5th Avenue

This shithole has improved a lot over the years that I’ve naively frequented this indie scene basement club. That said there’s still a distinct rejection towards making the place more friendly and fun for everyone, resulting in becoming a sausage fest run by psychopathic bouncers. When its busy prepare to be headbutted by plebs because you’re too close to «me bird» [I probably deserved it] Everything about the place really pushes you towards only getting wasted at the bar because of the poor floor plan, heat and aggressive treatment of flirtation and mingling.
You may hope to mingle and have fun but more likely is you’ll down ten cheap stomach rotting drinks of vodka redbull and feel hyper, horny and depressed all at the same time. Which you can see reflected in the faces of most still there as the flood lights pop on near closing time. Lastly before I forget the DJs are the worst in the whole of Manchester. Overall a great night out if you enjoy getting totally wasted crushed up against a bunch of passive aggressive plebs. See you all there next week … :] god I hate myself … :[

Oh my god. the horror! This place made me feel like I was 14. The guys act like it’s the first time they’ve seen a girl, and it just gets worse from there. The ground is a disaster! It could easily pass for a war zone. Broken bottles and glasses litter the floor, all fighting to twist your ankle.
The only reason this gets 2 stars instead of 1 is because I managed to have fun while dancing with and semi-​making fun of people (in a loving way, honestly! If you make me laugh, I adore you.) So, it was salvageable for me, but some of my friends had a truly awful time.
The queue was probably the worst part of all. I have never encountered so many idiots in such a short timespan and distance. Mind = blown.

Never ever understood the appeal of this place ever! Again being an alternative sort of fella this isn’t a usual hang out of mine however because I have friends who do I often get dragged here on birthdays and other such occasions. Now the place is better than 42’s based on the crowd alone hence the extra star. However thats where the differences end, its the same sort of music popular, Indie, the odd pop punk song. The drinks are again sugar filled alcopops or cheap lager. The crowd is full of recognisable people, the pretty boys, the stuck up women, the indie alternatives, the define me people and the dragged by friends people *ahem*. There is a lil more space than 42s and the temperature is a little more bearable but I will maintain I hate going here and only do so for friends will never enter this place by my own violation.

You’ll probably have to wait in a que if you come later than 10:30, but not necessarily for too long.
The vodka redbulls are cheap here, not sure about other drinks. Keep in mind it’s a better deal to get two vodka redbulls, rather than a double vodka redbull, against better judgment.
People are happy and nice here, and there is a huge dancefloor with lots of flashy lights. There are ALOT of people in there on the weekends, so that could be daunting to some. I never had to wait long for a drink though.
The music is fine, but not magnificent. I don’t really think it’s quite the place for a true «underground» or «indie» fan. It’s a lot of Top 40 «indie», but it’s better than an r&b type of club that would potentially make said-​individual vomit. I think I may be giving this place a bit of a hard time, the music really isn’t awful, just not perfect :) but what club is?

Only ever been on a Monday, cheap cheap drinks and mediocre tunes. Good for a budget night out and you could probably spend the whole night in there and come out wasted.
The only reason I have give it 3 stars is because the doormen are nothing short of untrained chimps. Arrogant, unpleasant and snarling they let in who they want and make up the rules as they go along.
Recommend it!

5^th Ave, oh how we have grown up together.
Thus was one of the first places that would let me in when I took my first ventures in to the world of drinking at the tender age of 16.
There are so many negatives about 5^th Ave; the stinking hangovers, the sticky floor, the never changing playlist, the pointless queuing in the cold only to fond the place is empty, but it still holds a special place in my heart.
Monday and Wednesday nights $ 1.20 for a bottle of Stella (sorry for the dollar sign my American laptop doesn’t have a pound sign), still make it a great place to kill an evening hanging out on the balcony looking at all the kids ‘dancing’. I am probably a bit too old to go here on a regular basis now but the odd jaunt for cheap drinks and old times sake can’t hurt anyone.
Stay away from the ‘Red Bull’& Vodka though, this stuff will make you wish you were dead during the hangover.

Disco ball!
I do love disco balls. Anyway before I got carried away, I was here to tell you about 5^th Avenue, my first indie club experience as a student and one which I’ve been back to since (wearing a cocktail dress, after several bottles of wine, at midnight. The things we do when we’ve been gossiping with a girlfriend all evening). Here you can throw shapes to the likes of Blondie, New Order and all the other alt-​rock stalwarts on offer, and slurp some cheap booze while you’re at it. It’s the largest and perhaps most well-​known of the three main Manchester indie nights out (known as ‘Manchester’s #1 Indie Experience… and chronologically, my own), its club nights are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, each with a different yet indie-​related theme, so you’re spoilt for choice really.
It also has a large glittery sparkly disco ball.
While I have a thing for smaller, more intimate venues, when it comes to dancing it’s often better to have a bit more personal space when sweaty persons are chucking themselves around, and 5^th Ave is big. It can seem a little too big and brash at times, but going here feels like more of a club experience per se than The Venue for example. It’s also multi-​level, and one cannot deny that people-​watching from the balcony is one whole mess of fun. Yes, you’re looking down on the revellers occupying the dance floor, and you might just feel a little superior (only if you’re far more sober than them).
A small side note though, the bouncers are particularly rude and physical. The BF told me a tale of when his friend, a hot-​headed chap of the lion-​like star sign who becomes slightly irritable with a bellyful of Jack Daniels, was as usual getting a little ‘arsey’ as we say up here. My other half had the entire situation under control and had managed to calm him down and usher him out, but as they were leaving a bouncer took it upon himself to push our fiery-​tempered drummer as hard as he could. Of course, a fiery temper responds not too well to pushing. The unnecessary shove resulted in what was very nearly a violent fight. Sometimes bouncers have just got to stop with the over-​zealousness.
Back to the lovely balcony, anyway. It is also dangerously close to the disco ball. Don’t try and swing from it. You’ll get kicked out. The main thing is, 5^th Ave is big, roomy, silly fun. You might not have the most memorable of nights in here (you see the things bargain booze can do to you?) but there’s something for everyone so bring that side of you that likes cheap thrills and you should be fine. You know, the side that comes out when you’ve had a few wines. Some even have names for theirs. For instance my friend Jenna has her alter-​ego Jennavive. Mine is Eloise. Why do I get the feeling that could one day be my Mills and Boon pen name. Oh, say it ain’t so…

I have two over-​ridingly painful memories of this place:
1) It gives you sticky hangovers. You know those disgusting ones where you feel like your internal organs are all sticky and syrupy, and your blood is now carrying pure sugar around you? Yeah? Yeah, well it gives you them.
2) Last time I was here, I tumbled down a flight of about 20 steps. Sober. Right from top to bottom. And it hurt quite considerably.
Also, this place is always crammed to the rafters. Not in a good way, as if its really popular and everyone wants to be there. In a desperate way, like the bouncers are just pulling in anyone they can off the street. Its TOO full. Annoyingly so, it takes about 10 minutes to get to the bar and about another 15 to get served. And if on the off-​chance they play a decent song in that time (one you feel like dancing to) well, its tough isn’t it.
Price-​wise 5^th Av is a bargain: its never more than £4 to get in and discounts are offered to those lucky gits with an NUS card. There’s also lots of drinks deals, usually revolving around VKs or Red Bull– perhaps this is the reason for the sticky hangovers, come to think of it.
I suppose, if you like commercial indie and don’t mind being near-​killed in the fray on the dancefloor (why do they jump up and down? Where is the fun in that? Can we not just have a nice civilised bop instead?), then you might like it here. But I don’t: the fact I haven’t been here voluntarily since I was a naïve young fresher speaks volumes really. And that’s not even sour grapes cos my bruises took 2 weeks to heal.

5^th Ave is one of the biggest, and most popular Manchester clubs, and ever since moving to the city, I have been repeatedly subjected to Friday nights, queuing along Princess Street to get in.
The sad thing about that is, I am not really a fan of 5^th Ave. There are definitely good points — I think that the music is amazing, the drinks are cheap, and it is fairly inexpensive to get into, but for what it is, I think it is hugely overrated. For one thing, as with nearly all of the Manchester clubs, they pack far too many people into 5^th Ave of an evening. It becomes hot, claustrophobic and generally unpleasant, especially in the bar and seating areas, as there is simply not enough room for everybody. Just the sight of the consistently enormous queue is enough to make my heart sink.
Still, for me, the biggest problem I have with 5^th Ave is getting around once I am inside. It may sound ridiculous, but I can never, no matter how hard I try, find the exit at the end of the night — despite receiving direction from the clubs staff. I try to get out, and find myself in the complete wrong end of the club. C’est la vie. At least it makes you buy more drinks!

Ah, Fifth Ave. Whether we like it or not, we’ve all spent a few nights in there, necking shots, kissing strangers and enduring multiple plays of ‘Step On’. But still, I guess it is a bit of a Manchester institution, so I think everyone must visit it at least once.
The music is Indie in the loosest meaning of the word. As well as overplayed Madchester tunes, you’ll also hear Kings of Leon, Klaxons, Scouting for Girls and whichever other vaguely alternative bands are the flavour of the week right now. Still, the place is a total meat market that’s packed with baby-​faced, floppy fringed Indie boys. So it can be a good place to meet someone if you’re on the prowl!
I think the Fifth Ave experience can be best likened to the cheap, sugary alcopops they sell at the bar. They’re don’t cost much, can taste pretty grim and are incredibly bad for you. But occasionally, just once in a while, they’re a real guilty pleasure!

5^th Avenue was the first ever club I had been in Manchester after coming here as a student! It is known as Manchester’s no. 1 Indie experience and to tell you, I had an amazing time thereon as well!
My first year was pretty much 5^th Ave and more 5^th Ave! Why you would ask?
— You can get in any time
— The drinks are cheaper than any club I know: £1 vodka redbull!
— The music is always great on a friday and saturday
— You can wear whatever the hell you want !
Now, 5^th Ave to many might also translate shoulder to shoulder crowd and long never ending queues and yelling til your voice disappears for drinks. But to me, 5^th Ave will always mean one hell of a night!

My memories of 5^th Ave include going on Monday nights just for the free entry and 2 free drinks and ending up there ’til 3am, drinking bottles of Corona for 80p and quadruple JD and cokes for £4 (two doubles mixed), getting free entry with the Snapfax, not wearing a coat in mid-​December to save £1 on the cloakroom, doing the actions to Mr Brightside, chatting to the bouncers, listening to the Doves’ ‘Pounding’ to bring in 2005… and 2006. Those were the days.
I wasn’t really into modern indie music when I first moved to Manchester, but it was 5^th Ave which introduced me to the Killers, Razorlight, Hot Chip and all the other decent mid-​naughties indie. I had some amazing nights there, and very rarely experienced the chavtastic atmosphere described by Rebecca (aside from the occasional visit on a Saturday night). This is one reason why I refuse to return. I know I would be disappointed.
Nothing will ever tempt me to go back. Even the Valentines foam party this Saturday. In fact, especially not that, as I have heard stories of when one of their foam parties went drastically wrong and everyone in the place either vomited or came up in a rash, or both.
4 stars for 5^th Ave as I remember it. I’d recommend every 18-​year-​old fresher to visit at least once, so that you can make up your own mind.

For old times’ sake, I’ll give this place an extra star. I was the first club I ever went to, and I understand Becca’s feelings exactly, as I came straight from a small village in North Wales where the only experience with night entertainment was hearing the guy from next door return home pissed and proceed to conduct a loud shouting match with his 90 year old mother.
I remember walking in over four years ago and being utterly astounded at the amount of people, and the noise, and the whole intensity of it. The last time I walked in I remember being disgusted at the amount of people, and the noise, and the whole intensity of it. I could blame that partly on the unfortunate act of growing up and maturing, but then again there are plenty of ‘mature’ guys in there every night as far as I can tell, some of them far too mature in my opinion.
It’s still cheap, and I can’t comment on the music as it always sounded like the DJ was just putting his iPod on shuffle, taking a shot of Valium and passing out on the sticky floor in a tragic heap. It still seems popular as well, but the calibre of the population within seems to be shifting much more towards the shadowy underside of civilisation, and it doesn’t seem like anyone really cares.
I shouldn’t really give a toss, but I love Manchester, and as a ‘famous’ nightclub it should be putting on a good show. As the overworked sewage worker said to another: «We need to sort this shit out».

If you are, or ever have been, a student in Manchester, you will have at least heard of 5^th Ave. Chances are you’ve been there. Chances are you know what a hell-​hole it is. I’m not kidding; this club is possibly one of the grossest pits in Manchester, its only redeeming feature being… oh, no, I can’t think of anything good about 5^th Ave.
Perhaps I am being a little too harsh. Like most graduates of this fair city, I remember the good times of 5^th Ave. Those weeks in first year that consisted entirely of a combination of 5^th Ave, hangover, Hollyoaks, 5^th Ave, hangover, Hollyoaks, repeat to fade, were fun. The drinks were cheap and the music was pretty cool. They’d play Beating Heart Baby any My Sharona every night without fail. And that was fun. I suppose I was bound to love 5^th Ave, because I came from a town whose only night club thought that playing the Grease Megamix thrice a night was a mark of quality. So, wide-​eyed and excitable, with government money burning a hole in my new Primark handbag, I dove in. Twas, though, a short love affair, as I discovered 42^nd Street soon after.
So, how can I justify my low low score now? Because, good friends, 4 months ago I was forced against my will to go to 5^th Ave. What seemed like fun when I was 18, made my 22 year old self want to die. For starters, the door policy is clearly very lax these days, as I would say about 50% of the clientele were under age. There was also an alarming chav contingent, and a group of awful, rough-​looking old blokes visibly leering at any girl who walked past. In the hour and a half that I stayed there, I was groped and pushed so many times, I almost got violent. You can never expect a whole load of personal space in a nightclub, I know, but I feel like 5^th Ave has become somewhat of a meat market; I know of no other venue where I would have to chastise two different men for trying to put their hands up my skirt in the space of an hour.
The music used to be good indie peppered with a bit of classic rock (see My Sharona above) but the music played that night was literally awful. It’s not 5^th Ave’s fault that indie music suddenly died on its arse the day Pete quit the Libertines and Jonny Borrell shoe-​horned himself into white skinnies, but it is their fault that they insist on playing such dross as Pigeon Detectives and Scouting for Girls, as well as shedloads of horrendous emo. One saving grace, in the shape of Daft Punk’s One More Time, came too late, and I was already out the door.
For me, 5^th Ave offers nothing to the discerning customer. The drinks are cheap, admittedly, but almost every club has drinks promotions. If you want a fun night out with decent music and a nice crowd, 5^th Ave is not for you. If, however, you like being buffeted around by sweaty old blokes trying to get a look down your top, whilst slipping around in a mix of beer, sick and sawdust, while being forced to dance to Fallout Boy, then 5^th Ave awaits. Just make sure you get a tetanus shot, and maybe bring a mace spray for those over-​amorous old blokes.

Aaaaah 5^th Avenue my old friend. Where do I start…
This place is definitely the place I have been to most in Manchester. I used to pretty much go here every night when I was a bit younger. I actually mean that, it was closed Tuesdays and Sundays so I didn’t go then. But that was about it.
I knew all the doormen. I knew all the bar staff. I knew everyone in there. That is how good 5^th Ave used to be, it was a good night every night so everyone used to go, every night.
However I’m afraid to say 5^th Ave is now a shell of it’s former self, I went last year and said never again, I’ve been twice this year and said the same thing (I actually mean it this time). I just can’t bring myself to admit that this place actually has gone to the dogs (that phrase is actually very accurate here…)! It used to be amazing!
The two things that made 5^th Ave so good were the music (still there but you always know what song is coming next, I think it may actually be a CD) and the people. Somehow 5^th seems to have been infiltrated by chavs and kids… what the hell happened?! This place used to have a incredibly strict door policy?!
But I suppose I got my money’s worth while the going was good and at least 42s has managed to retain itself as a good indie club.

There’s nothing wrong with people who like 5^th Ave, they’re just young. The worst thing about this is that I’m only just noticing it, the slow creeping suspicion that you aren’t quite as young as you were is a bitter, spiky and large pill to swallow. I’m not OLD old, I’m 27 but as I look around 5^th Ave… I realise nobody else is.
I never studied in Manchester so I don’t have the warm and fuzzy nostalgia that other people might have about the venue, I suppose this is why I can see generic «any town» nature of the 5^th more than others.
Like so many other large, cheap venues that specialise in classic indie and over-​sized vodka redbulls, the club is a student favourite and if you are being lazy, it is a foolproof night of fun.
5^th Ave is not unique, it’s not one of a kind, it just happens to be the best at what it does in THIS city, and that’s more than good enough for me.

Indie indie indie music at 5^th Av… And if you like vodka redbull and have a crisp ten pound note then it might just be the No.1 indie experience.
It’s big, there’s lots of regulars and the DJs know what the crowd wants. A cousin of mine who DJs spoke of when they play The Beastie Boys ‘Fight for your Right’ and what track they put next the way an academic might gaze in wonder at an Old Master painting.
You can lean over the top balcony and see hundreds of people, there’s a buzz. I prefer 42s just because I think its cooler but 5^th Av can sometimes be more FUN.
The most fun I ever had here was at one of their Foam Parties. They bring out the kid in you. You want to be at the front of the foam cannon or in the right part of the dancefloor.
No posing. You have high heeled wedges on that now look like snow boots and you’re singing Don’t Look Back in Anger, there’s no time to pose.

Sweet lord, is this place cheap! Not been in a while but I remember selected drinks being 80p each, although to be fair, they were drinks like VHF and the like.
The music is OK, although not really that much indie nowadays, much more mainstream.
The place got a bit of a refurb not too long ago, so its quite big with a lot of seats knocking around. Very popular with the student crowd, expect to feel old if you are over 21!

One of the best places to go in Manchester if you’re into indie music. It helps if you’re a student too, as the place is full of them!
Cheap drinks, entry and good musc. But, smells of sick in places.

A bit of student dive but it’s really cheap to drink and it’s full of people getting drunk having fun.
The playlist though is boring due to it’s solid indie playlist, every night is the same and there are too many students. Most of the people who vist know what to expect anyways and ain’t bothered. The place is a bit like Marmite really.

l’endroit est assez grand, les consommations sont à des prix très raisonnables, il faut aimer ce type d’endroit
l’odeur y est très particulière en gros dsl mais ça pue!!!
si vous voulez sortir fumer une cigarette il faut ACHETER UN BRACELET ds la boîte