The best gigs and club nights in Manchester November 2023

All the very best gigs and club nights happening in town this month

By Manchester's Finest | Last updated 16 February 2024

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(Credit: Rob Jones)

This month we have the return of Manchester’s biggest queer rave, some hip hop big dogs, edgy girl groups and some Manc legends back on stage, where they belong.

Read on for the best gigs and club nights in Manchester in November.

Homobloc at Depot Mayfield

Saturday 4 November

What a way to kick off November. The mighty queer party for all Homobloc returns with another thunderous line-up to fill the Depot Mayfield up with pure joy. The Blessed Madonna will be back, alongside Jessie Ware, Peaches, Confidence Man, SHERELLE, Horse Meat Disco, Prosumer, Todd Edwards and the legendary David Morales. Local talent will also be hugely represented by the likes of Flesh legends Kath McDermott and DJ Paulette, Supernature, Your Dad Sells Avon, Mix-stress, Gina Breeze, Veba and Jamie Bull. Bringeth it on.

11 Baring St, Manchester M1 2PY

Little Simz at Victoria Warehouse

Sunday 5 November

“Though she be but little she is fierce,” Shakespeare said of Little Simz (not really). But the sentiment remains, and the Brit Award-winning rapper, singer and actress arrives in Manchester this month, after being last seen in these parts at Parklife. She tore it right up there, and will do the same at the Viccy Warehouse.

Trafford Wharf Rd, Trafford Park, Stretford, Manchester M17 1AB

50 Cent at AO Arena

Friday 10 November

Fiddy himself will be returning to Manchester for his first performance since his main stage appearance at Parklife in 2022. In a stat to make everyone feel old, it’s 20 years since his pivotal album Get Rich Or Die Tryin’ (he got rich in the end), and this ‘Final Lap’ tour (sounds kind of final) will see him joined on stage at the AO by the legendary Busta Rhymes too, so two icons for the price of one.

Victoria Station Approach, Hunts Bank, Manchester M3 1AR

Jessie Ware at Victoria Warehouse

Friday 10 November

Jessie Ware is heading on tour in support of her fifth studio offering ‘That! Feels! Good!’, the disco-fuelled record which was released earlier this year. Latest singles ‘Free Yourself’ and ‘Pearls’ have helped cement the singer, songwriter (and podcaster) in her position at the forefront of UK pop. Catch Jessie live at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse on Friday 10 November.

Trafford Wharf Rd, Trafford Park, Stretford, Manchester M17 1AB

Brand New Heavies at the Bridgewater Hall

Thursday 16 November

Acid Jazz icons the Brand New Heavies will be stopping in Manchester as part of their greatest hits tour, but with some added orchestral splendour thrown in. They’ll be playing tracks from Never Stop… The Best Of accompanied by the London Concert Orchestra, so those soulful strings should truly hit home in spine-tingling style.

The Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley St, Manchester M2 3WS

The Prodigy at AO Arena

Friday 17 November

90s legends The Prodigy are back in town this month with their Army of Ants Tour 2023. The forthcoming arena shows mark the second string of dates without their iconic singer Keith Flint, who sadly passed away in 2019. The ‘Firestarter’ hitmakers stop at Manchester’s AO Arena on Friday 27 November before embarking on dates across the UK and Europe.

Victoria Station Approach, Hunts Bank, Manchester M3 1AR

BC Camplight

Friday 17 November

American singer-songwriter BC Camplight is back. Whilst the news of new album ‘The Last Rotation Of Earth’ from Brian Christinzio was somewhat out of the blue, it was very-much welcomed. Initially from Philadelphia but now a proud adopted Mancunian, BC Camplight will play one his biggest shows to date at Manchester’s Albert Hall on Friday 17 November.

27 Peter St, Manchester, M2 5QR

Co-op Live presale tickets
Skrillex

WHP and Eat Your Own Ears presents Curated By Skrillex

Saturday 18 November

Sonny Moore – aka Skrillex – will be in charge of putting the line-up together for this mind-bender of a night at the Warehouse Project. The man himself will be nabbing a headline slot in the Depot room, as you’d expect, with support in the form of Peggy Gou (who’ll be going back-to-back with Four Tet), Ben UFO, Manchester’s own Interplanetary Criminal, Flowdan, SHERELLE, HAAi, Josey Rebelle, Pangaea and Krysko. 

11 Baring St, Manchester M1 2PY

Friendly Fires at Victoria Warehouse

Friday 24 November

It’s been a solid decade and a half since Friendly Fires released their self-titled debut album. Tracks like Skeleton Boy, Jump In The Pool, White Diamonds and, of course, the anthemic Paris blended everything from post-punk to punk-funk to shoegaze to electronica, and cemented the lads from St Albans as an underground pop force to be reckoned with. They’ll be playing the whole album in full, and we’ll be bellowing it back to them.

Trafford Wharf Rd, Trafford Park, Stretford, Manchester M17 1AB

Girl Ray

Now Wave presents Girl Ray at Soup

Friday 24 November

Dead trendy North London new wave girl band Girl Ray hit up Soup with their smart indie-pop vibes, off the back of their Prestige album, the band’s third through the eclectic Moshi Moshi imprint. 

31-33 Spear St, Manchester M1 1DF

Speakers Corner Quartet
Speakers Corner Quartet (Credit: Marc Sethi)

Speakers Corner Quartet at New Century

Wednesday 22 November

Spinning off the revered spoken word and hip-hip night, founded in Brixton in 2006, Speakers Corner Quartet will be heading to New Century for a full orchestral show. They’ll be joined by the mighty Manchester Camerata, Coby Sey, Confucius MC, James Massiah, Lea Sen, Leilah, Tawiah and Eska for a night of fine beats and enviable flow, while conductor Robert Ames, who’s worked with the likes of Frank Ocean, Actress and Sigur Rós, handles the strings and whatnot.

34 Hanover St, Manchester M4 4AH

Black Grape at the Albert Hall

Friday 24 November

It’s the return of the mighty Black Grape, Shaun Ryder’s demented project with MC Kermit, formerly of Hulme hip hop crew the Ruthless Rap Assassins. Expect chaotic renditions of In The Name Of The Father, Reverend Black Grape and the wobbly Tramazi Parti, as well as a raft of new vibrations from their forthcoming fourth album Orange Head, due out this month.

27 Peter St, Manchester M2 5QR

Alabama 3 at The Ritz

Saturday 25 November

Brixton-born Alabama 3 will be bringing their acid-country dubtronica to The Ritz, and yes while they might be known for one track in particular (Woke Up This Morning, which was featured as the theme tune of a certain mobster drama, and which was reinvigorated when everyone started re-watching said show during lockdown), they’ve got plenty more in the arsenal, from some 13 albums in their back catalogue.

Whitworth St W, Manchester M1 5NQ

Deptford Northern Soul Club

Deptford Northern Soul Club at YES

Saturday 25 November

DNSC Residents Will Foot and Lewis Henderson will be conveying their love of all things crackly, seven-inch and soulful (thanks, initially, to Lewis’s dad’s record collection which gave them the bug) to the good folk of Manchester. They’ll be taking on the Pink Room at YES for a frank and thorough knees-up, so bring some loose and flappy trousers for the high kicks and a pocket full of talc for the slipping and sliding.

38 Charles St, Manchester M1 7DB

Anne-Marie at AO Arena

Sunday 26 November

A West End star, three-time karate champion and a BRIT Award-nominee? Anne-Marie is a real triple threat. Pop’s leading lady and The Voice judge is back on tour this month, with a stop in Manchester in celebration of new album ‘Unhealthy’ – which features a collab with Country superstar Shania Twain. The ‘2002’ singer will play Manchester’s AO Arena on Sunday 26 November, the penultimate night of her UK tour.

Victoria Station Approach, Hunts Bank, Manchester M3 1AR

Aficionado at The Pink Room

Sunday 26 November

The Aficionado crew have been nailing those eclectic balearic vibes for a solid 25 years, which is nice. Residents Moonboots and Jason Boardman will be joined for this all-dayer by like-minded chums for this blow out at the Pink Room at YES, including former Cafe Del Mar man Phil Mison, Brenda Ray, J-Walk/Fat City don Martin Brew and Nev Cottee. It’s free in, but a ticket is advised. Get shuffling.

38 Charles St, Manchester M1 7DB