Share this tour
Offered languages
- English
- English
On this self-guided walking tour, follow the spark that lit Manchester’s music revolution: a lone heckler shouting “Judas!” at Bob Dylan inside the Free Trade Hall.
Stand outside Arrow Studios, where Joy Division recorded Shadowplay, and hear how producer Martin Hannett once moved a drum kit onto a freezing rooftop chasing the perfect snare sound. Pass the basement beneath a Portland Street clothing factory where The Smiths rehearsed in secret, then head to The Boardwalk, where a teenage Liam Gallagher first took the stage, and where his brother Noel later talked his way into fronting an unknown band called The Rain. The trail ends near the old Haçienda site, where DJ Mike Pickering helped ignite Madchester’s acid house scene.
Perfect for music lovers tracing Manchester’s sound from punk to Britpop to rave. Download the VoiceMap app and enter the code from your confirmation email to start touring whenever you’re ready.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
This tour begins by the Free Trade Hall on Peter Street, Manchester, Peter St, Manchester M2 5QR, UK. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
The tour ends at 26-24 Lever St, Manchester M1 1DZ, UK
Itinerary
-
(Pass by)
Pass by the site of the Haçienda, the nightclub Tony Wilson opened in 1982, where house music and Madchester took off before the building became apartments. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
Free Trade Hall (Pass by)
Pass by the Free Trade Hall, where Bob Dylan went electric in 1966 and the Sex Pistols played upstairs a decade later to a small crowd that changed Manchester music. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
Northern Quarter (Pass by)
Wander through the Northern Quarter, Manchester's independent district of record shops, vintage stores, live music venues and street art, with punk, indie and dance history around most corners. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
Afflecks (Pass by)
Amble past Afflecks, an indoor market of independent traders open since 1982, where punks, goths and ravers came for records, vintage clothes and band T-shirts. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
Band on the Wall (Pass by)
Stride past Band on the Wall, the oldest licensed music venue in Manchester, dating from 1805, where Buzzcocks, The Fall and Joy Division played alongside jazz, reggae and Afrobeat acts. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Head past the O2 Ritz, a ballroom from 1927 turned live venue, where The Smiths made their debut in 1982 and acts from Frank Sinatra to Kendrick Lamar have played. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
Science and Industry Museum (Pass by)
Meander past the Science and Industry Museum, built around the world's oldest surviving passenger railway station, with galleries on steam, textiles and the industrial city that shaped Manchester. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Saunter past the Old Granada Studios, where Tony Wilson presented Granada Reports, Joy Division made their TV debut in 1978 and The Beatles first appeared on television in 1962. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Continue past Night and Day Cafe, open since 1991, where the upstairs room hosted Coldplay, Elbow, Arctic Monkeys, Florence and the Machine and Ed Sheeran before they became household names. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Stroll past Piccadilly Records, an independent record shop open since 1978, which survived post-punk and Madchester and once ordered 750 copies of a single Stone Roses 12-inch. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Your guide to the flawless travel experience
Popular Countries
Get our app
