Season 1 - Advance Tickets Now On Sale

 

Band on the Wall Redevelopment Film

Band on the Wall Redevelopment Film

 

Band On The Wall To Reopen In September 2009

Band On The Wall is reopening in September 2009. One of the cornerstones of Manchester's music scene for the greater part of the last century, it was at the centre of Manchester’s punk scene in the late 1970s when Buzzcocks, The Fall and Joy Division first played. Since then it has played host to many internationally acclaimed artists including Mica Paris, Bjork, Art Blakey, Carleen Anderson, John Martyn and countless others.

Closed in 2005 for redevelopment, the venue opens in September 2009 with state-of-the-art new facilities and incorporates The Picturehouse in the adjacent building that will provide a new social space and host complimentary events throughout the year.

Join our mailing list here to be kept up to date with advance news on the venue and its opening season.

Band On The Wall is operated by Inner City Music - a registered charity run on a not-for-profit basis.

Band On The Wall gratefully acknowledges the support of Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund and Manchester City Council.

New Appointments at Band On The Wall

We’re truly setting the stage for our reopening in September and have recently appointed a new CEO and Music Programmer.

New CEO Gavin Sharp has a vast amount of experience in the music industry; as musician and road manager with the critically acclaimed band 'Edward II', music officer at The Brewery in Kendal and most recently as programme manager at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall where he produced its Capital of Culture programme.

Gavin will work alongside current CEO, Ian Croal, who has been in charge of the venue since 1981 when he launched its multicultural music programme. Ian set up the charity Inner City Music to run the venue’s activities in 1985 and for many years was the main music programmer, administrator and fund-raiser. He was also the principal fundraiser for the current capital project and has led the venue’s redevelopment from inception to completion this Spring. He steps down from the role in September to concentrate on developing Band On The Wall’s rich music archive.

“I’m overjoyed to be at Band On The Wall,” said Gavin. “It’s one of the most important music venues in the UK and when it relaunches it will not only be a great place to enjoy live music, but it will be a fantastic arts, education and social space too.”

Mike Chadwick has just taken over as Music Programmer at Band On The Wall and his role will be choose and manage the bands and artists that will play at our redeveloped venue, including those at the reopening in September. If Mike’s name rings a bell, it because you might have tuned into him on his current show at Jazz FM broadcast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

Mike has worked as a radio broadcaster since 1991 at stations KFM, Sunset Radio, Smooth FM and The Jazz and has been resident DJ at a number of venues across Manchester. He was also joint owner of Decoy Records, one of the countries leading specialist record shops, from 1987-2001.

“I’ve been attending the venue since 1979 and it has been a large part of my musical education,” said Mike. “I can’t wait to come full circle and programme the most exciting live music that will continue to add to the great legacy of this Manchester venue.”

Gavin and Mike join three other new additions to the team which include Education Officer Tim Chatterton, Finance Officer Karen Biggs and Archive Technician Clive Hunte

Watch this space for the new Band On The Wall music programme – coming soon.

Education work starts at Band on the Wall

We are very proud to announce that, with the help of our supporters, we have begun working with children at our partner school, Gorton Education Village, East Manchester. Gorton Education Village is a co-location campus for Cedar Mount High School and Melland (special educational needs) High School, creating a 21st century inclusive education ‘village’. We are working with the school and Drake Music Project to create an inclusive series of projects for children from both schools, changing the way that disabled and non-disabled children have traditionally worked together, and using music-making to do this.

Band on the Wall’s new Education Officer, Tim Chatterton, has experience of working in music education all over the city with people of all ages, and he’s planning on creating a unique education centre at the re-born Band on the Wall:

“Band on the Wall has a long history of offering varied education to people of all ages, and I want to really build on this and make sure we re-launch this historic venue as a centre for musical excellence, providing educational activities to people of all ages and backgrounds. The work we are doing at the moment with the children from Gorton Education Village is just the beginning of what we hope will be a great partnership – we are going to be hosting workshops with children from both Cedar Mount High School and Melland High School over the next few months prior to the re-opening, building up to performances at the school, then at other schools around the city and of course at the venue once we open. We have developed a wide range of other exciting plans for education, including a Band on the Wall choir, a city-wide steel pan academy and other ground-breaking projects involving professional musicians and visual artists.”

We would like to thank the sponsors of this work, New East Manchester, Manchester Airports Group and Pete Thomas Music.

For more information on our plans for education and our supporters, please go to the education page.

Ethos public relations Joins Band On The Wall

We’re delighted to announce Manchester-based Ethos public relations as our sixth founding sponsor.

Along with Manchester Airports Group and Pannone, the PR agency has become a Centre Stage Supporter in Band On The Wall’s Supporters Circle.

“Band On The Wall has had so much influence on Manchester’s musical heritage that we’re really excited to be involved,” said Julie Longton of Ethos public relations. “We know that the relaunch of the venue later this year will be a huge success and are delighted that the Band is back!”

Established in 1998, Ethos public relations is a leading independent PR company. It is co-operatively managed and offers a wide range of public relations services for businesses large and small across a variety of sectors.

Malcolm Duffin from Band On The Wall said: “We’re delighted to have an agency as enlightened and committed as Ethos public relations on board. Band On The Wall is an icon and powerhouse for music in the city and the challenge is now on to make the relaunch of the venue a great success.”

For further information and media enquiries please contact:

Julie Longton
Ethos public relations
Julie.Longton@ethos-pr.com
0161 830 7640
www.ethos-pr.com

Founding Sponsors Join Band on the Wall - 5th June 2008

We are delighted to announce that Band on the Wall now has 5 founding sponsors:

Manchester Airports Group
Pannone
Inner City Solutions
The Gaeia Partnership
InPartnership

Inner City Solutions and Manchester Airports Group were our first sponsors and since the extremely successful Town Hall event on June 5th 2008, three more companies have joined as members of Band on the Wall's Supporters Circle. These sponsors will help the venue to develop a comprehensive education programme and will receive exclusive benefits. All our sponsors will be celebrating with us at our launch events in September 2009. Read more..

Manchester’s Business Community Joins The Band - 5th June 2008

Band on the Wall launched its sponsorship drive on 5th June 2008 with a special VIP event at Manchester Town Hall hosted by our Honorary Patron and Leader of Manchester City Council, Sir Richard Leese.

Building Work Now Underway As John Thomson Becomes Honorary Patron Of Band On The Wall

With the venue’s redevelopment firmly underway, Band On The Wall is delighted to announce that actor John Thomson has become an Honorary Patron of the venue in the lead-up to its reopening in September 2009. Read more...

Legendary venue, Band On The Wall, drums up £3.2 million to build on its musical heritage

Manchester’s most famous live music venue, Band On The Wall, has been awarded £3.2 million in combined awards by Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund as part of a £4 million project to transform the venue into a 21st Century centre for music. Read more...