A small brass plaque on a postbox outside Marks and Spencer in the centre of Manchester records that the biggest bomb to explode on mainland Britain since the second world war was detonated here by the IRA in June 1996. No one was killed; what could have been a disaster was turned into an opportunity by a city that was already changing fast.

Manchester is now unrecognisable from what it was 30 years ago. Then it was sliding into stagnation and decline, grubby, battered, foggy and sad. And wet. It stayed like that till about 1991, when someone defied the rain and stuck a table outside a city centre cafe and plonked a sheepish cappuccino on it.

The rain eased off and Manchester rediscovered some of its old swagger and danger. It rebuilt, refurbished, reconstructed and revived. It created, perhaps to its surprise, a gay village by the side of a once notorious stretch of canal. It began making homes in redundant mills and warehouses and thousands flocked in for a taste of city-centre living.

It had a couple of attempts at winning the Olympics and came away with the Commonwealth Games, whose opening event turned sport-phobics into teary-eyed fans.

It has become, much to its surprise, a tourist town, a place to come for football, shopping, boozing, eating and culture, which includes music.
For some music will mean intense nostalgia about Madchester and the Haçienda, although the place was demolished years ago and replaced by smart apartments. For others (ie me, but then I’m a cultural elitist who is knocking on a bit) it means the Bridgewater Hall, where Mark Elder and his Hallé and Gianandrea Noseda and his BBC Philharmonic are proving that an older culture is alive and kicking.

Why I love it by Bez from the Happy Mondays...

It's a shithole, but it's our shithole. I'm so proud of Manchester. Just look at the music it's given us, right from the Bee Gees through to New Order and us, Stone Roses and Oasis. The city's always had something to offer. Great comedians - Les Dawson, George Formby, Steve Coogan, Caroline Aherne. Coronation Street. There's the curry mile in Rusholme - unbeatable. That's one of the best things about Manchester. That and United. When I close my eyes and think of Manchester, I think of rain. That and the dole inspired all the bands.