The Night & Day Cafe has been at the heart of Manchester’s independent music scene since 1991, when Dutch-born entrepreneur Jan Oldenburg transformed a former chippy on Oldham Street into something far more ambitious. At the time, the Northern Quarter…
When New Century Hall opened its doors in 1963, it was intended to be far more than simply another performance space. Built as part of the Co-operative movement’s ambitious New Century House development, the Grade II-listed venue was designed as…
There are plenty of ways for a venue to celebrate its first birthday. Some bring in a headline act. Some put on a special event. Some stick a few balloons up, hope for the best and call it a celebration….
Liverpool’s Academy 2 may be one of the city’s smaller live music venues, but the building itself has no shortage of history. Long before amplifiers and stage lights arrived, the nineteenth century warehouse had served a variety of purposes, including…
I’ve been lucky enough to photograph some incredible musicians over the years, but the ones that stay with me aren’t always the household names. Sometimes you walk into a venue and stumble across something genuinely magical. An artist who should…
Saturday 5th September | The Sunbeam Hotel, Newton-le-Willows Originally intended as a one-off event back in June 2024, Jan-fest proves such a success that, two years on and by popular demand, North West music journalist Janet Harding brings her lively…