Manchester is the coolest city in the UK for students. Manchester brought the world such bands as The Smiths, Joy Division, Happy Mondays, Inspiral Carpets and Stone Roses. Bands that changed the music world forever. Manchester attracts millions of students who are all seeking to swap home comforts for good music and good old tom foolery. So sit back and relax as we bring you the best of Manchester to your finger tips.

The Pubs

The pubs in Manchester cater for every one. You will usually find everyone under one roof, without punch up’s or unpleasantries. Most people will start there evening off in The Printworks. Here you will find several pubs and clubs under one roof as well as a cinema and the odd restaurant and cafe. Be warned though, if you want a cheap drink, the best place to go is probably Deansgate. The pubs down there include Wetherspoons and Bar Med. There not exactly the best pubs in the world but it’s cheap, central and easy to get to so it makes a great place to meet your new mates Our personal favourite has to be the The Garrett (great place to go before hitting up 5th Avenue OR Factory Manchester) on Princess Street, where games and big screens will keep you amused until the clubs open. Also the music they play will get you in the mood for your night out. Why not check out Oxford Road which is basically Students-ville! Here you will find the Union and the Academy, also bars such as Varsity (cheap cheap cheap), Odder (more upmarket and trendy), the Font and the Big Hands (hit up for pre Academy drinking).

Clubs

Manchester is definitely a city that caters for the student. The NUS card is a currency in its own right as it is the only way to get into most places of interest.  Jabez Clegg, The Zoo and Scubar are 3 of the most student friendly clubs while. The Warehouse Project takes over the city for 15 weeks, with loads of big bands and top DJs booked for dates underneath Piccadilly Station through the winter. One of the biggest being Annie Mac Presents. MoHo is currently the hot and coming place to be with gigs galore and some hot new club nights. Down on Oxford road you have the brilliant Sound Control playing host to more bands than you can shake a stick at.. Area 51, is the home of Electro House and Space is the home for motown, indie, northern soul and a bit of dance- take your pick! Opposite the Aforementioned Garrett lies 5th Avenue. Indie and Alternative Dance is the order of the day, the beers are ridiculously cheap as is the vodka red bull.  On a week night, you could easily get smashed off a tenner. New in town is also The Factory. This 3 floor super club is playing host to some massive gigs at the moment and also has ridiculously cheaps drink prices. Just prepare for epic que sizes and a lot of stairs. Don’t let that put you off though as the club plays host to some cracking clubnights, Including one with XFM DJ Gareth Brooks. If that’s not floating your boat, and you fancy a bit of old skool then Saturdays are the nights for you with ’Stone Love’. Legends from the Hacienda hit the town and spin some classics on the third floor.

If your not a 5th Avenue fan or dont want to try out The Factory, there’s always 42nd Street, where the music is the same every night and the drinks are more expensive than 5th. If neither of them are your cup of tea, why not pop across the road from the Factory and in to Joshua Brooks. If you love your metal, or even if you don’t, check out Jilly’s Rockworld, Wear what you dare. If Jillys aint for you and you fancy a laugh, check out The Birdcage. Its a nightclub with a difference, offering a unique drag cabaret show with different acts taking place throughout the evening. In between the shows you can expect the usual mix of cheesy pop, Motown and classic hits. If that takes your fancy, your bound to find plenty of queens in The Village. It also provides a cheeky night out, but be prepared to snog your mate to gain entrance to a few of the ‘stricter’ bars.

Venues

Venues are in abundance around Manchester. With the two unis providing unions providing great line ups and the Apollo a short walk out of town, there is always something to do. Magazines in the Manchester Evening News such as City Life and the classified section are Bibles for finding the right choice for a night out. Around the Oldham St area in the Northern Quarter is Dry Bar, Night and Day and The Roadhouse which all have live bands and club nights almost every day of the week. If you fancy a quieter pint and a littler scale band, head for The Thirsty Scholar, which has a small set and The Attic upstairs where bigger crowds are drawn in. Also if you have your own band it’s quite easy to get a slot here if you want to play yourself. Further down Oxford St is Big Hands.

Avoid Like The Plague

Anything with ‘sauna’ or ‘private’ on the door if you’re taking your parents for a drink.

Walkabout – The Tossers Bar

The Grand Central – Goth Galore!

The Look

Affleck’s Palace and Rock Boutique are the placcs to go for the scene kids. But without a shadow of a doubt the most popular place in town is PRIMARK! At the top of Market St and next to Piccadilly gardens, it’s a haven for other stuff such as jeans and cheap T shirts.  The Arndale provides all the bog standard shops you find everywhere. As well as the shopping center, there is also a market.The Triangle is a mecca for label junkies and should be avoided unless you’re doing someone with a bit of money.

The Music

Well there’s the obvious stuff like The Smiths, The Stone Roses, New Order, Joy Division, Happy Mondays and Oasis (The reason the city gets called Madchester) that have helped to make Manchester arguably the music capital of the UK. Manchester attracts a huge music student population, and so they keep popping out from all over the place. Bands are on the streets around town, playing the unions and dodgy pubs. For new bands look no further than Nine Black Alps, The Sticks, The Whip, The Courteeners, The Answering Machine and The Ting Tings.