Manchester music legends speak out in support of Night & Day at the start of the hearing against the city council

Many Manchester music legends have thrown their support behind Night & Day, with the venue’s hearing against City Hall starting today (November 29).

Last month it was discovered that Night & Lá was facing legal proceedings over a noise complaint which could end it. Since then, over 94,000 people have signed a petition to remove the noise abatement notice.

Elbow member Guy Garvey spoke about the matter, describing it as “disgraceful”, adding that “we are furious”.

Garvey, who played with Elbow at the venue in the early days of the band’s formation, last week described Night & Day as an “essential” independent venue that catered to the city’s music and arts.”

The 1975’s Matty Healy – who performed some of the band’s formal concerts at the venue – also weighed in on the controversy, telling Apple Music’s Zane Lowe last month: “It’s like moving to Leicester Square and complaining cause there’s too much cinema!”

The historic venue also hosted early performances by artists such as the Arctic Monkeys and Wet Leg.

In addition, Manchester quintet The Goa Express spoke of how “sad” it would be to see another “vital” independent center close.

“People come because they want to go out and explore the city,” says bassist Naham Muzaffar. If they’re going to close at 10pm because they can’t have a DJ set, where else are people going to go?

“What other centers will suffer the same consequences?”

For his part, the head of the Music Venue Trust, Mark Davyd, described the situation that Night & Day is going through as the “worst example, anywhere in the country”, of someone being in “such a difficult situation “.

“Manchester City Council is going to court saying that Night & Day must change the nature of their business to accommodate a venue that should never have been allowed to be built.” “So it’s a ridiculous situation.”

Ben Smithson, who runs the venue with his wife Jennifer, told the BBC that the audience was “heartbroken”, adding that they were “hoping it goes well”.

“We can’t believe where we are and why,” he said. “We don’t understand why the council is going ahead with this, we have given them plenty of opportunity to leave it behind closed doors.”

A spokesman for Manchester City Council told the BBC that it continues to support the Manchester music scene that Night & Day has promoted” but that they had to “meet our legal nuisance obligations”.