set with a live jazz band it was fantastic and I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of music taste. The venue is medium to smallish yet intimate and from anywhere in the main room your right in the middle of the action. The bar is well stocked and is in a nice side part of the venue so you can sit down and take it easy for a moment if you want. The prices weren't to bad either and all the staff (from getting tickets to the doorman) were very helpful and really nice people. The main room layout allows for a cracking atmosphere and for when we went the tickets were very well priced as well so I would definitely recommend a visit!

Good to see that B O T W has re-opened and I look forward to listening to some quality music in the near future