The Haçienda (1982–1997) was Manchester’s legendary nightclub, and the beating heart of “Madchester” — the late-’80s/early-’90s scene where the city’s indie guitar bands fused with the house and acid house sounds coming out of the club scene. Housed in a converted yacht builder’s warehouse, it was founded by Factory Records and New Order, with Tony Wilson and Rob Gretton behind its creation.
Resident DJs like Mike Pickering, Graeme Park, and Jon DaSilva helped bring acid house and rave culture into the UK, and that sound bled directly into bands like Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses, who were regulars there and became the poster children of the Madchester sound. Madonna even made her UK television debut at the venue.
For the full, colorful inside story, New Order bassist and Haçienda co-owner Peter Hook wrote a memoir about the club called The Haçienda: How Not to Run a Club, tracing its rise from the perspective of the people who ran it.
Hear some of the songs that you could’ve heard at the Haçienda in our playlist.
