Band on the Wall is one of Manchester’s most legendary live venues — an early-19th-century pub turned world-class music venue in the Northern Quarter, run as a not-for-profit by the registered charity Inner City Music. The building has been licensed to sell alcohol since 1803 and hosting live bands since the 1930s.
After a £3.5m expansion completed in 2022 it now seats around 500 in the main auditorium, with a smaller Copper Bar stage (50-150 capacity) hosting more intimate shows and free-entry programmes. The main room has state-of-the-art PA and lighting, multiple dressing rooms, and a mezzanine viewing platform. The Copper Bar is NYC cocktail-bar inspired, with a focused stage, high-quality PA and a dedicated sound desk.
The programme leans into soul, funk, reggae, world, folk and jazz, with resident club nights from Craig Charles, Mr Scruff, Don Letts and others. It’s been Best Live Venue at the City Life Awards and won multiple Live UK Music Business Awards.