Trof - The Deaf Institute in Manchester

Whip-round review. Used to LOVE and rave about whip-round! It used to be one of my main reasons to stay in Manchester; but sadly after the loss of the 1st floor dj it has sadly changed my mind. Went for the last club night of 2024, winter ball. And honestly, extremely disappointed. They used to have actual music which had the 1st floor bursting with people. But now it’s just not the same. The music is basic snd mixed with edm/drum and bass remixes of gorillas and other popular artists…. We aren’t here for that… what happened to the Deftones, SAOD, weezer or other artists like cranberries and Radiohead??? Now it’s just trash… so disappointing. Of course you still have some artists who make sense being played but it’s just not the same. You used to be my favourite club night. And if THIS was the last night of the year??? I seriously doubt I’ll come back again. Spent most of the night in the smoking area. Please get a dj who knows what the crowd wants. Whatever it was tonight was not it. Also a side comment which I don’t reallly are for as I’m there for the music. If the bar staff could look abit more happy? They looked very tired and like they really didn’t want to be there. Would’ve just been abit nicer. But then again I don’t care about how they act. It’s 99% the music. Ground floor was 10 times better than first, which is crazy thinking about how it used to be with the old dj. I used to love whip-round, please try harder.

Nice old building. Good history. Was compact room but sound was clear. No real seats but steps to sit for those who needed it.

Very intimate venue, great views of the stage and a superb atmosphere

Very good sound, great building with some amazing history

Nice small venue by glance but more spacious that it seemed, was confusing queuing up for a concert as there was another on the same day at the same place, people asking me if it was open (i was first in queue) i had no idea what they meant and it was very disorganised, a staff member being around near the door would be helpful. wasn't clear if we were upstairs or downstairs as there's 3 floors with rooms. one staff on the bar serving 200 people, more bar staff would have made things a lot smoother. Overall nice experience, very very close to the performers :) can stand right by the stage (UNPROCESSED with AVRALIZE, Oct 2024)

A great evening listening to Billianne good atmosphere. Would definitely go again .

What an amazing little venue, puts the bigger commercial arenas to shame. Can't comment on food, but this is an ssset for Manchester.

Great venue. Seen some excellent bands in this venue 👌

We visited here to see Alessy Rose at Neighbourhood Festival. The venue is small but that was good because we had a really good view of the stage. The venue itself is a bit dingy and sticky but the atmosphere was great. Would visit for a gig again

I saw ThxSoMch live at the deaf institute and it was amazing and definitely one of the best gigs I've been too

Went there for a club night (pink pony club) was INSANE, the DJ was so cool, atmosphere incredible and even security guards were vibing.

Weird AF to have a venue only for people who don't need mobility aids.💔

The staff outside got my very tipsy 18 year old a bottle of water before we got her into the taxi. That kindness; was so appreciated and your door staff are legends.

What a lovely, well organised venue! Looking forward to going back.

Good venue let down by some bad bouncer staff. Drinks are quite expensive too.

Booked tickets got confirmation on Thursday got there and it was closed, no notifications nothing, will never book again cost me £27.00 for nothing

Great musicians playing at a beautiful old music venue. An intimate gig with Jess Scragg, Kate & the Bad Sign supporting Ashley Sherlock Band. Its a quirky venue but great to see live acts.

Green Day after party was pumping!

A venue with heart! Amazing Victorian building spread over several floors, with quirky decor (never been to a gig with patterned wallpaper before!) and lovely staff. Great sound in the upstairs live room (Exploring Birdsong 22/06/24). The only (tiny) negative was having to go down to the basement to visit the gents' loo, but I guess this is a limitation of the original building. Would definitely come to another gig here. No star rating for the food as I didn't eat. Decent beers though!

Barry Adamson was funky as ever, navigating issues with mics with good humour. A lovely venue, intimate and pretty unique.

An intimate venue setting for a gig. With a lot of historic character and charm, good acoustics and no stage barrier (something I have not experienced for years).

What sort of venue books an amazing acoustic act from the US and decides to put on an overly loud electric act directly above them to drown out and ruin the sound. To top it all off with a sign stating “This show will be louder than you expect” just in case the acoustic artists downstairs needed another kick in the balls. No wonder the artist cancelled. Absolute disgrace, cashing in on the bank holiday, no consideration for the artists and music community. Disgusting, unprofessional behaviour by a live music venue.

What sort of venue books an amazing acoustic act from the US and decides to put on an overly loud electric act directly above them to drown out and ruin the sound. To top it all off with a sign stating “This show will be louder than you expect” just in case the acoustic artists downstairs needed another kick in the balls. No wonder the artist cancelled. Absolute disgrace, cashing in on the bank holiday, no consideration for the artists and music community. Disgusting, unprofessional behaviour by a live music venue.

not disabled friendly but my sister who needs the use of crutches could just get up the stairs (there are a fair amount tho so be warned). staff were amazing and so supportive, they gave us seating for my sisters disability and we had an amazing time .

Saw a band here recently, band and support were excellent but could only be seen in silhouette because the stage lights weren't working. If you charge bands and fans money you should at least get the basics right.

Rubbish place paid 9 pound to sit on a chair music outdated place small for anything calling a music hall

This place has got to be one of the best small venues in Manchester!

Great venue and great band (Rialto). The Aquatic centre is the best place to park if you are planning a visit

If you are thinking of visiting The Deaf Institute as a disabled person then you will be truly looked after. Nothing is too much trouble for the venue and staff. An example of how to treat disabled customers. Keep up the great work. I will definitely be coming back

Lovely venue for a gig , very fairly priced pints and had seating room at the back too

Venue is alright, I like the small size as it makes the gig feel more intimate but the decoration is absolutely terrible and makes posting photos of the night almost embarrassing… Staff were friendly though

One of my favourite intimate venues.

What fun..went to see Henry Wagons here..after went to pub over the road but then went back to enjoy the place

One of the best small venues in Manchester. The decor makes you feel like you're watching a gig in someone's living room. Incredible space. If you get the chance to see a gig here, you'll have a great night.

Deaf is genuinely a monument for the queer community at this point I think it’s one of the safest & friendliest nightclubs in Manchester

Lovely venue. Always a great atmosphere

I went here for my 21st birthday for the music/2000s night. I had always wanted to go to a musical event. We get there and are having fun, but one huge group decides to create a circle, taking up half the dance floor. That they won’t let anyone through, when there wasn’t that much space. Later on that evening, my friend was sick outside. Just because of a bad drink she had. It was out of the way of everyone and through the fence. She honestly was not drunk. Then the manager and a few security guards came up to us asking if someone had been sick. My friend explained that she had but she felt completely fine. The manager was nice and said that he could see my friend was not drunk and that it was just a bad drink. However then the security had to step in and kick us out as he didn’t care, she was still sick. We had paid for tickets and only been there about 2 hours. They ruined my birthday which really was a shame. Will not be going back

Should be called dead institute

Went here in november but was a bit tipsey and forgot the name of the place. IT WAS MORRISEY NIGHT.... damn it was way more fun than you'd expect. Atmosphere was outstanding. Staff were awesome BIG SHOUT OUT to the bar maid with the white streak in her hair! Legend.

This is a good live venue with with a great, intimate….slightly old school atmosphere.

I started going to this venue fairly regularly before lockdown began, and I quickly loved it. Sad how it now seems like a shell of its former self but… it’s a beautiful shell that brings back memories

We booked tickets to a gig here for the 27th November and they didn't inform us that the dates for the show had changed to the 11th December. We emailed them asking if our tickets were still valid and had to contact them yet again when we heard nothing back. They claimed to have replied to us, giving us a time frame in which to respond, but no such email ever arrived (if it was even sent in the first place). Our tickets were refunded, but by that point all tickets had sold out for December 11th. So, not only did we not get to see and support the upcoming singer that we like, but the whole experience was unnecessary, stressful, and resulted in losing money to nonrefundable train tickets.

Went ro see Dead Poets and Hannah Wicklund. What a fantastic gig. Atmosphere was great. Both sets were fantastic and the Deaf Institute is a throwback venue from years gone by. Small and intimate. Will be going again..... Soon!!

Top music venue if you like small. We saw William Prince there last night- he was superb with great voice and sound. Support was Matt Holubowski who was very good. Full house of about 200- magical

I did not become deaf Very disappointing

Have been a few times for live music, great small venue on three floors. The top floor has Goodman acoustics. The women’s toilet on this floor leaves a less than great impression, while the men’s is two down in the basement. A decent selection at the bar, the staff is always pleasant and helpful.

Drinks⭐⭐⭐⭐ Service⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Vibe⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Went to The Deaf Institute for my 19th birthday and had an amazing time. Went to the 80's (and country) night and my friends and I got into some 80's themed clothing for the night. Staff are great and friendly. Good prices for drinks too!

Great music venue and will definitely be back for food

Abby is such An amazing member of staff made us feel so welcome PAY RISE ASAP

Popped in here during the Psych Fest as it is such an iconic gig venue and we were not disappointed! There are at least two rooms of music (that I could see) and our gig was on the top floor. The room had a tiny VIP balcony on one side and at the back big stepped seating which was lovely to give my legs a rest, whilst still getting a great view. My only complaint was how loud it was, this may have been the band or the fact it is a small place, nothing some ear plugs couldn't solve. Overall a really cool venue and I would definitely go back for another gig there (and bring my ear plugs)

Have never visited before and was quite tempted to have a little look inside, so when j was passing by i enquired with a younger looking security guy with dark hair about the events on the night to which he replied in a nice and polite manner, that there were no events that night, but that the entry was free until 12 (midnight) and after that it was a paid entry until 3 am. since he was so kind and it was free entry, came back 3 minutes before at 23:57 and tried to enter the club. then the long haired lady with blond hair: said tickets. no hello, no nothing, just tickets. My reply was to refer to nicer security guy who had given information about free entry until midnight, to which i was told: my manager just told me its tickets only from now. Just showed the time to her and its was 23:57 (was denied again and this time in a more aggressive fashion)and if the person showed would have showed an ounce of interest or just general courtesy, would have actually been really interested to even pay and have a look, but with the attitude coming from her, realised that not only the person absolutely couldn’t care less, but also is rude and arrogant. this is the problem with some of security at the nightclubs, they get the 1 day sia badge and once in the high visibility jacket act like the lady mentioned. bizarre experience and would not recommend this place

🇬🇧 Great recommendation if you like theme parties. I went to a theme party that organized the venue and it was well worth it. Keep in mind that the demographics are young but if you go to have a blast with your mates it's the place to go in Manchester city center. Well located and connected by bus and the nearby Oxford road station. The venue has an eclectic aesthetic which I love. Divided in three floors, goers will decide which floors are them up to. 🇪🇸Gran recomendación si te gustan las fiestas temáticas. Fui a una fiesta temática que organizaba el local y valió la pena. Tenga en cuenta que la demografía es joven, pero si va a divertirse con sus amigos, es el lugar para ir en el centro de la ciudad de Manchester. Bien situado y comunicado por autobús y la cercana estación de Oxford road. El lugar tiene una estética ecléctica que me encanta. Dividido en tres plantas, los asistentes decidirán en qué plantas se encuentran.

Went to club night upstairs. Decent room. Very cold, could do with a heater for early on. Speakers were quite muffled, the bass was muffling out the music. Hopefully there aren't any more club nights I want to go to here in future. The cold isn't a big issue as I could wear a jacket, but the poor sound quality definitely harmed my enjoyment of the music. There were leaks on the left letting rain drops in, which was dangerous as well as unpleasant.

The lack of accessibility is appalling. The venue is completely inaccessible to wheelchair users and I (a cane user) was told to sit outside because I arrived when all the seats were full.

Great venue for a gig, good acoustics, would've handled more volume but fantastic night

Quirky old nightclub and venue. Attractive exterior, tired inside but not without its charm.

Best intimate venue in Manchester

Could do with some TLC to bring up to standard

Good food at great prices. Close to the campuses.

Went to see Skinny Living here. Cosy gathering. Friendly bar staff. Outside smoking area. Could do with an update though.

Great place for an intimate gig ,good atmosphere.Just need more bar staff

Downstairs was closed so only the upstairs bar was open. The Camden Ale was off so the only poured option was The Big Glug. More like the Big Disappointment. Five pounds for a pint of totally flat weak lager I approached the bar person and pointed out it was lousy. “There’s nothing I can do about it was the response”. Yes perhaps you were insufficiently skilled to change a barrel or check for qualify. However longer term you could consider retraining in an industry which doesn’t require interpersonal skills. See - think positive. During the band interval we went in search of a decent nearby pint. Flour and Flagon was not much cop so we ended up spending our cash in the Footage on the corner. I advise anybody going to future gigs to drink a decent pint in the Salisbury beforehand (behind Oxford Road station) or go to grand central on your way down.

We visited the Deaf Institute, the space was nice but my girlfriend dropped her phone into a small hole in the lower floor seating area, which was not visiboe in the low light. They have since been uncommunicative (2 weeks) despite claiming they would do everything they could to get it back, including promising a week ago that they would deconstruct the structure.

i ask about the cloakroom and the security guy told me there wasn’t one, which is clearly not true. so i had to put my jacket in a corner and someone stepped on it. besides, the event detail said they would play billie eilish but they didn’t.

"Deaf inst" has been a firm favourite of mine since I first arrived in Manchester 11 years ago. It is a staple of the Oxford Road scene and hosts really excellent live music. Some of my favourite gigs have been here including Jenny Owen Youngs and most recently the amazing The Deep Blue, an indie-folk vocal harmony extravaganza. It was great to come back to this celebrated venue after the height of the pandemic, although I believe it changed owners due to lockdown. I hope to come back for many more excellent gigs in the future.

One of the best gig venues to see upcoming bands. Only let down by an expensive bar. Otherwise fantastic.

Very cosy little place good music and just all round very well decorated. Really enjoy places like this and the beer was excellent with some IPAs Iv not seen for a while.

Paid 3 tickets but i was no longer able to get in yesterday night, because someone from the cue threw an empty bottle in the street and the bouncer did not let us in, till the person who did it will take responsibility for it! This is not the way to manage a situation! This rude and awfull people ruined my night! Never going there again!

Beautiful venue, great for intimate concerts. Loved it!

This place has really gone downhill. It's meant to be a fun club for students but it really doesn't seem like it anymore. VERY expensive drinks, even for Manchester. £8.50 for a double vodka and coke!?!? £5.50 for not even a full pint?!?! It's a joke! You can't run nights meant for students (which usually cost upwards of a fiver for entry) and then charge extortionate prices for drinks! Me and my Uni friends used to love this place, but not only have they greatly upped the price of drinks, they kick you out at half 1 some nights, and this was on a Friday! If you want a good indie club with cheap drinks, go to the venue.

Brilliant, intimate venue to properly see... actually see, a band, upfront and in person

Live music 3 floors clubbers dream

Staff were friendly and the food was really good

The food here was soo nice and well priced. The service was also really good, everyone was friendly and helpful

Group of 6 men (in our early 50s) on a reunion night out, big Indie music fans. Went to Clint Boon night. Music was fantastic, all our favourites Inspiral Carpets, Oasis, Stone Roses etc. Venue size was perfect, there was some room above to sit & chill, the bar staff were good, even gave free water/ice when you’d had enough alcohol! Only criticism was it was unbelievably loud (I defy anyone to say it’s not deafening) - must be why it’s called Deaf Institute! Had a brilliant night

First visit here to see lars frederikson,was a great gig,some nice beers on offer,look forward to another visit

great nightclub for an easy indie vibe, plenty worth going on the student nights like thursday

saw my mates band play here rlly cool venue!

Gigs are such a vibe! Seen some absolute belters at Deaf Institute

First time at The Deaf Institute, my brother and I saw Lars Fredriksen! An amazing and intimate venue. Cool and friendly staff. Nice 👌

Best music venue in Manchester.

Great place for live music. Atmosphere is incredible!

Great small venue with the added bonus of a decent Indian restaurant inside. Part of Manchester's musical history.

such a fun night out ! really friendly staff and great music. overall 10/10 i will be returning!

Manchester does have some amazing builds so if you some old guy wearing a baseball cap that will be me ...

Only enjoyed the private room but I got to say my 1st time at the Deaf Institute, I enjoyed it

Got told "I'm not feeling those shorts" in the middle of July. 0/10 first time visit. Will not attempt to spend money here again.

Went to See Alejandro Arande last night and Deaf Institute lovely place for Arandes acoustic set. Staff responded immediately when I said I define as Disabled.

One of the best small venues in the country. I love this venue and its a great place to see smaller bands.

First time been to this venue despite living in Manchester all my life. Brilliant venue, most definitely will be back for gigs there.

Useful live music venue for up and coming acts. The ground floor bar/dining area is currently (June 2022) closed, apparently for refurbishment.

Yes i went to the deaf institute to see my granson with is band the demo from middleton manchester they were really good its a great place to see a band a bit retro and old fashioned but yet good

Went to the club in Manchester the Deaf Institute. Seen a fantastic band..The Demo...wow...fantastic..5 young lads....why arnt they on granada new bands in the North West...they wer a breath if fresh air...cant wait to see where ther playing next..all gorgeous looking too...

Fantastic place to experience a gig. The building is heckin cool, really old school inside. Drinks are reasonably priced and staff are pleasant. Would recommend this venue.

Paid over 20£ for 2 drinks and 7£ for entry. Absolute rip off, didn’t even play the kind of songs they advertised. Total waste of time and money - genuinely can’t believe how bad it was…

Don’t get me wrong I want to keep funding independent places but not ducking worth £7.50 entry like not being funny but it was ‘musicals and Doja cat’ I heard no doja cat, but like any place could’ve played those songs and drinks were £8.50 a go so won’t be going back (singles as well)

I can't even get into the place, being a wheelchair user, so that automatically knocks off any stars I would have given. This is 2022, not 1952—lacking wheelchair access in such a well-known venue is utterly unacceptable.

Brilliant venue for gigs and live music. After the gig there is Late night music on by artists such as Clint Boon. 2 different bars. Great place. Open til 3am on Saturday morning.

Manchester, the Deaf institute Thursday May 19th Lovely venue, over 3 floors downstairs bar, centre upstairs bar and eating area serving vegan food and upstairs again for concert space and bar. Easy to find venue central location. Welcoming bar staff who explains the vegan menu and helpful when connecting to their WiFi and took my photo when I asked cos I wanted to show a friend what I was wearing. Clean and bright though out, decor is goth-retro. Food and drink served quickly and reasonably priced and all tastes good. Here to see When Rivers Meet, with Troy Redfern in support, first time for both venue and artists. Arrived early 5 pm have a little bite to eat, could hear the band rehearsal coming from the upstairs concert hall, Went for a walk in sunshine around All Saint's park across the road. Everyone has arrived early for the gig. Troy Redfern was first on stage. He is fantastic, just call him "the guitar man" because he is, the way he plays his many guitars and uses his pedals like another instrument was mind blowing, I could have listened to him all night. Next, the band themselves, When Rivers Meet. They are a fantastic, husband and wife duo Grace and Arran Bond but now they have the one and only, Roger Inniss on Bass and James Fox on Drums and piano. Roger and James both showed us how well they play when they jammed together in the set, then watched them both vibing when Grace and Arran did a spellbinding duet. Such an excellent night. It was over too soon, can not wait to see them again. Must comment on the sound system for the venue, it is really good, loud but clear all evening.