Manchester lounges, more akin to nightclubs than anything, are highly popular Manchester nightlife spots. Full of energetic crowds, music and spirits Manchester lounges are hot spots for the Manchester clubbing community.
Another of Manchester lounges main student and indie music clubs, 5th Avenue is in a prime location close to UMIST and near several popular student pubs such as the Overdraught and Lass O' Gowrie. Although the atmosphere can be a little intense and the general decor and toilets are decidedly in need of refurbishment, it can still be great fun. Open until late six nights a week, there are always plenty of cheap drinks promotions and it can become very busy at weekends when the queues to get in often stretch around the block.
Ampersand has been revitalized as a Manchester clubbing spot catering to a sophisticated, clued-up crowd with a selection of progressive house and down tempo, jazzy hip-hop nights. Retaining much of its original stunning purple interior designed by Bernard Carroll, the Manchester lounges staple also has a plush gallery area with a sweeping chrome staircase and big leather armchairs and sofas.
Tucked away between fashionable Deansgate Locks and Whitworth Street, Aqua is a fun little member of Manchester lounges that may seem a bit off the beaten track but is well worth checking out if you fancy a night of light-hearted, kitschy fun. If you want to get an idea of what the place is like, check out the entrance with its display of photographs, showing regular revelers having a great time.
Although only open till 1am you can still enjoy yourself dancing around - or you can just talk away on the big comfy sofas if you like - to a mixture of funky pop tunes, garage, house and the odd touch of Latino groove.
The Manchester clubbing wasteland of east Manchester finally has something to shout about with the opening of a new super-club, Atomic Urban, in the centre of Ashton, 5 miles from the city centre. Three quarters of a million pounds has been invested in this state-of-the-art clubbing space with an OHM Industries sound system, MAC500 intelligent moving head projectors and - amazingly - the original Hacienda dance floor. Open Thursdays through Sundays, the music policy is shamelessly populist with straight pop, upfront anthems and club classics making up the play list, while Fridays see live PA's from commercial dance acts like Chocolate Puma and Architechs, with a promise of plenty more of the same to come.
Situated out beyond the Northern Quarter, Band on the Wall is a 240-capacity venue with a character and niche of its own. The interior is dark and atmospheric with burgundy-painted fittings and a fantastic little balcony offering an eagle-eye view of the stage. Its strength lies in the diversity of the live music it puts on. There is a continual program of non-mainstream specialist music including jazz, reggae, dub, African, folk and Latin, attracting a multicultural audience of all ages. As a club venue at weekends, it hosts a selection of genuinely inventive club nights that attract an eclectic crowd.