Band on the Wall

Band on the Wall is a live music venue in the Northern Quarter of Manchester City Centre, U.K. There has been music played here since at least 1862 when it was called the George and Dragon, the venue got its nickname in the 1930's from the high stage at the back of the club.

In 1975 it was bought by a Jazz musician Steve Morris and reopened as Band on the Wall, the main music was Jazz and many legends played here including artists like Art Blakey, Sonny Stitt and Slim Gaillard.

In the late 70's early 80's the venue put on many different acts and was a focal point for the emerging punk scene, bands such as Joy Division, Buzzcocks and The Fall all played early gigs around this time.

The 80's saw a diversification from simply Jazz and many Reggae and 'world' music acts graced the stage, visiting musicians included Prince Far I, Ali Farka Toure, Desmond Dekker, Memphis Slim as well as hundreds of others from all corners of the globe. The extensive multicultural reputation has been with us ever since.

There has been a long tradition of education at the venue consolidated in the 'MusicRoots' scheme which included Courses, seminars and masterclasses as well as outreach projects.

The 90's saw further enhancement of the venues reputation with appearances from latin greats such as Eddie Palmieri and contempary crossovers with club culture and events using visual mixing and projection technology.

The new millenium saw this ethos built upon and some of Manchesters Club Nights such as Eyes Down, Soul:ution, C'mon Feet, and LuvDub held monthly residencies. The venue was awarded Club of the Year, Jazz gig of the Year (Soweto Kinch) and (Marcus Intalex - Soul:ution) DJ of the Year by City Life in recognition of this pioneering aproach.

Band on the Wall was the venue in the city centre for live reggae music for time, on friday nights local bands such as C Charge, T & Latouche, Edward II, Nucleus Roots and artist such as Prince Hammer made the walls shake with pure bass. Many British acts such as Zion Train and Aswad graced the stage, as well as International Stars like Horace Andy, Toots & the Maytals and Burning Spear. The Sound Systems created some of the best nights, especially Freedom Masses, Iration Steppas, Jah Shaka, Dub Dada, Vibronics and too many others to mention. But not forgetting Prince Tony. Nights like It's Friday Night! Its Reggae Night! and most recently LuvDub kept the bass moving...

The venue closed on New Years Eve 2004-05 for ambitious capital development programme to develop the venue and adjacent buildings to create a new kind of centre for music and the moving image, the first of its kind in the country.