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Two years before Nelson and his Victory were in action against Napoleon at Trafalgar, one Elizabeth Marsh (who was obviously a bit of a protean thinker) opened The George & Dragon on Manchester’s Swan Street.
In 1803, this part of the city not only bore witness, as the epicentre of the industrial revolution exploded and spread in every direction, but was also ‘home’ to the ever-increasing community of migrants that were essential in fuelling the nineteenth century’s tectonic shift from manual labour to machine-based production.
In establishing one of the first ‘locals’ in the neighbourhood, Marsh clearly had an eye on the potential in quenching the thirsts of an expanding workforce – and was establishing a Community Anchor, centuries before the National Organisation for Local Economies adopted the term to describe initiatives or institutions that bring people together – and foster that essential sense of place.
The history of the George and Dragon is best explored HERE – but it was in the early 20th Century that regulars first affectionately and informally coined the ‘Band on the Wall’ name, because the in-house musicians did actually play on a stage halfway up an internal wall, to make room in the busy pub.
Fast-forward to 1984 – and inspirational not-for-profit registered charity Inner City Music stepped in with a blueprint for the historic and culturally vital premises. With a modus operandi to celebrate music and its power to engage, inspire and unify, the depth and breadth of work of the people involved is staggering.
Inner City Music and Band on the Wall promote and celebrate the global music scene, with a particular emphasis on showcasing jazz, folk, reggae, soul, latin, afro, funk, blues and traditional and cultural music from across the world.
They also manage and operate an iconic live music venue with an unmatched reputation as a centre of excellence and innovation, thanks in no small part to its world-class artistic programmes, which again, celebrate music from across the globe, and by their commitment to supporting the best of emerging local talent.
The team on Swan Street are also at the very heart of serving the North West's local communities and musicians with a diverse range of learning and artistic programmes - accessible to everyone - regardless of age or background.
Committed to ensuring Band on the Wall remains a central space for Manchester's communities to learn about and experience the city's multiple musical heritages, it's essential at this point to also nod to the cementing of the 'Community Anchor' work that Ms Marsh started in the early 19th century.
Championing cultural diversity, promoting equality, removing physical and psychological barriers to access, and providing the best possible facilities and environment for inclusion and success is all in a day's work for the band at Band on the Wall.
Oh: and their passion for raising public knowledge of the venue's heritage - and its importance to the social and cultural history of Manchester, through careful work to develop an already extensive archive - is yet another reason why this place needs to be on your radar.
Following MagNorth's recent report of the organisation's 2 year 'World of Song' programme and partnership with similarly superb neighbours Community Arts North West, it was clear we were only shining the tiniest of lights on the third sector brilliance emanating from this part of Manchester: so it was essential to drop in and meet Gavin Sharp, the CEO of parent organisation Inner City Music - and Alice McIlwraith who is Head of Learning and Participation:
And Gavin is crystal clear from the outset about what the team are striving to achieve with their work - which is supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund: "The fact we're social: All the most successful projects have kids laughing - and I just love that. I think you learn, kids learn best when they're laughing.
"It's always about strong leadership [at Band on the Wall] and passion and commitment to kids, but there is also something quite magical about someone who has got the ability to create that environment where kids want to share with other kids - and where they're not embarrassed to experiment or get things wrong."
Gavin can trace the embryonic moment his own cultural journey got underway - and like many of us - for many different reasons - traces it back to an inspiring member of the teaching staff at his Blackpool school.
"I had a brilliant music teacher who was a strong leader, and a great headmaster who always provided him with the space and resources [needed] and therefore the number of kids at that school who went on to roles in culture and creativity is incredible.
"There is a massive need now. Schools can't do it [provide creative and pastoral activities and interventions because of pressures on budgets]. We have the space and we've done lots of projects in the past that kids love.
"We're anxious to talk about what we're doing, because we know there are other venues around the country that have similar resources; probably have a similar drive, but they may not be as far on the journey as we are. Partnerships should be developed and built."
Gavin is clear that ready access to informal music education should be available to all young people: "I think it's important to have music education like this, because I went through the classical route, and went to the music hubs. I loved that. But it's not very accessible. It's also expensive now."
And while, just like protean thinker Elizabeth Marsh - Gavin is constantly scanning horizons to establish new and innovative directions of travel, it's clear that he's only one of a number of like-minded professionals that make Band on the Wall, what it is.
Alice McIlwraith, in her role as Head of Learning and Participation - is somewhere between a brilliant senior teacher - and the very best youth worker that money can buy.
Heading to Manchester after studying music in Birmingham, she first arrived at Band on the Wall as a gig-attendee and then a volunteer.
Following a period working in the Hallé Orchestra's library, she found she was drawn to their education department, which provided the framework for a move to her current role.
Gavin interjects: "Once Alice arrived, I think there was just that connection. If you came on a Saturday morning, [when the Saturday Club is running] you would see the older ones are great - and really help with the younger ones. It's such a lovely, lovely atmosphere.
"We had our summer concert a couple of weeks ago and it was great. The standard [of musicianship] is getting better and better. We know kids can actually be really good at what they do.
"I'm really, really proud of everything that Alice has achieved. We want to help people to 'find their place'."
So: how do you break down barriers - and enthuse kids for something that might be perceived as 'not for them' or 'elitist'?
Gavin: "I don't play violin, but violins are incredibly logical and actually quite simple. There's a reason the violin is the popular folk instrument it is. Because if you play in one key - then it's a folk tune. Well, if you've got 4 strings: you've got 4 keys. It's just that easy.That instantly gives kids a real sense of: 'Oh, music's not some mythical magical thing that I'll never be able to understand.'
"When I was touring and playing, [with his Reggae band as a part of a global British Council project which had them gigging and delivering workshops globally; including in North Africa, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and across Eastern Europe and South America] we would do workshops with kids who had never played an instrument before - and the aim was always to get the kids playing a tune by the end of the workshop, on their own. You start off and show kids what is the very simple basics; perhaps a 2 chord reggae tune. But then you just start teaching the framework of what is going on and it's amazing how quickly they get it. Some kids just have it straight away. It's mad when you think that they've never held an instrument or been encouraged to sing, (though very often in deprived communities, in other parts of the world, people are encouraged to sing).
"You work with these kids and - 'wow,' all they needed was the access and they're picking it up. We'd just slowly drift away and leave them to it and we became the audience."
And that model that worked so well overseas, is having similar success at home. So, what does a typical week look like for community engagement at Band on the Wall? Is there a 'typical' week?
Alice: "We have a Jazz group, Parent and Baby sessions, Yoga classes, the Saturday Club - and a number of amazing choirs…
"Our aim is to reach the community living around here, we ultimately want to be able to reach people living in more economically deprived areas of Manchester, which we're not too far from in terms of the city centre."
And perfectly aligned with the organisation's outward-facing, international viewpoint; much of their best work is being done in partnership with refugees and asylum seekers, from places including Somalia, Ukraine and Afghanistan.
Alice: "There's a lot of different languages spoken in the sessions which is really nice. Jolanta who leads some sessions, [often] surprises people, as her Lithuanian heritage means she is able to speak Russian - and can work out Ukrainian (or at least know a few words).
"We've got a really great group of freelance practitioners who deliver all of these sessions and we're very lucky."
Both Gavin and Alice are also unequivocal about the importance of their partnership with the Manchester-based Oglesby Charitable Trust, which just like Band on the Wall - is about building thriving communities.
Gavin: "The Oglesby Trust fund such a wide range of organisations in Manchester; not just the arts. They fund projects that they're passionate about and they're really good at connecting people. A lot of our stuff [in the city] probably wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for their efforts."
And what is it that keeps the CEO of an art-based organisation passionate - while operating in a sometimes difficult landscape?
"Having worked around the world a lot - I think the absolute priority is we have to start investing in our children.
"In education, there is not enough focus on creativity and far too much focus on Maths and English. If you give kids the opportunity to be creative - it facilitates their ability to learn. It improves their confidence. Their enjoyment of life."
Alice is similarly committed: "We need a bit more of an awareness of what we're doing here. We're much more than just a place that you can come and see a band or buy drink; which is all I think a lot of people see. We're a big venue, but our programming reflects our whole ethos and we want to celebrate music from all over the world.
"With our Bar Stage, which is smaller, we're able to celebrate local artists - and provide a platform for them. In our upstairs space, we've got our community programme. It's a space for everyone to come and be creative. We are a community space."
Gavin:"I often call it a 'living music library' because people know what a library is. You know; it's a repository for knowledge and information, isn't it? With music comes knowledge and [for example] if you've heard music while you're on holiday and and it's caught your ear and you find yourself fascinated by it, there's a chance we'll present some of that music, you know, at some point, in the season.
"We've delivered all sorts of over the years: We've done Flamenco, we've done Belly Dance classes, we've done Tap Dance. Sometimes these [programmes] don't stick and sometimes they do - but the chances are there'll be something happening here to help you continue your exploration."
And Band on the Wall is also a space were a love of music can ultimately progress to inform a career choice: Working in partnership with the Manchester College - weekdays are often buzzing with a range of students and classes using the M4 rehearsal and performance spaces.
An especially important and timely cultural heritage project underway at the moment, sees Band on the Wall partner with Community Arts North West (CAN) and Filmmaker Tamana Ayazi, working on a National Lottery Heritage Funded piece of work to create a film which explores the rich musical heritage of Manchester's migrant, refugee and asylum seeker communities.
Gavin: "Tamana is incredible: She's an Afghan-born filmmaker who won an Emmy for a recent documentary she made."
Working with film students, the brief is to create a film that highlights how migrant communities are contributing to Manchester's music scene. Using the World of Song projects as a starting point, the work is particularly focussed on the achievements of the multinational Youth Band project. With footage 'in the can', a release date is scheduled for early 2026.
Gavin explains that the film is part of the team's ongoing 'little bit of education, to change the narrative'.
Band on the Wall are currently working with approximately 7.5k people per year. From the Baby Club - and Little Music Makers, through to the Gospel and Soul Choir and the Golden Voices Club - there is something for everyone.
And when quizzed, Gavin is certain there are three very distinct versions of Band on the Wall operating in harmony: "There is a big audience these days, for who going to gigs is a big part of their lives; but it's all about the bands that they follow and it doesn't really matter where the bands are playing - so a big chunk of our audience might only come here once.
"We then have a core audience who buy multiple tickets throughout the year, because it's here - and because they love the kind of music that we do. Most of them might have no idea about anything else that we do and don't necessarily care that much.
"We do do as much as we can to e-mail everyone and explain we're a nonprofit - and we do lots of education work too. The the third group are often kids (but not entirely). They literally just connect with us - and for them we are a community centre."
Regardless of which group we might feel most at home with currently, one thing is certain: Band on the Wall - and the dedicated people who work to keep this vital component of Northern Infrastructure alive - represent a kind of beautiful living-and-breathing Venn diagram that deserves to be cherished - and supported.
