With a NASA-approved sound system

Manchester is set to welcome a new four-storey music venue later this month.

Local promoters Now Wave have transformed a former auctioneers house and printers press on Charles Street into a huge wheelchair accessible venue called YES.

The building now boasts a basement club, live Pink Room, ground floor bar and outdoor rooftop terrace that features a NASA-approved sound system. Entry to the roof terrace and ground floor bar will be free.

Now Wave have been at the forefront of the city’s music scene for more than a decade, bringing bands such as The xx, Alt-J and more to the city in their infancy.

Now Wave’s Jon Wickstead told the Manchester Evening News: “It’s always been a dream of ours to have a space of our own. We’re proud to be adding the venue to Manchester’s independent music scene, and hope we can use our collective experience to help others do amazing things here, as well as hosting our own events.

“We are very aware that in this day and age people’s money needs to stretch a long way. That’s why you’ll always be able to get a pint at YES for £2.95, and it will always be free entry into the bar and our roof terrace seven days a week.”

Now Wave have teamed up with Ruth Hemmingfield, previously of other key Manchester spots The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and The Albert Hall, to set up YES.

Now Wave spoke to the NME about the venture in January, saying “lots of people were interested in the building and six people made an offer on it, but the other five were all to turn it into luxury flats. I think the owner quite liked the idea that we were doing something that was public.”

The signs look positive, with rising UK rapper Octavian and Gilles Peterson already secured to perform at the venue this autumn.

YES opens with a weekend of events on September 21-23.