[HDNG]CITY:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E2[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1.20 [BULL] Glass of wine: 95p[ESTAT][PARA][ITAL]Manchester could hardly be hotter to trot, busting with top clubs, [PARA]the country's most vital venues, other musical amusements and [PARA]diverse diversions.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Cinemas:[EBOLD] (23 screens) A multiplicity of multiplexes and sundry [PARA]cinemas, everything from mainstream to art-house. There are 8 [PARA]screens at the Salford Quays complex and the [ITAL]ultimately trendy[EITAL] [PARA]Corner House (3 screens) shows many an arty flick. With a [PARA]gallery and cafe thrown in,[ITAL] it's a poser's paradise and a [PARA]sophisticate's dream.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Theatres:[EBOLD] (6+) The old Cotton Exchange is now the [ITAL]nationally [PARA]renowned[EITAL] Royal Exchange theatre - some of the country's [ITAL]best [EITAL][PARA]shows for under a fiver on student standbys. The next [ITAL]boldest [EITAL][PARA]are the Palace, the Opera House and the Library Theatre, which [PARA]show ballets, musicals and touring plays. For other touring [PARA]productions and dramatic distractions, try the Green Room [ITAL](also [PARA]does nifty veggie grub)[EITAL] and the University's Contact Theatre.[PARA][BOLD]Pubs:[EBOLD] [ITAL]Historic pubs in the truest tradition of the working men's [PARA]dive: bitter with bite, beer in gear. The recent rise in Manchester [PARA]cred has spawned a few pubs for the more whiney wine bar [PARA]clientele with video screens and limes in the beer bottles. These [PARA]tend to be more expensive and, generally, eminently avoidable, [PARA]but if you must be a victim, pose in Manto and the Dry Bar. [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL][PARA]plugs go to The Old Garratt, The Clarence (Irish pub), The [PARA]Whitworth, The Flea and Firkin, The Old Stream Brewery, The [PARA]Salutation, Dukes, The Peverill and the Lass O'Gowrie [EITAL]which are [PARA]all within a few minutes of the universities and UMIST.[ITAL] Further [PARA]afield there are The King's Arms (Chorlton-on-Medlock, home [PARA]brewing in the cellar), Chorlton Green (Chorlton), The Barley Corn[PARA]and Dog and Partridge (Didsbury), Queen of Hearts and Yate's [PARA]Wine Lodge (Fallowfield) and The Whitworth (Rusholme).[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos:[EBOLD] [ITAL]When God created Manchester, she created [PARA]clubbing. A student night out is often a euphemism for dancing [PARA]and a curry. Our only problem is listing the best bop spots. The [PARA]music is alive and the clubs come and go. Read 'City Life' for the [PARA]latest. The Haìienda has to be included - clubbers come from as [PARA]far as London to queue from as early as 8.30pm for the [PARA]legendary experience which has now turned into a bit of a [PARA]Manchester Scene theme park and costs up to ú20.[EITAL] [ITAL]Other [EITAL][PUSH]push[EPUSH][ITAL][PARA]plugs: The Board Walk (popular with students, Glam nights [PARA]Fridays); The Brickhouse (cheap and cool), Home (pretty hip); [PARA]The Underground; The Venue (for every Indie dance pilgrim); Man[PARA]Alive (rave and 70s retro); The State (ragga rave); No1, Rocky's, [PARA]Paradise Factory and It (gay); and The Discotheque Royale (take [PARA]the piss at the setting for the terminally terrible 'Hit Man and Her').[PARA]Every night is student night somewhere, check for these cheaper[PARA]NUS-only nights. Watch also the flyers for the alighting points of [PARA]fly-by-night clubs.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Music venues:[EBOLD] G-Mex has hosted [ITAL]some of the most meetless [PARA]musicians [EITAL]including Simply Red, The Happy Mondays and [PARA]Madness. [ITAL]The Apollo, by most towns' standards, would be a [PARA]best bet[EITAL], however, all over town there are live venues of every [PARA]size -[ITAL] the Band on the Wall (for Latin, Roots, etc) must be [PARA]mentioned. Among the many others: Gilly's (rock); Chorlton Irish [PARA]Club (folk); P J Bells (jazz); NIA Centre (world music); The Free [PARA]Trade Hall and the Royal Northern College of Music (classical)[EITAL]. [PARA]Many of the clubs stage live bands (Haìienda, The Boardwalk [PARA]and so on).[PARA][BOLD]Cabaret: [EBOLD][ITAL]Manchester is a breeding ground for stand-up talent. [PARA]Live comedy lives and is usually high octane value fun. Bernard [PARA]Manning is a local boy. Well, the exception that proves the point, I [PARA]suppose.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Others:[EBOLD] Millionaire students, or at least lucky or stupid ones, will, [PARA]no doubt, not want to miss Manchester's many casinos. The [PARA]more cultured will find many a fond hour to spend in some of the [PARA]city's splendid galleries (The City Gallery, The Corner House and [PARA]The Whitworth, which has many of L S Lowry's best paintings, [PARA]particularly of Manchester, his home turf).[HDNG]UNIVERSITY:[EHDNG][PARA][GRPH]E1[EGRPH][STAT][BULL] Price of a pint of beer: ú1 [BULL] Glass of wine: 85p[ESTAT][PARA][BOLD]Bars:[EBOLD] (4) The Union has facilities on 5 sites [ITAL]and they've got their [PARA]priorities right by having[EITAL] a bar at all but one.[PARA][BOLD]Theatres:[EBOLD] (1) The Horniman Theatre is based at Didsbury.[PARA][BOLD]Film:[EBOLD] The Film Club shows [ITAL]shlock[EITAL] such as Fatal Attraction, and [PARA]Fried Green Tomatoes.[PARA][BOLD]Clubs/discos:[EBOLD] 3 times a week it's club night in Kelly's Bar (cap [PARA]900, adm ú1-ú2.50) in the Union's main building. The Aytoun Bar [PARA](100) on the Aytoun site hosts 'Out' every Friday for gays, [PARA]lesbians and bisexuals.[PARA][BOLD]Music venues:[EBOLD] Kelly's Bar is also the scene of some grooves, [ITAL][PARA]which, although in Manchester may not be rare, are at least [PARA]medium to well done. [EITAL] Recent live sounds from the likes of [PARA]James, Galliano and Lush. [ITAL]Although the Manchester Scene may [PARA]not be dead, it is terminally ill and there is a fatal backlash return [PARA]to reggae, soul, jazz and folk.[EITAL][PARA][BOLD]Cabaret:[EBOLD] Once again, the scene is Kelly's Bar. The event is [PARA]cabaret night, once a fortnight, attracting the likes of Hugh [PARA]Lennon [ITAL](without Yoko)[EITAL].[HDNG]EATING OUT:[EHDNG][PARA]Between 11am and 3pm, students can forage for fodder at the [PARA]University refectory or graze on grub at the Union cafeterias. [PARA]Alternatively, [ITAL]the city simmers with scoff shops[EITAL]. For evening [PARA]treats and other local fare, check out Eating Out in Manchester [PARA]under [ULNE]University of Manchester.[EULNE][PARA][PARA]
