[HDNG]CITY:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E2[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1.20 [BULL] Glass of wine: 95p[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]Manchester could hardly be hotter to trot, busting with top clubs, [PARA]the country's most vital venues, other musical amusements and [PARA]diverse diversions.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Cinemas:[EBOLD] (23 screens) A multiplicity of multiplexes and sundry [PARA]cinemas, everything from mainstream to art-house. There are 8 [PARA]screens at the Salford Quays complex and the [ITAL]ultimately trendy[EITAL] [PARA]Corner House (3 screens) shows many an arty flick. With a [PARA]gallery and cafe thrown in,[ITAL] it's a poser's paradise and a [PARA]sophisticate's dream.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Theatres:[EBOLD] (6+) The old Cotton Exchange is now the [ITAL]nationally [PARA]renowned[EITAL] Royal Exchange theatre - some of the country's [ITAL]best [EITAL][PARA]shows for under a fiver on student standbys. The next [ITAL]boldest [EITAL][PARA]are the Palace, the Opera House and the Library Theatre, which [PARA]show ballets, musicals and touring plays. For other touring [PARA]productions and dramatic distractions, try the Green Room [ITAL](also [PARA]does nifty veggie grub)[EITAL] and the University's Contact Theatre.[PARA][BOLD]Pubs:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Historic pubs in the truest tradition of the working men's [PARA]dive: bitter with bite, beer in gear. The recent rise in Manchester [PARA]cred has spawned a few pubs for the more whiney wine bar [PARA]clientele with video screens and limes in the beer bottles. These [PARA]tend to be more expensive and, generally, eminently avoidable, [PARA]but if you must be a victim, pose in Manto and the Dry Bar. [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL][PARA]plugs go to The Old Garratt, The Clarence (Irish pub), The [PARA]Whitworth, The Flea and Firkin, The Old Stream Brewery, The [PARA]Salutation, Dukes, The Peverill and the Lass O'Gowrie [EITAL]which are [PARA]all within a few minutes of the universities and UMIST.[ITAL] Further [PARA]afield there are The King's Arms (Chorlton-on-Medlock, home [PARA]brewing in the cellar), Chorlton Green (Chorlton), The Barley Corn[PARA]and Dog and Partridge (Didsbury), Queen of Hearts and Yate's [PARA]Wine Lodge (Fallowfield) and The Whitworth (Rusholme).[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos:[EBOLD] [ITAL]When God created Manchester, she created [PARA]clubbing. A student night out is often a euphemism for dancing [PARA]and a curry. Our only problem is listing the best bop spots. The [PARA]music is alive and the clubs come and go. Read 'City Life' for the [PARA]latest. The Haìienda has to be included - clubbers come from as [PARA]far as London to queue from as early as 8.30pm for the [PARA]legendary experience which has now turned into a bit of a [PARA]Manchester Scene theme park and costs up to ú20.[EITAL] [ITAL]Other [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL][PARA]plugs: The Board Walk (popular with students, Glam nights [PARA]Fridays); The Brickhouse (cheap and cool), Home (pretty hip); [PARA]The Underground; The Venue (for every Indie dance pilgrim); Man[PARA]Alive (rave and 70s retro); The State (ragga rave); No1, Rocky's, [PARA]Paradise Factory and It (gay); and The Discotheque Royale (take [PARA]the piss at the setting for the terminally terrible 'Hit Man and Her').[PARA]Every night is student night somewhere, check for these cheaper[PARA]NUS-only nights. Watch also the flyers for the alighting points of [PARA]fly-by-night clubs.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Music venues:[EBOLD] G-Mex has hosted [ITAL]some of the most meetless [PARA]musicians [EITAL]including Simply Red, The Happy Mondays and [PARA]Madness. [ITAL]The Apollo, by most towns' standards, would be a [PARA]best bet[EITAL], however, all over town there are live venues of every [PARA]size -[ITAL] the Band on the Wall (for Latin, Roots, etc) must be [PARA]mentioned. Among the many others: Gilly's (rock); Chorlton Irish [PARA]Club (folk); P J Bells (jazz); NIA Centre (world music); The Free [PARA]Trade Hall and the Royal Northern College of Music (classical)[EITAL]. [PARA]Many of the clubs stage live bands (Haìienda, The Boardwalk [PARA]and so on).[PARA][BOLD]Cabaret: [EBOLD][ITAL]Manchester is a breeding ground for stand-up talent. [PARA]Live comedy lives and is usually high octane value fun. Bernard [PARA]Manning is a local boy. Well, the exception that proves the point, I [PARA]suppose.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Others:[EBOLD] Millionaire students, or at least lucky or stupid ones, will, [PARA]no doubt, not want to miss Manchester's many casinos. The [PARA]more cultured will find many a fond hour to spend in some of the [PARA]city's splendid galleries (The City Gallery, The Corner House and [PARA]The Whitworth, which has many of L S Lowry's best paintings, [PARA]particularly of Manchester, his home turf).[HDNG]UNIVERSITY:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E1[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1 [BULL] Glass of wine: 85p[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]The Union itself is one of Manchester's main entertainment [PARA]venues - no mean feat in Rave City.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Bars:[EBOLD] (2) The Union runs its services [ITAL]professionally[EITAL], not least the [PARA]Serpent Bar ([ITAL]airport lounge look-alike[EITAL]) for food and booze and its [PARA]very own pub: The Hop and Grape. [ITAL]Students tend to pop into [PARA]these for a drink rather than make an evening of it.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Theatres:[EBOLD] (2) The University's Contact Theatre has its own [PARA]resident professional company, but also provides an [ITAL]impressive [PARA]and versatile [EITAL]venue for regular student productions. The Drama [PARA]Department has its own studio theatre (Stephen Jones Studio) as[PARA]well, which occasionally hosts cabaret, particularly by students. [ITAL] [PARA]Drama standards hit some high peaks.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Cinemas:[EBOLD] The University has its own [ITAL]highly successful[EITAL] film club [PARA]for blockbusters and cult faves.[PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos:[EBOLD] The Union's 2 haunts, the Academy (cap 1,500, [PARA]adm ú2.20) - twice a week, Manchester's 3rd largest venue, next [PARA]door to the Union - and the Cellar (3 nights/week) [ITAL]compete with [PARA]the city's top nightspots as quintessential venues for ravers with [PARA]respect. Student prices, rebellious revels[EITAL] and frequent live bands,[PARA]4 nights a week. Bops and bashes are held occasionally in many[PARA]other places around the University (including The Hop and Grape)[PARA][ITAL]whenever appropriate. [EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Music venues:[EBOLD] In addition to The Academy, which attracts top [PARA]names, live bands also feature at the Union's Hop and Grape pub[PARA](300), the Burlington Rooms (150) and the MDH (the Union's main[PARA]hall, 450). [ITAL] Of course, Manchester Union has a reputation for [PARA]Indie, Rave and Alternative sounds.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Recent band appearances:[EBOLD] Arrested Development, Lemonheads,[PARA]M-People, St Etienne, Pavement, Hole, Buffalo Tom, These [PARA]Animal Men.[PARA][BOLD]Others:[EBOLD] The Union has a real person [ITAL]- yup, not a student - [EITAL][PARA]employed professionally to organise events [ITAL]and so the range and[PARA]quality are top notch. [EITAL] Among the other [ITAL]delights [EITAL]are quizzes, [PARA]multi-cultural events and all-night balls. Megadog runs occasional [PARA]all-nighters.[HDNG]EATING OUT:[EHDNG][PARA]During the day, the Union's cafeterias (big snack bar and 2 [PARA]burger bars) are [ITAL]very popular[EITAL] amongst students picking up [PARA]sarnies, jacket pots, pizzas, veggie, vegan, kosher and halal grub [PARA]and all sorts of snacks. There's also the University's own [PARA]refectory and [ITAL]often excellent[EITAL] facilities attached to halls of [PARA]residence. Locally, Manchester provides [ITAL]a veritable fiesta of fast [PARA]food feasting [EITAL]and, come the evening, [ITAL]although the city may not [PARA]feature too often in cordon bleu cookery guides, it has no [PARA]shortage of international nosh and budget belly timber.[EITAL] There are [PARA]oodles of noodles in the Chinese restaurants and [ITAL]solid [EITAL]curry [PARA]houses,[ITAL] wall to wall for 1/2 a mile with unsurprisingly competitive [PARA]prices, [EITAL]in Rusholme. Manchester boasts the only Armenian [PARA]restaurant outside London. These and many others stay open till [PARA]late, then later, then it becomes early again, before it starts [PARA]getting late again. [PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL]plugs: Charlie Chan's (alleged Triad [PARA]connections); El Maco's (Mexican); Pizza Express; Howel, Green[PARA]Room and The Corner House Cafe (all veggie); Shezan (Indian); [PARA]Greasy Joe's (spuds, sarnies). Abdul's kebab chain is also [PARA]popular, but so were Bros.[EITAL][PARA][PARA]
