If 2020 has been good for one thing, it’s giving artists precious time to focus on making new music. So, as we’ve all been cooped up at home for the majority of the year, hip-hop artist Britizen Kane has been a busy man.
The Manchester-born rapper is due to drop his 12-track self-titled debut album on Friday 4 December.
As expected, the tracklist is brimming with collaborations with top name rappers and hip-hop artists. The likes of Awate, Shogun, Jadakiss and fellow Manc Blizzard have all joined Kane to bring together this showcase of true talent.
The album has been exclusively produced, mixed and mastered by Turkish Dcypha. This guy is no stranger to top class production. Turkish has a hefty collection of projects under his belt. He’s worked on records with Giggs, JME, Stefflon Don and Wretch 32 to name just a few.
So, we’re in good hands.
Britizen Kane
On the release, Kane said: “I’m really excited to release my debut album. It’s been a great pleasure to work so closely with Turkish Dcypha on it and I hope people enjoy listening to it as much as we did creating it.
“My favourite track is The Great Escape. I feel like it serves as a statement of ‘this album is the end of the beginning and it’s all upwards from here’.”
Kane has already released a handful of the tracks over the past few months, ahead of the album. These include ‘Cheat Code’, ‘Ad-lib’, ‘Going For The Head’ and ‘Tyson Fury’.
Together, they’ve totalled nearly half a million streams on Spotify. But it’s easy to see why. Kane’s effortless flow and fierce rhymes make it look so easy.
In fact, the third release, ‘Tyson Fury’, has pricked the attention of the Gypsy King himself. Apparently, the song has even made it to the boxer’s training playlist. And we can just imagine him blasting this through the gym.
During early stages of the album, Kane also had the privilege of working with Fred The Godson before he tragically lost his life to Covid-19 earlier this year.
In a fitting gesture, Kane pays tribute to the late American rapper on the track ‘No Pressure’.
All in all, there are big things on the horizon for the Manchester lyricist Britizen Kane. With an interview and full album play taking place on BBC Introducing at the weekend, Kane is taking it all in his stride.
You can listen to the new album on Friday 4 December on all platforms.
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Soft rock heroes Foreigner announce UK tour including big Manchester gig
Thomas Melia
Foreigner are bringing their soft rock classics over the waters and to the UK as they embark on a new tour which features a Manchester stop.
Formed in the 70’s, Foreigner are a British-American rock band known for their catalogue of soft rock, including hits like ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ and ‘Cold As Ice.’
These rockers have gained a newfound following of late thanks to their music making an appearance in an array of yet more contemporary TV shows like Stranger Things, Euphoria, Wednesday and more, having been heard in plenty of films over the years.
This UK tour marks the band’s return to Manchester after four years – and no, you’ve not got ‘Double Vision’: they are in fact revisiting the same iconic arena they played back in 2022, AO Arena.
The band may look a little different on their next visit as Kelly Hansen, former vocalist of Foreigner, has stepped down after 20 years and has handed the reins over to the equally impressive Luis Maldonado.
This newest gig announcement, set for 2026, will celebrate a landmark 50 years since the band formed back in 1976, and you can expect to hear all their greatest hits.
Foreigner are no strangers to the charts with a chart-topping album and single as well as five Top 40 hits and five Top 40 albums – I guess you could call them the ultimate ‘Juke Box Hero’.
The band were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame back in 2024, and to celebrate, they played their timeless classic ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ with pop singer Kelly Clarkson performing alongside.
Whether you’re there for ‘Urgent’, ‘Double Vision’ or ‘Waiting For a Girl Like You’, the New York-formed rockers will be smashing out their variety of anthems at AO Arena next year.
Now, Foreigner are coming back to Manchester and the AO Arena on Thursday, 18 June, with tickets for the gig going on presale this Wednesday, 3 September at 10am GMT.
As for general admission tickets, they will be available from the same time on Friday, 5 September – you can get ready to grab yours right HERE.
They’re not the only rock legends booking big Manc arena gigs recently, either.
Featured Images — Press shot (supplied)/Jim Geuther (via Vinyl Records Gallery)
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Aussie punk rockers and cult favourites Amyl and the Sniffers announced biggest Manchester gig yet
Danny Jones
Australian pub rockers and punk outfit Amyl and the Sniffers have announced their biggest Manchester headline show to date, and we CANNOT wait.
In case you hadn’t guessed, we’re pretty big fans here at The Manc Group.
The cult favourites have made a big splash on the music scene over the past couple of years, playing big festival slots at the likes of Glastonbury and R&L Fest 2025, winning over new fans in the process. We had a feeling they were bringing some big to our shores…
I mean, you could argue they made it fairly obvious where it was going to be held, but it was still a cool little teaser campaign, nevertheless.
That’s right, Amyl and the Sniffers have booked the O2 Victoria Warehouse – an ideal venue for any heavy gig – later this year, following the big poster going up outside the venue in Trafford Park last week.
Fronted by frenetic frontwoman Amy Taylor, they’ve grown a strong following outside of their home country of late, not only winning multiple Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards but picking up gongs from the NME, Kerrang and more since 2022.
They received plenty of accolades for their sophomore record, Comfort To Me, and collected even more for their latest album, Cartoon Darkness, which they’ve been touring pretty much ever since.
It’s that same project that they’re bringing to Victoria Warehouse this autumn, with the punchy ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ performers almost nailed on to sell out the 3,500 capacity venue.
Tipped as a ‘one-night only’ experience, with support from Floodlights and The Menstrual Cramps, this should be a tasty one.
Aussie rock and indie really is having a moment right now, with the likes of Spacey Jane and Royel Otis both set for big Manc gigs this year too.
The early access window opens from 10am this Wednesday, 3 September, with general admission tickets live from the same time the following Friday (5 Sep). Besides the sold-out Ally Pall show, this is their very LAST headline gig of the year, don’t miss it.
You can get ready to grab yours for 22 October right HERE.
In the meantime, why not watch the moment Amy joined Fred Again in the flesh for a live set over in Sheffield last month?
Hannah Starkie -
4th December 2020 
