One of the biggest rap, R&B and pop names on the planet rocks up to Manchester this week and we really ‘Stay’, never say his ‘Goodbyes’ and soak up all the ‘Congratulations’…
That’s right, Post Malone is coming to 0161 for not one but two nights on the trot and it’s going to be an absolute party.
It’s been a couple of years since Post Malone was last in the UK for a show, playing Reading Festival back in 2022, and it’s been four whole years since the New York-born rapper was last in Manchester.
Luckily, us Mancs get to make the most of this visit, with Posty set to play two massive shows at AO Arena on Tuesday and Wednesday (16-17 May). With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know.
Thankfully, if you’re looking to get in on the Twelve Carat Tour, there are still a fair few tickets left to see Post Malone in Manchester either night, with even more available on the second night (Wednesday).
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Better still, they all range between various different locations and prices around the Arena too, with tickets in the lower seated section starting from just under £100 and VIP standing spots around his impressive stage area setting you back £126.50.
The cheapest seats up towards the back of the venue will cost you £76.55, but you best be quick if you want these before they get snapped up by someone else. You can always opt for the Champagne, Suite and Heineken Sky Lounge experiences if you really want to splash out.
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Whatever level of flashy you want to go, you can grab yours HERE.
Post Malone’s supports for his Manchestergigs are two-fold: American rap duo Rae Sremmurd — one half of which, Swae Lee, combined with the 27-year-old on the hit track ‘Sunflower’ for the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse film — as well a guest appearance from another name that is yet to be confirmed.
Who it could be is a total mystery; as far as we can tell from the previous gigs on the UK leg of this tour, there has little been little info leaked about who else has got it on the action, but all we know is that an additional support act is set to be confirmed soon.
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Who do you think it could be or, maybe the better question is who would you like to see?
Doors for Post Malone at the AO Arena will be open from 6pm, with the first support act (whoever they might be) taking the stage at 7.
After a swift half-hour set, Rae Sremmurd will take the stage at 8pm until 8:40; from then there’ll be a quick 20-minute interval for you to fill up on snacks and booze before Posty himself starts playing, with the gig set to run to 10:30pm.
Of course, you always have to make room for an encore and with so many bangers to his name, your guess is as good as ours as to what he’ll close the show with.
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Chances of him doing a Manc cover or some kind? He does love that guitar of his…
Predicted setlist
Speaking of the music itself, judging by the tracks and the running order from his recent three-night run at London’s O2 Arena, this is what we are expecting when it comes to Post Malone’s setlist for Manchester AO Arena:
It’s set to be a brilliant double bill at Manchester’s iconic AO Arena and with tickets still left to grab, you still have a chance to see Post Malone do what he does best right on your doorstep: put on a brilliant performance with more genre’s in one night than you’ll get from virtually any other musician around.
From the clips we’ve seen of his world tour so far, this bloke is just enjoying himself, having an absolute party on stage every night and taking crowds along for the ride.
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We hope to see a few of you there and if there are any other details you need, you can always check out the Arena’s info pack down below:
Blossoms at O2 Ritz Manchester – five-night hometown residency is already a triumph
Daisy Jackson
Blossoms are a band who were born and forged here in Greater Manchester, and now they’re back retracing their steps with a five-night residency across the venues that launched them into the big leagues.
Their star has risen all the way to arena level and headline shows at Wythenshawe Park at this point, especially here in their hometown, so the chance to see them back in these cosy-ish little venues is special, and a little bizarre.
For night two of their landmark sold-out gig series, it was the turn of the O2 Ritz, that sweaty spot off Oxford Road where the floor bounces downstairs and you stick to the carpets upstairs.
Poetically, the first time I ever saw Blossoms was in this very room in 2016, when they had the mid-afternoon slot at Neighbourhood festival and the queue to get in went all the way back to St Peter’s Square.
Since those days, Blossoms have come a long, long way, and their live show has evolved and matured from five lads thrashing on their instruments to this well-oiled, hip-swaying, flares-wearing, chart-topping machine.
There’s even choreography now – how fancy!
A stand-out moment from the show is actually a song from their new, fifth studio album Gary, which is still barely eight weeks old.
A spoof recording of legendary Manchester indie club 42s rings out, then all five band members abandon their stations, slinging keytars and marching drums around their necks so that they can dance together in front of neon signs.
Blossoms have just done their second of five shows in Manchester, this time at the O2 Ritz. Credit: The Manc GroupBlossoms on stage at the O2 Ritz in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Blossoms promised more disco with this album and they bloody meant it. It’s not just the flares and the blow-dries and the moustaches (though those do help) – it’s in the funk and groove that’s gradually crept into their music exponentially with each album release.
This is still indie rock but it’s the most danceable of its genre. Good luck keeping your shoulders from wiggling and jiggling in here. Good luck keeping that grin off your face.
And Gary is one of the most unexpectedly fun albums to be released in the last year – the fact they called it Gary, named after a giant fibreglass garden centre Gorilla, should’ve been our clue. It could border on silly were it not such a masterpiece.
It seems like the only thing Blossoms are trying to prove is that you can be wildly successful without taking yourself too seriously. They just seem like a group who want to have a good time and it’s totally infectious.
Case in point – when each band member is introduced, keyboardist Myles Kellock plays the riff of Satisfaction by Benny Benassi and The Biz. Unexpected.
Blossoms also clearly give a sh*t about their live shows and graft at it – I’ve seen these guys an awful lot and it’s because their tour dates are plentiful and consistently worth the ticket price.
This is definitely the biggest era of their career so far, but have they peaked? Not even close.
The Warehouse Project reveals return to Rotterdam for second-ever overseas event
Danny Jones
The Warehouse Project has confirmed it will be returning to Rotterdam in 2025 for just its second-ever overseas event.
After debuting abroad in 2023 with an action-packed few days in the city of Rotterdam – whose art scene, music culture and even canal network bears lots of similarities to Manchester – Warehouse Project is coming back for more.
There’s just over a month left of the 2024 WHP calendar; you’d think they’d be getting ready to wind down and enjoy the Christmas breather, but not so: the organisers are already planning what is set to be one of their biggest and best long weekends to date.
Set to take place over the early May bank holiday, the Dutch port city will once again play host to one of Manchester’s legendary club nights.
The second biggest city in the Netherlands behind Amsterdam, the next edition of Warehouse’s international series is set to return to Rotterdam RDM – a warehouse space very reminiscent of both Depot Mayfield and their original home at Victoria Warehouse.
WHP x RDM II is already being billed as an “unforgettable weekend” and if any of this year’s mainline events here in Manchester are anything to go by, they’re bound to live up to that promise.
There’s also a full FAQ page for anyone looking to find out more information regarding Rotterdam, the venue itself, travel and more.
As well as revealing the dates (2-4 May 2025), the organisers have already teased a good chunk of the lineup, with the likes of Chris Stussy, Peach, Four Tet b2b with Sammy Virji, salute and many more already confirmed.
With a slew of incredible acts, multiple afterparties on boats and other local venues, as well as plenty of opportunity to see the rest of Holland’s ‘Manhattan on the Maas’, this is going to be SO good.
We were lucky enough to have been sent to sample their inaugural Rotterdam date back in April of 2023 and, we have to say, it was an absolute blast.
Take it from us, if you’re considering being a part of this next event you won’t regret and we’ll be putting together an extensive guide to help you feel prepared for raving overseas. Registration for early access is already live, so sign up fast if you want to give yourself the best chance of being there.
Limited presale and accommodation packages will be available to those who have applied at 9am on Monday, 2 December (UK customers only). General admission tickets will go live from 9am n Tuesday, 3 December sale for UK and Dutch customers starts Tuesday 3rd December at 9am GMT/10am CET.
Rotterdam 2025 will be here before you know it, so take a boots-on-the-ground at what an international Warehouse Project date looks like down below: