Joy Division to Oasis: A Self-Guided Manchester Music Tour

On this self-guided walking tour, follow the spark that lit Manchester’s music revolution: a lone heckler shouting “Judas!” at Bob Dylan inside the Free Trade Hall.

Stand outside Arrow Studios, where Joy Division recorded Shadowplay, and hear how producer Martin Hannett once moved a drum kit onto a freezing rooftop chasing the perfect snare sound. Pass the basement beneath a Portland Street clothing factory where The Smiths rehearsed in secret, then head to The Boardwalk, where a teenage Liam Gallagher first took the stage, and where his brother Noel later talked his way into fronting an unknown band called The Rain. The trail ends near the old Haçienda site, where DJ Mike Pickering helped ignite Madchester’s acid house scene.

Perfect for music lovers tracing Manchester’s sound from punk to Britpop to rave. Download the VoiceMap app and enter the code from your confirmation email to start touring whenever you’re ready.