A sell-out gig everyone prays won't be the last

Salford Lads Club heaving as ROLLA date raises funds to fight for future of venue

- RAMAZANI MWAMBA

IT'S Friday night at Salford Lads Club, the place is heaving and Manchester's latest breakthrough act ROLLA is about to take to the stage.

But while there's excitement in the air, there's no escaping the palpable fear - that this could turn out to be the last gig at this much-loved venue.

We shared last month how Ordsall's cultural institution was on the brink of closure and must find a quarter of a million pounds by the end of November to survive.

ROLLA is among those who stepped forward to help it do just that, using tonight's gig as a fundraiser to help secure the future of the iconic venue, which has provided a lifeline for young people from deprived communities for 120 years.

The crowd is a diverse one. From trendy students with mullets and baggy jeans to middle aged men and women in Dr Martens and adidas Sambas using the preamble as a chance to walk through halls of the Lads Club, some marvelling at how much has changed and how much remains the same since it was their own stomping ground.