Manchester Academy

Great intimate venue. We stood at the back and you could see the stage clearly. The only down side was the drinks were really expensive. Considering it was in a student area I expected the drinks to be alot more reasonable

I have seen a few concerts at the Manchester Academy before. There are 3 concert halls altogether and they are all good intimate venues right in the heart of the Universities on Oxford Road.
They have had everyone from Kylie to Prince to the very recent Brandon Flowers perform here. Tickets prices are quite reasonably priced depending who you’re going to see, its nice to see that they have a great selection of draft beers to choose from and not that badly priced.
So keep an eye out to see if you’re favourite artist is going to perform at this great little venue.

I’ve been to a few gigs at Manchester Academy. It’s very convenient to where I work and a lot of decent a varied bands get scheduled.
Last night I went to see Dropkick Murphys Celtic Punk Invasion Tour, obviously scheduled to coincide with the Manchester Irish Festival which runs at this time of year.
Sometimes the service at the bars can be a bit sketchy as nearly all the staff are students from the university and some I’m sure it’s their first paid work. On this occasion however, all the staff were on form and queues even inside the main hall were kept pretty low throughout. I’m not sure how much this can be attributed to the introduction of the 2 pint glass. Yes that’s correct, it’s a growing trend in student unions around the country apparently to do just that reduce queues at the bar, it seems to have worked, I also found I nestled the drink for the last half of the support right through to the last 20 minutes of the main act.
They also have a decent selection of beer for a large venue, where they have the standard lagers and ciders but also a selection of Rekorderlig ciders, Robinsons Trooper and some a couple of Brightside’s available from the bottle. They even have a collaboration Brightside called Academy American IPA which is unfortunately kegged but still a far superior drop of beer to your Carlsberg’s or Beck’s stuff.
The sound in The Academy is pretty decent and you can be as close or as far away from the bands and have an enjoyable experience.
I won’t comment on the crowd except to say they were a bit better than normal, but this can vary so greatly depending on the band you’re seeing it’s not really something you can rate a venue for. The security used are pleasant and not overly agressive and I think that says more about the place than any particular crowd at an event.

I first came to the Academy about 10 years ago to see Gomez. I have really fond memories of that night, so when I returned to see The Kooks last weekend, I was expecting a similar experience.
Alas, it was cramped and full of teenagers, pushing and shoving their way past me every two minutes. And it’s a bloody good job I was nowhere near the front — plastic cups full of beer were being pelted at people throughout the gig.
I know it’s not the venue’s fault but I do think more should be done to prevent this sort of behaviour. I’ve decided the next gig I go to will be some obscure band or one whose fans are middle aged. I can’t tell you how much I despise the youth of today. Grrrrrrr!
On a more positive note, the Academy does put on some really good bands so it’s worth checking out their website or grabbing a program to see what’s on over the next few months.

I’ve been to quite a few gigs at the Academy, the latest one being Maximo Park last night, whilst they were really fflipin’ good, I’m not sure that I like the venue that much.
The balcony bar upstairs wasn’t that busy when we got there however only had 2 members of staff on and so it took me a while to get a drink, although the staff were really friendly despite being so busy and having to deal with the comments from impatient customers.
The thing about gigs I can’t stand is how rude some people are, there was a man at the gig yesterday that kept (what I can only assume that in his mind was) dancing; in actual fact he was flailing his arms about whacking everyone and throwing his pint about, without a care in the world. He was swiftly dealt with by security and for that, all those around him were eternally grateful.
There’s nothing that’s really wrong with this venue, it’s just that there are venues I like more. Last time I saw Maximo Park was upstairs in sound control with an audience of 500 and that in my mind was better.
I’ll keep going to gigs at the Academy and I will most likely enjoy them but there’s just that bit of intimacy that’s missing, the building has no character, but then again I suppose that makes it easier to dress up or down however the bands like. Ah well we all have to compromise, a band you really like in a venue you’re not that keen on, it’s a bit obvious you’ll choose the band isn’t it?

Unfortunately, the Academy is alone for a venue of its size in the fine music city of Manchester. So in that respect, it serves a purpose. Past that… meh.
It’s a soulless warehouse, a vacant box — I even did a few exams in here at Uni (and for that purpose I give it 2 stars, lighting is far too dim to write in!!). It’s a tad echoy, so best to be up the front if you can help it.
The bar is pretty standard with the dreaded Tuborg.
On the bright side, if you want to meet the band, the Academy is a great venue for it. The stage door opens into a public road around the back of the venue, so unless the band have hired security, you should be able to walk straight up to any artist you choose. And if you miss them, chances are they’ve gone for a pint at Big Hands next door.

If you’d have asked me a couple of years ago what I thought of the Academy, I probably would have said that it wasn’t one of my favourite Manchester music venues, but you know what — now I would!
Seeing Queens of the stone age here (as opposed to in the Arena last year which was soulless) and Prince and being able to watch from about 5 rows deep and seeing everything on stage as really changed my perspective. Ok so it’s a bit of a box and a dark box at that, but it’s easy to get in and out of, there’s plenty of bars, they actually now sell 3 different types of craft beer (£4.50 a bottle which is a bit steep but what can you do…) and again — it’s not the Arena!
I’d have no hesitation going to see a band here again, in fact I’d welcome it. They also usually keep some tix back for sale on the door even if gigs are sold out in advance online so worth queueing up and seeing how many are available if your fave is in town.

Huge space and some simple yet very impressive light effects, it’s a great venue for a biggish act. I was also shocked by the range of cider which included bottles and on tap — and not that expensive either! Obviously the main stage is not the place for your cool alternative indie gig but they have some seriously legit acts who’ve made it big playing here too and in general it’s an asset to the Manchester music scene. I went here to see The 1976 who aren’t really my thing (got tickets from a friend who couldn’t go) but I had a fun time and enjoyed seeing the uni girls (who are now TEN years younger than me — awful) going so screamy excited!

The Academy is so much better to see bands than the Ritz it baffles me why anyone chooses to play there, money talks I suppose.
Everything about it as a venue is better apart from the choice of booze, Tuborg??? I didn’t know they still made the stuff!
Never had a bad experience here and long may that continue…

Excellent venue, really intimate feel to it. Saw kids in glass houses here and can safely say, it was one of the best gigs I’ve been to. A flat floor can be a slight disadvantage if you’re small like me but you can usually manouver yourself into a spot where you can see. Really good gig spot if you don’t mind being trodden on and rendered deaf for 24 hours. Most certainly making a return visit.

Manchester Academy… By far my most favourite venue of all time.
The scale of this venue is perfect for any band, with a bar situated on the right middle of the venue, and the cloak room at the far back. The atmosphere, and vibe you always get when you enter this venue is absolutely perfect.
You can, without a doubt, always be hyped up to see a band at the Manchester Academy.
If you haven’t already guessed I love me some heavy music. And I’ve been lucky enough to see some awesome bands play here, and had my body entranced by the likes of Trivium, Murderdolls, The Defiled, In Flames, Rise to Remain have had. And no band that has ever played here has ever let me down (We will ignore the fact I’ve seen Black Veil Brides here — They we’re support before I’m accused of blasphemy)
The academy also provides a large area to stand as you appreciate the orgasmic sound from the guitar, and enough room to head-​bang, mosh or even involve yourself in a couple of «Walls of death». I needn’t say anymore.
If you see «Manchester Academy 1» on your ticket, you better be enthusiastic about it.

Ah, the famous Manchester Academy. Far larger than its baby brother Club Academy, this is where you can see the likes of bands when they’re just hitting their peak or haven’t quite got large enough to pack out the MEN Arena. Which is often the best time to catch them. I attended my first proper gig here and have been many times since. It has a buzzing atmosphere and is the largest of the Academy venues (things can get confusing here… this is Academy 1 as it’s often colloquially referred to, Academy 2 occupies the second floor of the Students’ Union, and Academy 3 is situated on the third floor. There, when you remember it like that, it isn’t so hard, is it?), located in the prime live music spot of Manchester’s redbrick university.
The venue is steeped in history. It’s seen some utterly incredible names, from Bolton’s Buzzcocks, the first ever band to play here, to Pink Floyd, The Cure, Nirvana, Britrock rivals Blur and Oasis (although obviously not at the same time… how cool would that have been though? Battle of the bands who so obviously despise one another? I’d have paid double), Manic Street Preachers and the Prodigy. Physically, the venue is literally nothing more than a space in which to stand while you watch your heroes do their thing, a few bars littered about, a good large stage and nothing more. But sometimes that’s all you need. The frenetic atmosphere that accompanies every show I’ve ever seen here more than makes up for its austere physicality.
Be careful though, in my experience the bouncers are less than forgiving. I got treated terribly when I first came here — admittedly a naïve teenager vomiting is something doormen have to deal with every day, but in all honesty not one drop of alcohol had passed my lips and I was suffering from heat exhaustion. I wasn’t used to moshpits, I was a skinny little girl! The harsh comments I received when I went to get air did nothing to calm my nerves, and I do feel like telling bouncers that a little friendliness goes a long way for newcomers to the city. If only I’d have seen Knocked Up before I went. I could have given him the whole, ‘You’re just a doorman. DOORMAN!!!’ speech. God bless Leslie Mann. She says what we’re all thinking.

I like the fact that this is a more intimate venue than bigger places. drinks very expensive… loos not great ;-)
Took a small bottle of diet coke (still sealed, un opened) and of course it was taken off me by security at the doors. I understand the safety measures but when you feel forced to buy drinks inside it can be a bit annoying.

The Manchester Academy has come a long way in the past few years. Not so long ago, it resembled a shed on steroids, and watching a gig there was a decidedly messy, noisy and — if you were ever stuck in the moshpit — painful experience. And let’s not mention the toilets — horrifically grim and frequently broken, the best thing about these cesspits was the occasionally amusing graffiti on the walls.
However, one huge revamp later (which led to me attending numerous gigs where I had to go outside to have a wee in a portakabin in the freezing cold) and the Manchester Academy has actually managed to become a halfway decent venue. It’s spacious yet still allows you to have an intimate experience with the band on stage, it’s got more bars so you don’t have to queue for ages when you’re trying to buy a pint between support bands and it even has its own balcony, which is great if you’re a bit of a short arse like me.
A great variety of artists both big and small can often be found playing here, and it tends not to be too pricey to catch a gig here — ticket prices tend to range between £10 — £20 depending upon the popularity of the act. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s also right slap bang next to the 42 bus stop AND a cracking little kebab shop meaning you can get some tasty grub and catch a bus home without too much bother. Or you could just pop into Big Hands next door for a post gig pint. If you’re really lucky, you might even be able to catch some rock stars in there!

Manchester Academy is alright. If you’re going to see someone you absolutely love then you’ll probably have a good time, but if not then you’ll probably be a little disappointed with the venue, drinks and prices.
Its incredibly loud. Perhaps I’m getting old but on the two occaisions I’ve been there to see a gig I’ve actually felt like I would have enjoyed myself more if it wasn’t so absolutely ridiculously loud in there.
Its also a horrendous amount per beer, and these taste warm and come in flimsy plastic glasses. I guess its inevitable at a big gig but I have to say its not great.
Also the queues are ridiculously big. And full of 14 year old Goths and Emos. Urgh.
Manchester Academy is alright. If you’re going to see someone you absolutely love then you’ll probably have a good time, but if not then you’ll probably be a little disappointed with the venue, drinks and prices.
Its incredibly loud. Perhaps I’m getting old but on the two occaisions I’ve been there to see a gig I’ve actually felt like I would have enjoyed myself more if it wasn’t so absolutely ridiculously loud in there.
Its also a horrendous amount per beer, and these taste warm and come in flimsy plastic glasses. I guess its inevitable at a big gig but I have to say its not great.
Also the queues are ridiculously big. And full of 14 year old Goths and Emos. Urgh.

Alexisonfire
Jimmy Eat World
XFM Winter Wonderland
Ash
Within Temptation
Exams
Exams? Yeah, for some reason the University of Manchester decides to have exams in this building. The dark cold windowless setting was absolutely perfect for the above gigs, but a nightmare for exams.
In my opinion, not much different to before the re-​furb and not quite as good as Birmingham’s Academy, but still a great place to see all your favourite bands for £15−25 a time. If you can’t make a gig then don’t sell to the touts. They gave me £1 for a ticket once Don’t buy from them either.

Manchester Academy is one of the city’s flagship music venues and a place every band wants to get to if they’ve worked their way up through the several smaller ‘Academy’ venues.
The room is cavernous and holds a good 2000 people. The stage is wide and high, meaning that you get a great view from pretty much wherever you’re standing. I went for XFM’s Winter Wonderland, and thanks to some nice contacts I have, managed to get in the backstage bar and therefore on the balcony at the back of the room. From here, the sound and view is great.
The gig hosted UK indie acts like Delphic, Frank Turner, Liam Fray and The Cribs. I went down the front for Frank Turner and he sounded really great, lit well on stage with just an acoustic guitar and microphone stand for company.
Like all music venues of this nature, the drinks are expensive and you’ll be drinking them out of those really unsatisfying plastic glasses. And, if you’re watching someone like Liam Fray from the Courteeners, the Manchester lads will start throwing them over each other in due course.

A note to managers everywhere: If your band have only sold 25−50% of tickets for a show at Manchester Academy, ask the promoter if you can downscale to the smaller Manchester Academy 2 instead. I’ve been to see a handful of gigs here which were well under capacity and even the most ardent fans looked gutted. The fact the venue looks and feels like a bad airport hanger is the main problem, followed by the way the sound bounces off the walls when it’s empty!
If a gig is full or sold out however, the Academy is a great venue for bands to play — and fans to go and rub shoulders with 2,000 other music lovers. The width of the venue means it’s easy to negotiate your way through the crowd and find a place you can stand and dance /​jump up and down. Occasionally, you might encounter a bunch of gnarly drunks but most of the time the audience is there solely for the music and to have a good time.
I’ve seen everyone from PJ Harvey and Sonic Youth to The Pixies at Manchester Academy and had a blast each time. Of course I’d rather drink my bourbon from a glass than a plastic tumbler but at least they sell good quality bourbon, vodka and rum! Roll on March and gigs from The XX and Paloma Faith!
The 50ft Queen in action:

A Manchester standard. It’s not so much «Have you been?» or «Do you like it?» as it is «Who did you see last?» «When are you going next?».
If you haven’t been then you are probably reading my review through the powers of a medium in a back alley séance as you are not from these times.
If they do melodic things with instruments then they’ve stood on this stage.

If you haven’t been to the Academy and you live in Manchester there’s something wrong with you. Be it a hatred of excellent live music or agrophobia.
Everyone has a story of when they saw someone who has since gone stellar play Academy Three; a friend of mine saw Kasabian there with a crowd of around ten.
My best memory so far of the Academy was Academy One: it was an NME Tour and it must have been about four years ago. I paid about £15 for the ticket because I was quick off the mark, beating all the touts. For that princely sum I saw (in this order) Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, The Futureheads and, headlining, The Killers. Plus Brandon Flowers stuck two fingers up at my friend and I on the front row making us swoon.
Not expensive but not cheap drinks, Tshirts on the pavement outside but none of thats really important. The Academy is definitely a memory maker.