The Magnet

An absolute amazing experience. Had a ball. Staff were amazing. The atmosphere was spot on. Nice night. Would strongly recommend

The Magnet is quite a funky place, and is one of the best bars for live music in Liverpool. It boasts a community of musicians and artists who give it It's identity. The resident DJ's play a mixture of jazz, soul and funk which really gives it a latin feel.

The top bar area has a chilled out relaxing ambience where you can have a quiet drink with friends or snuggle up with someone in the cosy booths. The basement level, known as The Sink has a completely different mood, more of a club party atmosphere with a huge sound system. They host DJ's and live music throughout the week. Then there's another area, known as the Fish Tank which is really chilled but still has a decent variety of music, just not as "clubbish".

Make sure you check out the website before heading down for a night out because sometimes it is ticket only entry which can be a bummer if you didn't know. Also, there can often be a big queue to get in, so expect to wait and even be turned away at the door if you don't look smart enough. Its 24 hour licence makes it extremely popular after hours so your best bet is to get in early.

The Magnet is the scene to be seen in the early hours of the morning. This is when it is at its busiest, as the late night license allows it to keep on partying once everywhere else has wound down. A venue that emulates 'cool', its history speaks volumes and promises that things can only get better.

The venue consists of a ground-floor bar and seating area, and at the back you can usually find a DJ and an impromptu dancefloor just outside the loos. The vibe here is generally jazz, funk, soul and anything chilled out and groovy. Downstairs hosts various music events and is split into the main dancefloor area, with a stage and elevated DJ box, where you can hear anything from drum & bass to disco; and the fishbowl, which has more seating and a different atmosphere once again.

The Magnet has been going since 1958 and was one of the city's first black venues, and you can still see evidence of this today. It is a club that has remained faithful to its roots, and always puts music and a chilled atmosphere top of its list of priorities. Whether its a stop-off on your way into town or a late night whistle-wetter, The Magnet is definitely the place to be!

I know. You can't ignore it. But that smell has been there for as long as I can remember, at least since the smoking ban came into effect anyway. The Magnet is one of the prime victims of the smoking ban, not just because you can smell the spots the cleaner missed in her hurry to get out of her sticky working conditions, but because the smoke hanging under the bar's dimly-lit lamps only added to the sensation of being in a real drinking hole. It shouldn't deter you, however, from enjoying one of Liverpool's most distinguished and characteristic dives.

The Magnet holds an important place in the city's nightclub history and is a drinking den that will please the less discerning drinker who enjoys the potential for encountering local characters and any music as long as it has soul. With its red upholstered booths and dark brown interior, The Magnet has the feel of a grimy New York drinking establishment. As the website reveals (www.magnetliverpool.co.uk), the club downstairs has been host to some legendary acts but is hit and miss regarding the night it is hosting so some research should be done before committing to the entrance fee, but The Magnet's ties to great local nights such as Circus and Chibuku will often ensure a good pre or after party can be found in the venue.

The Magnet can probably get a bit too lively in the early hours of the weekend, as it is one of the few genuine late-night bars it does attract some unsavoury characters after the other bars close, but with an eclectic schedule of live bands and DJs, The Magnet provides the perfect venue to end a late night of boozy revelry.

With its red leather booths and raunchy funk, the Magnet sometimes resembles an American brothel from the seventies. It can certainly be sleazy enough. I once had the misfortune to sit next to a stranger getting some 'manual help' from a woman who, I'm pretty sure, he didn't know.

The fast-track to enjoying this place is get in early. Its twenty-four hour license means it's one of the few places left open after the clubs shut up shop. The problem with this is getting past the bouncers who are at the height of their obnoxiousness at that time. If you're a female under twenty-five or over a C-cup you'll glide in unheeded. If you're a man, you can just fuck off. Yes, they do tell you that.
Sometimes you'll find yourself getting barred because you bear a passing resemblance to somebody who caused trouble the previous week. Then it's a hand on the chest and a shove into the street for you, boyo.

As I said though, get in early and there's a good night to be had swaying downstairs on the dance floor surrounded by that seedy interior and wondering just how far beneath the surface of the planet you really are.

Everyone is drawn to Magnet at the end of a night, being one of the only places left standing after the rest of the bars have said 'Enough is enough!' and closed their doors.
I love the dark, grainy atmosphere which is given full reign here, from the blood red booths to the dimly lit interiors it's a place whose furnishings seem to be stuck slightly back in time with no intention of changing. (Who wants to be banal beige when you can be seedy 70s?)
The DJs here are great and descending the narrow staircase into the lower room is where the Dub happens. A writhing pit of dubstep and drum and bass.
They also put on live gigs, and the layout of the venue makes for a really powerful and intimate set up if the band can rile up the crowd.
If it's magnetic field is pulling you in don't resist, it's just too good to miss!

Magnet is one of the Norths best clubs. For me, its an absolute must visit.

Away from the domineering cheesy music so typical of student cities, Magnet offers unbelievable Drum and Bass and DubStep nights.

Magnet is located in an excellent old Georgian building in the gorgeous area of the City known as the Cultural Quarter. The club opened in 1958 and so is now 50 years old.

Aside from the quality music and great architecture, it stays open till 3 or 4 most nights and often acts as the afterparty for what is possibly Liverpool's most famous dance night, Chibuku at The Mask (formerly Bar Fly).

Drinks are pretty decent as well with lots of Jaeger Bombs. Good shiz.

The Magnet is a fantastic live music venue stooped in Liverpool's musical heritage. From it's early days as the legendary 'Sink Club', through to the present day, this venue has kept Hardman Street's reputation for showcasing quality music going!

Whether you're heading upstairs to catch a DJ and have a quick drink or delving into the basement for an all night drum and bass mash up, there's always something going on to suit all tastes.

One of the best things about this venue is its diversity in the music that it showcases. For example, you may go in on a Monday and see an acoustic guitarist in the upstairs bar playing slow songs to a crowd of students. Heading downstairs there may be three or four indie bands showcasing their talents.

But.. return on a Friday and you can see three DJ's playing a mash up upstairs, and anything from a Burlesque night complete with caged dancers or a full on rave in the basement area of the club.

The Magnet has been part of my night life for about 8 years and will continue to be a relic for Hardman Street and Liverpool's music scene!

This was the first 'nightclub' I went to when I moved to Liverpool and I wasn't disappointed. Saturday night is £4 to enter so quite cheap but that best thing is definitely the price of drinks. You would expect somewhere that is more of a club than a bar to be quite pricey but not at all. We got a round for four people for £9. Amazing!
There are a few different rooms with different types of music- they play scouse house! DJs are good too!

Magnet is one of those bars where you walk through the door and feel transported to another time and place. Once inside this trendy club, it feels like you're in 1970s New York! You half expect to see Starsky, Hutch and Huggy Bear tearing up the dancefloor to some disco beats!


Seriously, Magnet just has a great vibe about the whole place. It's a fantastic live music venue and an even better nightclub!


As it is below street level, it feels a bit like a prohibition-era speakeasy too and you can't help but feel that the whole place is just your little secret.


The clientele are all young and trendy professionals/students and the atmosphere is fantastic. Everyone wants to have a good time and I've never witnessed any argy-bargy.


If dancing isn't your thing, then there are always the two bars to get your drunk enough to dance. The upstairs bar is my personal favourite as it offers a good selection of bottled beers and spirits. My only criticism of the place is that they closed down the Magnet American-style diner that used to be next door. Other than that, get your dancing shoes on and get down to Magnet!