Manchester has been alive this summer. It's hummed in the heat, basked in the brilliance of the Lionesses, and cut loose in its first post-pandemic freedom.
The city's bars, clubs, and venues have also been alive. They've coarsed with energy from the mega-stars, to the festival DJs, and the bread-and-butter smaller acts who give this city - this city which is a cultural institution within itself - the rhythm which is so intoxicating it makes the decision to stay so easy.
That's why, in a new series, the Manchester Evening News has been out to capture that rhythm. We've been to the small, dingy clubs, the renovated music halls, and the former ballrooms to get the best of the action.
