Manchester Music Tour Special

A guided tour of Manchester's music history, visiting places tied to The Smiths, Joy Division, Oasis and The Stone Roses, presented at Vinyl Revival.

The Manchester Music Tour Special takes in the city's musical past through the places linked to its best-known bands and songs. The tour was founded by Craig Gill, drummer with Inspiral Carpets, and offers first-hand accounts of Manchester's music scene and its legacy, including the Madchester period. Bands and venues featured include The Hacienda, The Stone Roses, The Smiths, Joy Division and Oasis.

Stops include Strangeways prison, which gave The Smiths the title of their album Strangeways Here We Come, and the Salford Lads Club, connected with the sleeve of The Queen Is Dead. Other locations are Sifters Record Shop, mentioned in an Oasis song, The Boardwalk, the scene of Oasis's first gig and their rehearsal room, and the Epping Walk Bridge, known as the Joy Division Bridge, where Kevin Cummins took the photograph of the band.

The route also passes the home of Alan Erasmus, where Factory Records set up its headquarters, and International 1, where The Stone Roses played their first Manchester gig. The tour is presented at Vinyl Revival, which hosts concerts and shows in Manchester.