Manchester... more like MADchester! A city hooked up to a good time IV; nightlife pumping deep into its veins. The birthplace of northern soul, British rave culture, the Hacienda and a million iconic nights out. Close your eyes and smell the dry ice, Bez shaking his maracas, Joy Division whirling and wailing in black and white, deep inside some derelict working men's club.
Exhale.
Manchester.
In honour of the aforementioned rich and deep and wiiiide musical heritage of Britain's greatest music city (sorry Cardiff), Manchester City has dedicated an entire hospitality suite at the Etihad to the sounds of its hometown: a plush, cool and sophisticated space to enjoy world class hospitality and live music, before 90 minutes of sky blue footballing dominance.
To celebrate the opening of The Mancunian and, well, Manchester in general, here are the five clubs, bars and venues that make a night out in MCR so special.
NOW THEN!
The Washhouse
Ok, this is a good one. A clever little spot that - get this - looks like a laundrette from the outside, but, behind those stainless steel washing machines, is actually a speakeasy!
Before you roll your eyes, know that The Washhouse is a speakeasy that sticks the cliches on a 60 minute boil wash and instead focuses on good music (oh you know it's spinning vinyl), great cocktails (oh you know there's a twist on the Old Fashioned) and a trendy, brick-walled interior that will make you feel very, very in-the-know.
The Washhouse, 9 Shudehill, Manchester M4 2AF, the-washhouse.co.uk
Australasia
Sleek, glass-fronted and subterranean, Australasia won't let you in if you're wearing trainers (not even Balenciaga Triple S's!), but what it will do is facilitate the kind of night out that will make you feel like you've just scored a brace against Stoke. By that we mean Asian-fusion menus, stainless steel, a resident DJ in a graphic tee playing music that you want to Shazam and a wide-ranging and unpretentious cocktail list that will make you forget all your worries... like not being able to wear trainers.
You might even spot a player from across the white-tiled floor.
Australasia, The Avenue, Spinningfields, Manchester M3 3AP, australasia.uk.com
Kosmonaut
The Northern Quarter, Manchester's edgy, trendy, red-bricked brunch, beers and artisan burger centre of commerce. Where men with beards and small beanies ride brake-less bikes and IPA is a way of life. It's also home to Kosmonaut, a bar with low-slung leather sofas, a challenge-accepted! craft beer menu, filament bulbs that cast a warm amber glow and a wide open dance floor that draws people from all of those previously-mentioned delights as the night draws in.
A properly good bar... and there's also ping pong!
Kosmonaut, 10 Tariff St, Manchester M1 2FF, kosmonaut.co
Soup Kitchen
Despite a distinct lack of minestrone and cream of chicken options, Soup Kitchen more than makes up for it as a venue that wears many hats, with it operating as a canteen, bar and one of the city's best live music venues.
Close your eyes, stamp the floorboards and it's could almost be 1989 all over again.
Soup Kitchen, 31-33 Spear St, Manchester M1 1DF, soup-kitchen.co.uk
The Deaf Institute
Lending its name from the building that used to house a deaf school back in Victorian times, the Deaf Institute has been transformed from a derelict shell of the city's past into one of its most vibrant live music and general-revelry venues, with a rough-and-ready (in the best possible way) bar and revolving door of live acts.
Great, great name, too.
The Deaf Institue, 135 Grosvenor St, Manchester M1 7HE, thedeafinstitute.co.uk
The Mancunian Suite is part of an extensive list of hospitality options on offer at the Etihad Stadium, which now includes The Tunnel Club – described by City as the 'most exclusive matchday experience in existence'.Also available is The Chairman’s Club and Platinum Boxes.Mid-tier hospitality options include Citizens and Legends, while Joe’s, The Commonwealth Bar and the 1894 offer a more hybrid hospitality/general admission entry level product for those who prefer a more traditional matchday experience.To make enquiries about any of the premium hospitality spaces, or to make an appointment to view, contact the Manchester City hospitality team on 0161 333 4477 or email: hospitality@mancity.com
