Now Wave-resurrected venue The Abbey announce opening gigs

Resurrected Manchester venue The Abbey has announced its opening gigs. Formerly known as The Old Abbey Taphouse, the live music venue closed its doors in 2025, with local music promoters Now Wave behind the pub’s revival and restoration. 

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Oxfordshire singer-songwriter Willie J Healey will play The Abbey’s first headline shows with a special June residency, kicking off with solo performances on Thursday 18th and Friday 19th June, before being joined by his band on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st. 1000 Rabbits, Runnner, Crocodiles, Spanish Horses, Ora Cogan, Golomb, Les Big Byrd, Bikini Body, Born As Midnite, Dolphin Love, Makeshift Art Bar, Pina Palau, Soft Loft, Modern Woman, and Ebbb complete the opening set of shows through to November. 

Buy tickets to The Abbey's opening shows here

A historic pub located in between the inner city areas of Hulme and Greenheys in what is now Manchester Science Park, The Old Abbey Taphouse opened in the 1890s and remained a key cog of the community throughout the 20th century. One notable episode took place in 1953, where black boxer Len Johnson was refused service on the basis of his skin colour, leading to over 200 people protesting outside the pub, and resulting in the discriminatory serving policy being overturned. Manchester Evening News dubbed the venue “Manchester’s most eccentric pub” when reviewing the Taphouse and in recent years the "hub-in-a-pub" was revered as a gig venue and for its community-centric approach. 

Upon The Old Abbey Taphouse’s closure, listings began to appear from ‘Now Wave Pub’, sparking speculation on the fate of the defunct venue. Manchester promoters Now Wave, who own Oxford Road bar and live music venue YES, are behind the restoration, renaming the site to The Abbey with the tagline of “Old Venue New Music”. The operating team comprises YES founders Ruth Hemmingfield, Jonathan Wickstead and Wesley Jones, alongside Manchester Psych Festival founder Gareth Butterworth. 

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