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BBC weatherman Owain Wyn Evans is doing a 24-hour ‘drumathon’ for Children In Need

"I want to help change the perception of who can be a drummer, and support all of the amazing charities and groups that BBC Children in Need helps."

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 13th October 2021

BBC Breakfast’s weatherman and resident drummer Owain Wyn Evans is taking on a special challenge for Children In Need this year.

He has accepted the mammoth challenge of doing a 24-hour ‘drumathon’.

Owain’s 24-hours of drumming will officially begin on BBC Breakfast on Friday 12 November at 8:35am, and will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer, before ending at the same time the following day on Saturday 13th November. 

Throughout the day, Owain will be heard across the whole of the BBC on TV, radio, and online, and on the Friday evening at 6:55pm, to be exact, musicians from around the UK in every genre of music – from rock, reggae, and jazz, to funk, punk, pop, marching bands, body percussionists, and more – will join in to help spur him on by creating a wall of sound from Salford right around the rest of the country.

Several drum kits will be placed around MediaCity in Salford, with Owain’s main stage area in the BBC Philharmonic Studio – where members of the orchestra will join him for special performances.

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There will also be some special moments throughout the day involving celebrity drummers, amateur enthusiasts, and local children.

“I absolutely love drumming,” Owain explained.

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“Over the years it’s helped me so much, it eases my anxiety and brings me so much joy [and] that’s why I’ve accepted this mammoth challenge [as] I want to help change the perception of who can be a drummer, and support all of the amazing charities and groups that BBC Children in Need helps.

“In preparing for the BBC Breakfast Drumathon, I’ve learned first hand how BBC Children in Need helps children and young people across the UK from a range of different backgrounds and identities.”

“This is quite literally life-changing and even life-saving stuff,” he continued.

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“I really hope that together we can raise huge amounts of money for what I think is going to be a monumental challenge.”

You can find more information on BBC Breakfast Drumathon for Children In Need here.

Featured Image – BBC / Owain Wyn Evans

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A masterclass in The Art of Loving: Olivia Dean brings two unforgettable nights to Co-op Live

Emily Johnson Emily Johnson Olivia Dean Manchester gig review

Olivia Dean took over Co-op Live for not one, but two nights this weekend – and what she delivered felt like a full-circle celebration of The Art of Loving, her incredible sophomore album. 

From the moment Olivia’s silhouette appeared behind the curtain on night two, opening with the album’s title track, it was clear this evening was going to be special.

With a sea of polka dots on arrival, it’s evident that the 27-year-old already has great influence when it comes to style with her fans, and you could spot anyone who was attending Olivia Dean around Manchester city centre immediately.

Despite performing to a crowd of over 20,000 people, the performance felt incredibly intimate, with interactions with the crowd through the evening, even pointing out a fan’s banner saying they had been a fan of Olivia since 2019, which she was humbly taken aback by.

Her voice carried effortlessly around the arena, somehow still managing to feel soft and personal, like she was singing directly to you.

No Dean show would be complete without her incredible outfits either, and last night we were truly spoilt, with two outfit changes throughout the evening, which split the night into three chapters. 

Initially appearing in a black sequin number, before reappearing in the middle of the crowd in an all-white outfit, evocative of an angel –  a moment that felt intimate even in a room that size. 

Later, with disco balls lowered and the energy lifted, she returned in another glitzy look for the more upbeat tracks, including a crowd-pleasing cover of ‘Move On Up’. With her band behind her, the sound filled the arena beautifully.

olivia dean concert review
olivia dean manchester gig review
Credit: Audio North

Everyone was on their feet having a good time, but no one was having as much fun as the woman herself, Olivia Dean.

And that’s the thing with Miss Dean, no one at her gigs is having half as much fun as she is. She’s always smiling, always glowing.

Put simply, she’s a proper ray of sunshine on stage. Towards the end of the show, Olivia looked up at the crowd and stated, “It’s magic in here tonight, Manchester”, and we all believed her.

Looking around at the crowd, arms around each other, best friends, couples – it was hard not to feel the magic too.

Highlights included ‘UFO’ with a sea of lights, which in the moment gave the whole room goosebumps, and of course, the confetti cannon, which was the grand finale to an incredible evening. 

coop live confetti cannon
Credit: The Manc

And on that note, if the opportunity ever arises to take a loved one to see Olivia Dean, there would be no stronger act of service than that.

What a TRULY unforgettable night. 

Over at Manchester’s other big music arena, the team also got to witness a much louder but equally special show…

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

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Yungblud channels a bit of magic that’d make Ozzy proud on huge headline night in Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Yungblud Manchester arena gig review

A darkened arena erupts into life as Yungblud storms the AO Arena main stage for his biggest Manchester show to date.

He flickers across the giant screens, projected against a curtain that stretches the full width of the AO Arena. Then that unmistakable Doncaster drawl cuts through the noise, urging the audience to make some noise (even more of it), and they oblige – gladly.

When the lights come up, a barrage of lights flickers, pyrotechnics explode, and chaos ensues. Manchester crowds are no strangers to Yungblud; he’s a livewire performer with seemingly endless energy, a proclivity for raw emotion, and a fiercely loyal fanbase: the self-proclaimed ‘Black Hearts Club’.

Dressed in a grungy pair of Chrome Hearts leather trousers, a leopard-print waistcoat and sunglasses so thick he could look directly at the sun with no issues, he tears straight into the opening track (Hello Heaven, Hello) with barely a second to breathe.

yungblud uk tour review 2026
Credit: Audio North

He then pauses – hands extended to the crowd, a cheeky grin – and bang: confetti fills the room.

If previous Manchester shows hinted at his stamina, this one confirms it. The scale may be bigger, but the intensity hasn’t dipped. The floor quickly becomes a sea of movement, with mosh pits swelling and collapsing in waves, sending bodies ricocheting across the arena.

It’s the kind of gig where you’re never quite safe from getting drenched either – water cups are less for drinking and more for launching, with sprays arcing out over the front rows like some kind of punk rock baptism of fire. So many flames.

The audience was on the ball; at one point, Yungblud’s comb was hurled into the crowd. Showgoers in the area tussled over the item for a minute before returning to the mayhem unfolding around them.

Part conductor, part chaos agent, part mic-wielding cowboy, he commands the room with ease. The mic stand, placed in front of him between each song by the production team, is repeatedly cast to the back of the stage, and he flails the mic above his head on more than one occasion – always catching it again before it can strike anyone else. It’s reckless, but never careless.

Because beneath the sweat and noise, there’s something more deliberate at play. His speeches on identity, equality, belonging and mental health feel less like interludes and more like the backbone of the entire night.

This isn’t just performance: it’s a space he’s actively shaping, one where thousands feel seen. Towards the back end of the set, he invites the whole crowd to look left and right and tell each other how much they f***ing love one another.

Tracks like ‘Loner’, ‘Lowlife’ and ‘Zombie’ land with particular weight, their messages amplified by a crowd that knows every word. At one point, the lights swing out over the audience, and for a moment the focus shifts – not just to the performer, but to the community he’s built.

With a touching tribute to the late, great Ozzy Osbourne, Yungblud is visibly emotional, with tears in his eyes for his dearly departed friend. And if the ringing in my ears is anything to go by, I’m pretty sure Ozzy heard it and was looking down with pride.

If you haven’t guessed by now, Yungblud knows how to command a room, but things definitely took a turn when he invited a member of the crowd on stage.

Holding a poster that read something along the lines of “I can play guitar”, she was brought up and proceeded to absolutely bring the house down, performing alongside him for a song. Daisy, hats off – you absolutely SMASHED it.

Congratulations are in order as well to the happy couple who got engaged at the gig. We really hope your first dance is to a Yungblud track.

Even in a venue of this size, he moves like he’s trying to outpace it; sprinting, leaping, barely standing still long enough to catch a breath. It’s hard not to feel like this is still just a stepping stone. Because if he can command a room like this with such force, it’s not a stretch to imagine Yungblud scaling even bigger stages before long.

Loud, relentless and emotionally charged, this wasn’t just a gig, it was a statement – a place to escape the struggles of day-to-day life and bolster an ever-growing community built on all the right things: acceptance, harmony, and just a little bit of chaos. In short, he’s welcome back anytime.

yungblud manchester gig
yungblud ao arena
Credit: The Manc

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

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