Venue Spotlight: Night & Day Cafe, Manchester

This week, we find out more about Night & Day Cafe, Manchester.

We spoke to In-House promoter, Jay Taylor, who tells us all about life in the Northern Quarter, bands to keep an eye out for, and a certain Meg White getting to grips with Hulk hands...

See full listings for ​Night & Day Cafe here >>

Venue details:

  • Night & Day Cafe, 26 Oldham Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M1 1JN
  • Established: 1991
  • Capacity: 250

Has the venue gone through any major changes since it opened (location, renovation, style of music etc)?

Improvements have been made from time to time absolutely, new bits and pieces, sprucing, updating, but essentially it's still a great looking long room with a really long bar and a spacious stage at one end. We are still sat at 26 Oldham Street, where the neighbourhood has grown up around us.

How many gigs or club nights a week do you host?

We have bands most nights, club events Friday and Saturday and occasionally week nights.

Do you host events besides gigs and club nights?

Sure, we see different things all the time. Gallery exhibitions, film screenings, industry events, album playbacks, launch parties, spoken word events and much more.

Which band that's played your venue has gone on to be the best known?

So many: Elbow, Courteeners, Johnny Marr, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Manic Street Preachers, Paolo Nutini, Blossoms, Kaiser Chiefs, Everything Everything, Marika Hackman, Frank Turner, My Chemical Romance, Joan As Police Woman, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Goldfrapp, Snow Patrol, Regina Spektor.

Which band that played your venue deserved/deserves to be better known than they are?

Mister Strange.

If you could change one thing about the live music industry, what would it be?

Let's get that Agent of Change principal written in stone.

What's been your proudest moment working at your venue?

It's a repeated moment, but having an amazing band up on stage with a big audience feeding off them. A room full of happy people, drinking, soaking up the moment, energised - the venue being everything it's supposed to be.


The Schizophonics at Night & Day Cafe. Photo: Jay Taylor.

What's the best show you've put on recently?

(Zappa and Zeppelin inspired, 70s soulful rock 'n' roll, from four Australian sisters) - Stonefield (12/07/18).

Are there any interesting facts/stories about the venue that people might not know, but should?!

Did we tell you the one about Meg White having a good natured punch up in the dressing room while wearing giant green HULK SMASH! gloves?


Track ​Night & Day Cafe here to keep up to date with all forthcoming events. You can also catch them on their official website, Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.