Word around Manchester is that there is another exclusive club in town, a club where only the most smartly dressed, the beautiful and the stylish go when the weekend comes. We headed down there to see what partying in such style is like; we went to see how the other half LIV.
The Venue
On arrival, the bouncers un-latched the queue rope and gestured downstairs in true red-carpet style. We were greeted with a smile at the bottom by a glamorous door host, before we turned our eyes to soak in the venue. The first thing that struck us was the smell; if luxury, fine materials, high-end spirits, and beautiful people could be encapsulated by a smell, that’s what the aroma was. The décor, plush, slick and stylish, had hues of brown, with fluorescent LED lights dancing on the ceiling and leather booths kitted out with immaculately placed champagne buckets and flutes ready and waiting for Manchester’s elite to descend on them. Extra Don Perignon illuminated champagne coolers punctuated extra accents of light into the venue as a DJ played from their podium above the dance floor. The whole place is small, but then, that is precisely what makes LIV feel so exclusive.
Laid out to suit both loungers and dance floor lovers alike, LIV is enveloping and glitz-laden.
The Drinks
The bar staff (all men on this occasion) were good-looking and cheekily flirtatious. What was slightly surprising was that they were dressed in a somewhat eclectic uniform: long skirts that resemble something like midi leather kilts. It added an extra quirk to the venue, so we weren’t complaining. The bartenders handed my gal and I a cocktail menu and took the liberty in pouring us a complimentary double shot… the first shot of many. My first drink of choice was the splendid Lemon Meringue cocktail, with a pleasing tartness and assertive refreshing lemon zing. Second was the Raspberry Martini, a sour and summery drink that is now up there with my favourite martinis. The star of the show though, was the Caipirinha offered to me by the general manager; there was something in the taste that let you know it wasn’t an average cocktail, especially as the sprigs of mint nestled next to my nostrils as I sipped on the straw, and the passion fruit pulp slipped past my lips as I drank straight from the glass. It is small sensual details like this that place LIV’s cocktails above par. Safe to say, I can’t remember any of the drinks subsequent to these cocktails and the numerous complimentary shots that we were treated to, proving the bar staff’s aptness at fuelling a jolly good party.
High-end cocktails and bespoke bottles of bubbly come as standard at LIV.
The Atmosphere
This is a club for those who like to LIV the high-life without being snooty. You would make sure that your shoes were buffed, your shirt ironed, and absolutely no labels were sticking out of your dress before you arrived here. Having said that, everyone is friendly, and there is a tangible appreciation for all of the scrubbed-up clientele in the venue, bonded by the old skool R’N’B vibes and a love of all things sexy, fun and sophisticated. Everyone is looked after and treated like a star. Celebrities frequent LIV; rumour has it that the Manchester City FC lads were there after the champions parade, and that even Noel Gallagher and Amir Khan have had cracking good nights out at this exclusive club. LIV is open to anyone, so long as you are smartly dressed, and looking for somewhere to splash a bit of cash for a memorable night out, LIV can offer you the chance to party hard and meet some famous faces.
Young and bustling, LIV was brimming with Manchester's most glitzy party denizens and dapper chappers.
Summary
LIV, just off Deansgate, knows how to make you feel like a celeb. With the gorgeous cocktails and accommodating staff to match, a beautiful, well-groomed crowd and sexy beats to groove to, I honestly can’t avoid going there again next weekend. See you there, yeah?
