Ian Brown has been catching flak from his own fans over the weekend after he took to the stage to perform without a live band.
The former Stone Roses frontman kicked-off his UK tour last night with a sold-out gig in Leeds, but many of his fans were said to be left heading for the door as the singer stepped out on stage on his own and proceeded to perform his set to a backing track of songs, rather than with a live band as most were expecting would be the case.
Not only were many shocked to see him perform over a “painful” backing track, but he also apparently didn’t belt out that many of his big hits either.
The 59-year-old rocker has since become a trending topic on social media overnight after he left audience members in disbelief and demanding their money back – with some claiming they paid up to £50 for tickets to a “terrible karaoke gig”.
Other brutal fan comments claimed he “butchered” his own songs.
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One fan wrote on Twitter accompanying a now-viral video from the gig: “Gutted to see Ian Brown turn up to his £40 a ticket, sold out gig at Leeds tonight WITH NO BAND. I’m a life long fan but it was bad. Ian Brown does karaoke and butchers his own tunes. Most were too p***ed to care, but I had to get out after this one.”
Gutted to see @ianbrown turn up to his £40 a ticket, sold out gig at leeds tonight WITH NO BAND. I’m a life long fan but it was bad. #ianbrown does karaoke and butchers his own tunes. Most were too pissed to care but I had to get out after this one. Longsight M13 was a highlight. pic.twitter.com/8owVy2NHjS
“Me and my wife lasted 36 minutes exactly before walking out,” they explained.
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“I think the autotune on the microphone lasted three songs. Real shame as I was looking forward to seeing him solo as only ever seen stone roses. No band at all was a let down.”
Another fan who shared a video from the gig said they would be using the video to “keep the local cats out of my garden”
“For someone is known for not being a great singer, you’d think he would find the loudest band to mask his terrible singing,” they added.
Another tweeted: “It’s sad to be reading this. I’ve been to loads of his gigs. Some were better than others but they were all great gigs. Why on earth would he decided that no band was a good idea. £40 too.”
Ian Brown is set to take to the stage at O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester this Friday 30 September as part of his ongoing UK tour.
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
You can now have a private sleepover amongst all the history inside Manchester Museum
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum is now offering one lucky family the chance to have a sleepover with Stan the Tyrannosaurus rex.
For the first time in Manchester Museum’s history, one lucky family will be given the chance to experience an incredible night at the museum.
This unique opportunity is being offered as part of a prize draw, allowing visitors to find out what happens once the sun goes down inside the Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery – in the company of Stan, the famous Tyrannosaurus rex, of course.
The Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery is one of the most iconic spaces within Manchester Museum.
Having opened to the public all the way back in 1888, it’s part of the museum’s original building designed by celebrated Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed Manchester Town Hall and London’s Natural History Museum.
Not only will the lucky winning family enjoy an overnight stay in the gallery, but they’ll also be treated to a guided torchlight tour of the galleries after the Museum has closed, as well as other fun activities and a film screening too before bed.
You can now have a private sleepover inside Manchester Museum / Credit: The Manc Group
“We can’t be completely sure what happens when the sun goes down in our Fossils and Dinosaurs gallery, because nobody has ever spent the night in there before, but we can only imagine the kind of fun that can be had with Stan the T. rex and his friends,” said Dean Whiteside, Head of Commercial and Operations at Manchester Museum.
“This is a chance to be a part of museum history and enjoy the kind of once-in-a-lifetime experience you can’t usually buy.
“At the same time, Manchester Museum is a charity so, by getting behind this initiative, you’ll be helping to support vital work that impacts the lives of people across Greater Manchester and beyond.”
Fancy it then? You can enter the prize draw by buying a ticket for £5 from the Manchester Museum Shop, with each ticket counting as one entry and the winner set to be chosen at random from all valid entries.
The prize draw is now open and closes on Monday 28 September 2026.
Emily Sergeant -
26th September 2022 
