Category: Manchester

Manchester Venue 107 – AATMA

One of the continuing delights of Manchester is the proliferation of different and unique venues that continue to spring up on the gig circuit. One such venue is Manchester AATMA, which when I first visited it was known under its previous moniker as Kraak Gallery. It is literally buried deep in the back streets of the Northern Quarter and was once a derelict former textile mill. It is arguably comparable to Islington Mill with its commendable DIY ethic and industrial vibe and is a multipurpose event space with a 150 capacity.  

I first became aware of its existence in 2012 and I have visited eleven times in total. The first challenge I faced was finding the venue, it is located at 14-16 Faraday Street off Stephenson Square and is accessed via an unmarked door in an alley off an alley! You then climb up to the first floor to find the venue and as you enter you find the stage to the right and a pop-up bar down to the left with a battered old sofa providing the sparse seating area.

AATMA entrance. Image Credit youtube.com

The act that night was the Jacuzzi Boys who are an excellent three-piece garage/surf rock band from Miami. Their debut album in 2009, ‘No Seasons’ caught the attention of none other than Iggy Pop who invited them to be opening slot on his tour. They have been quiet for a few years but have just released a new EP.

My next visit was in December of the same year when there was a punky bill taking place that we on the hoof decided to dive in to watch the noisy Canadian opening band called Sounds of the Swarm. Due to the warehouse setting the room was icy cold and the can of Boddingtons Bitter purchased nearly moulded itself into my hand!

The old sofa! Image Credit headbox.com

We then headed to our scheduled gig at Academy 3 to watch God is an Astronaut before returning to Kraak to see the headliners Victories at Sea who provided a sonic outro to complete an aural assault of an evening.  My only one regret with the venue is that I was unable to attend when the Nottingham noiseniks Cult of Dom Keller played as I had thoroughly enjoyed them when I had unexpectedly caught them in Brussels when visiting the Belgian city.

Many of my visits here have been part of the numerous Northern Quarter multi venue festivals.  On one such visit in 2014 I saw the Leeds post-hardcore trio Unwave. I then witnessed Tacetmusic there and the following year caught a singer songwriter called Sarah Walk from Chicago who was a former graduate of the Berklee College of Art.

Victories at Sea. Image Credit withguitars.com

In 2016 I saw some doomy hardcore from Berlin band Rope. A year later a caught a London three piece called False Heads, who had just released their debut EP. They were discovered and subsequently mentored by the former Ramones manager Danny Fields who has form in spotting a good un! Support slots followed with The Libertines and Queens of the Stone Age before releasing their debut album in 2020.  

In 2018 I witnessed the punky sounds of the Nectars who thoroughly embraced the sound from their home city of New York. Later that year I saw an enjoyable set from the all-female three-piece Peaness from Chester who had originally met at the University in the town. Next up was a lo-fi soul singer from Manchester called Darcie. My latest attendance last year resulted in seeing a band called Hup and a Latin tinged artist with the memorable moniker of Carlos Loverboy. 

Manchester Venues 103 to 106

When in attendance at the Sounds from the Other City (SFTOC) festival earlier this year I noted they had introduced a new venue to their ever-burgeoning roster which was Hot Bed Press which is located on Cow Lane in Salford.

The business was set up in 1994 by a small group of printmakers and they moved to their current site in Casket Works in 2006. They have grown since to 300 members and are the largest open-access print workshop in the region and as a result were able to buy their own building in 2017 and continue as a non-profit making organisation.  

Hot Bed Press. Image Credit britishletterpress.co.uk

The initial access was through the Manchester Hot Bed Press Courtyard where there was a small marquee set up, which was handy in the monsoon rain, and an act called Cal/Rob were playing.  You then entered the industrial zone and backdrop of the Manchester Hot Bed Press where there were cold beer cans on sale and a decent size stage set up where a band called Third Kulture was performing. They were a noisy rap/rock crossover trio from Manchester in the mould of Asian Dub Foundation.  

Nearby and further down Oldfield Road, past the Peking Duck Chinese restaurant is Manchester Five Four Studios Bar. On the day we arrived there was a delay to the opening time and there was a fair crowd building up outside the building. When the doors opened, we headed to the bar area for a drink and a much needed sit down. It is a communal space for people attending photo shoots or events and is based on a members club lounge layout with very comfy sofas. Whilst we were in residence, an act called Hold Tight were playing.  

Five Four Studios Bar. Image Credit www.fivefourstudios.com

There is a slow regeneration happening in this area of Salford and one such establishment is an Italian restaurant called Vero Moderno situated within Vimto Gardens on Chapel Street. Apparently, many premiership footballers visit here which does not itself ensure quality food, but it certainly garners attention.

We then headed over to Bexley Square where there was fortunately a one-hour sun break in the weather, and we grabbed the opportunity to perch at a table outside the Porta Tapas restaurant. Munchies struck at that point and the allure of the outside kitchen pulled us in to purchase a very tasty snack and a ‘calorie free’ Pastel de Nata for dessert washed down with a cold beer! The tapas restaurant did have some music performers on that evening, but we had left before then, but have since visited Porta for a very fine meal.

Bexley Square with the New Oxford pub in the background. Image Credit Manchester Evening News.

Across the square you would the Manchester New Oxford public house which is a three-storey building and dates back to 1850. It has had a variety of names over those two centuries including The Town hall Tavern. The Court Tavern, The Amateurs Arms and the Oxford Hotel. In the Amateur Arms days, it contained a music hall.

It has a plethora of beers to wave a stick at and it remains as one of the few hostelries still operating in the area. On the day of the festival, we saw Shannon from Admin play a set there.