Research Music, Art, Location

The Northern Quarter in Manchester x

Music sculpture in the Northern Quarter 

The Northern Quarter in Manchester

The Northern Quarter in Manchester was chosen for unit 23 as an area for research as a Location for Art and Music expression. 

The idea was to convey through images why the Northern Quarter is considered to be the centre of alternative and bohemian culture in Manchester.

Popular streets include Oldham Street, Tib Street, Newton Street, Lever Street, Dale Street, Hilton Street and Thomas Street.

The "Northern Quarter" as such did not exist as a distinct area until the mid 1990's.
Today popular for its numerous bars and cafes as well as its mix of music and clothes shops.

Posters, fly posting  lyrics in the pavement and plaques on the wall give  relaxed references to music and the creative life in Manchester.

Meanwhile, the area is something of a mecca for DJs, with shops such as Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Exchange, Vox Pop Records, Beatin' Rhythm, Eastern Bloc Records .

The Northern Quarter as a whole is characterized by its offbeat, alternative atmosphere. During the daytime, trendy hangouts. There are Cafes bars and restaurants offering a variety of for, culture, alternative information about events and music

Nightlife in the Northern Quarter includes music venues The Night and Day Café, Band on the Wall, the Roadhouse and The Ruby Lounge, The Mint Lounge


The area is also known as a home to the creative industries, and in particular fashion design, with various designers, agencies, and clothing wholesalers populating its back streets. There are also a number of commercial art galleries in the area.

Infact a interesting exhibition of photos by Kevin Cummins was held in Lever Street (March 2013). The exhibition showcased iconic photos of Morrissey and The Smiths.

Kevin Cummins is one of the coolest photographers working in the UK. He is most famous for his photographs of rock bands including including Joy Division, The Smiths and Oasis.
Here are a few images from the exhibition:-

Affleck's Palace is a former department store which has been turned into a multi-storey bazaar for alternative clothing and nick-nacks captures the alternative feel of the Northern Quarter. Here are a few of the many images i could have posted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Quarter_(Manchester)