It's always a special kind of night when Hacienda Classical is in town. Now in its sixth year performing at Castlefield Bowl's Sounds of the City series, there's also the rather special 40th anniversary of Manchester's iconic superclub to celebrate as well.
2022 marks four decades since FAC51 The Hacienda first flung open its doors back in 1982, transforming the run-down central Manchester yacht showroom into what has become one of the most iconic and influential nightclubs in history. The club's legacy endures, and the music of that era continues to delight new and old audiences in the Classical-DJ hyrbid that we'll see on stage on Friday night.
As anyone who has been to past events will tell you, it doesn't really matter if it's rain or shine, this is one gig you can guarantee a party atmosphere. But fans heading along will no doubt be pleased to hear the forecast is set fair for Friday night.
Read more: Hacienda at 40: The highs, the lows, the £6mn losses behind Manchester's iconic superclub
The event also promises a packed night of entertainment ahead of the main Hacienda Classical concert. Here we take a look at all the times and event info you'll need if you're heading along.
Who are the support acts?
As ticketholders will know if they've been before, it's always a full-on party vibe at the Hacienda Classical gigs. This year ravers can expect to be entertained by original Hacienda DJs Paulette and Tom Wainwright at the start of the night, before Hacienda co-founder and Manchester music icon Peter Hook takes to the decs for a DJ set.
And music fans will want to be at the arena in time to catch the main support - 90s dance icons Soul II Soul take to the stage. The band, led by Jazzie B, will no doubt perform some of their biggest hits on the night, including global megahits Back to Life, Keep on Movin' and Get A Life.
What are the stage times?
Stage times are always approximate for gigs, but here's a guide to all the different acts and when they're expected to play on Friday night. The best advice is always to get there early to avoid disappointment.
Doors open : 5.30pm
Tom Wainwright : 5.30pm
Peter Hook : 6.15pm
Soul II Soul : 7pm
DJ Paulette : 8pm
Hacienda Classica l: 9pm
Curfew : 10:30pm
Are tickets still available?
Tickets, which are priced at £50.50, are virtually sold out, but for late availability check here.
How to get there
Castlefield Bowl is located on Rice Street in Castlefield, postcode M3 4JR, and is just on the edge of the city centre off Deansgate.
There are two entrances for ticket holders - via Duke Street/Castle Street which is also the disabled access entrance, or via Liverpool Road where you access the site down quite a few steps.
By public transport
It's about a five minute walk from Castlefield Bowl to the main line train station at Deansgate. At present, there hasn’t been any further rail strikes announced that may disrupt services.
Here you can also access the Deansgate-Castlefield tram station where there are trams every 12 minutes connecting to all of the main tram routes in the Greater Manchester area.
By car
If you're driving, a number of NCP’s Great Northern car parks are just a short walk away. There are 1,240 spaces in total and prices start from around £3.95 per hour. Use the postcode M3 4EE if using a sat nav.
The NCP Manchester Central next to Bridgewater Hall car park is also nearby, with 643 spaces. For sat navs the postcode is M15 4PS.
The next nearest NCP is on Spinningfields on Quay Street with 680 spaces, where night parking after 5pm is priced at £8.95. For sat navs the postcode is M3 3BE.
Is there food and drink at Castlefield Bowl?
There are a variety of street food stalls and beer tents where you can buy hot food and cold drinks around the site including the ‘food village’ at the Canal Street entrance. Street food includes Wrap Up Burritos and nachos, hot dogs and fries at Grandpa's Sausages and dumplings at Tibetan Kitchen.
Bars are serving a range of alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, plus a gin bar and prosecco bar on the upper hill area above the stadium.
For those unfamiliar with the area, there are also a host of restaurants, bars and pubs along Liverpool Road on the way into Castlefield, as well as the popular bars and restaurants on and around Castle Street in the heart of Castlefield.
Weather forecast
We are looking at some decent weather for the return of the Hacienda Classical this year. Current forecasts are saying sunshine or cloud for most of Friday evening which is just what you'll want to hear if you're heading down to the open-air Castelfield Bowl.
Temperatures are set to be around 19C when doors open at 5pm, dropping to 16C by 9pm, but at least there's no rain currently in the forecast.
Get the latest What's On news - from food and drink to music and nightlife - straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.
READ NEXT:-
- The hatch-style bakery that's got punters queuing down the street in Ancoats
- The best new restaurants and bars to try in Manchester this month
- Village cider press where you can drink pints in the apple orchards
- Old Trafford Bakery's amazing 60 year history
- The Greater Manchester borough getting its moment in the spotlight
