Thunderdome: The notorious nightclub at the centre of Madchester’s criminal underworld

Beyond the glitz and the glamour of the headline-dominating Haçienda there once stood the formidable Thunderdome, the lesser talked about nightclub at the heart of the Madchester music scene in the 1980s.

Located at 255 Oldham Road, the Thunderdome was home to Manchester’s somewhat more edgy crowd back in the 1980s and 1990s, the height of the Madchester scene. While the Haçienda was famously difficult to get into and operated a strict dress code, the ‘Dome would welcome people from all walks of life, regardless of their image, their dress sense and, perhaps most prominently, their intentions.

Initially, the Thunderdome remained peaceful despite it’s drug dealer-heavy clientele. However, football hooligans and gang members gradually made the majority of its crowds, leading to a spike in violence, police raids and a notorious reputation that has stuck to this very day. 

Jay Wearden

Jay Wearden

So, what exactly was a club night in the Thunderdome like?

Well, being only twenty-six years old myself, I don’t have much to say on the matter. So I decided to put on my investigative journalist hat and delve into a Facebook group dedicated only to the most loyal of Thunderdome party goers. And here’s what I found: When you ask a group of seasoned ‘Dome punters on their thoughts and experiences of the nightclub, you tend to get the same kind of response; it was somewhat dangerous but the most welcoming club in Manchester – and a whole lot of fun.

In the responses to my query, there was talk of police raids, police helicopters circling the venue, undercover coppers in smiley face t-shirts, German Shepherds, Scousers trying to steal the doors, sweat dripping from the ceiling, ravers being soaked in black paint, one partygoer being hit by a bus but continuing to rave anyway, friends being made for life and a lot of drugs. 

Former ‘Dome regular Cheryl O’Brien told me that she would spend her weekends as a young woman working at the ‘Dome after finishing her day shift over in Affleck’s Palace, noting that she ‘learned some impressive dance moves’ as a result.

“I went to the best dance school in Manchester… Beats the Bolshoi. Pisses all over the Haçienda.”

Jay Wearden

Jay Wearden

Underground DJ Jay Wearden also had many tales to tell, having spent the early years of his career performing at the Thunderdome – though not with the most efficient of equipment. Speaking with Proper Manchester, Jay recalled the difficult conditions the venue provided, noting that vinyl records would be ‘soaking wet’ and detailing how there would be ‘wires everywhere.’

He explained: “When I first played there before the fire there were wires everywhere behind the decks and the sound system would trip. People would be going mad for me to turn it back on. 

“I didn’t have a clue in those days about sound systems. I would just look at it blankly. But eventually it would kick back on; it actually added to the atmosphere and the excitement.”

However, his role as DJ at the Thunderdome didn’t just include loud music and late nights; it came with a sense of danger, too. He recalled: “In those early days it still felt dangerous… we were rebels on the edge of society. So everything not being slick and a bit ‘Heath Robinson’ was part of the what made it all so authentic.

Jay Wearden

Jay Wearden

Jay remembers when the police raided the club one Thursday night and made him turn the music off before ‘proceeding to treat all the hardened clubbers like school children.’

“The people who went to the ‘Dome on a Thursday were the real heads of Manchester at that time, so they responded with the commands with ridicule. I remember a police inspector pranced in with a silver topped cane and started to address the crowd like a headmaster at an assembly. You can only imagine the response to him.

“Every time someone shouted something they would be lead away until they gave up as they would have had to arrest a few hundred people.”

Who is else is feeling that their ‘wild’ nights in PopWorld weren’t so wild after all?

Jay Wearden

Jay Wearden

Anyway, the exact closing date of the Thunderdome remains uncertain, but the building was demolished in 2010 and today, the site remains unoccupied. 

However, the unique spirit of the venue lives on through the dedicated partygoers from it’s glory years, who continue to come together via social media to reminisce and share their unique stories (the ones they can remember, that is) from their nights within the ‘Dome. 

And next month, the ‘Dome will be coming back to life (kind of) with Hidden’s event, The ThunderDome Rebuilt on September 11th – police raids and sweaty ceilings not guaranteed. 

Jay Wearden has written a book detailing his experiences working as an underground DJ in Manchester and beyond. Find it here.