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Day: 23 May 2014

Review: National Football Museum

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Freshers' Guide.

In a modern sporting world full of money grabbing owners, dodgy half and half scarves, and underperforming-overpaid stars, it is easy to fall out of love with the game. However, there is a beacon of light in the ever-darkening world of football, a reminder of why of why we should give the game a second chance.

Based in Manchester City Centre’s impressive Urbis building for just over a year, the National Football Museum has already attracted over 500,000 visitors since its move from Preston, and it isn’t difficult to see why.

The museum prides itself on being the world’s biggest and best football museum, and despite the voice of John Motson commentating your journey in the lift, it is difficult to argue. Containing artefacts from the rare to the obscure, the museum provides a thorough run-through of the development of football from its origins to the present day.

The museum boasts a huge wealth of interactive content, with either touch screens or headphones adorning almost every wall. The focus on interaction can even been seen in the lifts, with John Motson bleeting out which floor number you are on. The biggest talking point is probably the second floor’s penalty shootout challenge. While £5 for three penalties is probably a little steep, the chance to take a spot-kick at the same goal that Gazza famously scored in against Scotland at Euro 96′ is one not to be missed—even if two of our group were denied by the crossbar. There is ever the chance to be part of the Match of the Day team, under the tutelage of Gary Lineker, with a chance to commentate on a Premier League game of your choice.

This year celebrates the 125th anniversary of the foundation of the world’s first Football League in Manchester. The museum explores the changes in the league over the year, and the characters who helped shaped football as we know it, such as Herbert Chapman, Stanley Matthews and George Best.

If you are a long suffering fan, or a new suffering fan in the case of a certain Manchester team, you can relive your team’s glory days on the third floor of the Museum with invaluable trophies from the Football league that are no longer used, Wembley clackers, as well as my personal favourite the old fashioned ribbon badges.

It also offers something for the die hards—the Sunday morning sticker swap. Whether it is for the World Cup, or the Premier League, you can get rid of one of your three Yaya Toure and pick up the Shiny Columbia team badge you have been hunting for.

Well worth a mention is the photography provided by Stuart Roy Clarke, which gives a raw insight into the largely unseen side of football. In his new collection on the museum’s ground floor, Clarke provides 18 photographs taken at the biggest games of the 2012/13 season. Using shots of fans both inside and outside of grounds, Clarke features a wide range of clubs from the Premiership matches at Old Trafford, to Northern League matches in Whitley Bay.

The museum is by no means the glorious ode to the national game which you would perhaps expect. Significant sections of the first floor pay homage to football’s chequered past. There are powerful exhibits dedicated to issues such as crowd trouble, stadium safety, and sexism, all of which to some extent continue to exist in the game to this day. The exhibit on women’s football in particular is a poignant reminder of how far the game has come since women’s teams were eventually allowed to play in FA grounds in 1971.

After the problems experienced with racism, biting, and the likes in recent years, the National Football Museum provides a welcome reminder of why we ought to be proud to be football supporters in the 21st century. In the era of the £83 million transfer, the museum reminds us that football, without fans, is nothing.

The museum is free to enter, although a £4 donation upon entry or exit is recommended. It is open 10am til 5pm Monday-Saturday, and 11am til 5pm on Sundays. For information on upcoming exhibitions go to www.nationalfootballmuseum.com.

The best live music venues in Manchester

Written by Matthew Staite on . Posted in Freshers' Guide, Music.

Manchester’s live music scene is simply awesome, and the city has some great venues to boot. For many (including myself) it is considered the best place in the country for music fanatics. So without further ado, let me give you a quick tour of Manchester’s musical haunts.

The largest gigs, which albeit are mostly pop groups, take place at the MEN Arena. This venue has the largest capacity, but due to it’s location and high ticket prices I can’t imagine you’ll be coming here much as a student. However, situated in our very own university are Manchester Academy and Academy 2, two of the best venues in the city. Playing host to gigs nearly every night with reasonably priced tickets available from the Students’ Union, this is always a popular choice with students. The venues’ history never ceased to amaze me, with legends such as David Bowie, Nirvana, The White Stripes, and Amy Winehouse (to name only a few) having graced the stage multiple times. The O2 Apollo is only a short walk around the corner, and has played host to established bands like The National and up and coming acts like Disclosure and Jake Bugg in recent months. The Ritz is your fairly run of the mill venue, and while it slightly further away is still only a stones throw from the Oxford Road. While it isn’t the most exciting venue, its claim to fame is that The Smiths played their first concert there.

Perhaps the most exciting music to be heard in the city will be found in some of Manchester’s smaller venues. The super cool Gorilla (across the road from The Ritz) has a knack for booking up-and-coming bands, and the food from the attached restaurant and bar is to die for. Night & Day and the Soup Kitchen are both situated in the edgy Northern Quarter area. The decor in both venues really adds to the atmosphere, and their smaller size combined with the quality of bands playing there will blow you away. Both venues serve delicious food and craft beers in the day. Sound Control also plays host to the occasional gig, and while its size is tiny, it makes up for it in atmosphere.

Moving back towards the University, The Deaf Institute is a perfect place to catch an intimate gig from one of your favourite bands and unwind with a beer downstairs afterwards. The Fallow Cafe is situated in Fallowfield itself, and is seeing and increasing number of gigs played there. It’s proximity to student accommodation (100m from Owens Park and Oak House) means you will never find a more convenient venue.

Trof, the company behind Gorilla and the Deaf Institute recently opened the Albert Hall, a Weslyan church that had remained closed and hidden for 40 years prior to its renovation. The grand and ornate chapel has been restored into a stunning purpose built music hall, and more well known bands are increasingly choosing to play there, with Bombay Bicycle Club, Goldfrapp and Moderat having played there in the last few months. The vibe created by the stained glass windows, ornate roof and tiered balcony really needs to be experienced to be understood.

Perhaps the most famous venue these days amongst students is the Victoria Warehouse. The once disused now converted warehouse is home to TheWarehouse Project (who’s roster of performing electronic, house and techno artists is unrivalled), and recently to the BBC 6 music festival. Slightly further out of town than other venues (the warehouse is next to Old Trafford), you can be guaranteed a good night of music here.

The top night spots in Manchester

Written by Olly Mitchell on . Posted in Freshers' Guide, Music.

Wahlbar, Fallowfield

Opening its doors in 2012, Wahlbar has provided students disposed against leaving the confines of Fallowfield with quality cocktails and beers in a tastefully decorated interior. Happy hours from 6-9pm every day promise a half price drink if you treat yourself to a stone baked pizza from their pizza oven, and on selected nights later in the evening they invite local DJs to play the basement. Whether you’re out to dance, or simply sit around and soak up the atmosphere, Wahlbar ticks both the chill and mingle boxes. Highly recommended.

Indigo, Withington

One borough south of Fallowfield along Wilmslow Road is Withington, a high street suburb with a community-oriented melting pot of creative students and locals alike. Indigo is a gem, easy to miss with the entrance being an unassuming door next to the One Stop. It’s a cosy and atmospheric basement jazz club with a well-rounded drinks menu of rarely seen imported beers and more. Wednesday night is ‘jam night’, for which a jazz band (often from the Royal Northern College of Music) kick off proceedings around 10pm, with the potential for anyone who’s down there to step up and get involved as they please until close at 2am. Arrived early? Check out Solomun Grundy’s and Fuel Veggie Café (next door and opposite respectively) for one or two.

Odder Bar, Oxford Road

The Function Room upstairs at Odder Bar is a wonderful space, working well to host local bands and a strong selection of club nights that tend to stray away from the norm. The house lager and spirits are kind on the pocket, although I suggest you stay away from the rum, responsible for one of the filthier hangovers of my Manchester experience, unless you like that sort of thing. When in club mode, the stage gives another level to the dance floor, the whole dancing area being secluded away from the bar and thoroughfares to keep the lively atmosphere locked in tight.

Hula Bar, Northern Quarter

It’s unusual to go bar-crawling around Manchester’s Northern Quarter and not stumble into at least a couple of Tiki cocktail bars. Cinnamon scented Hula is up amongst the best. With a thrilling drinks menu, the proficient mixologists behind the bar serve up your cocktail of choice with flair, often with fire involved. The soundtrack across the night comprises of a seamless flow of bouncy R’n’B, which keeps the energy up when the wallet runs dry from the young professional drinks prices.

The Roadhouse, Northern Quarter

The Roadhouse, to be found on Newton St. off Piccadilly Gardens, has a long-standing reputation for hosting high quality club nights and gigs. Descending down the stairs into the basement, the unconventional club is split into two halves, consisting of a bar and dance floor/pit area separated by a drape. Monthly club nights bring their characteristic sounds and demographics, making The Roadhouse a favourite amongst music heads, Northern Quarter dwellers, and the more curious student.

Gorilla, Whitworth Street West

Gorilla filled an important gap in Manchester’s venues by providing a 600 capacity gig and club space. The main draw is that the quality of club nights and live music is generally pretty high, booking a lot of artists in-house as well as outsourcing to promoters. The main club has the feel of an aircraft hangar and can certainly provide a good time, though the atmosphere can lack a little when the attendance is low.

Sankeys, Ancoats

Having fallen victim to The Warehouse Project’s rise to prominence, the future ever remains unclear for the 2010 “Best Club in the World according to DJ Mag readers”. As the WHP 2013 season was simmering down, the reopening was announced for December and a rethought basement layout brought in a new era for the club. Student nights run during the week and provide a boisterous fresher experience. Fridays and Saturdays bring in high-calibre DJ line-ups and run through until dawn. The sound system upstairs in Spektrum is arguably the best in the city, perfectly tuned to the acoustics of the room.

Antwerp Mansion, Rusholme

The Antwerp Mansion is an old Belgian embassy tucked away behind the curry mile. After passing down an alley and into the garden, you enter a rough yet ready party space, playing host to a number of well-established Manchester club nights. The downstairs room has a stage for bands or DJs with a meaty sound system and the drinks at the bar are reasonably priced. Moving through to the hall and up the grand (ish) staircase, it’s easy to feel like you’re at a stately yet undeniably mancunian house party. For Fallowfield dwellers, it’s a convenient and fully satisfied ten-minute stumble home.