About Cruz 101
Open six nights a week, Cruz 101 is Manchester's favourite gay venue and has been so for over sixteen years. With a varied selection of in-house and hosted nights our music policy ranges from disco to funky house, pop to trance, r'n'b to hard house....leaving no-one uncatered for. Stunning decor, reasonable door & bar prices in line with most bars on Canal St, the best state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems (over 31k if you're interested, see footnote for more details) and great clientele make Cruz 101 everyone's 1st choice for a great night out.
The Club
Cruz is really two clubs in one, with the large main floor operating six nights a week and a smaller lower level with a more underground feel to it. The lower floor operates both as part of the main club on selected days and independently with a separate entrance in association with successful promoters on others.
If you're interested in accessibility information for the club, please read the accessibility page.
Our History
CRUZ 101 opened it's doors to the public on 22nd May 1992. After a year long renovation, an old textile mill was transformed into Manchester's largest purpose-built gay nightclub. One that was instrumental in changing Manchester's gay scene from "ghetto" to "village" and has set the standards for others to follow ever since.
At first people would have to wait 48 hours to obtain membership to this exclusive club, but due to demands from customers and a lengthy High Court battle, this changed to instant membership being available at the door. The 'membership' rule was to prove both an inconvenience and benefit to the club. Whilst being restricted by many license restrictions other clubs need not meet, the membership rule was also one of the largest factors in keeping the club the only true safe gay space in Manchester. In 2002 Cruz was finally allowed to change it's licence to allow it to admit non-members.
'Entertainment' has always been one of the clubs priorities and over the years many famous people have visited the club including pop acts Sonia, The Weather Girls, Phil Oakey, Heaven 17, Hazel Dean, Margarita Pracatan, Sybil, The Candy Girls and Take That, 70's acts The Nolans, Odyssey and Rose Royce, and more recently, Five Star, Kelly Llorenna, Angie Brown, A1, Scooch, Steps, Graham Norton and Lily Savage. In 1993 Cruz was the pioneer of the original 70's & 80's night, Disco Inferno, which is still running strong every Monday after eleven years. As time has gone on the 'disco music' policy of 70's & 80's has been expanded to include 90's & 00's.
Fourteen years on, and open six nights a week, Cruz is still the most popular club in Manchester's Gay Village. However, the club has constantly evolved; reinvented itself in response to a changing gay climate and demands, whilst staying true to its original ethos: good music; a great atmosphere; horny men; flattering lighting; and all at prices that won't break the bank for the thousands who visit us each and every week.
Sound and Lighting Footnote
Cruz uses only state-of-the-art sound equipment using OHM BR series cabinets driven by a combination of Crest 9001 & Crown MA series amplification. Source equipment is Pioneer CDJ1000's and Technics SL1210's through Cloud CXM mixers. Processing is handled by Rane & BSS.
Lighting is a combination of Martin MAC's and legacy equipment. Control is provided by Martin Lightjockey and Pulsar Masterpiece.