Current Article

Band On The Wall: The Resurrection

By Jim Symcox on Jan 22, 2009 in Manchester, Manchester music

“Band On The Wall” was one of the first places I heard about for great live music, with a capital ‘M’, when I moved to Manchester as a student in the early 70′s.

You could argue that there was little competition, unless you counted the regular jazz band at Tommy Ducks (now sadly replaced by big city stuff: offices/roads/flats).

Or maybe, if you were a student, The Hulme Hall Disco. Although I’m not sure whether a dense throng of students playing air guitar really counts as live music.

I did go to the Band On The Wall a couple of times but I must say I wasn’t captivated in the same way as my more musically “up with it” friends.

Anyway, the club seemed in danger of fading away over the years until it’s iconic status was recognised and a vast amount of cash pumped in to its refit. In fact the new Band On The Wall will also have a neighbouring building also refurbished and available for “art”.

As I went past it this afternoon it looked as thought there had been a lot of pulling apart and making it better than new going on.

So a new generation of students will be able to visit the Band on the Wall themselves and see what all the fuss was, and hopefully still is, about.

del.icio.us Tags: Band On The Wall,Manchester City Centre