Step back into Manchester’s vibrant nightlife of the 1980s and 90s with my good friend Steve Redshaw. In this candid and funny conversation, Steve shares his journey from being a teenage punk to playing in local bands, rubbing shoulders with future stars, and working in some of the city’s most iconic venues.
We start with Steve’s first nights out in 1986 — long before “proper” clubbing — when nights ended in late-night pool games, run-ins with Wythenshawe lads, and unexpected stairwell punch-ups. From the quirky Steve Strange Club at school to his brother running the legendary Asylum Club, Steve paints a vivid picture of Manchester’s alternative nightlife, complete with its characters, from peaceful sketching regulars to wild psychobilly crowds.
Steve’s big “club awakening” came at The Venue in 1986, where sticky carpets and Smiths-heavy playlists changed his idea of nightclubs forever. This was followed by trips to DeVille’s, Cloud Nine, and working the bar at The Venue — until a chance conversation about his birth date revealed he was underage, ending his short-lived bar career.
Music was always at the heart of Steve’s life. He takes us through his time in bands like Main Influence and Drive Mania, gigging at The Boardwalk alongside up-and-coming acts like Oasis, PJ Harvey, and The Verve — long before they became household names. There are great behind-the-scenes moments: from seeing Tim Booth and Tony Wilson in the crowd, to being told by a fan he was “better than PJ Harvey,” to the hilarious reality check of being recognised… as someone’s former milkman.
We also hear about the challenges of making it in Manchester’s crowded music scene — the highs of being offered record label interest, the lows of losing out to another band, and the grind of promoting your own gigs. There are tales of selling tapes in Eastern Bloc Records, unexpected brushes with fame, and the bittersweet reality of bands breaking up just as things were getting interesting.
Along the way, Steve namechecks some of the era’s favourite haunts — Corbiers, The Brickhouse, The Gay Traitor — and shares his favourite jukebox picks from bands like The Railway Children and The Bodines. This is Manchester as lived and remembered by someone who was there for it all: the music, the pubs, the fashion, the friends, the near-misses, and the unforgettable nights.
If you love stories about Manchester’s music scene, underground clubs, and the spirit of an era when anything seemed possible, you’ll enjoy this trip down memory lane with one of my oldest friends.
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