Reviews of Manchester Academy. (Night Club) in Manchester (Greater Manchester).
Manchester Academy
Manchester University Students Union, Oxford Rd, Manchester M13 9PR, United Kingdom
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Information of Manchester Academy, Night club in Manchester (Greater Manchester)
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Reviews of Manchester Academy
J. R.A really great concert venue. Very clean even in the midst of a concert, and the staff are incredibly lovely and helpful. When my daughter got a little claustrophobic due to the crowd one of the staff members went out of the way to help us and make sure she was okay. It's a small venue which I really enjoy because even standing at the back of the room you get a great view of the stage, which you don't with bigger arenas. I'd definitely go to another concert here again.
C. D.Great concert venue and all staff are friendly, polite and very helpful. We attend the Stoner gig and had a great night. The young lady on the bar was superb.
D. D. P.Decent venue tucked away at the university.
Unfortunately, the bar wasn't subsidised so didn't bother drinking.
Plenty of space to move and good vantage points.
Nice seating available for oldies or those who feel the need to sit at gigs.
K. G.Great venue, been here a few times now. Came to see Future Islands, fantastic atmosphere and really enjoyed the night. As with all big venues now, there are security checks going in, bag checks and metal detectors but plenty of staff to ensure it doesn't hold you in a queue for long. Would recommend as a venue for live music.
s. m.Great venue, good sound and lighting.. Bar prices not too expensive, very good security and bar staff. The sold out gig was actually not crammed in so you had space to move to the sides if needed which is good. Great viewing balcony for disabled with its own security. Only let down by lack of parking in the area but we got a space for £5.
C. M.Friendly staff, good sound, decent views and bar - an all round pleasant experience for a gig.
M. D. L.My review is for CLUB ACADEMY not Manchester Academy (its larger sibling just down the road). Club Academy is an intimate venue in the basement of the same building as Academy 2 and 3, just to the right of the box office as you enter. It's an unusual layout as the bar / seating area at the back is almost as large as the standing area for the gigs. This gives a feeling as if the gig is not fully attended, but it works quite well because you can take a breather at the back if you need to. Bar prices typical for all Manchester city centre venues (i.e. not cheap). Visibility is pretty good no matter where you stood. My only issue when I went was how loud it was. I dont consider myself very sensitive and have been to 100s of gigs, but both times I've been here it's been deafening. Take earplugs!
B. W.It's been a while since I visited Academy 3. I got there early, was greeted by very pleasant security staff who instead of turning me away until doors opening,kindly directed me to the bar area. The staff there were equally excellent, offered to look after my drink as I nipped to the toilets, which is a good idea especially for female guests and the prices were reasonable as well
T. J.Fantastic venue! I took my daughter who is autistic and suffers with sensory issues...the box office staff and security went above and beyond to ensure she had the best night and was able to enjoy her faviroute artist. Massive thankyou to to the people that made her experience of live music the best yet
C. C.Great gig venue - big enough for a fantastic atmosphere but small enough that you can get pretty close to the band - and soooooo many women's toilets, there was no queue!!! :)
C. T.The bar was fairly priced and the bar staff were brilliant. There was seating on a balcony for those who would struggle to stand for the gig. The toilets were plentiful and tidy. I had a truly enjoyable time at this venue for a metal gig recently, as I have in the past.
G. H.Good concert venue,decent sound,good range of beers,5.20 for a bottle of trooper reasonable as concert venues go,just under 20 mins walk from Oxford Road station
L. V.Was at Manchester Academy to see Helloween and it remains a great venue. Great to see a packed crowd. It's possible to see from anywhere (despite people's belief in their "right" to film a whole gig which is a plague at most venues these days) and I've never seen a bad gig at the Manchester Academy in terms of sound. The security on the door are friendly and we had a giggle with the guy that took our tickets. Same with the bar staff, there is not a bad word to he said. At the end of a gig the side doors are flung open so there is no need to suffer the inevitable bottle neck getting out of the main entrance. Bar prices are typical of Academy venues but as a none drinker it was a bit frustrating that I did want a soft drink but the bar on the left side of the venue didn't have any -.correct me if I am wrong. That is fair enough but not everyone drinks and forcing through a packed venue to try and find a drink can be annoying but it is hardly a complaint as to the venue overall. We don't live in Manchester but go fairly regularly and always enjoy the nights there.
Y. S.Really great venue for gigs. You can see the stage from most spots. Didn't have to wait too long at the bar or for toilets. Doors opened quickly at the end and we were straight out onto the street. Will definitely be back.
X. E.Decent venue decent staff made for a decent gig so overall very decent a.d worth the five stats. However if travelling by car be aware of Manchester annoying and sneeky sneeky bus lanes cameras and all the other sneeky stuff it does to cash in on drivers who dare to drive in its city limits
Z. C.Always able to get great bands. An excellent sound system and atmosphere. Friendly bar staff with three bars to choose from on the ground floor. Let down by the rest room provisions. Expect a festival vibe especially in the provision of the facilities and you will not be disappointed.
D. S.Had brilliant night at Manchester academy to see future island abit crowded other than that a excellent night of music
K. B.I love the academy! We never tire of this venue. The sound quality is excellent and the lights are great too. We missed it during lockdown, it's so good listening to live music again!
n. v.my daughter is registered disabled and being able to go to the box office and get her disabled wrist band is great. Only one star knocked off as the wristbands did not arrive until very near door opening time. Good acoustics and security taken very well
v. a.We went yesterday for drinks and food before Dayglow concert. Staff are fab and friendly. Especially Robyn behind the bar, service was brilliant from her. Food OK, drinks not expensive. The venue for the concert was good, what you expect really. The doorman was ace too! 👌🏼
R. B.Love this place atmosphere awesome plenty bars,room was buzzing great place to see a gig
A. B.Quite an intimate venue in academy studio 3, smallish stage but able to see pretty much from all area's as its standing only, bar at the back... But sound was amazing, proper loud and could literally feel the bass... Would deffo go back to see more bands here 🎶🎶🎶😁
M. S.Amazing levellers gig , venue not too bad at all. Queue moved fast, toilets for lady's also didn't have massive queue so alls good. Amusingly super sticky underfoot when leaving 😆
N. S.venue was decent however the security staff really let us down. i managed to get down to the front of the stage and when we asked them for water they practically ignored us and we ended up begging for it. people were constantly passing out due to this lack of water so that had to pull out so many people. the next, i found out that they “ran out of water”? if they cant help fans and give them a simple requirements then why are they are still booking concerts?
L. T.Great venue for gigs. Reasonably priced. Plenty of bars with drinks at good prices. A balcony area if you have any disabilities, pre registration via their website for access to this as spaces are limited.
Been several times and been great each time. Well staffed and staff are very helpful.
D. E.A wonderful music venue made up of three main stages (Academy 1,2 & 3).
A local institution in the Manchester music scene. Always great live music almost every night of the week!
Would always recommend heading to the ve ue in and around 30-40 minutes before 'Doors Open' as cues can get extremely long and trail right down Oxford Road towards the University buildings.
Drinks are reasonably priced and facilities easily accessible
K. W.Great venue for seeing more intimate gigs. Saw Myles Kennedy here and thoroughly enjoyed it. Drinks not overly extortionate, and cloak room takes card which is always a bonus. Security staff friendly and helpful.
H. P.Been to a couple of gigs here, fantastic venue! Future Islands were amazing 💚
G. H.First visit and it's a good venue. Loads of bars, pretty quick. And the sound is good too. Saw Róisín Murphy here and it was brilliant.
R. S.Just seen Don broco here and it was one of the best gigs I've been too!
J. Y.Brilliant venue. First time I'd been here for a gig but will definitely be back.
Acoustics for the venue were great, organised for getting in and out too
M. A.As with a great many of these venues it's all about the gig itself. If you enjoy the show it's easy to forgive the crowded bar area and flooded gents. But, hey-ho, it's all part of the live experience I suppose. And big thief were excellent. 😂
m. b.Brilliant venue Great sound great bars SLEAFORD MODS WERE SUPERB SECURITY GUY ON TOP FLOOR FOR DISABLED BALCONY WAS EXCELLENT. GIVE HIM A PAY RISE
X. B.Went to the academy to complete my IELTS test. The building are all named and easy to find following the signs. The insides were all clean and tidy. The staff that attended the test takers were very polite and ready to help. Was a good experience.
J. B.Went to see we are scientists. Loved the fact they were checking jab status on the way into the venue, possibly a temperature check would also have been a good idea. The venue people were really helpful, we had left our physical tickets at home but because we had our ID and booking details they were able to provide us them at the box office. Bar staff inside were also very helpful with a short wait to get served.
Z. A.Went for KSI's show and the sound, lighting and the experience was surreal but definitely could do with better temperatures control!
A. G.Audio very good, staff friendly and competent. Flat floor so shorter people will struggle a little. Apollo is better in this regard. But a good venue.
S. A.Love the Academy.....great venue and atmosphere, friendly staff. Levellers were as fantastic as ever.....thanx guys 👍👍
N.Great venue. Plenty of space and bar staff on to avoid over crowding and queues. Bag check and covid passport check was quick, easy and well organised.
L. C.Amazing night, very well organised especially for the size of the crowd. Drink prices were good. But I went for the music and Teddy Swims was amazing.
F. L.Still got the all-important vibe. Essentially, a large black box: pretty decent acoustics, usual flat-floor view of the stage (ie pretty rubbish unless you manage to find that typically elusive spot where nobody tall moves into your line of sight to the stage), reasonable bar prices.
A. G. L.Amazing building, lovely bar staff and if you're into the nerdy stuff like lighting rigs and soundboards like myself its a real treat to see it all in action. Only reason I've given it 4 stars is due to the stage (Academy 2) being on the 2nd floor so when everyone is jumping to the music you can feel the entire floor flex beneath you, which when your trapped in a huge crowd of people and generally get motion sick, it isnt the most fun scenario.
I Would rate it 3 stars (possibly less) but that wouldnt be fair, as that would be based on the other fans that were at the show who just made it basically unbearable to enjoy the show and actually caused us to leave early.
S. M.Seen many bands over the years here and at 2/3 at the SU. Slipknot, Machine Head, Alice in Chains, System of a Down and Phil Campbell to name just a few. Such a fantastic group of small venues with great artists and shows!!
M. P. 1.Great concert, very good sound quality and acoustic 👌
C. H.Great venue in Manchester, been here so many times over the past 30 years , seen some amazing bands and other events. The vibe last night for future islands was brilliant.
P. C.Went to see Beach House here, gigging to support their latest album, fight almost broke out and someone flaked out in the middle of the set, stopping everything for a short while. Not a bad venue except for all the knobs vaping, thanks. The band were glorious, please investigate if you don't know them, if you have a soul for heartfelt music then this is it. YouTube Space Song/PPP, earworms you will be glad to have been affected by...
L. E.Great venue though standing only. There's a balcony but I think it's not accessible unless you have a special or VIP ticket maybe. Multiple bars to avoid queues.
a. c.Nice little venue, in the Students Union. Also nice chips.
R. E.Decent facilities but wheelchair viewing was terrible. Unable to see anything pretty much but I went mainly for the music so I wasn't too annoyed. But if it was the first time I'd seen the act I'd be very upset and annoyed. They do apparently have a balcony but was not in use for this event. 😡
A. R.Stiff little fingers were awesome at the Manchester academy . Great venue for live music 🎶
a.As a disabled person I have access to the balcony with my carer. This time they were letting people onto the balcony who were not disabled. It was quite intimidating for myself and the wheelchair users to have to negotiate our way through people who had been drinking heavily and were mainly quite large men.
They were also using the one disabled toilet on that floor.
When things are clearly signed for disabled customers why do able bodied people have to ruin it for us.
They had loads of space and toilets downstairs. I had to clean the toilet before I could use it, not good when you have bladder problems and desperately need to pee!!
It's just a lack of consideration for people who have physical and other problems.
A. W.Well organised. Concert was great 👍🏼.
T. I.Biased by a fantastic gig, but....
An excellent venue.
Not inexpensive, but we bought three more sets of tickets for future events if that says anything.
T. S.Went to see Future Islands..the gig was brilliant so easier to give a good review, however the venue was excellent, helpful security guys and accessible from Piccadilly station (though we needed to use Google maps to walk from the station...about 20mins). Will be back for more concerts..
M. P.Great venue, perfect size, great sounds, love it every time I come here.
L. B.We went to see Helloween, great venue,
C. G. T.Went to a concert here which was the first time I'd been here. Great security on the door. Wide enough entrance way. Big toilets. Great venue!
D. C.Great to see SLF back live
J. G.Went to see BBNO$ after a 2 year Covid delay and it was absolutely amazing.
Originally Ticketmaster advised the wrong venue (O2 Ritz) so after queuing for 30 minutes and getting near the front we were unceremoniously ejected and told we should be at the O2 Academy, short taxi ride and shorter temper saw us rolling up at the Academy and the prospect of another (larger) queue 😔😔 went and spoke to one of the staff at the entrance to the Academy and he couldn't have been more helpful and apologetic about the situation
Would definitely go to the Academy again, well organised and friendly, helpful staff 👍🏼
S. J.Fun place for shows. Due to smaller size shows are very intimate. there is also a bar with drinks within the venue
C. D.It's a big gig hall. No thrills but none needed. Acoustics have always been decent at every gig I've been to.
N. B.Great venue. Saw Helloween for the first time since 1988. Great atmosphere and I felt really safe :)
W. G.Manchester Academy 2, I watched Stereo MC's & Clint Boon DJ-ing. Had a great night thoroughly entertaining with great music. The Venue was spacious & jumping.
P. S.Overpriced at the bar like all venues, and water isn't available in the main room.
But hey. The sound was decent.
A. H.Saw Bury Tomorrow supported by Employed to Serve and Blood Youth. An excellent show. Security were great and kept busy catching crowd surfers, and the bar staff were efficient. Price of beer could be slightly lower, but isn’t out of line with other venues in the area.
R. J.Fab event, well run, plenty of toilets all nice and clean, bar was well run we were served really quickly.
j. b.A great venue, very good staff, well organised and beer is not too bad either £4.30 a pint.
L. B.Good spacious venue, should be more exits at the end of the concert (may only be one area for security)
P. K.Suitable venue for small gigs, The Undertones supported by Hugh Cornwell great night for persons of a certain age 😀
E. C.Brilliant venue, great sound, however the night we were there the mens toilets flooded really bad and everyone had to use the womens.
S. H.Great little mid-sized venue. My experience as a disabled person was a little chaotic, but we got there in the end.
j. l.Great venue if you like being up closed and personal to the Artists on stage excellent venue
S. S.Great venue to watch bands at. Close and intimate venue. Seen some top bands here.
G. J.Really enjoyed seeing the bands, the bar was pretty quick on service even when the floor was full of people.
A. T.A fantastic venue for live music - visited here to see The Fratellis. Great staff, good security.
M. F. A. R.An amazing concert venue! We went there to see Animals as Leaders and loved every second of it. The bar is very convenient and there’s more than enough staff to help you go around. The location is perfect and easy to get to. There are food places open late nearby, we went to grab a bite after the gig was done.
R. W.Good venue, nice staff and reasonable prices for drinks will defo go back
S. W.Well organised, good sound set up, plus two pint cups available behind the bar 😂
C.Went to see "The Struts" at academy 2
With having some accessibility issues this review is based on that fact
On arrival at the venue doors was welcomed by the door staff and directed to the reception.
Excellent service and was given various options where could wait for 'doors' waited in the bar on the ground level. Plenty of seating and fast helpful service at bar
Access to the accessibility area was separate to the main admission area and again looked after well be the staff
View from accessibility area was first class with stools for seating and a member of the security staff always checking all ok
Overall a fantastic experience and highly recommend
P. W.Love this venue, I've been coming here since the early 90s.
R. Y.Could do with better craft beers but a decent gig venue.
o. p.Great venue for live music easy to get to and good transport links
M.Great venue. Massive room plenty of space. Big bars, but if you're expecting student prices, forget it. They do however sell beer in 2 pint 'glass'. You have to show negative covid test in order to get in ( which you probably didn't know when booking tickets) about 20 min walk to nearest train station.
L.We went to go see The Rose and it was amazing. You felt really close to the band. Even at the back of the venue you can see the performers so clearly and theres no need for screen.
B. T. (.Great venue and friendly staff 🤘❤🤘
R. S.Great gig. First pints from outer bar didn't taste great, left them and got more from bar inside gig room and they were great.
D. A.Great little venue, holding about 2000 people. The acoustics were good and the bar prices were reasonable. We've been several times and would not hesitate to visit again.
S. L.Nice venue with good sound quality, usually no wait at the bars either! Staff regularly checking IDs (I'm 24) which is good too.
J. F.Fantastic venue.. Well organised and not to expensive.
J. B. (.Firstly the venue is excellent, acoustics were excellent and the sound booth wasn’t overly large or obstructive, combined with a slightly elevated stage made it easy viewing from all corners off the room. There are several bars located around the venue making getting a drink quick and easy (all accepted card). The staff were friendly and helpful and the bathrooms were up to standard. Will definitely choose Manchester academy more often for gigs based on the quality of this venue!
D. M.Fantastic place to watch really good bands from back in the day. Staff are helpful and friendly and always on hand if needed.
d. b.Brilliant venue will be back soon love bovver x
G.Super easy to get to, busses stop just outside and there is parking about a quarter of a mile away on Denmark road or one of the many pay to park areas dotted across the city, if you're driving avoid oxford road though as its busses / taxi only in some parts so you may get slapped with a fine.
Venue is massive and has a great atmosphere, loads of students go to events due to its location so events always have a lot of energy.
The arena itself its quite large so theres enough elbow room when the event starts so you can actually dance which is always good.
Top class place,only 1 downside is beer price at just under £5 a pint but at least there are plenty of bars here so you don't have to wait too long to be served, so I can let the price slide
L. F.Great venue, and not too pricey on the drinks which is a bonus. Crowd obviously depends on the act but I thought it was a good atmosphere overall.
J.Decent priced booze (pennies compared to somewhere like the MEN) friendly staff and doormen. Changed a lot since my last gig here about 10 years ago!
J. C.Great venue but not enough space around the bar area & the toilets.
m. r.Not been here for a long time. Only bad thing was there isn't a car park any more!! All staff were lovely and helpful
S. 9.Amazing venue only reason it's 4 stars is because we were told to get there by 7 but doors didn't open until half 8
M. S.Great venue with great bars. Levellers put on a great show as always
D. C.Been to see 3 bands here and always had a great time, plenty of space and organisers to a good job managing the crowds. ✊🎸🤘
s. A.Well run and organised clean and tidy staff at lovely and helpful i was here to see no sunlight fell out boy and black charade was an awesome night had a blast
S. R.Saw a concert in the Academy 2 venue. Sound was OK, beer was reasonably priced and access was good, although I did have to explain who the group were to the barmaid as (not too surprisingly) she'd never heard of Magnum. . Security was there but not intrusive and at the end it only took a few minutes to get back outside.
c. c.Saw Teddy Swims here fantastic
D. M.Good service. Clean bogs. Great bands . Easy parking just behind venue. 👍
a. G.This is the second time I have been to the Manchester academy, both times to see The Struts. Which both times were absolutely breathtaking. Now I'm not rating the struts so about Manchester Academy, they take health and safety seriously which is always putting some people's mind at rest but also the atmosphere here is amazing as it very personal as non of the rooms are massive ,also the staff are great. If there is ever an artist or a band here, book tickets straight away, you will not be let down.
L. P.I had a nice time and a girl kicked me in the knees because I'm too tall and ruined her night just for existing. It made me feel alive.
J. S.Went to watch The Flaming Lips perform Soft Bulletin and it...was...AMAZING! The sound was immense, the room was filled with colour and lights and it was such a spectacle. Well worth watching a good gig there. One of the best venues in Manchester hands down.
H. J.Really good venue - great sound system - good access - plenty of bars and places for food around
O.Great venue and has been for years.
D. C.Great venue, not too big fantastic night out
M. H.Academy 2, small and intimate venue, good sound staging as long as they don't crank it up to 11. Efficient and friendly bar staff. There's parking nearby if you search online much of it run by the university so prices reasonable. £2 on a weekend if you pick the right one. Just make sure you end up in the right queue as there is Academy, 2 & 3 all in the same area.
A. W.Good venue. Great bar staff. Security also good.
R. K.The roof is super dirty and you can see it clearly but the venue is nice, great atmosphere and overall would visit again!
S. C.The largest of the Manchester Academy's, a good if characterless venue, and it's always a bit of a crush getting out of the place, although that's not unusual. A good PA though, and decent acoustics in the room. Staff and security are helpful and approachable, even the hard working guys in front of the stage. Plenty of local parking on side streets etc, I never have an issue finding a spot.
R. C.Great little venue just outside the heart of Manchester. Would highly recommend & visit again
J. C.Watched the DMA'S here the other week. Nice venue, good atmosphere, no queue for the toilets...couldn't say the same for the bars. Just didn't seem to be enough staff on for the sheer number of people at the gig. Suffice to say I only bothered going to the bar once...no effect on the quality of the music heard though.
a. b.First time at academy 3 Manchester, good small venue had a great night watching d.a.d. live. Will definitely recommend it for a good live music experience.
S. “. T.The venue room is a good size, there are two bars in there and there is bar outside of that too. On entrance security guards checked our bags and pockets. The toilets were ok but loads of them were missing toilet paper. There hardly any seating in the building.
G. M.Not a bad place at all, really good sounds and layout, bars are a tad over priced and the staff are a tad slow at serving, but apart from that prity good
T. Q.We watched The Christies Charity 'Future Perfect' charity comedy night last night with headliner Russell Howard, it was an absolutely fantastic experience (in the most) it woz a small (approx 500 people I believe) seated event (unfortunately the chairs weren't too comfortable (but they do stand up events here so they have to use fold away chairs which for most people won't be a problem sitting in such a chair for nearly 4hrs but unfortunately we are disabled and wasn't aware that they would be able to accommodate for an electric wheelchair (I guess that's our fault for not doing better research) Anyway the fold away chairs were very hard and also extremely close together (but that aside, there was 2 bars serving alcohol (and I think there might have been a 3rd bar that wasn't open) there was a male/female and disabled toilets (the disabled requires a disabled persons key (RADAR key 🔑) which I take with me everywhere so I was able to use a bathroom with very little problem and very little waiting (Although there didn't seem to be much waiting for the regular bathrooms either
One thing we had to be careful of was there is like the sound stuff near the back of the main room but with seats next to it and it had a raised metal like grid thing sticking out (I'd advise that they put some sort of hi-vis tape on it as we wouldn't have seen it if the person infront of us hadn't tripped over it)
Overall a lovely, cosy lil place with a good stage set up
A. B.Nice venue, good size but meh beer at expensive prices.
D. D.Absolutely brilliant atmosphere friendly staff too definitely be booking more events here
D. F.Decent prices for alcohol considering venue prices
Shame there wasn't any jagermeister only a knock off version
P. O.Nice and loud venue, good layout and easy to move around! The bar prices are far more reasonable than music venues closer to the city. Always good to see artists sign at the merch stand too.
J. K.Been to dozens of gigs here throughout the last decade and I can honestly say it is my favourite venue. It's amazing staff and amazing performing artists all contribute fantastically to the atmosphere it creates every time an event is live.
M. J.It's not a great venue, and the sound can be terrible, but I've seen two of my all time top five gigs here so I'll let them off.
N. R.Nice, organised, great bar staff and security, gig was enjoyed
L. P.Great venue plenty of space so doesn't feel cramped unless you want it to
S. F.Great sized venue - not big and good vibe.
R. P.Good venue, good sound, only gripe is drinks are a bit pricey for a student venue
A. C.Always a great night out at the Academy, FM and Dan Reed Network were great.
A. B.Love this venue ... And the night itself was as perfect as you get
L. '. W.Awesome venue I was in the basement area amazing sound drinks are on the expensive side but has to be done
R. “. P.Staff were incredibly friendly especially the staff who have the not so fun job of asking people to empty their pockets etc, they took it seriously but made sure you knew it was nothing personal.
The venue itself was relatively clean and had an excellent view of The Dead South even from the back.
c. g.Great place, amazing peoples and awesome music. Their concerts are totally great.
m. s.Great to be back watching live music... Even if we was socially distanced
Drinks service was really slow... Took over 1 hour to get our drinks
C. A.Saw Ider and Sigrid. Absolutely fantastic. Cracking venue. Felt intimate compared to other venues.
C. W.Great venue, just lower the beer prices.
A. B.Covid passports required. Drinks pricey and draft non alcoholic drink a bit watery. Venue itself good for gigs. Can park for a charge of approximately £5 at Manchester Royal infirmary car park.
P. H.Great little place, had a great night. The beer was good and the price was reasonable for a gig, staff were good and it was clean. Maybe should have been a 5 star but it seemed a little built for purpose and lacking any grandeur.
M. H.Loved it at academy 3 seeing the UK Foo Fighters. Reasonably priced bar plus the band stopped the gig so I could propose to my girlfriend 😃
p.Great venue. A real Manchester institution. Sound is usually excellent. Drink prices can be on the high side though.
J. B.One of my fav for gigs great barstaff good sound
P. W.This is an ace venue full stop. Kopperberg was my drink of choice and cost £4.60 a bottle which I did not mind paying. This is a small intimate venue with plenty places for free parking outside (side streets free after 8pm)
T. w.Great venue, although at the good age of 28 it was my first.
Good selection of beers great to see Robinson's trooper and the academy's own brew on the taps. Which means the wider local economy is benefiting from the shows.
Good venue, cheap tickets, its big enough and really enjoyable Chris young show.
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Security seemed a bit lax, the initial pat down was useless as my mobile phone and wallet stayed in my pocket which could have been anything prohibited. 😏
My Red Bull can and bottle caps were binned by the bar staff for security reasons yeah cool happy days. but weirdly you allow the plastic cider bottles? Ban it all sure if that's the case.
Speaking of which far too much plastic pLastic need to change that sh*t man. Your a sugarless venue 'apparently' go plastic free!
No re-admittance policy is ridiculous, but then again I was only popping to Sainsburys for a cheap energy drink. So I was forced to buy one from the bar and it cost a small fortune so not bad for business.
A. M.Two Pinters are a bonus. Plus a decent playlist before the show.
S. E.A great night watching men at work with lene lovich at academy 2. A good sized room with suitable access. Great atmosphere
L. T.We went to see Helloween, it was packed. The staff are helpful and nice.
M. B.It’s a typical music venue, so don’t expect comforts and class. It does the job it’s designed to well, the bars are accessible and surprisingly the toilet queues aren’t all that bad. Which is basically all you need to know! Live sound quality has been good when we’ve been.
d. s. G.Great venue very helpful with disability, answering emails straight away was first line in the queue x also a wonderful band called Europe best band ever in the world loves you forever X Dona Salina
s. s.Brilliant venue for live music, Levellers was amazing as usual... The staff are very friendly.. The location isconveniently close to all transport l routes... Highly recommended
O.Great venue for gigs
R. H.Security as the venue were very helpful all night with aggressive behaviour near the front of the show. Helped when I had a moment and needed to get out from the crowd. Amazing.
J. S.An awesome venue for live music (saw The Darkness on 03/12/21 and then Black Lace, The Wurzels & The Lancashire Hotpots on 04/12/21).
Always live coming here. 👍👍
M. S.Love this venue. The Chats were a lot of fun.
T. V.Loved it. A great medium sized venue!
A. L.Great set up, much like the one in Leeds really ... I went to see 'Happy Mondays' and the atmosphere was buzzing!!! Would definitely recommend 👍
D. F.A proper Madchester night out 😉👍
s.Good venue. If you have difficulty standing etc spesk to the staff about being on the balcany, not masses of room up there.
Sigrid came on at 9pm, as we had to travel far we rang on the day and asked when she would be on and they couldn't tell us.
For parking I highly recommend Cecil Rd car park, although make sure you have £5 in coins (50p, £1 or £2).
K. B.Amazing gig, drinks about normal for a gig, cost me about a fiver for a pint of Guinness but a damn fine experience!
S. 2.Packed, hot, poor acoustics but you do see a wide range of acts and the University staff work hard.
S. B.Big enough to have all the facilities you need and the staff to help you enjoy yourself, but small enough to retain intimacy with the artist, cannot recommend this venue more
P. D.Very nice place, music always good, really recommend for night out.
E. B.Staff seemed organised and genuinely happy to be working there and helping people. Sound mixing was good. Only downside was some drunken idiots yelling for certain band members louder than the band (Larkins) themselves, but that's nothing to do with the venue and everything to do with the fanbase. Drinks were pretty expensive but not outrageous, beer selection wasn't great as they didn't have much capacity for having drinks on tap, they had a few cans options though. Not too big as a venue. Overall good experience, would consider going again though I'm not local
L. B.Nice venue, good sounf system, lights, bar not over crouded, good choices of drinks. And really enjoyed the Calema / soraya show...
G.Great venue and seen some amazing bands here. Staff are always class too.
S. G.Very good.
Went to see The Libertines.
Absolute carnage 😂🤣
Bar staff were very good. Pretty easy to get served at the bar.
Very good experience.
M. B.Great Venue in centre of Manchester went to see future islands. 3 big bars
L. H.Great night good transport links Covid safe as before entry you must dhow one either negative test result or covid pass taken within 48 hours of gig.
L. H.Security top Banana
Didn't freak out when we stormed the stage.☠️
A. C. Z.Great venue for concerts ! Very nice place !
And a big bar too ! ;)
We came to see Aurora's show, it was amazing !
M. C.Went to see The Flaming Lips. Ace venue, great sound xx
S. P.Great venue, i love the atmosphere here and it's so easy to access
A.Really good place but not big enough for big gigs and the audio is not good enough but mainly the sir flow is good and it doesn't end staying there and suffocating because it never gets warm
s.Fantastic Venue for a Gig. Resonable Bar Prices too.
A. M.Academy 2 is a reasonable size for a close up experience. The floor is BOUNCY! That makes it a so much more enjoyable experience than academy 1. Bar is a bit naff so use the student bar downstairs
J. A.Had email to inform me of how to gain entry with my covid status, got to the door no one asked me for it! Few of the toilets blocked & water over the floor due to this. Good job the bands were good.
D. F.Always love going to gigs here.beers a bit pricey but oh well
C. l.Love Manchester Academy, all 4 venues are top class and have their own vibe.
L. G.Make sure you have the NHS app downloaded and activated (can take up to 24 hours) to show a vaccine passport if you're going to an event here, or negative covid test proof from the last 24 hours. They're really strict with it but rightful so. Drinks are decently priced, cash machine inside but charges to take out money, lovely staff and clean toilets :)
R. S.Went to club academy to see Nina Nesbitt, first time visiting this particular venue. Loved it, tiny place with a bar right at the side of it. Will get as many gigs there as is can.
D. H.Great venue reasonably priced drinks great music, brilliant night
S. G.Cypress Hill we’re just as good as I’d hoped,
Even better. And they played all of the classics which we all know and love. One of the best concerts I’ve been to.
E. A.Amazing. Dayglow here was sick.
S. A.I went to academy 2. It was really amazing and actually a decent sized place even if small. The security were very nice and helpful and were giving water out during the show which was great as they were actually looking after people.
D. M.Wonderful live music venue. Great vibe, though the bar can get v busy!
p. 8.A few great gigs I have attended here over the years. Awesome little no nonsense venue
s. t.I was not to happy with their covid procedures...! I was struggling with an internet connection outside, whilst trying to get my NHS up and the doorperson was just letting in any old person in, if they pushed him hard enough when they didn't have the correct information, which I found a little disappointing.
L. S.We went for the Daniel Sloss gig, chairs were paired together and each pair had enough space around it for everyone to be properly distanced. Drinks ordering over the app and good service. Excellent first post-lockdown gig!
S. R.Decent venue but really confusing to find. The gig was in club academy which is in the student union
M. A.Great Place for event, I went for the Indonesia Cultural Festival and They sold various kind of food from Indonesia. A lot of activities and games can be played inside the building as well as the stage for music concert. It can be filled more than 500 people at the same time, so imagine how big it is. Sometimes Pangea Festival also held in here.
G. C.Seen The Bottom Line here on 3 separate occasions now. Great venue, especially as it has a bar and kitchen to chill in before and after.
i. k.Roger Taylor live brilliant show.
H. R.Always a good venue for good gigs and events.
R. O.Attended great convocation
U. G.Went to my first gig here which was alestorm . Great night and staff were so helpful helping me find my phone .
P. D.Brilliant venue, well set out and friendly staff
N. J.Good venue, decent beers too
A. L.Have been to this venue lots of times. Good venue. Fit for purpose.
M.Loved the cavetown concert :))
S. V.Loved it, brilliant concert 🙌
i. t.Absolutely amazing . My daughter took I'll and the staff were amazing and very quick to respond can't fault them, amazing place to. Wonderful staff
D. M.Great venue
L. C.Fantastic Roger Taylor gig. The Academy is looking very smart these days!
S. P.Great venue, i love the atmosphere here and it's so easy to access
p. 8.A few great gigs I have attended here over the years. Awesome little no nonsense venue
L. C.A great venue to be up close to your favourite band.
S. S.Top venue for live music 👍
K. B.The best of all Academy venues
D. P.Great gig. Love the two pint cups...
J. S.Went to watch The Flaming Lips perform Soft Bulletin and it...was...AMAZING! The sound was immense, the room was filled with colour and lights and it was such a spectacle. Well worth watching a good gig there. One of the best venues in Manchester hands down.
L. C.Good venue, drinks a bit pricey for what you get
l. s.Loved it spacious an good sound acdc tribute
A. N.What a great venue for concert 💃 the sound system is just amazing. Will definitely recommend it 👍🏾❤️
L. t.Excellent small/mid size venue. There were a few different stages but I was at the downstairs one so can't comment on the others. Views are good except for a piller on one side. Beer is cheaper than most music clubs. The sound was great, not too loud which is good as sometimes clubs have the music so loud you just hear a mush, however maybe that's down to the band. It's a nice place in walking distance from town and easy to find.
J. J.Great venue. Small but great sound and atmosphere
H. F.Well organised event, great security and well priced drinks
G. G.Nice venue with different scenario sizes! Unusually kind personel!
M. S.Had fun. Nice little venue for a gig.
M. A. T.A great experience watching Riverside the perfect venue
I. R. (. C.Good enough venue. Plenty of room. Very flat floor so shorter people towards the back will have a hard time seeing anything. Gig venues always depend on how good the band you're seeing is, and I've seen some great and middling bands here in the past.
j. w.Brilliant, good in all area's, no negative points. Convenient location, easy access, large well staffed bar's, plenty of places to eat nearby.
G. M.Average music venue. Not a patch on a few others in the city.
D. J.Went to see Secret Affair. Great sound great room
P. T.Still the best gig venue in Manchester by far!! Over the years, hosted some of the world's best musicians from Stormzy, Elbow, Feeder, Arctic Monkeys, R.E.M, Oasis, Fratellis...the lost is endless! And still (lockdown aside) way up there venue-wise. Cheap drinks and always a great atmosphere. If the chance comes around, jump at it and go 🎧🎺🎹🎸🎷🎶🎵
s. b.We had an awesome night at the academy!!! The place is very accessible and the sound quality in the the main room is great too. Very helpful staff, three bars and large toilet facilities available. They also have a viewing platform for people with disabilities and or wheelchair access.
J. M.Saw jungle here, really great venue and lovely staff. A little more info on where to queue would have been good.
M. B.Good place to watch a gig but totally over the top drinks prices. That's why a 3 star rating.
L. C.Good venue, drinks a bit pricey for what you get
L. C.A great venue to be up close to your favourite band.
T. H.Very good music venue which makes a change from the bigger venues stadiums etc. I visited on the 80's gigantic vol 5 and found the bar staff and security friendly and helpful. On top of that with the event being on throughout the day there was a decent outdoor area for smoking also stands serving food and drink. Overall I would recommend if there's a gig on your interested in.
R. F.I came here to see one of my favourite Australian bands and the atmosphere was amazing
G. S.Trying not to do a Skindred review, the venue is ideal for indoor music, regular attendants were respectable even helping any fallen members of the mosh pit up.
A. K.Went to see Daniel Sloss. Very well organised, bar is open but you have to order through an app. Quick in and as quickly out again. Would go again!
D. S.What an amazing venue, the staff are very friendly, inside three bar areas and plenty staff to serve, didn’t wait long to order drinks. Reasonable prices as well. Cloakroom, smoking area and clean toilets.
Saw Dropkick Murphy last night and enjoyed the experience. Plenty of fast food places outside and a taxi rank.
M. J.Went to see Teddy Swims absolutely Brilliant
A. B.One of the best small to medium music venues. Queues can be quite long. I always turn my head when I walk past at noon and see groups of scruffy looking teenagers already camping in the queue. I guess some people have nothing better to do with their lives than sit on a pavement for half a day to be in the first row at their favourite obscure rock band.
All in all, it is what you would expect from a medium size venue. The lightning is alright, sound system is ok (not great) and that's pretty much it. Drinks are reasonably priced.
Tickets are cheap and occasionally some big names play here. If you're a fan though, I would recommend seeing the band at a bigger venue even if it costs more.
M. W.Great venue, been many many times for rock and metal gigs. Parking is tough due to the location so make sure you plan properly or make other arrangements.
Beer is pricey though.
A. T.Great little venue, I have a attended here multiple times and always a good night.
Really busy for Steel Panther and a complete sell out, really warm and could have done with some ventilation.
But all in all a great venue and night out 🤘🤘
Will be heading back there soon to see some more bands and have a great night 😁🍻🎸🎸
P.Great venue for bands,think it holds 2,300.
The size gives a great atmosphere,I saw Belinda Carlisle & the place rocked. Bar prices a bit steep £4 for a Budweiser bottle then put into a plastic glass that went flat after 5 minutes, £3 for a pint of Pepsi Max (that was worth it).bar staff overrun during interval but the card machine helped, overall a great place to go.
S. M.Good sized venue but not well designed for either getting in or out of and the toilets are pretty close to the one from Trainspotting.
Bar staff were super slow and other than telling me the price, didn't say a word.
The floor gets very, very slippery in there, not great when a pit open up and it becomes like dancing on ice.
V. Y.It's a good venue. Small venue, allows you to get close to the artist and enjoy unique atmosphere. As it's in Student's Union, the drinks at the bar in the venue are cheap too :) if you enjoy a drink or two. It's on the road with public transportation, also is walkable to tram stop or a train (~15 min). Some different eateries and pubs are available on the road.
N. B.Really good atmosphere with Soul II Soul tonight 👍🏼
A. W.Decent venue, sound was surprisingly good. Good selection of beers on draught at the bar as well
J. M.Really good venue, went to see skindred. They required nhs passes but no one checked
M. B.Great venue with student atmosphere. Cheap beers and best acoustics I can think of.
A. R.A great gig venue.
D. D.Great venue due to size. Big enough to get a really great atmosphere going, but not too big. Bars close by, easy to get into. Convenient parking. Was surprisingly cold when I visited. I went in a t-shirt expecting to be hot. Most people kept their outdoor winter coats and hats on.
L. R.Fab fab fab music venue - great acoustics.
S. S.Top venue for live music 👍
J. “. M. G.Great venue, location is easy to get to and plenty of public transport for access
D. S.Not the most exciting venue I have every been to. Quite basic in amenities but then that is reflected in the price we paid for tickets. We were advised we could have free bottled water when we arrived but could not find out where we got it from. It didn’t spoil the evenings entertainment. Our band and supporting acts were amazing!!
S.Great gig place, been to the Academy many times, just seen Barns Courtney there was amazing.
S. A.Had a great time with all the pirates watching Alestorm, bootyard bandits and gloryhammer.
C. R. (. B.One of my favourite music venues in Manchester, four different stages and the prices are reasonable
S. C.Fairly well organised venue once inside. However there were a few issues... Could do with some better external signage though identifying the venue and box office areas. Additionally I had booked a space in the wheelchair area for myself and my companion and despite receiving email confirmation the box office had no record of this. Security then advised they were not giving any more seats out but then gave to the "VIP" section which had squeezed in behind the wheelchairs spending the night bumping and bashing into various individuals sitting there.
E. M.It's a good size venue, acoustics could be much better, and if the floor was sloped it would be much better for visibility. No security in the actual crowd, but overall it does the job, but don't expect to see the band unless you're 6ft4.
R. S.They do those two-pinters of beer. Good times.
D. H.Firstly, the staff were very efficient and helpful which meant the rather long queue to get in went down very quickly. The venue itself is not much to look at from the inside, but considering you'll probably be there watching a band then it doesn't really matter. The toilets were well kept, everything was fairly clean and tidy for a music venue and the sound system was terrific. All in all it was a good night, and having the university carpark just round the corner made parking easy as pie.
M. K.Great gig! The dead south! Blinking aewsome
D. G. W.The venue was extremely cold. As the weather was pretty cold outside there was no heating inside the venue, in fact they had air conditioning blowing cold air so it was even colder inside than outside.
A lot of people left the event simply because it was far too cold.
I hope they have addressed this issue, it spoiled the experience for myself and many other people at the soul event we were at. The event itself was really nice but hard to enjoy when you feel so cold.
Bar service was also a bit slow. Even though they had lots of staff. Either the paying system was a but slow or staff were not trained or experienced enough to cope with lots of people. Each staff member server 1 drink at a time where in experienced bars some staff take 2 or 3 orders at the same time and can pull pints and pop bottles and optics while pints are pouring. They were not attentive and many customers had to wait while others came after them.and got served first.
However that was a few months ago so I'm hoping they have now had staff properly trained and sorted out the heating issues.
I would not go back if things hadn't improved. Service was poor. Venue cold but the security I must say we're professional, welcoming and friendly.
P.Standing room only, but a great night out. There's a good range of new and old artists play these three rooms. Downstairs is the student union bar, with a real ale hand-pump alongside many lagers. Prices upstairs in the Academy is a little steep, and they only have bottles which they pour for you into plastic glasses, for obvious reasons. Even from the rear, adjacent to the bar, you can hear the band clearly. The staff are great, helpful and know who's next to be served.
L. C.This place is amazing, such lovely staff always doing the best for everyone. The lighting is amazing at this venue, as I photographer my self you can get some great images with the lighting there. The sound systems are amazing always such lovely,clear,crisp sound. One of the best music venues in Manchester
K.Just been to see the Flaming Lips. Had a great time.
Venue is much smaller than standard stadiums (capacity 2300 I read) so as expected, show has to be adjusted, however that's a trade-off for getting a much better view, much closer. It was fantastic and very easy to get involved (balloons. Big balloons).
There are 3 bars and it's not too onerous to get served. The upper bar has a smoking area and drinks are reasonably priced.
P. P. f. a. y. r. n.Saw Tom Walker here last night and he was incredible! As for the venue, it was perfect. We got in with minimal queuing and were able to get straight to the bar and the staff kept up really well with the amount of people there. Have to say that the drinks were a little overpriced, but other than that everything was spot on.
J. H.Have enjoyed this venue for over 10 years. Yes the drink is expensive but you know it's going to be like that walking into a gig. Wide open space for its size allows people to get to the front all together or stand on the outskirts for protection still with a view.
F. T.Decent venue, easy access, had great view
L. J.Went to a concert recently which was great and the staff did a great job too. They did proper security checks at the entrance and the security guys by the stage were constantly helping people who could not handle the crowd get out of there because it was so packed. Also thought it was good how they were providing water for those in the front row that could not move.
r.First time watching TRIVIUM at the Manchester academy, code orange, Power trip & venom prison on the list. What a fantastic night took my daughter with me and it went of!!!! NEVER forget this night & the ticket's were only £24 +booking fee.
L. C.Fave gig venue so far! The showsec staff are lovely (especially the dude on the door). Toilets are usually pretty clean and I like the fact that they're unisex. Drinks aren't the cheapest but they never usually are at gigs so that's understandable! By far one of the best gig venues especially the smaller venue that's downstairs.
L. H.All my favourite artists seem to play here so I go here pretty frequently. It's not a bad venue, its got great acoustics and is well organised. I just wish it had a bit more character - literally every venue aside from Manchester arena has more character than here.
T. B.Not a bad venue for gigs. Decent staff and security - Only problem is that the stage is pretty low so unless near the front you can't see too much and sound quality wasn't as good as other gigs.
M. L.Great venue great gig
T. B.Decent venue, safety was good, drink not too pricey.
D. W.Went to see lany on 24th september
Absolutely amazing atmosphere
And exellent band
Very underrated
Hope they come back soon
D. O.Very good venue. Easy to find and loads of parking space around. Few bars and restaurants as well. Definitely will come again if they have any good band playing
A. S.Banging place, excellent to see your favourite bands
A. C.The venue is okay. Whenever I go it is always dirty but that doesn't detract from the artists I've seen playing there! Overall an okay venue. The security staff are always up for a laugh though as they're very friendly!!
A. S.To be honest the floor isn't sloaping so be prepared to push to get a good view and hope no man mountain stands in front of you. Wear old trainers as the floor ends up like a pool of beer after - god help the cleaners. Saying that I will be going back as this is a great venue for small groups and bands.
W. T.Awesome set from up and coming band, The Royston Club. Don't miss the tour only a few tickets left!
A. C.Great venue, good sound, high ceilings and capacity for about 2,000 persons. It has 2 or 3 bars and toilets, pretty new. The major con for me is that the scenario is too low and the visibility is very limited for short people when the venue is full of people.
E. (.Good sound anywhere in the venue really. Been there a couple of times. Decent transport links and car parks nearby.
Only fireside is that drinks are a bit expensive but what do you expect at a venue bar?
Overall not bad at all
R. P.Always my favourite place to photograph bands.
I. B.Brilliant venue. Seen many bands here over the years and I've never had a bad experience. Bars to the sides and at the back of the main band room so there is refreshments easily accessible. (£4.20 a pint of Coors)
P. D.Great little venue, multi storey car park just across the road, good facilities, security check in the rain could be improved. Great sound at the front of the auditorium but a bit of resonance at the back. Went to see a band called Fat Freddys Drop who were great and the crowd helped make the evening very enthusiastic, great event.
M. A.This is such an iconic venue. Some of the greatest bands have performed at this venue. I have been coming to this place for nearly 20 years and it's still one of the best places to come to. It has a good sound system.
D. A.Great night watching the Amazon's ,the academy has turned into a top place for a live band not to big not to small
C. P.Great venue with an awesome sound system and decent selection of of beers at a fair price for a music venue. Only reason for not giving 5 stars is if your heading to a sold out show it can get VERY hot, and cloakroom queue is quite long. Merch stand is usually situated in the stage area aswell so can be quite hard to hear when your you're choosing the t shirt!
E. C.Only ever been here as a place to sit my exams, still been good for that. Plenty of room for invigilators to wander around and make you feel nervous. Also the halls around here are quite big so its good for groups of students to coalesce in just after the exam and worriedly share their answers with each other. Would definitely recommend going to the ford maddox brown for drinks after.
J. O.Amazing night
J. H.Nice venue not too big had great time
S. L.Been going here for years and it has hardly changed in 2 decades.
They always have a high calibre of bands, particularly alternative rock/indie.
The acoustics are adequate as is the lighting.
The beer is fine and not a total rip off like other similar sized venues (O2 Newcastle).
The lack of slope isn't ideal if you're not long in the leg. Disabled patrons can access the balcony which isn't as hectic and has a great view.
The toilets are grim.
It doesn't have its own parking.
They seem to turn a blind eye to the blatant touting outside.
Contactless card payments for bar and merchandise would be handy.
S. A.Great venue.. fabulous bar staff..
J. B.Great venue, not too big so feels very intimate and personal. Staff very friendly and helpful! Drinks could be cheaper but as expected in a venue like this
D. H.Great venue for gigs. Reasonably priced drinks.
A. C.Great music venue but drinks are overpriced and from mid to end of the night most of the women's toilets in Academy 1 became blocked as the flushers weren't working and were unusable. However they do have great artists on and particularly when in Academy 3 you are so close it's unreal!
G. R.Great time, great music. Drinks and food reasonably priced for a music venue
N. N.Great venue for a more intimate musical experience. I've seen some amazing bands here before they "made it big" and you can definitely tell the difference between seeing a band here and at a bigger venue like the Apollo or the Arena in Manchester. You feel a lot closer to the sound and for the bands that I've seen it's been more about the music than fancy lights and smoke machines (although the last gig I went to there did have lights and smoke machines!)
As with most standing gigs, it can get quite crowded at the front, but if you're happy to stand towards the back then you can still really enjoy yourself without that claustrophobic feeling!
There's a very small balcony area upstairs, I'm not sure if this is open to the general public though, it could be a VIP area or just for wheelchair users.
If a band or musician you like is playing here I would definitely advise you buy a ticket to see them in this environment - don't wait until they're big enough for one of the other Manchester venues!
P. S.A great gig venue with easy access to the bars and toilets. The upstairs balcony is a bit on the small side with a limited space for the wheelchair users and their companions. Fold down chairs are available but there is not much room when folk are moving about going to the toilet or bar areas. A wrist band is required to access the area which has to be pre booked before the event. Went last night to see Saxon and the supporting bands and it was a brilliant show all round, it could definitely do with some kind of air-con as its gets quite stuffy upstairs. The only kind of relief came when the doors at the end of the gantry were opened which allowed cold air to filter through. Hard for people who are disabled to be dropped off outside as the building, as it is a one way system now and impossible when you come to the venue from the top side near the hospital and you can only turn left at the T junction, taking you further away from the venue. Once in the staff are very helpful and well organised. Having said all that, I would still come again to see the bands I follow. Well worth a visit if you haven't already been.
B. H.Decent venue, great sound, situated really nicely just in the centre, and staff were very friendly. Not very organised though getting concert goers in and out the venue through one signal door when there are more doors to open.
S. M.Standard university type of building but ideal for a gig. Went to see S L F playing here. But first I met up with some friends in the SU bar... Not bad prices! Beer finished my friends went to the queue for the gig while I went to find out about the accessible seated balcony. The main hall is all standing. I was given a bracelet at the box office and was shown to the lift, then the bar and the balcony. I cannot praise the staff enough for their help, as unknown to me I could've received a bracelet with the tickets with more info too. Will remember next time! 😀
S. J.Went to see Lioness the Amy Winehouse experience.. One word amazing. Absolutely awesome
T. B.My favourite academy is 3, the smaller venue. I was lucky enough to see one of my childhood hero bands play here. What's so great about it is the stage is only just raised off the ground slightly and it's right there. It's such a small intimate space for a gig, it reminds you of those times you went to see your mates gigs playing at the local dive. I've also been to the larger academy to see a few bands but the experience is very different. You can often be a long way from the stage but still a great night getting to go see the band you love.
M. S.Great small venue
L. N.Visited Club Academy for the first time to watch Lucky Chops, and it is such a great venue! The door staff were really lovely and helpful. There was a fantastic atmosphere with not even a hint of trouble. Loved it and can't wait to go back!
C. C.Atmosphere was amazing. Bar prices not too bad. Door staff on point. Nothing bad to say about it. As far as venues go for this sort of stuff it was perfect.
L.Venue and staff were amazing. Ridiculous rule of no readmittance though. Couldn't purchase any merchandise because the card machine wasn't working. Wasn't allowed to go across the road to a cash machine to get money out. Atmosphere was great and the service at the bar was phenomenal.
G. L.Great venue. We had 'prebooked' disabled access and we were provided with a personal security service! Bonus was we even met one of the band member in the lift. A great gig: Great night!
s. o.My daughter loved meeting HRVY
However I didnt like the queuing in the rain
G. S.Been to gigs in Manchester Academy 2&3 which were both great venues with friendly staff. My main issue is that when you go to a gig you're expected to queue up outside until the doors for the venue room open - which seems a bit silly when there are lots of people who would fancy going into the bar on the ground floor for a pre-show drink. Means we end up cold & parched and the venue bar loses out on money.
S. E.Top venue..you wouldn't be disappointed.
M. T.A very lively place.
S. M.My first time at this venue, saw Bury Tomorrow for the 7th time. This is one of the best small venues I've been to! Great floor space and great sound.
K. B.The best of all Academy venues
O. H.Saw The Vaccines Live there in April 2018, phenomenal Gig and a great venue
e.Live music venue, feels slightly institutionalised. Backstage ok for UK standards.
T. B.As a student union music venue in a city famed for its love of music and no-nonsense attitude, this is pretty much what you'd expect: the bare basics, a dark empty room, a stage, and some of the best bands and acts currently touring. It's not a slick operation like the MEN, designed to smoothly channel thousands of people to dozens of bars where they can have their pockets emptied. The beer's cheaper here but good luck getting to the bar in the first place. Have a few drinks beforehand if you want to, and come here for the experience, the atmosphere generated by a few hundred closely packed, excited music lovers all communing to share the enjoyment of whichever generally awesome band is playing. The best gig I saw here was The Go! Team, which totally rocked.
j. J.Been quite a few times and it's a great venue
D. R.Little out of the way but great venue
G. K.The Academy is a brilliant venue for live music. They have a wide range of bands on. They serve ok beer too (I had an Academy IPA by Brightside) and have plenty of bars with lots of staff on.
M. T.Love this venue, best place in Manchester to see a band.
A. C.Great music venue
M. C.Been here for gigs numerous times. Fab venue. Cheap drinks in the student bar always a bonus.
K. B.The place to be. Decent prices for drinks and tickets. Also the students union bar fits perfect for pre and after gig drinks. Great acts and crowd all the times.
J. C.The venue has good acoustics and is a good size, a couple of different bars, the toilets are really disgusting though. Good parking and easy to get to.
S. E.Great venue, just the right size to get involved, have a few beers and get sweaty whilst enjoying some good live music.
R. P.Bar service is completely inefficient. You have to wait at least 20min for someone who takes care about your order.
a. j. (.One of my favourite gig venues - multiple rooms of various sizes to suit the artist, decent acoustics, helpful and friendly staff, and arguably the best range of artists in the North West at reasonable prices, too.
A. D.I was really ill when I visited, staff were no help at all. Venue is great though, drinks prices reasonable. Hard to get too now road layout has changed so bear that in mind if going by car.
C. T.Great place for a smallish gig.
K. T.Great venue for gigs. Seen some great bands over the years. Fairly small so you can see what's going on. Balcony for disabled people.
G. L.Good venue, but bar service was very slow.
J. M.I saw The Smiths tribute band play here at the academy 3 on Saturday night. Nice little venue and the staff are lovely. Good selection at the bar and great crowd. Really enjoyed my night here.
O. K.Great little venue, drinks a bit expensive. A bit warm
K. W.Amazing venue and awesome bands!
A. G.Terrible acoustics, very poor layout inside. Was this designed by undergraduates as a project. Only go to gigs here if we have too. On a positive note the bar service has improved though it couldn't get much worse.
I. N.One of Manchester's best live music venues with usually great sound. For me this as big a venue as I like and most gigs are better than at others of this size.
B. C.Fantastic music venue, as they should all be.
R.We went to go and see The Impractical Jokers Live, the venue outside and inside is nice, however we were given uncomfortable seats to sit on and very cramped together. Isn't the best for stand-up comedy, but it's great for live music!
S. G.Show was amazing but organisation was shocking. Seemed to just suddenly change their minds about how they were doing things half way through letting people in. Nobody seemed to know what they were doing. Drinks weren't a bad price though.
A. D.Always good for live music, great staff on the door an on the bar......
k. k.I saw The 1975 and London Grammar and both times were surrounded by idiots being noisy and spoiling the atmosphere. It usually gets pretty packed, but that's a given when it's a good gig. I just find the room really awkwardly laid out so it's really difficult to see the stage. I prefer the O2 Apollo as the flooring is raised so you can actually see and enjoy the gig!
T. V.Good venue with great live sound here
m. b.Student live music venue, great venue with a fantastic atmosphere. Tight security, two bars, highly recommend. Travelling by car watch out for the 'bus gates'!! Cars fined if they enter these sections on Oxford rd.
A. h.Quality venue throughly enjoyed my time there
C. M.Great venue, great sound reasonable prices at the bar
e.Went to see Garbage. ( The band) Great atmosphere, Great crowd been a few times now, parking can be a bit of a 'mare and road system has changed, so make sure you get there early enough to allow.
C. A.Reasonable prices on the bar, easy to get in Academy 2, I would say the only downside is the time it takes to get back out! Seen a couple of good bands here and the vibe is always cool probably due to it being on the Manchester University campus.
a. d.Nice sized venue, and seems to have a good set up. Yes the beer were expensive but I have seen worse and at least they had an craft IPA on tap
H. G.Great place and enjoyed seeing NSP. Disabled customers got a good view and their own bar too. Downside was the merch was only on sale downstairs and it was far too busy for disabled customers. Perhaps not academy at fault?
e. p.Amazing! Big up manc academy!....you served me well 🤗 happy girl 😊
S. L.Saw a band here recently. Security staff friendly. Usual student union style venue. Was all good. Info on the website was great and reasonable cheap close parking though location was a bit confusing if driving and not familiar with the area.
J. W.Great venue! The staff where a little rude towards the end of the night, thankfully the band's crew where really helpful when I asked for a favor. Good sound, perfect size.
K. J.Brilliant venue staff and the venue itself was clean with great sound/acoustics. Would 100% go again. Oh, and Tiny Moving Parts were fantastic!
M. H.Part of Manchester University Students Union, a small, in intimate venue for live music. Good facilities including disabled access toilets. A little in the expensive side for drinks.
G. B. x.Went watching The Vamps twice today and I couldn't rate them more. I broke my collarbone the day before the concert, and the box office and staff allowed me and my friend accsss to the disabled area so I wouldn't be pushed around, along with a chair and made me feel so comfortable. The show was amazing, including staff especially a staff member called Carl who was at the front who interacted with me and my friend and spoke to us asking us how our day was, made us laugh and simply made our night even better by helping us have the best possible experience. At first the seating plan wasn't amazing, however afterwards it was perfect. It made my night, and I can't praise the staff enough, they did everything to make me feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible and made it so enjoyable. All I can really say is thank you, especially to Carl, for making me have such an amazing experience even though I was in a lot of pain. Hopefully will be returning again soon
T. P.This place was an amazing venue for the band I went to see, Blue Oyster Cult. The bar staff were nice and friendly but were also really fast at what they did. I loved it, reccomended to anyone playing there or going to see someone play there.
j. l.Great for gigs, 1000 times better than Vic Warehouse
A. G.Amazing staff - couldn't do enough to make you feel welcome and accomdated
D. W.Fab night out at the Academy, the amount of concerts and gigs we’ve been to and only had a few slight issues that were dealt with immediately by house staff were just second to none. Highly recommend the Academy for great nights out 👍🏼
B. R.Great venue ,standing only but good for dancing ,got in very quickly ,good security ,good atmosphere , 3 bus for tenner not bad considering m e n prices had a good night ,just messed us up that northern rail had no trains from bolton to manchester that night (points) ,good few places to eat near venue
R. P.Probably one of the best and most popular venues in Manchester. This review is about Academy 1 but there is also Academy 2, 3 and Club Academy. Basically Academy 1 is a very large hall with a stage at one end. Had a bar inside the hall as well as one in the foyer. Balcony at the back facing the stage but space is very limited up there and expect you have to book for access tickets. Attracts some of the biggest acts that are not Arena scale artists and rivals the Apollo in size and choice for the types of artists that play here. Seen artists such as the Manics, Ash, Frank Turner, The Subways, Stiff Little Fingers, Little Steven, Courteeners here and many others I can't remember right now.
k. O.Great venue in Manchester city centre.
N. W.Levellers concert 26 November 2021. Amazing.
G. R.This is a great venue. Bare bones, but good enough acoustics that you can hear what's going on, and enough AC to keep a large crowd cool on a hot day.
G. H.Small place but good sound makes for a great atmosphere.
N. N.Saw The Internet who i adore. Sound engineering could have been better though. Bassist and drummer were heard well, but guitarist, keyboard and vocalist were drowned out which was a shame as they are all amazing musicians
I. V.I love all the Academy venues. Great sound, great atmosphere from the Academy Club Bar up to Academy 1. Gems in Manchester's live music scene.
R. S.Fantastic venue. Saw Kelela here and it was absolutely brilliant. Good acoustics, great view of the stage, and reasonably priced drinks. Would happily go again.
A.Good, intimate venue. A few bars and plenty of toilets. Lots of parking close by. I've been to a few gigs there and they get some great bands there.
P. L.Academy 1 is a good venue for live music. It's quite "no frills" in that it's just a hall with no seats and a stage at one end, but you're close to the band and the sound is quite good. Academy 2, Academy 3 and Club Academy (in descending order of size) are located in the Students Union building next door.
D. P.Great gig. Love the two pint cups...
E. J.Amazing intimate venue, have watched few live bands at this venue including Biffy Clyro ans Steel Panther. Drinks reasonably priced and various hotels close to the venue.
M. G.The Academy is a bit of a legend in Manchester for gig goers, having been around a good few years and host to a huge number of bands. It's a big rectangular room and the bar is unfussy as you'd expect.
W. C.4 venues accross 2 buildings, in student's Union, are Club Academy, small, intimate basement, great sound system, gets hot! Academy 3, on top floor, again, intimate, small bar at rear, again gets sweaty when near to capacity! Academy 2 , on 2nd floor, has larger capacity, bigger stage, bar is outside the auditorium.
Academy 1, is standalone, purpose built major venue, attracting major artists, often arena acts wanting to have intimate, warm up show, capable of big stage, special effects, lighting. Sometimes, the sound can be a bit off, needs disciplined engineering! All serve wheelchair access, cloakroom services, large, reasonably priced car park, nearby bus services into central Manchester. Wide variety of food and drink nearby too!
J. G.Nice compact venue.
H. T.Love this place! Hard work getting a drink but when you do get served its reasonably priced. Venue allows you to stand wherever you want so you can be in mosh pit one minute and chilling at the back next if you want.
S. A.It's a fab venue for gigs...
K. H.Good place to listen to live music listen the the hara here would recommend
M.Brilliant venue for gigs. Always something on.
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