Reviews of O2 Ritz Manchester. (Night Club) in Manchester (Greater Manchester).
O2 Ritz Manchester
Whitworth St W, Manchester M1 5NQ, United Kingdom
Description
Information of O2 Ritz Manchester, Night club in Manchester (Greater Manchester)
On this page you’ll find the address, open hours, more popular times, the contact, photos and real reviews of this business.
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Map
Open hours of O2 Ritz Manchester
Sunday
Closed
Monday
12–6pm
Tuesday
12–6pm
Wednesday
12–6pm
Thursday
12–6pm
Friday
12–6pm
Saturday
Closed
Reviews of O2 Ritz Manchester
E. R.Great venue. Much better than the O2 in Leeds. The venue is wide rather long stretching a long way back. This means that even when you are near the back you feel part of what is going on & close enough to the front.
Drinks are enormously expensive, as usual for these type of venues.
M. M.Great live music venue! We went to see Public Image Ltd. What a band!!! They are superb live!!!
Their support band was Brix and the Extricated, another great band!
Absolutely enjoyed it 🎶 Great sound, light, all was set up on time, atmosphere was fantastic!
We bought tickets online, so went straight in with QR codes scanned at the entrance. Security check was good, so felt safe once inside.
The place was clean, so yeah definitely will be coming again to enjoy live music 🎶 🕺💃
J. D.Went to see Porter Robinson's Nurture Live EU Tour and it was one of the best nights of my life. Amazing atmosphere, amazing layout and in the perfect position to grab a bite to eat beforehand. The queueing system is superb too as an employee comes around and writes a number on your hand so you can step out of the queue and come back in the same spot, saving you from having to stress about needing the toilet! They frequently handed out cups of water, which was much needed due to the energy of the music. All around brilliant experience!
C. M.Did a two show weekend here and was really impressed. Very clean venue (no sticky floors!) and great acoustics. We managed to get onto the balcony and found the bar area was higher again with comfy seating and an amazing view that we could kneel to see. The balcony was closed the second day and we were gutted! Chairs are available for those in need and can't beat the proximity to Oxford Road station. Wouldn't think twice about going here again for a wee gig
S. G.Went with my partner to watch Larkin Poe.
An excellent act.
The venue is nice.
I like the layout with plenty of bars.
The sound quality was very good too. Well done sound engineers.
The prices really let it down though!
£7.75 for a single rum and coke.
Turned into an expensive night.
It's a shame because this place could be 5 star if you didn't feel like you were having you pants pulled down on every visit to the bar!
There is just no need for it!
M. T. M.Really really nice venue. Therapy were amazing but Enola Gay were something else. I'll definitely be catching them again.
A. A.Great place for small gigs. Large dance floor and mezzanine for those wanting an aerial view. Bars could do with having more staff as we had to wait a long time to be served. Security staff were friendly.
H. A.Carpet was sticky, drinks were expensive and paint and wallpaper peeling off the walls. But all that being said good atmosphere, great views from everywhere, place just needs a little tlc because overall it is a nice venue.
I. S.The venue was brilliant and made you feel close to the performance, the beer on sale wasn't great so room for improvement. I would definitely go again.
H. C.Great location for small-to-medium sized gigs and events. There are plenty of bars and staff are friendly. Upstairs area provides good views if downstairs is full
J. T.2nd time I have been to this venue and it's a great little place, train station is just a quick walk round the corner and is perfect for those who live outside of Manchester
S.Great place for the gigs, only downfall is.... every year a group of us attend to see a particular band who tour over here. Being an O2 establishment, you'd think O2 customers/members would get easier access, or the likes, etc, like other O2 arena's with O2 Priority. However each year, we have to query this when we arrive here. Maybe its something that could be implemented in the future, if at all possible.
A. J.Went to see CAST after a 2nd attempt due to COVID19 cancelled previous dates.
The venue is what it Is but im sure the BAR had everyones pants down that night. Ridiculous priced drinks and iv been here many a times b4. Must be spanking us "due to covid "
CAST blew us away and we forgot about our money worries for at least a night 👍
Top gig as always lars .
D. T. S.This was my first visit in years in fact the last time I was there it was a nightclub. Anyway it is now a vendor live acts.
This was my first gig since the global pandemic hit and quite possibly 90% of the attendees also.
We where all there to see "The Pineapple Thief" and support band "Alex Henry Foster and the Long Shadows" and we were not disappointed.
I arrived early so much so there was only a couple in front of me, the doors opened at 7.00pm but prior to that the security team asked us to have our vaccine proof and tickets ready to make our entry as smooth as possible which was very reassuring. The venue was clean and all the staff included the security floor and bar where welcoming and pleasant. They all had face masks which was again reassuring. The bands came on we had a amazing night you could tell they were happy to be there and playing live music again, at the end of the evening exiting was smooth and quick. Some people stayed to finish drink to be far I could tell you what time they closed I had booked a parking place at the NCP Palace which was a couple of minutes walk away I would also recommend that if your driving. All in all a fantastic evening at the O2 Ritz Manchester 5***** and can't wait for my next visit, Thank you.
B. C.I absolutely love the Ritz as a venue. One of the best in Manchester. I recently went to see Mel C, great night.
R. B.Great venue. Easy free parking (after 8pm)on Whitworth St (memories of Hacienda gigs of my youth). Brief q at entry and straight upstairs. Toilets were surprisingly good according to my wife. Bar service decent, drinks typically (expectedly) overpriced. Sight lines are superb and bench seating/stools are available, whereas downstairs was a great dancing, involved melee necessary at all gigs. Sound quality was excellent too. The Wailers capably supported by Sammy Johnson were fantastic. Would have been perfect but they left my favourite song (Stir it up) out of the set. A great night. Top venue.
K. J.Great for access customers. Clean venue and we had good views as promised. The sound was also good up on the mezzanine
M. D. L.Probably my favourite of the smaller-to-medium sized venues. Bars all round so hardly any queue times, good views pretty much wherever you're stood, and often the balcony upstairs is open so even more vantage points. And of course the famous bouncy dancefloor from its origins as a ballroom.
A. L.This is my favourite venue for watching artists. You get great views either upstairs or downstairs and never feel far away from the performers. If you want a seat you have to get here really early and go upstairs. You don't need to go to a separate area for the bar as two long bars run either side of the downstairs auditorium so you don't miss anything and service was quick and easy easy when I went.
A. G.Great small venue
Able to get up close and personal without any problems
C. D.Good venue! We managed to get a couple of seats on the balcony for an excellent view! The group on The Lottery Winners put on a fantastic show. The bar and merch stand where well organized and there wasn't queues. My only negative would be the toilets where a little smelly! It was a smell that wasn't fresh.
G. H.lovely old concert venue,with a standing balcony all around.
£13+ for 2 pints was a rip-off.
Nice raised stage so you could see everything even from the back next to the mixing desk
G. Z.Great venue. I came here to watch Ashe's fault line tour and it was a great experience. Security were handing out water to the crowds due to how warm it was inside which was a great gesture and they were very catering towards special needs people.
A. P.I went to watch Progress Wrestling. The staff were absolutely brilliant and very welcoming. Even security were top notch. Made for an awesome first time here. I will definitely be back at some point in the future.
P. J.Went to see blue October, met the group and support group Daytime tv. Best night of my life
C. p.Went here on 21/4/22 to see Porter Robinson live. Although our queue was long enough to cover multiple blocks, it moved very fast and we were constantly moving. Must've only been queued for 20 minutes or so.
No hassle at all getting in either, we didn't have bags so just scanned our tickets and went straight into the stage area. Multiple bars serving a variety of drinks and giving away large cups of water with ice out for free for the whole duration. Very well needed in such a hot, sweaty environment. Queue for merch was also well organised.
The stage area itself was fantastic. 1500 capacity with a raised stage so even at the back you could get a clear view. Lovely balcony area too. It was spacious and had plenty of Air conditioning. Lighting and sound was also very well balanced.
Overall, a fantastic experience and would absolutely go again. Highly recommend for anyone looking to go for a gig.
E. W.Absolutely fabulous venue for gigs, just such a shame staff were so unhelpful and rude when my mother wasn’t feeling well. Otherwise a couple of stonking nights here!
L. G.Went to see Trombone Shorty last month. My husband contacted the venue as I have an ankle injury and would struggle to stand for the whole concert. They were fantastic. We were told to ask for John who looks after customers with mobility issues. He was amazing. He couldn't have done more. I thoroughly enjoyed the concert, felt really safe and my husband could stand on the front row knowing i was looked after. Thank you John and Ritz
U. R.If I could score more than 5 I would!! My first time going there with group of friends and we had a blast! Venue is perfect for gigs and the staff are very professional. You won't be disappointed
L. F.Excellent historic venue in the heart of the city. Brilliant atmosphere, and the venue literally bounces thanks to its famous floor
L. K.Great little venue, nice and intimate. Shame about the drink prices as I found them very expensive. Also you don't get a straw or stirrer for your drinks so you end up with the whole lot of alcohol in the bottom of the glass
C. O.Kiss Daniel show .by Matifi entertainment it was a good show.bartenders where friendly
K. D.The venue here is great and allows for up close and immersive shows.
Great to see good bar availability with four bars in the downstairs area, each was well staffed though moved rather slowly with staff having to scan a sheet of what drinks they were serving.. it just seemed to hold things up.
The missing 5th star is due to the prices at the bar. I understand venue prices are always a little higher, however, £3.50 for a bottle of Pepsi/7Up just takes things a little too far
N.Great night out after almost 4 years... 😇Danced through the whole night in heels, was worth the blisters the next day😄love reggaeton! The Ritz has a cloakroom plus a decent bar & loads of space... We could even sit down when we needed. The dress code is not strict so next time smart sneakers for me:)
K. J.Saw Alabama 3 on Saturday. I love this venue. Everything always runs smoothly, the staff are great and you can always get a spot where you can see the stage. The band's sound great.
T. S.Awesome cosy venue. Good bars and fantastic view of the band.
L. C.Love this venue. Been here quite a few times & never had a disappointing experience. Plenty of floor space with upstairs balcony around the venue. Large stage, bar on both floors, cloakroom & gender neutral restrooms!! Includes all O2 provider benefits as well
R. M.Incredible music venue in the centre of Manchester. Easy accessible via Metrolink.
Be prepared for obscue bar "rules" whereby soft drinks will have the cap retained by bar staff due to health and safety rules. This was explained that if the cap was dropped on the floor somebody might slip on it with the venue liable although if you slip on a spilled drink they wouldn't be?
That aside this is a classic venue with a lot of history and should be enjoyed by all.
T. R.There are very few places left in Manchester that invigorate past memories of younger days. This place delivered it in spades. Whilst it has undergone a huge update to accommodate for all manner of events such as concerts and other excursions, it still has maintained its look and feel of the old Ritz that everyone knows and loves. As someone who has been to the Ritz on many occasions I find myself really hard pressed to find any fault with anything. The place was run really well with a dedicated and decent set of people. Everything we could need for a night out was included, cloakrooms, smoking area's and a decent amount of chairs and tables. The whole evening was well catered for. It is my hope that the event that I went for returns very soon and I will return, hungry and thirsty for more.
B. C.Really good venue, the sound always is on point too. Convenient to the Oxford road station, many bars and a Sainsbury's just up the road.
The prices are extortionate, to be expected with it being an 02 venue I guess. £6.20 for a Carlsberg trump's London prices
W. R.I love the fact that there is a curfew here so that gig goers can get home.
Plenty bars, unlike the Apollo, so no huge queues.
Great toilet facilities, clean!
Balcony if you need a rest from the crowd.
g. d.Good venue for small to medium sized bands , drinks are too expensive and the selection is poor but it's an O2 venue so you are stuck with the corporate limits.
There is a balcony for those that want to watch and a sprung dancefloor which in is good for the crowds to bounce around.
H. P.I would like to give a massive shout out to John on the access team- my hubby and I came to see Blue October and where we would usually sit upstairs was closed- John sorted us seats right by the edge of the stage and checked on us throughout the whole night. Customer service how it should be!!!! Many thanks. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
a. p.Very good for toilet facilities and comfortable sitting by bar upstairs and sound quality excellent along with quite a lot of space. So much better than the Royal Albert Hall.
P. P.Great night had by son and me watching Steve Vai, wonderful to see such a virtuoso up close.
A. S.Great venue, more intimate than The Apollo and better location for public transport, only fly in the ointment would be the ridiculous bar prices, I know they're pretty much standard for venues these days but come on
S. C.Alabama 3 are magnificent. Absolutely love these guys. Takes me right back to pre-pandemic when the world still mad to a bit of sense. Loved everyone who made the effort. Sadly too few!
R. W.A good venue for a gig clear view of the artist. Only downfall here is the security they barely check your bags... which is frightening considering past events! 😔
M. P.Always been a great venue for live music and they still have the bouncy dance floor, which those from the 80s/90s club nights will fondly remember 😀
K. W. A.Amazing venue. Easy to get drinks. Smoking area. Intimate enough but large enough for a booming crowd
L. D.Great venue for gigs, however a shot of rum being £7.50 is a bit of a joke! I think the barman could have warned us before holding out the card reader and letting us pay.
A. P.Ace gig venue. Mediocre drinks! Bouncy floor.
J. W.Great venue! A brilliant place to watch live music and an excellent range of drinks at the bar.
c.costs a bit for drinks but good venue
B. I.A compact place for shows. It's very much okay
P. E.One of my favourite gig venues in Manchester. Historic for lots of reasons.. don't miss an opportunity to see a band here.
W. G.I attended The Chameleons 40th Anniversary Tour on Friday 17th Dec 2021 with one of my favourite bands supporting Theatre of Hate. I had been to the Ritz many times when it was a club & it left alot to be desired with sticky carpets & smelly toilets. Now it has been cleaned up it makes a great gig venue. I had a great view from the balcony & I actually had a choice of either standing or the balcony which was nice. Theatre of Hate were magnificent as always with Kirk's voice booming out & they saved the best till last with incinerator. The Chameleons were also great and got the crowd going there were people si going & dancing everywhere a Top Night Out 3 Bands for £33 now that's value for money.
I saw Half Man Half Biscuit in January this year great atmosphere & drinks were not too expensive & toilets were clean.
A.Absolutely fantastic customer service from the staff at the venue. The guy called John who took care of all the disabled people went above and beyond to make sure everyone was happy and enjoying themselves.
M. H.Excellent venue with the fantastic bouncy floor that's always a buzz when the crowd stats bouncing . Been going to the ritz for years never disappoints.
D. X.Great venue, one of Manchesters best.
Just wish you would stop ripping us off with your extortionate bar prices 😒
M. R.Great venue, Wonderstuff put on their usual brilliant performance. Prices of drinks bordering on obscene.
C. W.Good value nue for gigs but £6.50 for a pint of San Miguel in a plastic pint pot is taking the Michael.
R.very nice venue, cloakroom available for bags, bars with drinks etc. and a seating area/balcony at the top if you do not want a standing spot infront of the stage itself
T. C. L.Ok I saw Puddles here on a Tuesday. Staff fantastic, bar just the same price as the other bars in the area. The building built to suit the performer If you are going to see a show here you have nothing to worry about. The bathrooms are great too, which not many of these particular venues can boast
L. '. W.Love the venue nice big space, great sound system, would've given 5 stars but £2.70 for a bottle of water & they won't let you have it with a lid is absolutely disgraceful,other than that can't complain
J. A.Great night, place is good. You can go upstairs or downstairs and there are a few seats
P. B.Been going here since the mid-80's and still one of my favourite venues
I. V.The Ritz is one of Manchester's iconic venues and clubs. I first went over 30 years ago for their Monday Night Alternative Club. Have been to several gigs recently.
Just superb venue, lots of bars and a great sprung dance floor.
J. J.We've been to a few concerts here, it's an amazing venue. The Lightening Seeds were absolutely brilliant.
j. g.Excellent security staff as we came in, checked all covid passes, people and bags, so felt safe, loved the venue, more stools or table seating upstairs would be helpful, not great for wheelchair users, one person just popped on the side of the dance floor, a ramped elevated and roped area for user and carer would be great that way my nephew would be able to join us next time.👍.
A. D.I've not been to the Ritz for well over 20 years but going back was really good and they've done a lot with the place to make it a really good venue for events. Prices were not as expensive as I expected and the selection was quite good for such a venue. I wouldn't hesitate in going back for another event.
S. R.Nice, old and I assume historic venue. Due to security there was a bit of a queue to get in but it didn't take long and it was done cheerfully. The beer was good, with good service albeit a little on the expensive side. There was a good view of the stage and the acoustics were OK. The only downside was that the volume could have been a little higher. I'm not sure whether that was due to the band or the venue. I'd recommend it if you want to see some live music.
J. M.Went to see wrestling show, venue was very good, decently spaced out several bars and good view of center stage, toilets reasonably clean, only criticism was the price of drinks v.expensive, but I guess that's the going rate given current circumstances.
Y. R.Always enjoy coming to the Ritz. It's a great live venue. Generally easy to get a decent view, bars upstairs and down. Usual eye-watering prices but that's the norm.
C. H.Great venue , staff are brilliant. One. Of my favourite venues in Manchester.
J. N.First visit in over 15 years. Place seemed so much smaller when looking around through an 'adults' eyes this time around. Thoroughly enjoyed the evening listening to rock classics and seeing lots of old faces. Be warned we had to be one of the first inside to get a seat as there aren't many (my friend had a dodgy leg so it was vital we found her a seat!). Sound system and lighting etc were exactly the same as when I last visited many moons ago, no complaints there. Bar prices were what I expected from the O2 chain. Nice touch adding Christmas cocktails.
P. a.Excellent gig 👍good venue friendly staff
D. A.This venue has been around most of my adult life. Whoever thought of turning it into a venue for gigs was a genius. I have seen a number of concerts here the most recent being Sparks. The acoustics are excellent the closeness to the stage and the old dance floor with its bounce make for a terrific atmosphere. The staff are really good. I love this venue for a concert.
I. H.Great venue. Balcony area for those who want to be a bit out of the blast radius. Always jumping.
M. L.Excellent venue, getting up close to the performing acts
Definitely recommend and will be going again soon
e. b.Good sized venue, long queue tho. No hope if you need to use the bathroom, it's worse than a Wetherspoons, absolute trek and big queue.
R.Been to many gigs but this was my first at the Ritz. Was a really good show and the venue was definitely suited to rock.
I. S.Great venue to watch a band, easy access to bars, never far from the stage wherever you stand
A.Slow getting in, probably due to heightened security. I really like this venue, it's smaller and more intimate. Even if you buy standing tickets, you can use the area upstairs where there's a bit of seating, which is a god-send if you're like me and can't stand up all night. There's a bar up there as well. The view of the stage is excellent. Bar staff, security staff and the guys on the merch stall were all very friendly. Toilets were clean and there were enough that there weren't queues (unheard of in ladies toilets!). Loads of parking near the venue as well.
Possible downside that it can feel a bit cramped getting around when it's a sold out night but you kind of expect that at a gig! Drinks are pretty pricey. Worth it for the venue I reckon.
N. F.The staff were absolutely amazing with our group, we had a disabled person with us and we were immediately moved to the front of the queue, no questions asked
W. G.Great venue. The layout, amenities, and atmosphere give it something truly unique. Squarely between a modern city-centre concert/event venue and an old-school underground nightclub. I recommend bringing ear plugs though, depending who you go to see you might not need them, but I definitely wish I had some on me for all the band's leading up to Flogging Molly the other week!
J. S.Great venue with a balcony and sprung dance floor. Probably one of the better venues in Manchester.
J. P.Good venue, good sound, great place to see your favourite bands!
G. H.Excellent live music venue, with outrageous beer prices. Good sized venue for atmosphere and being able to see the band, combined with the most expensive pint of beer I've ever bought.
r. d.big up to john on security for keeping an eye on fans on front row for creeper’s gig and making sure we were safe and hydrated!
f.Great service - I had an amazing time seeing cavetown, hunny and Chloe Moriondo! Drinks a bit pricy.
J. q.Great venue!
G. G.Amazing performance, sound and location! The staff (especially John) were really helpful, being in the disabled access area, and ensured we had the best time possible! Wouldn't hesitate to return.
S. O.Great venue, had a fantastic night at O2 Ritz power ballads night, helpful and approachable staff all round great night 👌👍
S. H.Great venue, great gig, shame they didn't turn the lights down at the top bar in the gallery.
D. J.Fantastic venue, really great atmosphere having gone to see Terrorvision. Springboard flooring really gets the place jumping. Good that they offer 2pint cups, however my only reservation is the sheer cost of drinks at this venue, if it was more reasonable it would absolutely be 5 stars. They also have air con, which in any gig is a godsend! Pleasant staff and an all-round great night. Thanks
J. O.One of my favourite venues in Manchester, a perfect size to see the performer and also get the atmosphere of a large crowd. The bar isn’t too expensive and they serve ‘2 pinters’ so you don’t have to keep going up for more beer. Really well thought out venue with very professional staff and clear knowledge of what makes a good venue.
K. G.I watched machine gun Kelly here and it was a great venue but it was very hot so dress minimalist as possible
D. C.Sometimes amazing and sometimes dire, it all depends on the sound engineer on the night, I've been to amazing gigs and gigs so bad you can't hear a single thing the band's are singing. The venue it's self is very unique with it's sprung floor.
J. N.Top Venue. Great gig
T. I.Amazing venue, very kind and friendly staff.
Lots of space and excellent toilet facilities!
t.great venue for a concert but drinks are quite pricey
c. p.Awesome venue and an awesome concert!
Wasn't chuffed at paying over £7 for 2 pints of dispenser lemonade but what can you do eh?
J. M.One of the most amazing Nights I've had in a while me and my partner went to watch ONE OKAY ROCK and the venue was greatly staffed, with the no long ques the signs for the Top Bar and Toilets where clearly visible.
N. V.Spacious on the balcony , plenty of room up there. Security very good.
C. F.Fantastic atmosphere at the #WhyDontWe first gig in Manchester. The event was very well organised, plenty of information and updates even whilst queuing. We sat upstairs on the balcony as there was no booking of seats. Only downside to the night was the bar didn't open until 6.30 so we had a long wait. The bartender did supply water when asked which was great - thank you!
R. S.Perfect space for a concert, friendly staff, great night all round
S. S.Went to an all day Indie gig at the O2 Ritz. Great venue, not too small, can see the acts on stage from the back and do not have to leave the auditorium to get a drink. Fab venue.
N.No shelter alongside O2 so cold and miserable waiting. Great gig watching I Prevail was stood on the right so was a lot calmer - middle was heaving as with most concerts I guess. Loved the raised stage and staff were great. Sound was excellent from where I was. Didn't really use any facilities so can't comment. Easy to get to merch stall at the back after the show - no real pushing to get anything and relaxed concert goers. Good times would be back.
S. E.Absolutely amazing... went to watch Scouting for Girls and the venue was the best because it was personal with the artist and the crowd as the place is not too big but not too small
C. S.Brilliant old school music venue with surprisingly clean and plentiful toilet facilities, drinks expensive for plastic glass lukewarm gin and tonics and beers but that's part of the charm. Go with it. Your feet will probably stick to the floor but you won't care. Good size and good acoustics. Saw Dodgy here two days ago, excellent.
A. B.Nice intimate venue,l. Friendly, helpful staff. Bit hard to find for out of towners but maybe that's our fault. Lol.
C. W.Great venue for a concert. Entertainment provided by Gathering of Strangers and Third Eye Blind
M. 3.Not bad as a venue but £6.20 a pint is crazy!
K. K.Came to see "The Power Ballad Orchestra" here today and they were EXCELLENT.
I'd highly reccomend going to see them, if you like 80s sing along ballad classics you must go! Every song was a belter.
S. “. K.Great venue to see your favourite musicians, bouncy dance floor and lots of bars and balcony
H. B.Really great venue, door staff are amazing and so helpful, even before the gig we got in touch about disabled access and the access team were so fantastic, when we got to the venue we were met by John and the team, escorted in and given seats at the side, nothing was too much trouble. They really made something I was anxious about really pleasurable.
S. S.Fantastic venue for live music 🙌
C. L.Always an amazing show here despite astronomical drinks prices
M. L.Good small venue drinks expensive carpet sticky but what you expect rather see gigs here than in a massive arena
L. T.The o2 Ritz is a good sized venue so seeing the stage is no problem, even from the back. The two times ive been i found the sound really clear and loud which is always good. There are a lot of bars and the toilets are actually really good for a live music venue only downsides are that Its way too warm inside, the drinks are expensive and the bars are very crowded.
S. T.Went to see blue october there was totally amazing. Love the venue
T. W.Great venue and an exceptional gig
K. S.Went for the power ballad night. We had to show proof of either covid vaccinations or negative tests registered through the nhs. I used the app, entry was very fast considering they had to check these plus tickets. Reasonably priced bar for an event/city centre. Plenty of toilets and clean (ladies). It was a great night, my only complaint was that the dance floor was very sloppy due to spilled drinks, but I suppose the staff can't do much about that when theres so many people dancing. The bar staff were fast and smiley. Great night.
G. R.Great venue, have been many times, everyone is always nice on staff
S. H.Brilliant venue for loud and live material. Just been to the 00's emo night and was amazing. My only concern is that the same pint seems to cost differently each time you got to the bar. Seems cheap at the start of the night (maybe your first drink) and then it seems to get more expensive as the night goes on. Otherwise would have been 5*
S. T.BC CAMPLIGHT back to work! Perfect venue to host an awesome outfit of musicians. It all came together as a "I was there" kind of gig.
L. L.Great venue, big bar area & loads of toilets!
D. W.BC Camplight is the king 👑 of rock and roll!
Venue is still brill too x
d. s.Great venue for bands! nice size and the sound was superb.staff were great and really helpful,great night thank you
I. C.Fantastic live music venue, probably my favourite place to see a band. Has stalls standing and an upper tier circle with some limited bar stool seating if you get there early. Have visited numerous times and will continue to do so. Car parking nearby can be expensive but this is not surprising given it's a city centre.
A. B.Great venue, sprung floor for dancing and good quality sound. Drinks prices are reasonable for this size venue. Has a cloakroom also.
k. r.Been going to the Ritz for 40 years, brilliant place
D. T.A fantastic venue with great views and great atmosphere..working mens club were excellent that night ..Big things to come
G.Great venue but £7.50 for one single shot of Kraken 😧
E. W.Great place but beer and drinks are to expensive saying you pay £38 a ticket and then £7 for a pint £6 for vodka coke its a rip off
L. H.The bands were absolutely on fire Palaye Royale, Counterfeit and Charming Liars 🔥🔥🔥
J. B.Fantastic night with isolation nation however not enough bar staff and cheap watered down optics
M. S.Amazing music venue . Can't wait to visit again
A. H.Great night watching Ashley McBryde. Good to be back to live music.
S. E.I was there to see Switchfoot who's performance was utterly brilliant, and as a disabled person the care i received from the door/security staff was great. Highly Recommended. Thank you.
P. H.Fantastic venue for gigs and watching bands good veiws of bands from most areas. Drinks typical town prices.
The staff and security are first class I can only praise them and found them very helpful.
Accessable entrance for people with reduced mobility, no lift inside to balcony veiwing due to grade2 listed building.
S. T.A beautiful art deco theatre in Manchester, we visited for a Gasby night, The Ritz has 3 bars a centre stage, an upstairs seating area. The toilets are downstairs and upstairs. We had a great time!
B.Been here couple of times and it's my favourite venue in Manchester because it's 'small' it makes the experience better.
They also book some great bands here and the atmosphere is always brilliant.
K. R.Great venue, great night. Last gig before lockdown (Elvana), first gig after restrictions lifted (Lottery Winners)
C. C.Great venue, parking OK nearby
P. C.Best floor in any music venue I've been to
M. D.Always a good gig venue, top sleep performance
J. P.Nice show. You can't enter with your back pack.
S. R.Excellent Gig
Blue October were amazing
Drinks as usual over priced.
C. R.Came here in August for The Love Train at The Ritz, a throwback to my uni days were it was on every Wednesday night.
We needed to provide proof of a negative covid test on entry, which we all had. The bouncer made me laugh as he pointed to part of the text you get as proof on my phone and said it has to be within the last 24 hrs and I replied that's my date of birth matey 😅
It was really good to be back inside the Ritz and the love train, while it wasn't exactly the same as the good old days, I don't think you can recapture the same magic today, was in fairness still bloody brilliant.
There wasn't anything in the way of drink deals or promos that I saw but the staff members who served me were pleasant.
Disco Forever! 💃🕺
D. H.The most underrated venue in town always class the Ritz
G. H.Another great venue for an amazing gig
s. 1.Great venue, reasonably priced drinks
J. P.Went to see at ettiene, had a great night
L. P.Great place to see live music. Music's never too quiet here. No matter where you stand -whether it's up on the balcony or down by the stage you can always see the act very well
R. L.Love the Ritz but please cool it down we nearly melted
C. W.Good location, no problems getting served at the bar. Sound ok. Interrupters gig fantastic
N. H.Great Venue. Decent choice of beers. Cloak room. Both bands sounded superb.
C. S.Great venue for live music
L. J.Had fantastic experience visiting last week, door staff were really efficient with tickets and covid checks. Once in was impressed with the bar set up and how many points of service there was for the size of the venue. One issue was we were upstairs on the balcony (but was the same on all bars), they only had Carlsberg as a draught offering at £6.25 a pint 😬
I know you pay more at a gig but that's crazy for Carlsberg! The poor staff seemed be set up for a fail with only one working till and card machine which they were all queuing and taking turns to use. Most of your time at the bar was waiting for them to get to equipment to take payment.
The gig was fantastic! We went to see Meute and were not disappointed. Will defo visit again. 👍
E. M.Fab venue great views even for short people like me
D. W.Went to see "The Wailers" good little venue, drinks bit pricy, but it's OK.
G. E.Larkin Poe were superb and the venue great.
J. N.Great venue, eat to get to. Helps if the band were good which they were (Heaven 17)
p.I quite like The Ritz but it can get overly busy. Drinks are NOT cheap - and they have very few decent beer options.
Sound is usually fairly good here, and the place itself is well located, just over the road from another music venue/bar called Gorilla.
From Piccadilly Station, it's around a 15 min walk.
D. C.I saw The Rasmus from the front row. Pauli Rantasalmi and Aki Hakala are awesome.
L. L.First time I've ever been, went watching the lottery winners this evening and had the best time!
Plenty of bars to eliminate queues and the toilets were in good condition and well stocked 🚻
A. C.First time I've ever been and loved the place , great venue for live music , easy to get to and great bar staff , recommend highly and will definitely go again
C. C.Great venue for live music. Particularly impressed with the sound and lighting. The stage is raised, so you get a good view from the floor and even better around the balcony. Really nice space. Plenty of bars, too, with a decent (pricey of course) choice.
G. T.'Great' little venue... strongly helped by the fact that you can enjoy a few drinks at Gorilla across the road before the gigs kick off.
F. H.The place has very easy access and all of the staff are friendly and helpful and also the concert was amazing! Great crew and band!
P. M.Great accessibility and fantastic music venue
J. S.First proper night out in 18 months to see Afrodeutsche and 808 State.
Originally booked for 18th December 2020 to celebrate my 50th on Xmas Eve 6 days later.
Postponed due to C19.
Eventually managed to attend and danced from start to finish.
Still got the 'rave minerals' 30 years since I first started.
Rave To The Grave 😏
B. R.Cracking gig (Newton Faulkner) felt covid safe and is clean in general
T. K.Nice smallish venue. Saw Anathema and managed to get on the barrier. Great sound even down the front.
M. A.One of my favourite venues in the NW for live music.
Shame the beer is like water. We are used to it now though at o2 venues 🙃
R. B.Great place with amazing staff. Th show was incredible
J.Queued for 30 minutes in the rain to get in and almost missed the main act. Also nearly £7/pint.
s. H.Great venue, drinks are a pricey
D.Nice venue but £6 a pint
P. D.Great venue, insisted on checking Covid passes. And The Chameleons, what a band!!!
L. d.Went to see Kiefer Sutherland with my husband, omg Amazing. The Ritz looks bigger inside. The staff an security where helpful as we had to leave early.
C. W.Good venue, balcony good viewing point.
D. P.Great venue. Hideous drink prices, but you expect that.
S. H.Great venue to watch live music
M. C.Great view from the balcony. Good choice if drinks Nd a really nice venue to watch bands.
D. F.Great spot for a gig. Brilliant atmosphere and nice and intimate so you're always reasonably close to the stage.
S. t.A top place to watch live music with a springy dance floor with a great atmosphere
c. f.As a venue its ace but the drinks are expensive and of a poor choice. £6.70 for a pint of shipyard ipa.
D. N.Great venue. Extremely convenient for Oxford Road station too. 👍
H. O.Great live music venue. The extra bars are a great addition. Would be great if had some seating especially if been on feet all day or feeling worse for wear from alcohol. Toilets clean and plenty of them so no queues at the ladies which is refreshing
A. M.I love this place, they couldn't have picked a better location for a small/medium music venue. Right next to the train station and plenty of bars around.
G. L.Fantastic atmosphere, brilliant night out
H. H.Really cool, rather small venue, if you're going to a rock/metal show, be prepared for wall to wall pits because this place can go HARD
I do prefer smaller venues and this is definitely one of the cooler ones. Good sound and easy to get to and from. Would recommend to anyone.
J. B.Great place for A venue. Especially if you are small. Always a good view.
R. G.Great venue for live music. So much better than the soulless arenas you normally need to watch big performers at. If you ever get the chance to watch your favourite band at a venue as small as this, you simply HAVE to go, and you won't regret it. I'll never forget tonight's Manics gig
M. A.Excellent venue. It's small and quaint and u can get really close to the front. Also u get good views wherever you stand definitely a good place for live music. Highly recommend to anyone who goes here
S. B.Excellent live music venue. The stage is highly visible for everybody. Only downside is the price of beer. I only had two pints in 3 hours because of the £6.15 price. If the price was more reasonable I would have had more = lower price beer=More sold.
d. n.It's just a great venue isn't it? Saw Fontaines DC there. Just amazing. There's a balcony if you prefer. Don't sit on seats in the balcony near the stage though or security will move you on 😱🙄.
The floor bounces a bit. Feels fab.
Overall fab.
E. S.Great live music and a contactless only bar for easy paying. Great night.
C. P.Great intimate venue, drinks were on the expensive side but that's what you get in central Manchester!
M. R.Bit Spenny on the booze but always a class night here
S. B. (. T. M.They book some great bands here. The sound is pretty decent and the atmosphere is usually brilliant!
Some gigs I've been to though have ended pretty early and then they rush you outside so they can set up for a club night straight after - personally i think the show should be the priority, especially when you're a paying customer!
J. H.Seen a few great bands here. Staff are very helpful and friendly. It's always a long queue on Whitworth street and can be difficult to get to the front of the balcony. I found service good at the bar! Useful cloakroom for coats etc.
M. C.Great, historic space. However, the sound system isn't great and the drinks prices are hilariously expensive.
A. A.Great venue. Expensive drinks but you expect that.
A. T.Great venue. Excellent location
D. J.Great venue the sound quality is excellent the only thing I wished they had in place would be seating for people like me and my partner who struggle standing up for so long. The drinks are on the expensive side as it costs over £9 for a pint of cider and a Pepsi max but that aside would definitely recommend going a brilliant night out
N. L.Not a bad venue, sound system is really impressive and the upper tier is a decent bonus. However, drinks are pretty pricey.
C. R. (. B.Great venue, the only issue sometimes is getting to the bar and exits but thats expected at music venues
D. C.Great venue to experience live music (and wrestling!). Drinks are possibly the most expensive I have ever bought and don't taste particularly great. Recommend having a few drinks elsewhere before heading in.
You're not allowed to leave the venue and come back once you've entered. Was absolutely starving at an event running 2pm-8pm but couldn't leave during the interval to grab a sandwich (and they don't serve food.....what is a hungry boy supposed to do???)
A. B.Great venue and well organised
A. S.Great venue lively atmosphere good choice of drinks
I. R.Excellent Venue for live music. Pretty much all standing for a great view of the stage wherever you are, downstairs or on the balcony.
Only holds 1500, but feels full even if the night is not completely sold out. So the atmosphere is great. Lots of bars, laid back security, and good facilities. If you are an o2 customer, you get priority queue, drinks offers and free cloakroom.
Could do with a coffee machine behind a bar or two, other than that little to complain about.
R. H.Great venue with fantastic acoustics.
D. G.Great venue! Old building with iconic sprung dance floor. Beer can be a touch dodgy.. don't buy the first pint through the lines. NOTE FOR ANYONE WITH MOBILITY ISSUES... STAFF AND VENUE ARE AMAZING!!! THEY WILL DO ANYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE YOUR EVENING AS EASY AND AS GOOD AS THEY CAN. FORGIVE THE BLOCK CAPS, BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE KNOW.
C.Fantastic venue with balcony and seats if you're feeling tired. This is a good capacity venue (maybe 700-900) not too big but big enough to accommodate some of the bigger bands. The bar as you would expect is crazy expensive so go for a drink before hand.
L. C.Seen Jpegmafia last night. Decent enough venue
J. L.Part of Manchester's music scene history. A decent sized venue, big enough for a great crowd and atmosphere but small enough to feel close to acts on stage. Good amount of bar service inside too. Only 4 because it feels really grubby throughout but by far one of the best music venues.
N. *. M.Wow that was expensive for, single mum first night out. Needed a bank loan just drinks other than that it's very big spacious room. Lots of security which made me confident it was safe. Bar staff were super friendly too. The drinks prices is the only reason why I didn't put five stars. Maybe reduce it a little please not all of us are loaded. :) cheers
r. d.Saw Sleeper and Bluetones here yesterday, one of the best music venues around! Cracking bands, great beer, what more does one need...👍
T. J.One of the best gigs I've been to
e. b.Fantastic venue!
L. H.Great venue. Good view of the stage from all areas. I'm 5ft tall so this is something I rate highly! Staff were friendly inside. Woman doing bag search outside was rude. I only had a purse and a hoody in my bag but she felt the need to pull it all out and then told me it was my own fault. I can't pack lighter than that!
G. L. C.Great venue. Came to see Joe Jackson so excellent concert! 5.10 for a pint of lager so no cheap but not a total rip-off either. Definitely a good place to see an act, I would recommend it.
C. R.Good sized venue, not too big where you're miles away from the act, I imagine you could stand anywhere in the room and have a decent view of the stage and the acts that are on, drinks are fairly priced for a gig and staff were polite and helpful
D. J.Fantastic venue. The space is nicely laid out with bars on either side of the floor and one upstairs at the back of the balcony. The upstairs area is my personal favorite because it's less crowded and offers great views of the stage without the fear of being elbowed in the face.
A. S.Nice venue, good acoustics, really love the balcony. The size is just right to host intimate gig and makes the atmosphere friendly and special. Loved the venue from the first visit.
Dislike: high prices for alcohol, not much choice either.
J. G.Had a great time great music great atmosphere but bar staff rip u off first cola £1,80 next 1 £1.10
M. D.Great venue, decent sized allowing a sell-out crowd enough space to fully enjoy themselves. Bars aplenty; toilets on both levels. The sound system is impressive for a smaller venue, clear and crisp enough to determine every instrument played.
G. D.We saw a great band called cassia and it was brilliant
J. C.Went to a rock club reunion here , clean toilets, well stocked bars and friendly staff. Great music and great night out
A. B.The Ritz is one of my favourite venues for live music. Great view from the balcony, which is where you sit if you can't manage a gig in the standing area
P. B.Went to see Starsailor here in November 2018. Great venue but mostly standing only, as with most venues it's the bands that make it a great night and this one was fantastic. I would go to watch bands here again though, it has quite a small capacity and everyone gets a good view.
K. D.Great smaller venue! Saw Akala there, and he was incredible! The staff were some of the friendliest I've ever been in contact with at a music venue, drinks were good too. Fantastic central location...just check the parking costs as it varies around there, we spent the day in Manchester before the gig and it cost us a bomb to park!
N. M.Really decent club nights (Rockworld reunion and Ultimate Power in particular!) and the gigs there are awesome, as they seem much more intimate with it being smaller than some of the much larger venues. Drinks can be a bit pricey, but they do decent little drinks deals and many bars in Manchester do have high prices anyway.
N. S.The venue is amazing. But it took 3 hours to do a show that takes just over one hour(Kanye West orchestra performance of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy). It was meant to start at 7 but started at nearly half 8. After half an hour of performing they took a HALF HOUR break. Musicals are 3 hours long and they only take a 15 minute break. I'd go again for the venue, not the performance.
R. M.Went there for concert..good vibe..
p. h.Watched Jadebird there and it was brilliant. Smallish, atmospheric venue with good views wherever you stand. Limited number of seats on the balcony but if you struggle to stand for any length of time they are ideal. Great place!!!!
H. B.Really nice venue, very acomodating and no grumpy stuards.
B. F.A lovely venue for a concert. There was a great atmosphere without it being too crowded and the lighting was great. Water was also handed out for free and people were let into the venue safely and yet quickly and efficiently. Would really recommend!
G. S.What a great venue good size great staff extortion on the 330 ml of non alcoholic larger 15 pounds rep pint 700 percent mark-up. It's 70 pence per bottle in cash and carry. Even the bar man blushed when it was over a tennis for half a pint of orange a third of a pint of alcohol free beer and a bottle of water. No ques at the bar and very quick service. No seating unless you collapsed or felt faint. If your watching a 1970-1980 band chances are last time you stool that still for that long was the 80's. Band was great, staff were great, layout great, door staff great, ambient temperature great. Bar prices and lack of seating diabolical.
R. M.I've only been here for one gig, but the place was a pretty good size and the dancefloor didn't feel too cramped. Beer prices are fairly high, but it's a gig venue, so what else would you expect? There was easy access to the bar, too, but the gig I went to was on a Tuesday night, so perhaps was a bit more subdued than it usually would be. The stage is quite high, so even at the back you should have no problems seeing what's going on. The sound also seemed decent, but how much is down to the acoustics and how much is down to a good sound engineer is debatable!
O. R.I went for the first time and I was blown away, I completely didnt expect what i saw inside! What a fabulous venue with plenty of bar areas and toilet facilities. The acoustics are absolutely on point and the floor is on a gradient so everyone gets to see the stage
H. C.Good venue right near a lot of other good bars such as the Gorilla which is opposite so perfect to go out after seeing a show. However some of the drinks are very overpriced. My friend paid £17 for 2 vodka lemonades
C. A.Great venue. There are seating areas but you have to get there ridiculously early to get a seat. But the drinks are quite pricey so didn't want to spend longer here than I needed to.
R. B.Iconic venue, great for close atmosphere. Beats a stadium any day for me.
R. K.Great venue, love the springed dance floor
V. S.Have a long history with this venue back to it's Monday student rock nights. The bouncy dance floor remains and the corridor still has a strange slope to it, appear from that it's changed quite a bit. Now a music venue rather than club nights. It's a good place to see bands, all standing, big enough to pack people in but not massive it has a good atmosphere
D.Needs an update althougb it's a great venue for an up close and personal gig. The original features of the building are ideal and the dancefloor still moves which is how I remember it to be in the 90's which was when I last sent there before this visit. It hasn't changed that much since then which is both a good and bad thing - my shoes were sticking to the carpets which isn't good really!
A.Good venue for bigger artists, but small enough to feel part of it.
R. B.Great venue, good sound, bouncing floor, just need more bar staff
A. S.Great live music venue. Drinks are pretty expensive here . Bar staff excellent. Still got the sprung dance floor downstairs. Balcony good for watching bands but got to get there early for balcony spot.
L. W.Fab venue. Drinks are overpriced.
H. P.Gorgeous venue! Soft drinks not too expensive and alcohol cheap enough. Brilliant venue for being able to see the stage from pretty much anywhere without the usual crush for space! Definitely a favourite music venue.
R. Q.Great night out. Toilets could do with some attention
T.Good venue but they need to put some fans to move the air around. Also should try to improve the sound for standing areas upstairs. The sound was really bad...could barely hear anyone except for lead singer. A bit too much distortion too, but guess that is the sound guys responsibility.
N. P.We went to see Ella eyre here, very well secured when entering and exciting and a perfect space not to big or to small
E. M.Gig was great, sounded great but drinks were really expensive so make sure you take extra cash! £5.10 for a pint in the North West is almost unheard of 😲
You can buy a 2 pint glass though, I think they were around £10. Bar service is nice and quick though despite there being loads of people. Other than that a top night!
A. O.Attended with crutches as I have recently broken my ankle, all the security staff were very accommodating and helpful, made sure I had enough space and that no one walked into me. There was a specific area designated for people with disabilities/crutches and security made sure that we were okay and told us to let them know if we needed anything or wanted to move. I was allowed to stay later while everyone was still filtering out and when I was leaving the staff all made sure that I had enough space and were overall very nice.
M. D.Awesome music venue with Balcony for those who just want to watch the band
D. P. A.Love this place ...most of the staff are nice great atmosphere
J. C.Small but makes the gig more intimate, took stars off as very over priced on drinks and the bar staff were not great
I. R.Such a great sized venue. Loads of bars so there’s never really a big wait to get a drink. Loads of standing space too, can almost always get a good view
L. S.Great venue, sound was amazing (went to see The Hu) awesome gig. All staff very friendly and polite. The ladies toilets were very clean and tidy (makes a pleasant change for a music venue!)
J. H.Even though I'd be happier if I could reserve our seats, it is a great venue for any concert. Bar upstairs as well as downstairs, toilets right next to it. That's all you need. Go have fun 😊
B. C.A great venue but the one thing that could be changed is access to the toilets. There's two doors and more than enough room to allow people access, but one side is barriered off for no apparent reason, which causes constant queues at the entrance to the top of the stairs.
S. H. C. R.Great venue great bar staff...BUT...went to a gig last night that started at 4pm and you are NOT allowed out, no food is served here and went in early to support the band's on first, big mistake as you are trapped and cannot leave. Most of security were great apart from one who was extremely rude
J. G.Great place loved seeing Mel c ❤️ ❤️
S. B.Great music venue.
V. F.Great gig for my daughter! Staff friendly and helpful, drink prices very expensive!
M. A.Superb venue. At lot of smart ideas implemented here. For example, there's a downstairs room to have a little breather if it's all getting a bit much in the venue. Also, the bar staff all have digital price displays, so you don't need to second guess what price they just said in amongst the hubbub of the band/punters. Then of course there's the famous bouncy floor, which just adds another dimension to a gigs atmosphere.
B. V.A lot of people talk about the Apollo as being the best in Manchester for live music but I'd be hard-pressed to say it was better than the Ritz. Something about the acoustics of both places makes the sound quality excellent but the Ritz is closer to the City Centre and has a great selection of gigs. Some of the best gigs I've been to were at this venue and I'm always glad when a band I like is coming to town and the Ritz is the venue.
A. S.Nice atmosphere and a nice venue in general but entrance and drinks aren't too cheap and not really my kind of music. Saturdays play edm and house which aren't my thing. Other times during the week they have live singers which are much better but are sometimes a little hit and miss. Would definitely give it a go to see if it's your kind of place.
M. D.Old-school venue, a bit grubby and aged like a fine wine. Stupendously convenient location (compared with some of Manchester's other mid-sized venues). Great for rock gigs, even if the sound occasionally gets a bit muddy.
S. S.To stress before i get into this, I had a really great night at the 02 Ritz the night i went, but this is a review of the venue, not the band I watched so..... Drinks were expensive (though I guess that was to be expected), and not that great a selection. The white wine they were selling was garbage, so try something else! Getting to the bar and making yourself heard over the music was entertaining as well. Toilets are cramped and always busy (again, its a gig, so whats new there!). Sound and lighting for the gig i saw weren't great (all the online reviews I've seen mentioned this fact), but i don't know if this was down to the venue, or the band I saw that night.
S. W.Great small venue. Accessible wheelchair service was as absolutely great. When we arrived we were shown to the level access door, right next to the queue at the main entrance. Remi (who made it all super easy) looked after us and escorted us to the front of the stage. We were given the option of being at the side of the stage, behind the barriers, in the disabled area, or right at the front, with the rest of the crowd. We chose the latter. Thank you to the kind couple who swapped places with us. All the security guys were really friendly and helpful. There's an accessible toilet in the disabled area, which we were given access to at any point we needed. A great Starsailor gig, as always! Made even better by the professional, friendly security staff! Will definitely return!
N. U.O2 seem to know what they're doing with music venues, so I don't really have anything negative to say to be honest. All I'll say is that I wish drink weren't so expensive in venues like this, but it can't be helped. Other than that, decent venue, most of the time sound quality depends on the sound engineer, so can't comment on that either 🙃
G. W.Excellent venue for music. Being from a small town I found the beverages to be somewhat pricey but only to be expected from somewhere that hosts events in a city. Great range of acts and entertainment from bands to other performances such as boxing and wrestling.
S. E.Brilliant place for an all day punk fest. Easy to get service at the bar. A few seats in the balcony area, which was great for me as I normally have trouble standing long periods. Top venue. Thanks 02 Ritz.
M. B.Cool venue,with awesome sounds from Sturgill Simpson
G. W.I was a bit stunned at the bar prices particularly as I had to buy beer in cans as they only have lager on draught! Staff were friendly and helpful and the atmosphere was wonderful, it's changed a lot since the 80's when I was here every week but that's life. Put some beer on draught and adjust the prices and it's 5 stars!
T. T.Britney howard absolutely blew me away !!! We love you soooooo much xxx
D. E.Great place for a gig.....loved it there... unfortunately, the Gestapo where at the door!
C. H.Good size venue, drinks aren't too badly priced. Security on the door was a bit of a bottle neck, but we got in quick enough. I'm gonna keep an eye out for future events here.
M. C.Really like this venue for gigs. Wherever you are, you get a great view of the band/ artist. One issue: the beer prices have gone up. £5.10 for a pint of Carlsberg is criminal.
T. Y.Great venue I'd not been to before, good selection of drinks on, fabulously expensive but it's a music venue! Three bars so you won't struggle to get one. Great sound too
S. M.Intimate vintage small venue. Bars in the main standing area and a bar upstairs on the balcony, limited seating on the balcony area but a great view of the stage. Up close and personal with the artists!! One of my favorites.
S. T.It used to be a venue that you had to wipe your shoes on the way out, but it has improved. Small enough to feel like an intimate gig, but big enough for an enthusiastic crowd. Booze is very expensive and a dude passing up and down the queue was hassling people to download an app that reduced the cost but probably puts you on an emailing list until the end of your days.
A. W.Ok...so the old crow medicine show were terrific and you won't see them but this is a smashing venue. Good location for parking or trains. Food and drinks nearby. It's a good size ...you still feel close to the band even at the back but there are enough people for a great atmosphere. A terrific venue
L. R.Fantastic venue - lovely staff, alright drink selection (a little costly but to be expected), and 3 bars all around the live music so always accessible! Also fantastic stage and lighting, was an incredible show!
a. j. (.Great gig venue. Plenty of nearby parking, and the upstairs balcony makes it very easy to get a good view as well. Only downside is the usual horrendous gig prices for drinks!
A. P.Great little venue for gigs, it's size makes them feel more intimate as you're so close to the band wherever you are, even on the upper floor. Only reason it's not 5 stars is that the stage lighting rig can be a little overwhelming as it must be for larger venues.
A. N.Can't fault the background staff phoned up to sort getting my son in with his sister. Explained that he was an amputee so needed to get in & out before the crowds. When we got there I spoke to a security guard, all our sons details had been passed on. The security guys were fantastic...He even saw them across the road to our car safely.Well Done to you all & thanks for making sure everything was sorted.. They both had a fab night.. Xxx
M. P.A good venue for concerts. Even when the ground floor was full we found enough room on the first floor
D. W.I love this venue, it is such a intimate place, it creates so many good vibes
A. C.Decent place for a concert with 1500 capacity.
N. F.What a great live music venue in Manchester, drinks were a tad expensive but it's a captive audience, so you kind of expect it. Good door security and polite staff on the bar made for a nice night out in the city.
J. O.Less than Jake and Goldfinger Fireball tour 2019
j. m.Great old venue, interesting architecture and perfect for small gigs.
A. B.Lovely venue, expensive booze
A. C.Size is perfect for gigs. Not too small or too big. And unsegregated areas, so you can go and stand on the bottom floor or go up into the balcony and try and find a seat. Bar both upstairs and downstairs. Drinks pricey but to be expected. Also one of the few live music venues to let you go into a smoking area if you smoke.
I.Nice little venue. Great friendly bar staff. Not sure if it was the house sound system for the Tower of Power gig but a bit bass light if so.
A. M.Beer overpriced and tasted odd floors very slipy lots of ppl fell over. Bands were great and the. Sound was also great well balanced but will drink more before I go again so I don't care as much about the price of drinks or how bad they taste
a. c.Nice atmosphere and experience, but doesn't seem to be any air conditioning which is probably necessary when there is a gig as it was incredibly hot and stuffy. Drinks were rather overpriced and switched with cheaper vodka(spirit) options.
N. a. S. H.Brilliant Flyte and Lord Huron performances last night. Venue arranged for us to have early access to seats on the balcony as one of the party can’t stand for extended periods. Staff couldn’t have been more helpful!
Great venue!
Would definitely go again.
B. H.This and the Apollo are my two favourite venues for gigs.
The Ritz is a good size, big enough for a brilliant atmosphere, small enough for it to feel intimate.
The beer is extortionate but that's par for the course.
And of course there is the bouncy dance floor so the place really does jump.
S. B.Saw a tribute to David Bowie here, absolutely packed. But if pushing and shoving going on but to be expected. Stage high so we could all get a good look at the performers.
D. O.Great balcony on the upper floor which gives great views of the bands, you don't have to pay to access this. Really good small venue. Alcohol is very expensive though!
C. S.Always enjoy gigs at the Ritz. The size of the venue gives the vibe of a more intermate experience with bands. For me though, the best thing is the upper level balcony, get a good position up there and you get a totally unrestricted view of the stage. Plus there is a bar up there and toilets.
A.Nice intimate venue, I like the two levels, there was a great view from up stairs. £4 for a cup of pop is disgusting, so much for encouraging people to have a designated driver when non alcoholic drinks are as expensive as beer.
A. J.Great venue with top acoustics
S. T.Paul Draper was amazing, the venue is legendary in Manchester, well worth a look for gigs.
o. 5. t.Excellent venue - cheaper drinks than most, great view from the balcony , well staffed and security was second to none.
We had a brilliant night thanks to all the Ritz team we'll be there again soon hopefully ☺️☺️
S. G.Good sized venue, large enough for cult bands, small enough for intimacy. Main issue is lack of seating. Balcony offers such space, but was closed off. Quite a few older rock fans with dodgy knees/backs/hips need to be catered for.
G. T.Place was a great venue for the VOLBEAT gig on 29th May 2018. Great atmosphere.
We sat on the balcony section. Drinks were reasonably priced. Water was free. Toilets clean although a bit of a squeeze as there isn't much room between the toilet and the door opening.
A. J.Packed out and hardly any seating not good if you have back or knee problems. Hope you have a strong bladder too coz you can't get near the look except when the act is on. Great venue for gigs
A. C.I went to see Aurora and the sound was good. The venue is clean and the personnel is kind. On the other hand, most of the time the place was really hot (they turned the air conditioning on the last hour before the concert finished) and the drinks are a rip off.
J. L.We had issues with are tickets due to multiple cancelled and rebooked gigs due to covid. The staff where really helpful.
W.Decent venue, never a queue at the bar and good sound
L. H.First time I have been here ...for Dodgy last night. Great night, great sound quality but must commend the friendliness, attitude and professionalism of all the security and bar staff .... breath of fresh air. Dont know who trains these guys ..... but many venues could learn from their example. Excellent service.
T. D.Great venue, but really, it was all about reel big fish!
A. W.A strangely comfy venue. Top tip, chill upstairs for the support act, then enjoy the famously bouncy dance floor for the main event. Still good after all these years!
E. M.Great place just on the small side when your at a concert
C. O.Pale waves were best I have seen them play!
D.First time visiting this venue, and was impressed by it. I found the staff to be very helpful and polite. Sound quality was spot on, nice and clear. It was also quite clean, my feet weren't sticking to the carpet. Will definitely go there again.
D. W.Went to see Superorganism, crowd were energetic and overall gig was really fun.
A. D.The O2 Ritz is a medium sized arena that hosts various different musical acts throughout the year. Seating is comprised of two tiers; a lower, larger tier with great views of the stage, and an upper tier that's somewhat smaller but has good views from the front to view the stage. The upper tier also has great access to the upstairs bar for easy drink purchase during shows.
S. C.A proper old school theatre, rather than the more typical O2 Academy type venues. Great PA though, and we'll laid out with a bar at either side of the room. Car parking is probably tricky, but the venue is right next to Oxford Road station, so very accessible. The staff are helpful, and efficient with regards to getting everyone clear of the building safely at the end of the evening (the Ritz being on a busy city centre street(
J.The size of the venue is pretty descent, but the sound quality is often quite bad and the cost to buy drinks are obscene. There are better venues out there in Manchester.
C. T.Get there early as there is no seating. The best vantage points are from the gallery upstairs but again, unless you pinch a seat from the bar, there is no seating. Awful, boomy acoustics which the sound engineer didn't cope with (at the LP gig), but thankfully, LP is phenomenal so that was a bonus! I would have liked, indeed expected, a lot more clarity in the mix in order to hear the undoubted quality of the musician's playing but, it wasn't to be. I'm a professional musician so I am qualified to comment on the piss-poor sound! Happily, the venue holds 1,500 so the vibe was intimate. Get that PA sorted Ritz!
T.Amazing venue no matter where you were you felt close to the stage. Went to see Flatbush Zombies the energy was unreal and the venue was perfect. Only downside was floor was slippery once a few drinks were spilt. Night to remember!
P. P.Good venue really, everything you'd expect to find. Relatively clean toilets, unobtrusive security. Average beer, but you never get better than average beer at a gig
S. C.Just wanted to say a massive thank you to all the amazing staff who looked after me and my wife at the Volbeat concert on Tuesday 29/5/18. Having requested a stool on the balcony for my wife who can't stand for long, we were taken in the side entrance by a brilliant staff member who made us feel like VIPs. Even at the end of the show when I went to the toilet,a staff member stayed with her to check she was ok. Many thanks for a fantastic evening only enhanced by great people who are an asset to your great venue.
A.Fabulous place. Friendly staff and security. Decent price for drinks and great night!!
M. Y.Great venue that I've attended plenty of times. Spacious but small, plenty of room up on the balcony if you want a higher view and the beer isn't TOO expensive (not cheap though!).
B. M.Top live music venue, the sprung dance floor makes a great bouncing place whilst listening to your favourite band. You can always head on up to the balcony for a well deserved rest and a good view if you can get close to the rail that it is.
J. J.Great venue . Door staff always pleasant and easy to talk to . Acoustics are quite nice when the rooms full and sound guys are on point ! And they usually are.
j. m.I was in a wheelchair, positioning was brilliant. Staff amazing, John looked after us, we were offered water regularly and the toilet was very close by. At the end we were escorted out by a really nice young lady. Couldn't have asked for more
L. R.A good little venue for an intimate gig. The acoustics are good and you can get a great view from anywhere, especially the upper balcony when they open it. The only let down is that the drinks are extortionate especially considering how they use the cheapest of cheap for spirits. E.g. Glenn's vodka...
E. D. M.Beautiful Place, security not so efficient during a concert.
J. R.Great venue but waited 45 minutes to get into the gig, in the cold and rain. I don't know if this was the venue or the staff for the Alan Walker gig but it wasn't nice. Over £5 for a pint of lager wasn't great either tbh.
A. M.Excellent live music venue with great facilities. Sounds good and the balcony is welcome respite for those that don't appreciate watching music from the pit. Download the O2 academy app for discounts from certain drinks.
S. A.Great show, great space!
J. C.Good size for a gig but can't go out to buy anything from shop and they don't sell cigarettes so come prepared. Beer tasted a bit funny but great for the performances.
J. P.Spacious venue, good bar service, great range of gigs
T. M.Just the right size. Easy to get in and out of. Toilets are good!
S. G.One of the best gigs I've seen milburn was great
S. B.Nice venue, helpful staff
M. L.Great venue for live music/night out! Bars are really accessible being either side of the main floor area. Great view from upstairs to accessible to all ticket holders..
L. H.Peggy didn't spit in my mouth
j. j.After reading mixed reviews was a bit wary. However the place was tidy and clean enough. Toilets were fine. Draught beer was chilled and fair priced. I'd avoided bottled though, turnover is so quick it never sits long enough to chill.
N. W.Severe lack of security and crowd management. More hi-viz employees out managing well behaved smokers than making any presence known to the over packed small venue. Spent the entire gig being subjected to a rowdy bunch of drunken simpletons who had no deterrent to behave due to ZERO venue staff present on the perimeter where we stood (in other words they would have been in sight of any staff had there been any). My back was pushed and shoved countless times by these idiots and this event was for 14+. Disgusting 02, get your act together! Been gigging all my life and this was a dreadful environment. Do not choose to spend your hard earned cash at this venue, follow your favourite band to somewhere safer!
C. B.Came here for the Ultimate Power club night. Great venue. Staff were super friendly, and service was quick. Lots of drinks choice.
Nice to see they are only using paper straws! 👌
A. S.Only downside to this venue is I don't like standing for 4 hrs and can't always get to a rail upstairs to lean on. Other than no seating really it is a good venue and has lots of interesting and diverse acts there.
M. T.Really good venue, good view of stage from everywhere, bars take contactless cards and there's a 5% discount if you have a barclaycard. Budget £5.13 a pint of Carlsberg lager with the discount. £3 for the cloakroom. All in all excellent venue, super convenient to get to from Oxford Street railway station and also enjoyed a pint at the Salisbury pub nearby before the gig which offers a discount for gig goers.
A. W.I was really impressed with the sound quality at the Ritz. The lighting was also really incredible. As far as venues go, you can't go wrong here. I would definitely recommend coming and seeing a gig.
T. H.Joe Jackson gig. Stand up affair. Good acoustics, bar well stocked with people and beer. Still wonder how showsec choose some of their employees and how those in that bracket actually get SIA badges but that's not the venue's direct fault.. Great gig, decent venue, decent site lines and overall a good atmosphere.
M. C.Great venue. Sound good.
On the particular night (22/07/2018) I went it was way too hot. I was dripping in sweat while standing at the back not moving!
Some air conditioning please
G. R.Tremonti at the Ritz. Amazing venue. Amazing sound. And the best band
M. B.I love this venue, not to big or small. Wherever you are standing you always have a decent view of the stage.
3 minute walk from the nearest train station.
Only reason I give 3 stars are the totally absurd beer price's. £5.30 for a pint of San Miguel.... Damn rip off and they know it.
P. T.Superb venue for a good sized crowd and atmosphere
M. W.The Ritz is an iconic Manchester venue and has played host to many a fantastic artist. Great stage views and bouncy dancefloor plus balcony for less dancy types. Drinks are a bit pricey but in line with other large venues.
L. B.Saw Lacuna Coul play here and the venue was great... didn't feel too crowded and staff were friendly.... prices on alcohol were a but expensive but other than that a great place to see live music
M. D.Sound on the balcony is poor, lots of vibration
E. C.I never got chance to go in The Ritz whilst it was still a nightclub, but since it's been a music venue it doesn't really feel "right" (although since the Albert Hall was converted from Brannigans I think that place works better). It's actually a decent sized venue for medium-sized indie bands, and the downstairs basement part is good for smaller bands too - which makes it perfect for Dot to Dot now that they no longer use Manchester Academy. The acoustics are good and the place is nice and dark for a venue, but the floor is quite sticky!! Drinks prices are ok, but it's definitely not one of my favourite venues in Manchester. It's obviously worth going to though if there's a band you love playing there!
L. S.Decent venue, expensive drinks
X. W.Saw the Interrupters here recently. As a wheelchair user I had an excellent experience. Staff were friendly and helpful. Had the choice to sit side stage in my chair or just by the barrier on a tall chair which I transferred to.
N. S. (.Been twice now so far for gigs. It's a decent sized venue with some seating available. Great staff and atmosphere but the sound tech is naff with the support bands and drink prices are a total scam.
M. F.Great venue. Polite door team and quick bar service.
S. M.Great for Rock & Metal gigs love this place as wide instead of long like most venues means your closer to stage regardless of where you stand. Draft beer is terrible drink from a bottle.
V. C.This is a decent venue with good prices and drinks and generally, a good variety of people to see. Despite this, I've had several bad encounters with fellow customers that the bouncers were not happy to help me with, and that seriously detracted from my opinion of the place.
G. U.Good soundsystem , I saw M83 when I went and they sounded amazing. Standard poor selection of drinks, like any other O2 venue. Plenty of standing room and quite a few seats on the upper deck, although they could always do with more.
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