This is a timeline of music in Greater Manchester
19th century 1830s 1836 23 September: Esteemed Spanish opera singer Maria Malibran dies after collapsing while performing at the Theatre Royal on Fountain Street
1840s 1840 The first (temporary) Free Trade Hall is built 1842 The second Free Trade Hall is built
1850s 1853 Conductor Charles Hallé first moves to Manchester to direct the orchestra for Gentlemen's Concerts 1856 8 October: The third (and last) Free Trade Hall (begun 1853) is completed 1857 Fledgling Hallé orchestra formed 1858 30 January: The Hallé gives its first concert as a permanent orchestra under Charles Hallé at the Free Trade Hall
1880s 1888 Charles Hallé is knighted
1890s 1893 October: Royal Manchester College of Music, established by Charles Hallé, admits its first students 1899 Hans Richter is appointed music director of The Hallé, a post which he will hold until 1911
20th century 1900s 1901 CWS (Manchester) Band formed as the CWS Tobacco Factory Band Hulme Hippodrome opens, becoming a variety theatre, with skiffle and rock gigs in 1950s (becomes a Mecca bingo hall in 1962, gigs again in 1980s and 2010s) 1902 The Playhouse, Hulme, opens (later a BBC Studio, 1955–1986) 1904 Ardwick Empire (later, Manchester Hippodrome) opens as a music hall (demolished 1964) 1908 3 December: The Hallé gives the world première of Elgar's Symphony No. 1 under Hans Richter at the Free Trade Hall
1910s 1910 Kings Hall at Belle Vue Zoological Gardens opens 1912 26 December: Manchester Opera House opens as the New Theatre in Quay Street
1920s 1920s Manchester Jazz Appreciation Society founded, meeting in the Unicorn Hotel off Oldham Street 1922 15 November: The British Broadcasting Company begins regular radio broadcasts from its Manchester station 2ZY at the Metropolitan-Vickers works in Trafford Park. The 2ZY Orchestra, predecessor of the BBC Philharmonic, is formed 1927 The Ritz (Manchester) is built in Whitworth Street West, Manchester.
1930s 1930 November: Maurice Chevalier plays 4 concerts at Belle Vue, Manchester 1934 The Northern Studio Orchestra is renamed the BBC Northern Orchestra 1935 7 March: Sergei Rachmaninoff gives the English première of his Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini with The Hallé under Nikolai Malko at the Free Trade Hall.
1940s 1940 22–24 December: Heaviest raids of the Manchester Blitz by the Luftwaffe. Cross Street Chapel is destroyed, the Free Trade Hall is gutted and many other buildings badly damaged 1943 John Barbirolli is appointed principal conductor of The Hallé, a post which he will hold until 1968 1946 3 February: The Hallé Orchestra and Chorus (conducted by John Barbirolli) perform Aida at Belle Vue, Manchester 1949 2 October: Yehudi Menuhin and the Liverpool Philharmonic (conducted by Malcolm Sargent) play at Belle Vue, Manchester John Barbirolli is knighted Ewan MacColl writes 'Dirty Old Town' about Salford
1950s 1950s Some music students in Manchester informally constitute New Music Manchester 1950 Ewan MacColl releases his first single 'The Asphalter's Song' on Topic Records 1951 The Free Trade Hall, rebuilt after bomb damage, reopens as a concert venue 1956 November: Johnnie Ray plays at Belle Vue, Manchester 1957 13 February: Bill Haley and his Comets play at the Odeon, Manchester Ewan MacColl writes 'The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' for Peggy Seeger 1959 9 March: Louis Armstrong and The All-Stars play the King's Hall at Belle Vue, Manchester July: Marty Wilde plays at the Free Trade Hall 15 November: Three of the later Beatles (as Johnny and the Moondogs) play in the regional finals of a TV talent show at Manchester Hippodrome, Ardwick Green. Heats had been held at the Liverpool Empire during October. Possibly their first stage gig outside of Liverpool. John, Paul and George reportedly couldn't afford lodgings so had to leave to return to Liverpool before the final voting.
1960s 1962 7 March, The Beatles record at The Playhouse, Hulme, for BBC Radio, Teenager's Turn - Here We Go, (transmitted on 8 March). They return on 11 June 1962, this time recording their first Lennon-McCartney song, Ask Me Why (transmitted on 15 June) March: Freddie and the Dreamers are formed in West Didsbury 21 October: The first American Folk Blues Festival European tour plays its only UK date at the Free Trade Hall; artists include Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee and T-Bone Walker. It will be influential on the British R&B scene, with the audience including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones with Jimmy Page, John Mayall and other musicians, and with a second show filmed and shown on ITV. December: The Hollies are formed in Manchester 1963 February: The Beatles play a sold-out show at the Oasis coffee bar/venue on Lloyd Street June: Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders are formed The Toggery Five are formed in Manchester Twisted Wheel Club music venue opened by the Abadi brothers in Brazenose Street, replaces the Left Wing Coffee Bar 1964 29 March: Jerry Lee Lewis plays at the Kings Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester 22 May: Carl Perkins and The Nashville Teens play at the Odeon, Manchester 6 June: Carl Perkins and the Nashville Teens play at the Twisted Wheel Club, Manchester 29 September: Bill Haley & His Comets play at the Odeon, Manchester 9 October: Bill Haley and his Comets play at both the Astoria, Manchester and the Odeon, Manchester Herman's Hermits are formed 1965 April–May: Freddie and the Dreamers, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders and Herman's Hermits consecutively top the American Billboard charts 1966 1 January: Manchester Corporation Act comes into force effectively shutting down many coffee bars, clubs and venues 17 May: Bob Dylan and the Hawks perform at the Free Trade Hall. Dylan is booed by the audience because of his decision to tour with an electric band, culminating in a famous shout of "Judas" 31 July: Jethro Tull play at Belle Vue, Manchester 4 September: The Who play Belle Vue, Manchester September: Barclay James Harvest are formed in Oldham 11 December): Family play at Belle Vue The Toggery Five disband 1967 24 May: Jimi Hendrix plays at Belle Vue 1968 After 25 years with The Hallé, John Barbirolli retires from the principal conductorship 1969 Chetham's Hospital becomes Chetham's School of Music
1970s 1971 17 August: Johnny Cash plays first of 3 shows at the Kings Hall, Belle Vue 30 November: Led Zeppelin play at the Kings Hall, Belle Vue Herman's Hermits disband Twisted Wheel Club closes down 1972 July: T. Rex perform at Belle Vue 10cc are formed in Stockport Mott the Hoople play the Free Trade Hall 1973 October: The Royal Manchester College of Music merges with the Northern School of Music to form the Royal Northern College of Music Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias are formed in Manchester 1975 Houghton Weavers are formed in Westhoughton, Bolton Slaughter & the Dogs are formed in Wythenshawe, Manchester 1976 February: Buzzcocks are formed in Bolton 1 April: Buzzcocks play for first time at Bolton Institute of Technology 4 June: Sex Pistols play at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester 20 July: Sex Pistols play at the Lesser Free Trade Hall in Manchester, supported by Buzzcocks and Slaughter & the Dogs December: Sex Pistols play twice at the Electric Circus, Manchester in December 1976, including 9 December 1976 Electric Circus, Manchester opens as a punk rock venue Sad Café are formed in Manchester 1977 January: The Damned play at the Electric Circus, Manchester April: Magazine are formed in Manchester by Howard Devoto and John McGeoch 8 May: *White Riot Tour play at the Electric Circus, Manchester featuring The Clash, The Slits, Buzzcocks and Subway Sect 29 May: Warsaw play for the first time at the Electric Circus, Manchester (despite being billed as The Stiff Kittens), supporting Buzzcocks, Penetration, John Cooper Clarke and Jon the Postman. 2 October: Electric Circus, Manchester closes (see also: Short Circuit: Live at the Electric Circus) A Certain Ratio are formed in Flixton Godley & Creme are formed in Manchester The Ramones play first gig in Manchester at the Electric Circus, Manchester 1978 The Durutti Column are founded in Manchester Factory Records is founded by Tony Wilson and Alan Erasmus Warsaw are renamed Joy Division
1980s 1980 Happy Mondays formed in Salford 1981 Buzzcocks disband The Chameleons are formed in Middleton, Greater Manchester 1982 11 May: Eurovision Young Musicians 1982 contest takes place at the Free Trade Hall 21 May: The Haçienda opens as a nightclub in Whitworth Street May: The Smiths are formed 4 October: The Smiths play their first gig, supporting Blue Rondo à la Turk at The Ritz (Manchester) A Witness are formed in Stockport Alberto y Lost Trios Paranoias disband James formed in Whalley Range, Manchester The BBC Northern Orchestra is renamed the BBC Philharmonic 1983 6 July: The Smiths play at The Haçienda, Manchester Big Flame are formed in Manchester Inspiral Carpets are formed in Oldham The Membranes relocate to Manchester The Stone Roses are formed in Manchester Wax formed by Andrew Gold and Graham Gouldman 1984 Too Much Texas formed in Manchester 1986 Blue Zone are formed 1987 Autechre are formed in Rochdale The Chameleons disband Man from Delmonte are formed in Manchester The Smiths disband 17 October: Desmond Decker and the Aces play at Hulme Hippodrome 1988 Electronic are formed by Bernard Sumner and Johnny Marr 1989 Buzzcocks are re-formed
1990s 1990 M People formed by Mike Pickering 1991 2 May: Nina Simone plays at the opening of the NIA Centre (1991-1997), at The Playhouse, Hulme 18 August: Oasis play their first gig, at the Boardwalk club Oasis are formed in Manchester 1993 Happy Mondays disband Black Grape are formed in Salford by Shaun Ryder and Bez 1995 15 July: Manchester Arena opens at Victoria station Goldblade are formed in Manchester by John RobbStrong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, , p.414-5 Inspiral Carpets disband 1996 27 & 28 April: Oasis play at Maine Road, Manchester 3 & 4 August: Oasis play at Balloch Country Park, Scotland, to an audience of 80,000 over the two nights 10 & 11 August: Oasis play the Knebworth Festival to an audience of 125,000 people each night 11 September: Bridgewater Hall opens as an orchestral concert venue. The Free Trade Hall closes this year as a public venue and is subsequently redeveloped as an hotel Lamb are formed in Manchester 1997 Elbow are formed in Bury 1998 Doves are formed in Manchester 1999 I Am Kloot are formed in Manchester Working for a Nuclear Free City are formed in Manchester
21st century 2000s 2000 The Chameleons are re-formed 2003 The Chameleons disband again 2006 14 April: Manchester Passion television special broadcast by BBC Three from Manchester Courteeners are formed in Middleton 2007 28 June–15 July: Inaugural Manchester International Festival. 2008 Elbow win the Mercury Music Prize for their album The Seldom Seen Kid 2009 August: Oasis disband after the departure of Noel Gallagher Elbow win the Brit Award for Best British Group
2010s 2011 17 November: Children in Need Rocks Manchester charity music concert is held at the Manchester Arena The Ritz is taken over by HMV and given a £2 million refurbishment 2013 3 April: Blossoms play for first time at the Night and Day Cafe, Oldham Street, Manchester 2015 The Ritz is acquired by Live Nation Entertainment and re-branded as O2 Ritz Manchester 2016 I Am Kloot disband 2017 22 May: Manchester Arena bombing: A Manchester-born suicide bomber kills 22 as young people leave an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena 2019 4-21 July: Manchester International Festival, including Laurie Anderson, Philip Glass, Abida Parveen and Skepta.
2020s 2021 10 September: New Order play at Heaton Park, Manchester The Chameleons are re-formed again 2022 11 June: The Killers play at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground, supported by Blossoms
Music in Manchester - births and deaths