O2 Apollo Manchester

Went to O2 Apollo theatre manchester to see the legend that is Roy Chubby Brown for my birthday. Absolutely brilliant & funny as always. was on for just over an hour was well worth it. Then to top off the night met the man himself out side the stage door.
True Legend.

Love going to the Apollo theatre Manchester. Tonight was the One & Only Mr Roy Chuddy Brown. Wow what a show not for the faint hearted and for those easily offended.
.Door women gave me the full search on arrival which I think she got a kick out of it .did not like her attitude .NOT a nice lady so started the night on a negative. End of the show we went to the stage door and waited well worth being in the cold to get a pic of the man himself .Great gig Chubby Brown..

I don’t know what to say about Manchester’s music venues anymore. They are all so great. It’s extraordinary that a city of this size is easily among the top 10 places to see live music in the world.
I went to see D’Angelo at the Apollo and the Grade II listed art deco building was perfect for what felt like a moment in music history. The stage area is the ideal size for a large band, nobody looked cramped and the lighting was excellent too.
The audience are split over two levels — you can sit upstairs or stand in the sloping stalls. It’s still small enough that you can get up close and personal if you arrive early, but large enough to justice to a big rich sound.
Agree with Jonny re drink cost/​choice. Pepsi from a soda fountain for £2…the horror.

I Remember going here over 10 years ago (old age creeps up) lol!
seeing various bands and i absolutely love it.
you can dance as much as you like as the crowd are in full spirit
wish more of my favourite artist would come here.

I really like the Apollo as a venue. I’ve been a lot over the years and whilst it had some bad moments at present its a great place for live bands. I personally really like the balcony area for viewing and sound. Unlike a lot of similar venues the bar area is a really good size and really well presented. The minus star is the fact that there isn’t really much to do in the immediate surrounding area. I realise you aren’t far from stuff, but places like The Ritz, MEN etc. all have plenty so I just feel a bit less spoiled when someone I want to see is on at the Apollo. Great place though and recommended.

I’ve always thought Manchester lacks medium-​sized venues, but when the one we have is the Apollo I won’t be complaining. For any Londoners, the Apollo is analogous in size and layout to Brixton Academy. Sloped floor for a great view wherever you stand, crystal clear sound (with the right soundman), with a clear path either side to make the entire venue accessible, the Apollo is an absolute gem.
The décor shows its old life as a cinema (back when cinemas were places of glamour), with an amazing ceiling and lots of small little touches, such as the curved balcony. It really makes a difference when almost every other venue in Manchester is just a big box (The Deaf Institute is the only venue to compare).
If a band you love plays here, go! Chances are if they get any bigger they’re end up in the dull echo chamber that is Manchester Arena (MEN Arena? MCR arena? Phones 4 U Arena? I can’t keep up). To miss a band here will be a constant regret (like missing Arcade Fire here on the Neon Bible tour…).
In personal terms, the best gigs I’ve seen here were Eddie Vedder’s solo tour, Brand New on the The Devil & God… tour and Ben Folds on the Supersunnyspeedgraphic tour. But there have been countless great gigs. Feist, The National, Paul Weller, Sigur Ros… Man, I love this venue!!!
EDIT: Now I’ve been to the (newly renovated) Albert Hall, the Apollo’s been knocked off its perch for best Manchester gig venue. Second best is still great!

The Apollo has to be the best live music venue in Manchester. Not only is it a fairly generous size with a 3500 capacity, the sloping angle up from the stage makes even standing at the back seem like you’re close to the band and part of the gig.
It’s the sort of venue that bands who don’t usually play arenas (whether they choose not to or couldn’t fill them) play at. Over the past few years we’ve been lucky to see Yeah Yeah Yeahs, PJ Harvey, Snoop, Nick Cave and QOTSA at the Apollo and the acoustics are perfectly set up so as the range of artists make it their own place from night to night.
¾’s of the capacity is standing downstairs with the rest seated above and if you want to get the hottest tickets in town without paying a fortune on ebay, make sure you buy them the day they come out.
The only thing stopping the Apollo from getting 5 stars is like most live music venues in the UK, the awful selection and prices of drinks on offer. £4 for a warm can of Tuborg, Tetleys or Carlsberg sums it up really — with expensive shots and rubbish mini bottles of wine. Truly it’s a shame that this lets the venue down but I guess their mentality is that everyone is stuck in there anyway so will buy whatever rubbish they put out.
There’s a little pub just around the corner though — with much cheaper beers and a better selection than drinking inside the Apollo so it’s always worth popping in here for a couple before the gig.

rough place, but overall good venue. think theater/​cinema rather than music hall. crap beer.

The Manchester Apollo Theatre was one of those places that when I first noticed, I instantly judged to be less than satisfactory.
(before anything is said, I came here for a music gig. And therefore only relates to music)
Couple of months later, and I’m there for a gig (Only really went to please me girlfriend, and see Tek-​One) and my opinion was shattered to the ground. This place is perfect for standing gigs!
I never usually experiment with any venues outside of the Manchester Academy (which reminds me I still need to make a review for the Academy) but I’m glad I came here. Firstly, the crowd floor is built at a slight angle, allowing you to still see the stage even when at the far back which is a

From being a young’un, I’ve been to the Apollo to see some great bands and some not so great bands — but the venue has never added to the negativity I have felt towards the gigs that haven’t been so great.
You should always go for standing in this venue, as you will have a great view of the stage and the band and inclusion in a great atmosphere of like minded people.
Everything is easy to find; the toilets, the bar, the merchandise stand and the security are nice as pie and willing to help you out!
Get a lift or the bus as car parking is a rip off nearby.

Portishead
Patti Smith
New Order
Primal Scream
The Arctic Monkeys
The White Stripes
Lambchop
Tori Amos
I’ve been blessed to see some truly spectacular shows at Manchester Apollo. Shows where the division between the audience and the band dissolved and it felt like there was just a large room of people totally hypnotised by the music.
Originally a cinema in the 1930s, Manchester Apollo is a beautiful theatre that still retains most of it’s original features. There’s a foyer with merchandising stalls and toilets, an upstairs bar, lots of balcony seating, a side bar towards the left of the stage and a main bar at the back of the theatre. It’s the theatre itself which is truly special however, with a slanted floor, beautiful ceiling, impressive stage and rows of velvet seats — which are taken out for rock shows.
I’d give the Apollo 5 stars for atmosphere, sound and ambience. I’ve gotta deduct one star however, for the truly extortionate and underwhelming drinks. As the venue is owned by Carling, there’s an extremely limited range of beer — no Sol, Corona, Belgian or Czech beers! — and spirits on offer. The spirits and mixers are also so small, it’s only worth going to the bar if you’re planning to get a couple or chase them down with a Guinness!
The sublime Portishead:

If only the Carling Apollo were a little more central. Its my own fault for being from North Manchester, I suppose. I have so many memories of buses back into town or brisks walks on the way to the gig. In fact, I’m pretty sure that I actually got picked up by my mother from one of the first concerts I went to here.
It was Jamie Cullum, and we waited outside for him to sign my friend’s CD. I was so excited that he was only just taller than me.
The Apollo is pretty good for non-​teens/​twenty somethings (*hah, can’t believe I managed to reference a Jamie Cullum song) etc who like to have the option of sitting down throughout the course of their musical experience. Obviously they usually stand anyway but the option is there if your feet get achey.
For everyone else, you can buy your standing ticket and get there really really early. A magical moment happened when I went to see The Strokes here; a friend knew a pretty well built bouncer who waded through the crowd, dropping us in the centre and only a few rows back. You just can’t buy that kind of treatment.
Another thing: this venue is perfect for superstar bands like The Strokes who need a bit of mood, who need the dark. Their performance here was ten times better than their performance supporting The Foo Fighters on an open stage at the cricket ground. The open air does them no favours.
All in all, a good mid sized venue that bands can be proud to sell out for a few nights every once in a while.