Flashback from 2001 - Manchester

I was packing up a few more of my things in preparation for my move to NY and came across these handwritten notes:

10/5/01 6:00 PM
Manchester, Lowry Gallery

Took the Eccles tram from City Centre to the Lowry Gallery. Seemed like a tourist thing to do and I am, after all, a toursit.

Didn't know it was a gallery dedicated to the ARTIST Lowry until I arrived. All the brochures made it sound like a happening place with a varied collection. When I arrived, I was informed that that the gallery was closed for refurbishing and would re-open next week. The only entertainment available at hand was a show I had neither the tickets nor the inclination to attend.

I figured now would be a good time to fill you in on my experiences in Manchester these past few days....

I was able to cover a lot of ground in two days. I was going to send you a postcard, but they only provide enough space for a soundbite.

I have visted all the neighborhoods surrounding the city centre:

- Castlefield
Famed for its one Roman ruin: an entryway to a fort circa 100AD. Being a great fan of history I was a bit underwhelmed.

- UMITS (University of Manchester, Institute of Technology & Science)
Typical of hte older, large building-ed universities one finds throughout Europe, I imagine. Red-bricked and solid, nothing at all like the beautiful open campuses one finds in the States.

- Chinatown
4 square blocks. 'Nuff said.

- Arnsdale Mall, nice mall...

- Deansgate
Like a miniature Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills with expensive shops and people trying to look smart.

I walked north along Deansgate Road and found myself smack-dab in the Yuppie Quarter northwest of the City Centre. Along the way was Manchester's City council, a magnificent converted cathedral with a beautiful open square.

What's nice about Manchester is that there are clubs and music spread throughout the city (unlike being concentrated just mostly in one area like in SF), and the ambience/crowd exactly matches the neighborhood so there is no guessing.

Went to two clubs, Club K and another near UMITS which I can't recall the name of. DJs were very good in both venues. I had visited the Bohemian Party/Music area of the city. I get a sense that I have visited Manchester during a cultural downturn, similar to what I experience in San Francisco [the dot-com bust was in full effect at the time]. I get a sense that its glory years were about a decade or more ago.

I was the Dry Bar and was peppering the bartender with all my tourist questions. Apparently New Order had declared bankruptcy quite a few years ago and had sold their stake in the establishment. Now it semmed like every other bar on the street. Then again what makes a bar or any other place special is one's connection to it and its community. That's what I love about a place like Manhattan (and to a certain extent SF); they are historical places with a large transient population. Everyone, including the residents, are visitors. Wherever one goes, one meets open arms and receptive faces. It is a frontier attitude where the frontier is not specifically physical, but the end-goal is adventure. Every one is a comrade in this adventure in these types of cities.

Not so in today's Manchester. It is an established town with established people. The inhabitants are friendly, but seemed surprised to be talking to a visitor and didn't really know what to converse about besides football [England had clenched a World Cup berth that same weekend in a match at Manchester where David Beckham of the local Manchester United (think Lakers) team figured prominently] and the Manchester of old. I sense Britons are quite literate and musical people, but do not possess much curiosity. Perhaps this was due to their cultural courtesy.

The New Order show at the Apollo was quite overwhelming. I was front and center not more than five feet from Bernard Summer. I was used to intense crowds, but not a hopelessly drunk one. Things were fine and I was properly exhausted after the show. They played at least three Joy Division songs, including a very rousing rendition of "Love Will Tear Us Apart". The only low was a very bad rendition of "Bizarre Love Triangle". They will have to make it up to me in Glasgow and London.

I have to admit the level oif drinking I have found here to be fairly appalling. People really get fucked up here and the amount of day-to-day alchoholism is shocking. You know that show "Scared Straight"? Well, I've been "Scared Sober" and have been dry since my afternoon arrival on Wednesday.

I'll be taking the train to Glasgow from Picadilly Station tomorrow morning.

Thus ends the first chapter in my three-part vacation...