ALL THE PUBS IN THE MANCHESTER BEER BOOK – SOCIETY

June 2024. Manchester.

A Wednesday gig and pub night in Manchester lacked one major item; a curry.

Why not combine the two ?

Society, home to a third entry in the Matt Curtis guide, which may get its own spreadsheet soon,

beautifully situated next to the concert hall in Barbirolli Square,

Blimey, packed again (and incredibly noisy), all on trestle tables under exposed ducting. Loads of after-workers, seemingly all with suitcases. What do folk need suitcases for now that we’ve got A.I. ?

It’s a food hall that hasn’t quite lived up to its hype and Blackpool Jane complained about the wooden spoons which in my book is a perfect gripe to have with a GBG entry.

Jane had the keg, seemingly unaware that only cask is an allowable tick, but quoted Para 5v.iii(c) of the regulations which allows non-cask Black Forest Gateau Stout.

Jane definitely has the right idea. Drink the strong beer (or is that Mrs RM), so I had the gorgeous and not very fizzy Cold Brew Coffee Stout.

“A pint ?” asks the nice lady, doubtfully. “er, yes“. Of course, a pint, perfectly matched with the Korean chicken from Manzoku.

Wooden fork apart, pretty good, but as Jane noted ambitiously priced (see also : every food court since 2016).

Three pints before a gig is plenty, often more than enough, so I then spent an hour in a deckchair drinking water in Tony Wilson Square watching on a big screen as the United States (the “of America” one) almost beat India in the cricket (Proper Baseball).

Yes, defeat by a single run, and that was probably offside.

Great little £15 gig in the basement of Yes (not the prog-rockers). another mini food court/live venue.

Chris Dyson wasn’t at this gig, but I’m sure he’d love Kate Kirby’s quirky pop and US political observations, particularly one about Jeb Bush’s “Please clap” line.

Kate noted the Mancunian crowd was the only one, apart from Minnesota, that didn’t chat during songs, which tells you some Minnesotans have good taste, at least.

And here’s your obligatory Kate Kirby earworm. Kentish Paul will hate it.

Unknown's avatar

Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

12 thoughts on “ALL THE PUBS IN THE MANCHESTER BEER BOOK – SOCIETY”

      1. From shows I’ve seen in Minneapolis I do get a sense that some performers find the reticent crowds uncomfortable. They want some feedback as the perform. Kind of like when you are presenting to a group of people that doesn’t ask questions. It can feel odd.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. how do you even get that size? And how does the bench support it…

    I’d be totally embarrassed to be seen with.

    Like

    Reply

  3. “What do folk need suitcases for now that we’ve got A.I. ?”

    Walking to Rugeley ( for Pedigree, Banks’s and Bass ) last Wednesday morning I got talking to a farmer, of about my age, who told me that in the ‘fifties their bull was aggressive and his grandfather said that either it goes or he does. It went, hence the farm being one of the first in the country to use AI, and that’s why they have such a variety of cattle.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    2. i’m from a farming family and “the AI man’s here” didn’t mean the arrival of a man with a briefcase but a guy in a Ranger River with a very long glove and boot full of flasks.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Rhys, Or it can be a Special Delivery parcel from the rural postman like I was before I had to retire, every Friday to the pig farm for about sixty piglets and occasionally to a stud who got a vet in for a foal. I think Martin found something rather different in Manchester.

        Liked by 1 person

  4. I must say I’m not a fan of these cavernous, open plan spaces, with their industrial architecture, and fittings.

    For those of us who spent our youth listening to loud rock music, and now find ourselves hard of hearing, the associated echoes and clatter, make normal conversation difficult at best and impossible at worst.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

Leave a comment