YES Manchester
YES is a four-storey music venue and bar on Charles Street, just off Oxford Road in Manchester, run by promoters Now Wave. It mixes gigs and club nights with a ground-floor bar, street food and a roof terrace, so it works for an afternoon drink as well as a late night.
Photos
James Prewitt
Four floors
The building, a former auctioneers' house, is split into distinct spaces. The Pink Room is the main gig room, holding about 250, while the Basement is an intimate space for around 60. The ground floor is a bar open from midday, and at the top a roof terrace looks out over the city skyline. Each floor has its own character, so a night can move from the bar to a gig to the roof without leaving the building.
What's on
Now Wave programme live bands and DJs across house, disco, post-punk, electro and leftfield pop, with club nights running late at weekends. Check listings in advance for gigs in the Pink Room, which often sell out. On quieter afternoons the bar and terrace are a laid-back place to sit with a drink.
Food and nearby
Food comes from concessions in the bar, including kebabs and pizza slices, and there are cocktail deals in the afternoon. Charles Street is a few minutes from Oxford Road station and the universities. The Refuge, in the Kimpton Clocktower hotel, is close by for dinner beforehand, and the Alan Turing Memorial in Sackville Gardens is a short walk.
Highlights
- Four floors: bar, Pink Room, Basement and roof terrace
- Pink Room gigs for about 250
- Programmed by promoters Now Wave
- Late club nights at weekends
- Food concessions in the bar
Good to know
- The bar opens at midday daily and runs late on Thursday to Saturday.
- Gig and club tickets are sold separately; check the venue's listings.
Frequently asked questions
Nearby
Sources: creativetourist.com