Mac Rating: 5.00 | Votes: 1 | Date: 19/06/2026 21:20:00

A landmark of Manchester's nightlife for nearly a century, the O2 Ritz is a Grade II-listed live-music venue on Whitworth Street West, famous for its sprung maple dancefloor. Built between 1927 and 1928 by the architects Cruickshank and Seward, it opened as an opulent dance hall complete with a revolving stage and quickly became one of the city's most popular destinations. Originally a palais de danse, the Ritz drew crowds throughout the 1930s and 1940s, hosting the long-running Dancing in the Dark nights under band leader Phillip Moss, before evolving with the times into a nightclub in the 1960s. As Manchester's music scene exploded in later decades, the venue hosted defining performances by local heroes such as The Smiths, Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses, as well as The Beatles and Frank Sinatra in earlier years. A two-million-pound refurbishment under HMV in 2011 installed a modern sound and lighting system and added soundproofing while carefully preserving the building's Art Deco features and its rare sprung floor. In 2015 the venue was acquired by Live Nation and rebranded as the O2 Ritz, becoming part of the wider O2 Academy network of venues. With a capacity of around fifteen hundred across the floor and a balcony that wraps around the room, the Ritz sits in the sweet spot between intimate club and large hall, hosting established names and rising acts alike. Occasional student club nights tie the venue back to its dancehall origins, and its circular room and period detailing remain among its enduring pleasures. Located at the central end of Oxford Road, backing onto the Rochdale Canal and close to the site of the legendary Hacienda, the Ritz is surrounded by heritage pubs and other music venues. More than ninety years after it first opened its doors, it remains one of Manchester's most characterful and historic live-music rooms.