Manchester Academy

You'll find yourself down on Oxford Road heading towards the university quarter, pushing through the crowds at Manchester Academy—a place that's been pulling in punters for proper gigs since the '90s. It's the kind of venue where you're stood shoulder-to-shoulder with students and seasoned gig-goers alike, watching bands that'll either become massive or stay brilliantly obscure. The vibe is unapologetically sweaty and chaotic in the best way; the sound system's decent, the beer's cold, and there's zero pretension about what you're getting.