My sis and I were walking around looking for things to do in Manchester and Royal Exchange was on…read morethe list of things to do! So we stopped by and we learned this: High Yield: If you go at 9:30 am you can pick up front row tickets for the featuring performance later in the day for 10 pounds! Details Interior: Beautiful modern modern theater. So when you come into the building, the theater is contained within a cool glass looking structure and there are different tiers for viewing. We went at 9:30 am to pick up the 10 pound tickets and then came back at 2:30 to watch our show. The colors of the modern theater are purples and blues. Inside interior is beautiful Play Watched: We watched Sweet Charity- without giving away details and the ending, it is certainly such a well performed play. The cast put their heart and soul, the dancing numbers were clean, and the vocals were solid. Very solid performance, and because it is a smaller theater than like Broadway, it felt very intimate and cozy watching this from the front row. This is rated PG 13 in my opinion, no dirty or inappropriate stuff but if you want the true nuances and understanding of this play, be prepared for talks of brothels and purity. The front seats are like coahces btw, so if you're a tall person, your legs may feel awkward. But if you're a shorty like me, it's totally nice. Refreshments: You can purchase drinks, snacks and pastries from outside- not the cheap popcorn and like soft drinks but like actually baked goods, wines, and stuff Audience: Generally an older audience, middle to upper class, mostly caucasian population

This venue certainly has the wow factor.. I walked in expecting a typical old & majestic theatre…read morebuilding, which it is BUT it also has a huge modern twist, with a scaffolding type looking auditorium in the middle. It took me a while to like this, being the traditionalist that I am, but once the musical (Little Shop of Horrors) was in full swing I fully appreciated the set up they had going on, with the audience sitting in a round and the stage in the centre. The acoustics were absolutely fantastic and the space created a really intimate feel. My only gripe is that the seats really are packed in, I felt quite claustrophobic and if I had needed to leave for any reason during the show at least three other people would had to leave their seats and move into the aisle so that I could pass. I will just need to bare this in mind next time I book...

I can't believe I didn't think to review this place sooner, The Waterside Arts Centre is one of my…read morefavourite places. There are no limits to what can happen here; it's a theatre, an art gallery, an exhibition hall, a comedy venue, a music venue, a cinema, a function room...the list goes on. Everything about it is so beautifully versatile, you can go to any one of the above events there and think that is the venue's sole purpose. I've been to see some fantastic original exhibitions there, I've been in tears from laughing at the comedy nights and I've taken my younger sister there for some of the great child-friendly events they regularly hold. If you're unsure, head down to their next open day when they have taster sessions of everything for free! Also check out the programme of events on their website, I bet you'll see something you like because they really do cater for everyone!

The Waterside Arts Centre was completed as part of the redevelopment of the Trafford Council…read moreOffices which resulted in some shiny new offices, a new bar beneath them, and the Waterside Arts Centre. The Waterside really amounts to a number of galleres and exhibition spaces, and the Robert Bolt theatre within it all, which is a reasonably intimate (i.e. small!) performance venue that I've been lucky enough to visit for a number of different performances. There is a full programme of events on here and in any one month there will be a variety of music concerts (ranging from small and relatively unknown folk acts, current chart stalwarts, ageing rockers, local classical musical ensembles and anything (and everything) inbetween. There's also a regular comedy night styled along the lines of 'Whose line is it anyway?', and regular theatre productions including an annual pantomime. I've been fortunate enough to see a few acts there in recent times including Hayseed Dixie (true Hillbilly Rock) and Glenn Tillbrook (guitar-god and songwriter extraordinaire of Squeeze fame), two gigs that saw the Robert Bolt theatre in both standing, and fully seated configurations (it is usually set up for one or the other!)... Both times, the size of venue allowed me to feel really connected to the performer in a true 'I could see into the whites of their eyes' kind of sense. In both instances, this certainly added to the quality of the experience! Drinks for gigs are usually provided via a 'bottle and can' bar, which can make for a slightly pricy night, but then, you're not going there to drink! The gallery spaces are spread around the building and seem to cater for most tastes, and provide opportunities for local artists alongside those who are better known. All in all, the Waterside is a great little venue and a top addition to a town that was in sore need of a place like this. Bravo!

I really like the new Home. The cinema rooms are much better than they were at Corner house, and…read morethe food is just fantastic. Home offers a range of discounts, including advance bookings made online, as well as ticket price reduction for members.

So HOME is pretty cool!…read more It kind of feels like the old cornerhouse in general vibe and outlook on life but in a big flashy new skin away from the rest of Manchester. In fact this does seem to be the new way of doing things by the council - let's build things on brown field sites and aim to create a new urban hub around it. With very little passing traffic, it's going to take a while to really become a mainstream destination but it is very easily reached with Deansgate and Oxford Road stations around 5 mins walk. On this occasion I was looking for somewhere to work for a few hours and sat upstairs in their cafe bar grabbing a couple of flat whites and a bacon bap . Not bad all round and pretty quiet on a Monday morning. It did get much busier at lunch time so it's good to see peeps really enjoying this offering! You can sit outside on deck chairs and tables and there's a cafe downstairs just selling drinks and cake.

We came down from Scotland to see a concert in the O2 Apollo in Manchester. Do I believe they get…read moregood concerts? Yes. Is it a pleasant venue? No. A long queue around the corner having to stand for ages before slowly getting in is not my idea of fun and neither was it for the older people in the queue. Inside it is a distinctly grubby place.

Portishead Patti Smith…read moreNew Order Primal Scream The Arctic Monkeys The White Stripes Lambchop Tori Amos I've been blessed to see some truly spectacular shows at Manchester Apollo. Shows where the division between the audience and the band dissolved and it felt like there was just a large room of people totally hypnotised by the music. Originally a cinema in the 1930s, Manchester Apollo is a beautiful theatre that still retains most of it's original features. There's a foyer with merchandising stalls and toilets, an upstairs bar, lots of balcony seating, a side bar towards the left of the stage and a main bar at the back of the theatre. It's the theatre itself which is truly special however, with a slanted floor, beautiful ceiling, impressive stage and rows of velvet seats - which are taken out for rock shows. I'd give the Apollo 5 stars for atmosphere, sound and ambience. I've gotta deduct one star however, for the truly extortionate and underwhelming drinks. As the venue is owned by Carling, there's an extremely limited range of beer - no Sol, Corona, Belgian or Czech beers! - and spirits on offer. The spirits and mixers are also so small, it's only worth going to the bar if you're planning to get a couple or chase them down with a Guinness! The sublime Portishead: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsoZRBZvdOc

Came here to see Hans Zimmer Live and had a great time! Getting in to the Arena went much faster…read morethan other venues I've visited, and it was very easy to find our seats once we got inside. The crowd was as energetic as the orchestra, which is to say MASSIVELY GOOD VIBES! As we were only a few rows from the stage, I was very happy I donned foam earplugs. I was literally *feeling* the music more than I was hearing it, heheh! The bio-break during Intermission flowed pretty fast (not me ... the line!). The food here, considering I got a hot dog & soda, was actually very good! The only thing that was a pain was trying to exit the garage after the show. All traffic seemed to bottleneck into a couple lanes that had to cross the foot traffic leaving the Arena after the show. Otherwise, a great venue and I wouldn't mind seeing more shows there.

It seems even many years later after rebranding including with other sponsors, Manchester Arena…read morewill always be known as the MEN Arena to many locals - it opened in 1995 and is the only indoor purpose-built arena of its' kind in Manchester and although stadiums across the city including the Etihad and Emirates Old Trafford do host concerts now, this is the only Arena of its- type to be fully indoors in a city centre location, it is actually right next to Manchester Victoria Station and the main disabled enterance actually involves going through the station's lift (quite confusing!) - this can also be used as a cut-through to parts of the station when the lifts are out of order, which is the situation right now. Back to the Arena - I can't help but think the only reason this place is so well-known, successful and used is because it lacks competition in one of the UK's best and biggest cities - the customer service is a disgrace such as with booking tickets. The disabled seating tickets team force you to have to phone up with no online booking - they are only open at awkward hours during the day with no option to wait on hold, meaning if you require assistance booking it is going to be difficult to get tickets. It involves creating an account/profile, sending proof of a disability, waiting for that to be confirmed and then placing your tickets on hold for a few days until everything is confirmed - and if it is confirmed you're expected to pay various booking fees: security fee, postage fee (You can only pick up on the day of the event where they advise not to, if you don't pay) and of course a booking fee for telephone orders. Tickets are expensive - I attended Impractical Jokers' recent tour here and I even had to pay a security fee - now I get the venue has to be secure especially after the saddening attack in 2017 but why should they charge a "surcharge" just to be safe as every place like this should be safe and not charging for the fact you're safe, right? The security wasn't even good either - I was told to empty my pockets and go through a scanner, however, they didn't even use the airport-style bag checker on what I emptied (they didn' even look at it and I did have a case which was unexpected) - I also was able to take a drink in despite them being banned - the security is flawed. It does have a capacity of just over 21,000 which is even larger than London's famous O2 Arena, however, I do really prefer the O2, the Manchester Arena has virtually nothing upon entering: no shops, restaurants while the O2 does - all the Arena has is stands selling really expensive food, beverages and merchandise - they even have salesmen who go into the crowd during a show trying to wave things in front of you - like come on I bought my ticket to watch an event, not watch you wave programmes about for goodness sake! The view of the stage wasn't too good either, I had to watch the show from the big screen and after paying for some of the more expensive seated tickets, that isn't what you want either. I really hope the rival to Manchester Arena is built soon by my club, Manchester City as it needs something to rival this hell-hole - the extra star is virtually only for being the only indoor concert/tour arena of its' kind in Greater Manchester, they even hosted amateur hockey games here at one point!

Probably my favourite theatre in Manchester! Easy to get to and just has a really good atmosphere…read more Usually I would see musicals here but last week came to see Neil Warnock and he was absolutely brilliant. Circle and stalls are better seat for me personally and I think its worth paying a bit more to get a better view but overall a lovely venue

Real trip down memory lane I guess to a time when there were no multiplexes or glass modern venues…read more The facilities are a bit too old fashioned but great to visit.

This is the outlet at the Lowry. We hadn't been here in a few years certainly long before wu flu…read morestruck. I'd guess it's now half empty store wise. Key shops like M&S Clothing, Black & Decker, Tefal and many more all long gone. Harry Ramsden's fish & chips still there along with subway. A chicken shack of sorts, an independent Indian and a BK. The Indian has most food pre cooked and heated on order so no thanks. When there's a Harry's I'm afraid this sort of competition has no chance with me. They used to have a spud u like but it's gone as has an ice cream parlour. The Cadbury alleged chocolate shop is still there but prices are rip off with supermarkets offering identical products much cheaper. Costa coffee is still there and they are now advertising the fact that they are selling M&S food so at least that's quality food. I'm not sure I'd make another trip back here but they still do the artisan market days so that would bring me back.

A wonderful modern theatre in Salford at the Lowry Centre. The Lyric Theatre is the biggest of the…read moretwo theatres inside of the huge Lowry Centre. It hosts many amazing plays, musicals and many other entertainment options. I have been to see two National Theatre productions here which include the amazing War Horse and recently the Curious incident of the dog in the nighttime. It also has a couple of restaurants and cafes and amazing views to go with it. I have sat in many places in the Lyric theatre and there really isn't one bad seat plus the seats are really comfortable! All the staff who work here are really friendly and they seem to love there job. So take a look at the Lowry website to see if theres a show coming your way soon. Even if you're not sure that you might like the theatre, give it a go you may love it! The Lowry also hosts many art exhibitions which currently has Behind the Mask, the biggest collection of BAFTA-winning actor portraiture ever assembled, which has come to The Lowry for its first time out of London which is worth the trip out of town alone! You can easily get to the Lowry from the city centre of Manchester on one of the Metrolink trams which head towards Media City UK!

Slippery Belle is, without any doubt, one of the best night's out in Manchester…read more It's a burlesque affair, but instead of simply turning up and watching the acts, there's something slightly different about this. For starters, there's a vampish drag act that acts as compere for the evening who is worth your entrance fee alone. Then, girls who have been having burlesque lessons strut their stuff (often for the first time) in front of a very friendly crowd, all dressed to the nines in fascinators and sharp suits. That said, don't let the dressing up element put you off - if you turned up in any old gear no-one would mind. The fact that they have beginners on the bill makes the whole thing feel inclusive and warm, as opposed to lecherous and seedy. It's all good fun and by the time the professionals get up (both ladies and 'boy-lesque'), everyone is whooping and cheering, giving everyone grins so big that you feel like you may never stop smiling ever again. When the acts have finished, a DJ plays you out with saucy swing and hot rock'n'roll. It really is one of the best ways to spend an evening in Manchester. It's perfect in absolutely every way.

Slippery Belle is one of Manchester's few Burlesque nights, arguably, the best. Organised and…read morehosted by the lovely Bella Besame. Bella teaches the art of tease in workshops across the country and has helped a number of starlets along the way, many of whom go on to titillate us at the Slippery Belle. Last Sunday's event was the last monthly show to be held at M2 on Peters Street (previously Royales). The venue added to the atmosphere and the witty transvestite compare - with fabulous legs that turned me green with envy, Lady J would have you crying with laughter. Sadly, Lady J will not be but Slippery Belle returns in September With acts ranging from 50's glamour and pin-up style, Neo-burlesque to hard rock anthems, ballet Kate Bush-esque acts and a Cello playing corseted vixen singing dark humoured self penned ditties you only wish she'd release on CD, Slippery Belle provided a night of good old fashioned caberet entertainment you really would be pushed to find anywhere else. At £8 entrance fee (which you can pay just to get into a bog standard bar) it was truly money well spent. Boy-burlesque by the lovely Miles Away (my personal favourite) - picture the body of an Adonis dressed as a cowboy stripping to reveal boy nipple pasties and shaking his perfect behind in frilly rumba knickers better than Shakira! As an audience you simply provide Hip-hip Hurrahs! and Whoop each item on its way as the acts do their routines. Fantastic costumes, excellent choreography, props and titties and tassels. It's tasteful, attracts a good and appreciative crowd and will fill you with both admiration for the performers and an urge to sign up on the next Burlesque course/workshop if not, go home, put on The Stripper full volume and put on your own private show. Slippery Belle starts again 19th September (with a Friday night slot) at a new venue, with a new compare and a new but just as energetic line up and with Burlesque accessories, jewellery and trinkets on sale from In All Her Finery. You've been warned so book the night off, sort your transport and baby sitters and await a show to remember. I can't wait!

At the time of review I only have one check-in here... but... I have been a regular since…read morediscovering Chads around three (maybe more) years ago. Five stars might seem over the top for a small regional theatre - and the acting might not be west-end standard; but this place has such great charm and atmosphere I can't help but love it. They put on a great selection of shows - comedies, dramas, the occasional farce and pantomime at Christmas. A few details: The have a full bar (and you can pre-order drinks for the interval). Attended (mostly) by an older crowd - although that depends on whats playing. Fabulous, friendly (volunteer, I think) staff. Plenty of parking nearby. Get a season ticket ;)

This place is a hidden gem! I've been a season ticket holder for the last 3 years (costing £40 for…read more8 plays) and I'm never disappointed. They are an amateur company with a youth group and put on plays in a range of styles, comedy, farce, Shakespeare to name a few. There are also opportunities to volunteer behind the scenes and to work in the (cheap!!!) bar. The crowd tends to be older, though for the youth productions you'll see all ages. Acting isn't professional standard all the time - however it makes for an excellent and great value night out. Give it a go !

This is fast becoming my favourite place in the Northern Quarter. What a sensational venue! I have…read morein recent history had the pleasure of going to two events, a stand up/live music gig and a Kino short film event. I've fallen in love with 3MT! The place has so much character with the walls adorning various art and posters of events past/present/future. The acoustics are incredible for music and it's just the perfect size for it to be called an "intimate" venue. I was so impressed with the gig I went to the first time, I recorded three of the songs and the response on Vimeo and Youtube has been incredible. Much of that is down to the incredible lighting and sound the call theatre creates. The Kino shorts event ( http://kinofilm.org.uk/category/kino-shorts/ ) was an altogether different affair. A brilliant networking event for film makers with some great films and some hilarious Q & As. The drinks selection at the bar isn't great but the size and nature of the menu makes up for it. I highly recommend you pay this place a visit and pick up a programme to see what's on. You won't regret it, and feel free to check out the video I posted of the first event I went to :)

Three Minute Theater? The name itself is so interesting that it caught my attention but after…read moreattending one of their events I was bowled! If you are a theater fan and would like to see some brilliant performances from locals in Manchester then this is something you should not give a miss. Run by some wonderful, creative people who have a passion for life, art and everything Manchester. It is a great place for budding actors, writers and directors too because this could you your platform to meet people from the same industry and probably get involved. The plays are short and sweet and so very creative. Its strange how independent bodies like this are not as popular as they should be, same with independent cinema I guess. The environment is so warm and non pretentious that you can go alone and watch a play if you have no one to go with because you will land up coming out of there with a new friend! Verdict: Highly reccommended for all art lovers!