Gigs

Gigs in Manchester Guide

The musical heritage of Manchester makes it the home of music. For years the best in cutting edge and exciting music has come out of the city, with some of the most legendary gigs in recent times taking place in the city. Manchester has been home to many iconic bands, from The Smiths to The Stone Roses, then onto Oasis and all the way to the modern day with Doves, Elbow and The Courteeners still taking the great music of Manchester throughout the UK and beyond.

History of Manchester music

In the 60s and early 70s the Manchester music scene was very different to what you would expect to see - it was mainly pop groups such as the Bee Gees which began Manchester's rich musical heritage. Herman's Hermits, Freddie and the Dreamers and The Hollies all came from the Mancunian streets, and many of these bands got big in both the UK and in America.

Then in the mid to late 70s, Factory Records was born. With Tony Wilson at the helm they helped bring through Joy Division, whose music defined Manchester at that time. Buzzcocks and The Fall also came through at a similar time, and this is when the music scene in Manchester really started taking off. Going into the 80s following the death of Ian Curtis the lead singer of Joy Division, former members Peter Hook and Bernard Sumner formed New Order, but this was only the beginning.

A small band called The Smiths took Manchester by storm in the mid-80s, defining a new genre "indie". With their melancholy but catchy songs and witty, straight from the heart lyrics from Morrissey, they reached the heart of many all over the country. Despite only being around for a few years, they remain one of the most important and influential bands ever, with their music still used to define Manchester even two decades later.

By the late 80s a new wave of music had taken over the city. Dubbed "Madchester", it was a lot more groove orientated, feeding into the drug taking culture that had become prominent in clubs such as the Hacienda. This was a Factory Records club also. Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and the Inspiral Carpets were the era-defining bands of Madchester. Just like The Smiths before them, The Stone Roses split without any chance of a reunion, but they are also still seen as one of the most iconic bands in the UK, not just in Manchester. Some of the gigs that these bands played in Manchester are the stuff of legend.

Other bands that broke through around this time were James and The Charlatans, both of whom are still going strong today, playing gigs in Manchester and all around the country and releasing quality music.

There was a bit of a lull for Manchester music in the early 90s, but then in 1994 a band came along that defined an entire generation. Oasis four working class lads from Burnage led by lyricist and guitarist Noel Gallagher, along with his brother, the brash and loud Liam. They hit the UK music scene like a tidal wave, making everything else fade into mediocrity. The band carried on getting bigger and bigger, finally splitting up in 2009 after 15 years of massive success and sell out stadium tours. First album Definitely Maybe is still seen as one of the best albums of all time by many. Songs such as "Live Forever", "Slide Away", "Rock N Roll Star" and "Cigarettes and Alcohol" still get the loudest cheers of the night at indie clubs in Manchester today.

Around the same time as Oasis, The Verve were quietly stepping up, and at the height of the "Britpop" time they rose up with a huge album "Urban Hymns", with the song "Bittersweet Symphony" offering up one of the best social commentary pieces of the 90s.

Since then there has been a steady stream of bands coming out of Manchester and taking on the world. Doves and Elbow have made their own style of music but still in keeping with their Mancunian heritage, and new band The Courteeners have gone back to the Oasis style of proper rock music, so the future continues to look bright for this great musical city.

© 2010 Get Your Ears Out