Gigs & Nightlife

9 festivals up to an hour away from Manchester with tickets left

There's so much happening up north this summer.

Hannah Starkie Hannah Starkie - 4th June 2021

Lockdown restrictions are lifting and the sunshine is out. Summer is definitely getting closer now – and that inimitable festival feeling is finally within reach.

For most of us, raving in a big field with a thumping soundtracks alongside thousands of others is a distant memory – with the vast majority of large-scale events cancelled for well over a year.

But there’s hope for the future – and loads of mint day festivals have been pencilled in to take place in summer 2021 and beyond.

We’ve put together a list of the biggest events up to an hour’s(ish) drive from Greater Manchester. Here are some of our top picks that still have tickets remaining.*

Newsam Park, Temple Newsam, Leeds – Saturday 10 July

The brand-new open-air festival Newsam Park festival was due to take place in July last year – but was cancelled for obvious reasons. They’re having another go on Saturday 10 July with a scaled down version but packed with all the same big-name house and techno DJs.  

ADVERTISEMENT

On the former site of the Cocoon in the Park festival at Temple Newsham in Leeds, there’ll be two stages featuring the likes of Jamie Jones, Denis Sulta, Sven Vath, Mella Dee and Nightmares on Wax throughout the day.  

Tickets here.

ADVERTISEMENT

Acropolis, Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire – Saturday 31 July  

Aerial view of the grounds and ruins of Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire / Image: Acropolis

Another new one for 2021 is Acropolis which will make its debut at Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire on Saturday 31 July. 

The ruins of the castle will provide a moody and atmospheric setting for this techno-fuelled day. Alan Fitzpatrick, Eats Everything, Enzo Siragusa, Pawsa and Manchester’s own Mason Collective are confirmed to play, with support yet to be announced.  

Tickets available on Skiddle here.

ADVERTISEMENT

Mardi Gras, Roundhay Park, Leeds – Saturday 14 August 

Mardi Gras at Leeds’ Roundhay Park is yet another exciting new addition to the 2021 festival calendar on Saturday 14 August.

There’ll be two full-size festival production stages hosting everything from local acts to global names.  

The lineup is yet to be announced so keep an eye out for that. Tickets are already running low, get yours on Skiddle here.  

Retro In The Park, Burnley – Saturday 28 August  

After a bit of nostalgic house music? Burnley’s Retro In The Park festival should do the trick.

On Saturday 28 August, there’ll be three arenas of music at Towneley Park, each with a different vibe.

ADVERTISEMENT

The UK’s largest house classics event, Retro, will take over Arena 1, with Roger Sanchez and Graeme Park taking the headline spots. 

Some of best 90s artists will be taking the stage over in Arena 2. Think: N-Trance, Nightcrawlers and K-Klass.

Arena 3 will also see the Angels Reunion with Stu Allan, Rob Tissera and Matt Bell.  

General admission and VIP are still available on Skiddle here.  

Wile Out Festival, Burnley – Sunday 29 August  

Again at Burnley’s Towneley Park, Wile Out Festival on bank holiday Sunday is boasting a massive bass and house lineup featuring some huge artists like DJ EZ, Mistajam and James Hype on the main stage, alongside Sigma, Tom Zanetti, Flava D and Bad Boy Chiller Crew at the bass stage. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Sam Divine, Low Steppa and Huxley will also take on the Cuckoo Land stage to provide the house energy. 

This one’s on final release so be quick.  

Highest Point, Lancaster – 3 and 4 September 

People sat around the Highest Point festival sign /Image: Highest Point

Up in Lancaster, across two days on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 September, will be Highest Point.

Following the success of the 2019 weekender, the festival will return for another instalment at Williamson Park later this year.  

Friday will see DJ sets from Rudimental and Wilkinson, alongside performances from Becky Hill and Ella Eyre. Then, there’ll be tons more house and tech from the likes of Richy Ahmed, Josh Butler, Seb Zito, Monki and East End Dubs.  

ADVERTISEMENT

On the Saturday, Rag’N’Bone Man takes the headline slot and there’ll be music from Clean Bandit, plus cracking sets from Hybrid Minds, Friction and Dimension to make up the drum and bass offerings.  

Tickets on Skiddle here.

Mint Festival, Leeds – Saturday 25 September  

The crowd at Mint Festival / Image: Mint Festival

Another one just down the M62 in Leeds is Mint festivalon Saturday 25 September.

Now in its tenth year, the festival promises to be the biggest and best edition yet, at its new home of Newsam Green Farm, located just 10 minutes outside the city centre.

There’ll be four arenas of techno, house and tech house which will see Leeds’ faves Patrick Topping, Eats Everything and Darius Syrossian on the decks, alongside Amelie Lens, East End Dubs, Elliot Adamson and Enzo Siragusa.  

ADVERTISEMENT

Grab your tickets available here.  

elrow goes to the Midlands – 25 and 26 September  

Sandwell Valley Country Park in the Midlands will play host to the famous elrow on 25 and 26 September.

There’ll be the usual confetti, inflatables and carnival madness and whilst the lineup is yet to be announced, they always curate the biggest and best parties so it’s well worth grabbing a ticket here.

Cream Classical on the Waterfront, Liverpool – Saturday 18 September 

Liverpool’s iconic Pier Head will be home to “Cream Classical on the Waterfront” for an open-air event on Saturday 18 September. The show will bring together a 50-piece orchestra who will perform an extra special live set curated by K-Klass.

Between 12pm and 11pm, there’ll be sets from legends Basement Jaxx, Faithless, Seb Fontaine and Tall Paul.  

ADVERTISEMENT

Tickets on Skiddle here.  

Stay up to date with Manchester music and events with The Manc Audio.  

*Tickets available at time of publishing. 

Featured image: Elrow

Gigs & Nightlife

Transport for Greater Manchester issues travel advice ahead of Man City and Co-op Live gig clash

Danny Jones Danny Jones TfGM issues travel advice ahead of Manchester City Co-op Live gig clash

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has issued a travel warning ahead of Tuesday night ahead of a huge night of sport and music over at the Etihad Campus.

As well as tomorrow night’s football action, with Manchester City‘s next Champions League match kicking off at 8pm, a big gig is taking place at Co-op Live just next door.

While Man City are taking on Dutch side Feyenoord in what is now an even more important fixture following Pep Guardiola having now lost five in a row for the first time in his career, over the road one of the hottest bands in the rock world right now.

Set to headline Manchester’s state-of-the-art music venue for the first time, alternative metal group Sleep Token‘s landmark Northern show will be going on simultaneously, with doors to the venue due to open from 7pm. With that in mind, TfGM has urged those attending both to plan ahead.

With both events overlapping and fans of both the band and the Blues descending upon the Etihad Stadium and the arena, respectively, the local transport authority has shared details of how to best plan journeys, be they on the tram, by car or otherwise, as well as how to avoid the crowds before and after.

It’s estimated that around 2,000 Feyenoord fans will do the usual walk up to the Etihad from Shambles Square, which will obviously cause significant disruption in the city centre, not to mention congestion when it comes to roads, buses and the Metrolink.

As per an official update from TfGM, they stated: “Those making their way home or elsewhere should re-route their journeys away from the area, consider leaving earlier to avoid the traffic or work from home on the day if it is an option for them.  

“The transport network will be busiest between 4pm and 5:30pm on Saturday and between 5:30pm and 8pm on Tuesday.  Tram travel will be the best option for most City fans and concertgoers”

Double the amount of services are set to run throughout the day along the Eccles and Ashton-under-Lyne lines and the Altrincham and Piccadilly routes will also be extended operations to serve the added footfall heading towards the Etihad Campus.  

You can expect a tram approximately every six minutes from the city centre but they will obviously be very busy, so they have also suggested people consider the recently redeveloped walking route to the Etihad Campus, which is well-lit, stewarded and takes around 25 minutes from Piccadilly.  

Read more:

Manchester City matchday bus service will also be operating as usual, with 15 different routes operating across Greater Manchester and beyond, covering a total of 64 stops, not to mention other bus companies and the wider Bee Network.

Driving is being warned against due to the increased traffic flow but for those who must, park and ride is recommended, though Ashton Moss and Ashton West Park and Ride are expected to be the busiest, so gig-goers may want to try Hollinwood, Radcliffe or Whitefield.  

So, whether you’re heading to the concert or the game and however you choose to get there, be safe, look after each other and, most of all, have a great time.

You can read the full update for more details HERE.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — G-13114 (via Wikimedia Commons)/The Manc Group

Gigs & Nightlife

Drink spiking set to be made a criminal offence in the UK to ‘protect women and girls’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Drink spiking is set to be made a criminal offence in the UK in a bid to help “protect women and girls”, it has been confirmed.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he is personally committing to halving violence women and girls by urging all police chiefs, industry executives, and transport bosses nationwide to “work together” to keep everyone safe.

The Government says this new measure will “send a clear signal that this is a crime”.

“Perpetrators should feel the full force of the law,” the Prime Minister said, adding that he believes the new law will empower victims to report offences and give them the confidence that the justice system will support them.

Drink spiking is set to be made illegal in the UK / Credit: Moses Malik Roldan (via Unsplash)

The new offence is said to be only one of part of the solution, however, as Starmer will also demand “coordinated action” to “stamp out this cowardly act” and “take back our streets”.

This will include the training of thousands of staff working in the nighttime economy on how to spot and tackle spiking, equipping them with the skills they need to prevent incidents and support victims, as well as help police to collect evidence.

With the pilot starting from next month, the aim is for this to be rolled out to up to 10,000 bar staff across the country by spring next year.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called spiking a “disturbing and serious crime”

She continued: “That’s why we are taking decisive action to prevent this devastating crime and crack down on perpetrators by introducing a new criminal offence for spiking, and launching specialist training for thousands of bar staff nationwide.

Read more:

“People shouldn’t have to worry about the safety of their drinks on a night out.

“These changes are about giving victims greater confidence to come forward, and ensuring that there is a robust response from the police whenever this appalling crimes take place.”

Featured Image – John Arano (via Unsplash)

More Gigs & Nightlife

Affiliate

Gary Barlow announces TWO huge gigs in Manchester next year

Charli XCX headlining Parklife 2025 rumours

Audio

Posters around Manchester city centre spark serious rumours Charli XCX is set to headline Parklife 2025

The Warehouse Project Rotterdam lineup 2025 tickets

Audio

The Warehouse Project reveals return to Rotterdam for massive overseas event

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches