Is this Fallowfield’s new student gig hotspot?

For many years, students in Manchester have flocked to Fallowfield. Although there is certainly no shortage of bars and pubs in the area, there has been a notable lack of a dedicated live music venue – enter Klang.

Klang – formerly known as Handlebar – is situated on Wilmslow Road, just on the border of Fallowfield’s notoriously student-occupied territory.

It was previously a bar/bike repair shop hybrid, but after a hiatus over summer, the venue is back with a new identity.

Since running the bike shop “was too much for one person”, according to owner Steve, it has now been removed.

The interior has since been updated with new decorations and signage, alongside a pool table – but these are not the only new additions.

The bar has always had a focus on music, playing its extensive collection of vinyl records every night. Steve decided to take it one step further, and that it was “about time” Fallowfield had its own gig venue.

Since the people coming already “like the music, and they’re in bands”, he made the decision to cater to this audience and give them somewhere to perform.

The upstairs space – previously used for events including bingo and karaoke – has now been converted into a fully-fledged music venue.

“All these people come regularly, they all know each other and so it makes it more like a family kind of thing,” Steve said.

Two gigs were held last week on 27 and 28 November and this will continue over the coming weeks.

After a successful first few gigs, Steve said he has ‘things figured out’, and he plans to keep up this momentum and “add bits and bobs and make it better” going forward.

George Wainwright, guitarist and singer for the opening band The Bunny Suit, said he believes these new gigs at Klang will be a “significant revelation for the student community”.

Steve encourages any bands who want to get involved to get in touch via email – [email protected]. The space is free to hire and the only thing you have to pay for is the sound engineer.