Retro by name, retro by nature, Barbarella has been tucked away at the back of the city’s leading vintage emporium, Pop Boutique, for longer than anyone can remember. Hairstyles might change but this place has remained admirably resistant to change, right down to the Jane Fonda prints from the sixties sci-fi film it took its name from.
An insanely committed seven-nights-a-week, Creatures of the Night Comedy Club opens its doors (20.30-22.30 typically, though please check) for evening after evening of side-splitting comedy.
from £5.00
Every Monday night upstairs at Fierce Bar, The Comedy Vault hosts an outrageously funny open-mic night. Come and try your hand or just to watch and laugh.
free entry
Beat the Frog is a legendary amateur comedy night, taking place each and every Monday. Many famous names prove it’s the real deal.
free entry
Try your hand at stand up comedy with an eight week intensive course with Dave Williams in the Frog and Bucket’s School of Comedy.
from £300.00
Rock-informed, techno-adjacent musical collagists Moin perform at Band on the Wall this spring.
from £16.50
Band on the Wall bring people together to make, as well as watch, music. Join them to learn folk tunes from all over the world.
‘Shadow and Void: Buddha10’ combines historic Buddhist sculptures with contemporary, multisensory artworks that offer a space for reflection
free entry
Expect an unforgettable evening of captivating conversation as award-winning poet, memoirist, novelist and literary critic Seán Hewitt reads from his eagerly awaited debut novel.
from £5.00
Independent cafe in Manchester’s bustling Northern Quarter. Perfect if you’re looking for high-quality homemade produce.
One of the oldest vintage shops in the Northern Quarter (opened here in 1994), Pop is set out across two floors and racks up a cafe, barber’s and basement furniture section, as well as its own label and good-as-new originals – all for very reasonable prices.
Comic book and pop culture superstore in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
Primely located on Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter, Cass Art Manchester offers a vast selection of high-quality art materials at affordable prices.
Opened in 1991, Night & Day Cafe on Oldham Street plays host to an exhausting array of gigs throughout the year.
Selina NQ1 is a creative and charming yet sophisticated hotel in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
Affleck & Brown is a bar in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Housed in the Smithfield building which was once the location of the Victorian department store of the same name. Enjoy cocktails, beers, wines and coffee.
Piccadilly Records is the real deal, a record shop so good that it probably deserves some credit for the regeneration of its surrounding neighbourhood.
Shop selling clothing, accessories, and gifts.
Coffee bar and shop selling gifts and homeware from local designers.
Vinyl Exchange is the largest seller and buyer of rare and second-hand records, CDs and DVDs in the North West.
Vintage clothes shop on Manchester’s Tib street, specialising in current and retro trends.
Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.
Spring is here and the North is buzzing with must-visit new restaurants and bars.
We've got many a good time in store this month as we round up the best walking tours, cultural classes and makers markets in the land.
The outsiders, the oddities and the outrageous – we’re keeping it weird with a hot new batch of underground gigs about to hit Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.
Dynamic dance, party-performance, high-energy stand-up and a site-specific show set in a pub. All this and more in our newest theatre guide.
Crocodile-themed Easter egg hunts, sense-sational museum trips and more this Easter!
From precarious ceramics to photography festivals, spring is here and brings with it a breath of fresh air in visual art and exhibitions.
If it's inspiring, inclusive events and avant-garde, experimental afternoons you're after, look no further than live literature this spring – we've got you covered.
