Live music on stage: a band under the lights

What's On · Greater Manchester

What's On in Manchester

Q: What live music is on in Manchester over the next four weeks?

We currently list 268 gigs in Manchester between 20 Sept and 18 Oct, across 38 venues. The listings above are the full set, sorted by date and refreshed daily from the venues themselves — no algorithm decides what you see. For everything beyond this window, browse the Manchester gig directory or every city we cover.

Q: What is the busiest night for live music in Manchester?

Friday, with 74 gigs listed across the next 28 days. Friday: 74 gigs · Saturday: 66 gigs · Thursday: 42 gigs. Filter by This week or This weekend above to narrow it down.

Q: Which Manchester venues have the most on?

Right now: 5d4ecc7c-83a3-47dd-9003-5bc64fbfa350, 83d0d165-2123-40dd-ba9c-0d72b9915eb3, aaab72a9-da41-49b4-816c-ce066409a03f. In total we track 135 grassroots venues in Manchester, of which 38 have something listed in this window. Capacity, backline and opening times for each are on the Manchester venue directory.

Q: Where can I find open mic nights in Manchester?

Manchester has 59 regular open mic nights that we verify on a rolling cycle. Each listing carries the sign-up time, slot length, entry fee and whether a PA and backline are provided — see the Manchester open mic finder, or the UK-wide finder.

Live music in Manchester over the next four weeks — 20 Sept – 18 Oct. 268 gigs listed in Manchester over the next 28 days across 38 venues. Friday is the busiest night with 74. In total we track 135 grassroots venues and 59 regular open mics here.

Two pubs a day are closing, and last year 78 grassroots venues stopped putting on live music. Get Manchester gigs in your inbox — and go to one.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Manchester

—

A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Manchester. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.

Every grassroots gig we hold for Manchester between 20 Sept and 18 Oct.

Friday is the busiest night — 74 gigs
Friday: 74 gigs
Saturday: 66 gigs
Most listed genres: Rock (56), Pop (45), Alternative Rock (33), DJ / Electronic (22)
Average ticket price: £26.83
Imported daily from Ticketmaster, Skiddle and direct submissions

See the listings All upcoming gigs

38 different Manchester venues have something on in the next 28 days.

YES (Pink Room) — 23 gigs
The Deaf Institute — 19 gigs
Gorilla — 15 gigs
The Abbey — 12 gigs
97 more tracked venues with nothing listed yet
Capacity, backline and opening times on every card

See the listings Manchester venues

59 regular open mic nights running in Manchester. Turn up, put your name down, play.

Weekly and fortnightly nights across the city
Most are free to attend and free to play
Re-verified on a rolling cycle

See the listings Manchester open mics

Everything the Manchester scene has beyond tonight's listings.

City guide: Manchester venues, promoters and bookers
Local rate benchmarks before you book or quote
Members near you on GigXchange

See the listings Manchester scene

What’s on near you, wherever you are — the same page for every city we track.

Gigs, venues and open mics per city
One email a week with live music near you
Free to browse — no account needed

See the listings Browse every city

Updated daily · 268 gigs in Manchester over the next four weeks

Last updated: 20 September 2026

Support grassroots music in Manchester

Grassroots venues are where every act you have ever paid to see started out. Manchester still has 135 of them.

From the Northern Quarter to Ancoats, Manchester's music scene never stops. Planning a private party instead? See [booking live entertainment in Manchester](/gigs/live-entertainment-manchester) for bands, singers and DJs for one-off occasions. Booking for the company rather than yourself? See [corporate entertainment in Manchester](/gigs/corporate-entertainment-manchester) for Christmas parties, awards nights and conferences.

Two pubs a day closed across the UK in the first quarter of 2026, and over the year to July 2025 78 grassroots music venues stopped putting on live music — 30 of them shut for good. Those are the rooms where new acts learn to hold an audience, where a first support slot happens, and where a Tuesday night can still turn into something.

This page exists to make them easy to find. It lists 268 gigs across Manchester over the next four weeks, pulled from the venues themselves and updated daily — alongside the 135 grassroots venues and 59 regular open mic nights we track in the city. No algorithm decides what you see: it is simply everything we know is on.

The single most useful thing anyone can do is turn up. Buy a ticket, buy a drink at the bar, and go to a night you have not been to before. If you would rather be told than remember, the sign-up above sends Manchester listings straight to your inbox. If you run a venue here, claim your page so people can find you.

Gigs in Manchester

Every grassroots gig we hold for Manchester in the next four weeks — 20 Sept – 18 Oct. Updated daily.

Showing 4 of 268 gigs · page 12 of 12

OCT

BIG TROUSERS: Manchester Headline Show, Eagle Inn Salford

Eagle Inn·Blackfriars & Trinity, Manchester

Saturday, 17 October 2026 · 19:30–23:00

Entry—
Tickets—
AgeAll ages
GenreRock, Punk Rock

View details›

OCT

Scottish Ensemble and Brìghde Chaimbeul

Stoller Hall·Deansgate, Manchester

Saturday, 17 October 2026 · 19:30–21:30

Entry£28.00
Tickets—
AgeAll ages
Genre—

View details›

OCT

Britallica (Britney Spears Metal Tribute) Holy Diver, Stockport

Holy Diver·Brinnington & Stockport Central, Manchester

Saturday, 17 October 2026 · 19:30–23:00

Entry—
TicketsAvailable
AgeAll ages
GenreMetal, Pop, World Music

View details›

OCT

Dead Finks (DE) // Gold Cup

Big Hands·Hulme, Manchester

Saturday, 17 October 2026 · 21:00–02:00

Entry—
Tickets—
AgeAll ages
Genre—

View details›

See every upcoming gig in Manchester →

Venues in Manchester

Where live music actually happens in Manchester.

Manchester › Hulme★★★★★ (—)

Restored 1890s Hulme pub with a 100-capacity gig room at the back.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed12:00–23:00
Thu12:00–23:00
Fri12:00–00:00
Sat12:00–00:00
Sun12:00–23:00

Stockport › Poynton★★★★★ (—)

Stockport acoustic live music lounge.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon09:00–20:00
Tue09:00–20:00
Wed09:00–20:00
Thu09:00–23:00
Fri09:00–01:00
Sat10:00–01:00
Sun10:00–23:00

Stockport › Edgeley★★★★★ (—)

Cracking Robinsons pub in Edgeley.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon14:00–23:00
Tue12:00–00:00
Wed12:00–00:00
Thu12:00–00:00
Fri12:00–00:00
Sat12:00–00:00
Sun12:00–23:00

Bolton pub with live music.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon15:00–01:00
Tue15:00–01:00
Wed15:00–01:00
Thu15:00–01:00
Fri15:00–02:00
Sat15:00–02:00
Sun15:00–00:00

Manchester › Didsbury★★★★★ (—)

Didsbury cafe, bar, books, art and cake.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon09:00–22:00
Tue09:00–22:00
Wed09:00–22:00
Thu09:00–22:00
Fri09:00–22:00
Sat09:00–22:00
Sun10:00–21:00

Manchester › Northern Quarter★★★★★ (—)

Northern Quarter's Wednesday-night free acoustic open mic at 35-37 Thomas Street, M4 1NA — small back room, PA + guitar amp, 12-minute slots.

Backline3 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–00:00
Tue12:00–00:00
Wed12:00–00:00
Thu12:00–00:00
Fri12:00–02:00
Sat11:00–02:00
Sun11:00–22:00

Ashton-under-Lyne › Mossley★★★★★ (—)

Huddersfield pub with live music.

Backline2 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
2 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon14:00–00:30
Tue14:00–00:30
Wed14:00–00:30
Thu12:00–00:30
Fri14:00–00:30
Sat14:00–00:30
Sun14:00–00:30

Bolton's Bradshawgate Irish bar — live bands and DJs at the rear Fri–Sun plus a Thursday open mic.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Stockport › Heaviley★★★★★ (—)

Stockport pub with live entertainment.

Backline4 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon15:00–22:00
TueClosed
Wed15:00–22:00
Thu15:00–22:00
Fri15:00–00:00
Sat12:00–23:00
Sun15:00–22:00

Manchester › City Centre★★★★★ (—)

Burgers, cocktails and live blues, soul & funk on Quay Street

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–00:00
Tue12:00–01:00
Wed12:00–01:00
Thu12:00–01:30
Fri12:00–03:00
Sat11:00–03:00
Sun12:00–00:00

Altrincham › Bowdon★★★★★ (—)

Award-winning 1903 events and live-music venue in Bowdon

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon09:00–17:00
Tue09:00–17:00
Wed09:00–17:00
Thu09:00–17:00
Fri09:00–17:00
SatClosed
SunClosed

Manchester › Oxford Road / Grosvenor Street★★★★★ (—)

Independent live-music venue and club on Manchester's Oxford Road corridor

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

View venue›

Photo: Google

Claim this venue

The Britons Protection

Manchester★★★★★ (—)

Traditional pub with house music events.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon00:00–12:00
Tue00:00–12:00
Wed00:00–12:00
Thu00:00–12:00
Fri11:00–00:00
Sat11:00–00:00
Sun11:00–22:00

View venue›

Photo: Google

Claim this venue

The Button Warehouse Button Entertainment Ltd

Macclesfield★★★★★ (—)

Warehouse entertainment venue.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon11:00–16:00
Tue11:00–23:00
Wed11:00–22:00
Thu11:00–23:00
Fri11:00–23:00
Sat11:00–23:00
Sun12:00–18:00

View venue›

Photo: Google

Claim this venue

The Carlton Club Manchester

Manchester › Whalley Range★★★★★ (—)

Whalley Range DJ and electronic members club.

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon16:00–23:00
Tue16:00–23:00
Wed16:00–23:00
Thu16:00–23:00
Fri15:00–01:00
Sat12:00–01:00
Sun12:00–00:00

Manchester › Northern Quarter★★★★★ (—)

Northern Quarter's historic 80-cap live room for emerging bands.

Backline6 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:00–01:00
Tue12:00–01:00
Wed12:00–01:00
Thu12:00–01:00
Fri12:00–02:00
Sat12:00–02:00
Sun12:00–00:00

NQ cocktail bar with live music and pizza.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Manchester › University★★★★★ (—)

Manchester's Thursday-night free open mic at 135 Grosvenor Street, M1 7HE — converted institute, full backline including piano, 10-minute slots.

Backline7 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
3 vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Award-winning 80-cap Salford music venue in a Victorian terrace pub

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon15:00–00:00
Tue15:00–00:00
Wed15:00–00:00
Thu15:00–00:00
Fri12:00–02:00
Sat12:00–02:00
Sun15:00–00:00

Salford pub with live entertainment.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

Mon12:30–23:30
Tue12:30–23:30
Wed12:30–23:30
Thu12:30–23:30
Fri12:00–23:30
Sat12:00–23:30
Sun12:30–23:30

NQ atmospheric drinking den with live music.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times7 of 7

MonClosed
TueClosed
WedClosed
ThuClosed
Fri17:00–04:00
Sat17:00–04:00
SunClosed

Manchester › Chorlton-on-Medlock★★★★★ (—)

Atmospheric student-quarter pub on Manchester's Oxford Road corridor — sister bar to The Bread Shed, with DJs, live music and 20+ gins.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times6 of 7

Mon11:00–00:00
Tue11:00–00:00
Wed11:00–00:00
Thu11:00–01:00
Fri11:00–01:00
Sat11:00–00:00
Sun—

Warrington › Orford, Warrington★★★★★ (—)

Warrington social club and live-music venue on Orford Lane

Backline0 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

Salford's most bohemian back street boozer.

Backline1 of 7

PA system
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer

Opening times—

Mon—
Tue—
Wed—
Thu—
Fri—
Sat—
Sun—

View venue›

All 135 Manchester venues →

Open mics in Manchester

Turn up, put your name down, play. Most are free.

EVERY

Sun

Wallop Prestwich

Prestwich, Manchester

Starts 17:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open tomusic

Droylsden, Manchester

Starts 18:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open tomusic

Starts 19:00

Sign-up—
Slots—
EntryFree
PA—
Backline—
Open tomusic, spoken_word

Starts 19:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open tomusic

View details›

MONTH

Sun

Bolton Socialist Club

Town Centre, Bolton

Starts 19:30

Sign-up—
Slots5 min
Entry£2.00
PA—
Backline—
Open topoetry, spoken_word

Starts 19:30

Sign-up—
Slots—
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open tomusic

Manchester, Manchester

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots15 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open tomusic

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open tomusic

Northern Quarter, Manchester

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
BacklineFull
Open tomusic

View details›

Real piano · since 1930s

EVERY

Sun

Band on the Wall

Northern Quarter, Manchester

Starts 20:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots10 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
BacklineFull
Open tomusic, jazz

Sign-up—
Slots—
EntryFree
PA—
Backline—
Open tomusic

Manchester, Manchester

Starts 19:00

Sign-up19:30
Slots12 min
EntryFree
PAProvided
Backline—
Open tomusic

View details›

All 59 Manchester open mics →

What's on in Manchester — FAQs

Common questions about live music in Manchester, answered with this week's live data.

What live music is on in Manchester over the next four weeks?

We currently list 268 gigs in Manchester between 20 Sept and 18 Oct, across 38 venues. The listings above are the full set, sorted by date and refreshed daily from the venues themselves — no algorithm decides what you see. For everything beyond this window, browse the Manchester gig directory or every city we cover.

Are there free gigs in Manchester?

None of the Manchester gigs currently listed are marked free entry, though many venues do not publish a price at all. Manchester open mic nights are your reliable free option — most charge nothing to watch or to play.

What is the busiest night for live music in Manchester?

Friday, with 74 gigs listed across the next 28 days. Friday: 74 gigs · Saturday: 66 gigs · Thursday: 42 gigs. Filter by This week or This weekend above to narrow it down.

Which Manchester venues have the most on?

Right now: 5d4ecc7c-83a3-47dd-9003-5bc64fbfa350, 83d0d165-2123-40dd-ba9c-0d72b9915eb3, aaab72a9-da41-49b4-816c-ce066409a03f. In total we track 135 grassroots venues in Manchester, of which 38 have something listed in this window. Capacity, backline and opening times for each are on the Manchester venue directory.

Where can I find open mic nights in Manchester?

Manchester has 59 regular open mic nights that we verify on a rolling cycle. Each listing carries the sign-up time, slot length, entry fee and whether a PA and backline are provided — see the Manchester open mic finder, or the UK-wide finder.

How much does a gig cost in Manchester, and what should an artist be paid?

Where a Manchester venue publishes a price, the average ticket is £26.83. Grassroots entry is typically a few pounds on the door, and many nights are free. On the other side of the transaction, the Musicians' Union publishes national gig rates as the recognised floor for live engagements, and the ISM publishes guidance for self-employed musicians. Our own UK gig rate benchmarks show what artists are actually being paid by region and act type.

Why do grassroots venues in Manchester matter?

Grassroots rooms are where every act you have paid to see learned to hold an audience. Two pubs a day closed across the UK in the first quarter of 2026, and over the year to July 2025 78 grassroots music venues stopped putting on live music — 30 of them for good. Manchester still has 135 on our list. Music Venue Trust campaigns for them nationally; venues themselves navigate PRS licensing and local authority licensing to keep putting music on. The single most useful thing anyone can do is turn up and buy a drink at the bar.

How do I get a Manchester gig or venue listed on GIGXCHANGE?

Listing is free and takes about two minutes — submit through the Manchester gig directory and it is verified within 48 hours. No account is needed and there is no listing fee. If you run a venue here, claim your venue page to keep its capacity, backline and contact details current. Promoters and venues booking acts can also post paid work or find artists directly.

Go to one this month

268 gigs listed in Manchester over the next four weeks, across 135 grassroots venues and 59 open mic nights. Buy a ticket, buy a drink at the bar, and go to a night you have not been to before — it is the single most useful thing anyone can do for a room like these.

Help keep grassroots venues open in Manchester

—

A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Manchester. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.