By Emma Greensill
The venue that has seen the likes of The 1975, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Blossoms, Friendly Fires, Two Door Cinema Club, Scissor Sisters, Wu-Tang Clan, Skepta, Tame Impala, London Grammar and countless more, is set to be demolished by the end of the year.
Sound Control events manager, Ben Taylor, tweeted: “You’ve probably seen the news, Sound Control is set to be demolished at the end of the year to make way for student accommodation.”
“Looking back over that past 8 years has been mad, f*** me we had some good nights.”
“The hugest thanks to everyone that have worked, played, supported, danced, drank, sang with us.”
With the loss of such an iconic venue for not only local bands but established musicians, I spoke to the people of Manchester to find out what effect they think it’ll have on it’s music scene.
Ben Wilson, 21, said: “I have a few mates that are in bands who would’ve loved to play at Sound Control as a lot of bands have played there.”
“Sound Control being demolished just means there’s less venues for musicians to play at which is sad because there are a lot of talented people that will never get the chance to play there.”
Sam Higgins, 24, said: “I saw Tame Impala back in 2011 there and it’s still one of the best gigs I’ve been to.”
“Ticket prices weren’t bad either so it was easier to discover new bands because it only cost a few pounds to get in.”
Emily King, 29, said: “It’s sad that Sound Control will no longer be the stepping stone that a lot of bands and artists, that are neither big or small, need to get them more popular.”
“There are a lot of bands that weren’t very well known a while ago that are massive now that’ve played there.”
With Sankeys being closed down earlier this year to make way for new apartments in the Ancoats area, this could be the start of Manchesters music scene going into a downward spiral.
Sound Control was local and affordable to students which meant that it not only made it easier for bands to attract a larger crowd at gigs, but it meant that those students could experience live music for a reasonable price whilst having a good time.
The eight-year-old venue on New Wakefield Street also has history- it used to be a music shop that went by the same name before the music venue and nightclub opened back in 2009.
The last party will be an Oasis Disco with wall-to-wall classics from the band, Liam Gallagher, Beady Eye and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds from 11pm to 1am, opening up into other Britpop and Madchester bands acts like The Stone Roses, Charlatans, Ocean Colour Scene and The Verve until 3am.
Let’s hope this isn’t the end of Sound Control as they have future plans to relocate to a bigger and better place.
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