Last Saturday, The Yard was proud to host the very first United By The Groove– a groundbreaking new event designed to make nightlife fully accessible to everyone.
Created by four young promoters from the North West, the night was all about tearing down barriers in club culture and creating a space where every music lover could come together on the dancefloor.
Many traditional venues remain inaccessible, with steps, narrow entrances, or toilets that don’t cater to wheelchair users. On top of this, disabled people often face stigma or condescension in nightlife spaces. United By The Groove was built to change that!
To make the event as inclusive as possible, The Yard was further adapted with ramps, grab rails in the toilets, braille signage, lowered bars, an audio loop for those with hearing impairments, and a sensory room for anyone needing a break.
The event also ran from 4pm-10pm to help avoid late-night transport challenges such as higher costs for Accessible Ubers and long wait times.
The soundtrack of the night stayed true to house and techno, with DJs including Jake Smith, Finley Allen, AJ Murphy, and Matty Taylforth-all artists with disabilities, each bringing their own energy to the decks.
A highlight saw AJ Murphy bring a live percussionist onstage to play bongos alongside his set, creating an electric atmosphere that had the crowd moving non-stop.
Three North West collectives also joined the bill:
Every set was played back-to-back, giving the night a fluid energy that kept the dancefloor full from start to finish.
The success of United By The Groove was thanks to a huge collective effort-from Restart Consulting, who funded the event, to Gareth for capturing the night on film, and the many outlets who helped spread the word.
They were joined by Recondition MCR, one of the residents of our very own Yard Atelier, expanding its mission to raise awareness for people with disabilities. Massive thank you to every every raver who came down and filled the dancefloor with joy!
This was far from a one-off. United By The Groove has already been spotlighted in Mixmag and other national press, shining a light on what can be achieved when accessibility is placed at the heart of event planning.
For us at The Yard, this event was deeply meaningful. As a venue housed in a Victorian school building, accessibility has always been a challenge, but nights like this show what’s possible when everyone works together! We’re committed to continuing to make our space as inclusive as it can be and welcome feedback from attendees to keep improving.
This was just the beginning. United By The Groove has set the tone for a new wave of inclusive nightlife in Manchester, and we couldn’t be prouder to have been part of its first chapter!!!
Make sure to check out the United by the Groove team on Instagram for more news and updates on their next event!
