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Noel Gallagher announces a long lost Oasis song will be released tonight
Emily Sergeant -
29th April 2020
Emily Sergeant -
29th April 2020 Audio
There are big changes at Parklife 2025 – including a seriously swish new VIP area
Daisy Jackson
Parklife 2025 is upon us, and we’ve been down to the festival site for a little look around at what’s new for this year.
The beloved Manchester festival will be filling the fields of Heaton Park with live music and an unbeatable party atmosphere on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June.
This year’s headliners include Charli XCX, 50 Cent, Confidence Man, Jorja Smith, Peggy Gou, and Bicep, as well as plenty of space on the line-up for local talents like Antony Szmierek and Interplanetary Criminal.
BUT the eagle-eyed among you will have already noticed from the Parklife map that there are a few changes afoot this year, including new stages, a new lay-out, and a very swanky new VIP area.
Firstly, there are two new stages to check out, one of which we think will get pretty popular when it rains…
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Big Top is a new covered tent with a cracking line-up over the weekend, including Skream & Benga, Joy Orbison, and Armand Van Helden.
Also new on the stage front is Matinee, flanked on either side by black shipping containers and ready to host Chris Stussy, Alex Farell, and Manchester’s very own Interplanetary Criminal.
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A major loss for 2025 is the big wheel, which has always given the very best views of the Parklife site.
But worry not, adrenaline junkies – it’s been replaced with a new sky-high swing ride, so you can dangle above the festival crowds, along with several other fairground rides.
Also missing from Parklife 2025 is the Parklife Stage, which has always acted as a secondary main stage hosting more pop and mainstream artists.
This year, all the headliners will be performing over at The Valley, with the Parklife Stage sent into retirement (at least for this year).
That means less stages but still plenty of live music and huge acts to enjoy over the weekend.
There’s a new layout now too, with only The Valley and the G Stage staying in the same spots as last year.
Magic Sky, normally tucked into a corner of the festival site, has moved into the heart of the action.
Meanwhile The Hangar dominates the west side of Parklife, with the two new stages – Big Top and Matinee – nearby.
VIP is totally new this year too, and better than ever.
The Parklife VIP area has jumped across to the other side of the festival site this year and is now right in the heart of the action near the Valley Stage.
From here, you have an exclusive viewing area of the stage, plus exclusive food and drink, priority entry, VIP toilets, a hair and makeup pamper station, and plenty more.
Then there’s a new Backstage ticket type this year, which gets you on-stage access to the Hangar stage, an exclusive viewing area of the Valley Stage, a backstage bar and a chill out area – it’s £165.00 each to upgrade for the weekend.
If you’ve already bought a ticket but want to upgrade yourself to VIP, it’s not too late (and speaking from experience, WORTH IT).
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You can upgrade your whole weekend to VIP for £72.80 each, or £44.80 each for day tickets.
Find out more about Parklife 2025 HERE.
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Featured image: The Manc Group
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Gig review | Lionel Richie leaves Manchester dancing on the ceiling after Co-op Live debut
Thomas Melia
American multi-hyphenate Lionel Richie paid Manchester a visit last night and gave the 23,500 fans in the crowd all of his ‘Endless Love’.
Richie needs no explanation, being a household name, this artist had the crowd in the palm of his hands as soon as he stepped foot onto the stage, just like he has been doing since he burst onto the music scene over 50 years ago.
When you’re about to watch a legend strut his stuff in various tailcoats ‘All Night Long (All Night)’, you know you’re in for a mini workout.
We tried out Co-op Live’s Backstage Club before the show to fuel up with a pizza and grab a drink to ensure that we could dance ‘All Night Long (All Night) as much as the main man himself.
As well as boasting an intimate area with music history covering all four walls, this location had a photobooth, pool table, its own merchandise vendor and a live band.
For tonight’s show, it was only right that the band soundtracking Co-op Live’s Backstage Club were aptly named The Pennies and the signature drinks were equally fitting, ‘Say You, Say G&T’ and a cocktail offering labelled, ‘Breezy like a Sunday Morning’.
Glasgow solo star Brooke Combe – a favourite of ours from past Neighbourhood Festivals – gave the crowd our first taste of music for the night, playing highlights of her debut album ‘Dancing at the Edge of the World’, which only dropped back in January.
Her songs ooze soul, from the infectious ‘Shaken by the Wind’ to the instantly catchy ‘The Last Time’ and fan favourite, ‘Are You With Me?’. Combe’s stage presence was nothing short of contagious.
It’s no surprise, really, considering she’s already practised and perfected her craft at Glastonbury back in 2022 among countless other massive slots. Make sure you catch her the next time she’s in Manchester.
The legendary performer knew he had to kick things off in true Lionel Richie style, it’s only obligatory that he opened the show with his greeting-titled hit ‘Hello’.
As the chorus approached, the American superstar hailed “Hello” and the audience immediately exclaimed in synch, “Is it me you’re looking for?”.
Social media might’ve been non-existent when the performer first reached our ears, but this didn’t stop Lionel Richie from inadvertently turning last night into a mini ‘Throwback Thursday’ playing his 1977 Commodores swooner ‘Easy’.
If you had told me that Lionel Richie would directly address me and my brother mid-performance, I would’ve laughed in your face, but last night the star adopted the both of us. Life complete.
The American singer came up the catwalk, soaking up all the cheers and love from the Co-op Live crowd, and then pointed directly at me and my brother and gave us a little shoutout.
Before playing the anthem that is ‘We are the World’, Mr. Richie expressed, “Alright, I’ll just tell ‘em” before admitting to the whole arena, “These are my cousins right here”.
I guess when we sang “Hello, is it me you’re looking for?” earlier in the show, it really was me (and my brother) he was looking for.
Getting called 'cousins' by @LionelRichie was not on our 2025 bingo card, but it has made our entire year. 😭💀
— The Manc (@TheMancUK) June 13, 2025
Read our full review of his @TheCoopLive debut here. 👉 https://t.co/6X9GNJsMgw
Same again tonight? 😅 pic.twitter.com/j2E2x26Jvx
Just like his opening track, the final slot also has its fixed placement in Richie’s setlist; of course, that song is none other than the essential party number, ‘All Night Long (All Night)’.
Richie recites the line, “We’re going to party, Karamu, fiesta, forever”, and the crowd understood the assignment as by the time he sang, “Come on and sing along / All night long”, everyone was up.
This tune is nothing less than cathartic, and for the five minutes it played, everyone was side-stepping, swaying, singing, dancing, not a single inhibition in sight.
Lionel Richie might know his way around writing smash hits and commanding a crowd, but it’s the audience’s joy for the music that made this concert such a special night.
Read more:
- Free Glasto festivals with pizza, tequila, and big screens to take place in Greater Manchester
- The BRIT Awards are moving to Manchester for the first time in their 48-year history
- James’ Tim Booth is the ‘only person in Britain insured to crowd surf’ – here’s the story
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images – The Manc Group
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