Pop icons S Club will kick off their 25th anniversary reunion tour right here in Manchester this week.
The group, better known to many as S Club 7, will be heading out as a five-piece after the tragic death of bandmate Paul Cattermole.
But Jo O’Meara, Rachel Stevens, Jon Lee, Tina Barrett and Bradley McIntosh have promised that the show will be a fitting tribute to Paul, renaming it The Good Times tour in his honour.
They’ll play two nights here in Manchester, at the AO Arena – the first is Thursday 12 October, the second Saturday 21 October.
S Club are best-known for chart-topping pop songs like Reach, Bring It All Back, Never Had a Dream Come True, Don’t Stop Movin’ and Have You Ever.
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Their very first show back together on The Good Times tour will be in Manchester this week. Here’s what you need to know.
Tickets for S Club’s 25th anniversary tour
S Club 7 in their heyday. Credit: Publicity picture
At the time of writing, there’s still some very limited tickets on sale for S Club’s Manchester dates.
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On Thursday 12 October, you can still get seated tickets for £72.50 including booking fees, but everything else is sold out.
Meanwhile tickets for Saturday 21 October are a similar story – there are just £72.50 seated tickets left at this point.
Remaining S Club tickets are available through See Tickets.
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Support act for S Club at Manchester’s AO Arena
S Club have chosen a band with an ‘amazing vibe’ to support them on their The Good Times Tour.
Now United are an international pop group formed by S Club creator Simon Fuller.
The group initially consisted of 14 members from 14 different countries but is now running as a seven-piece.
In a clip posted on Instagram, Bradley said: “We have got some news for you. For quite some time a lot of you out there have been asking who will be the supporting artist on the tour.
“We’ve found a band that have got such an amazing vibe and we think you guys are gonna love them. We love their music, we love their style… we just think these guys are so much fun.
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“And we want you to check them out. So, here they are… Now United.”
Setlist for S Club at Manchester’s AO Arena
S Club will kick off their reunion tour in Manchester. Credit: Publicity picture
As Manchester will be the first city to welcome S Club on their The Good Times tour, we’re a bit in the dark about what they’re planning.
Their setlist is more than likely to include their hits from the nineties and noughties, as well as new music, like their latest single These Are The Days.
We’ll update this article as soon as we get a whiff of what their setlist might be.
Stage times for S Club
The AO Arena hasn’t yet confirmed stage times for either of S Club’s shows.
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But we do know that doors will open at 6pm, and curfew is likely to be around 10.30pm.
Again, we’ll update this article as soon as stage times are announced.
Elbow announce three very intimate shows in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Elbow have announced a three-night Manchester residency, and they’ll be playing a much more intimate venue than their usual.
The Bury-formed rock legends have announced a run of ‘very special’ intimate gigs to celebrate 25 years of their debut studio album, Asleep In The Back.
Elbow frontman Guy Garvey has said the band want it to be a ‘time machine night’ for both them and their fans.
Last time Elbow played a hometown gig, it was an enormous outdoor summer show at Castlefield Bowl in Manchester.
And the time before that, they were opening the UK’s largest indoor arena, the Co-op Live (admittedly, they weren’t supposed to open the venue, but its opening got delayed to land on the date of their gig).
So to see them play to a crowd of just 1,500 people is not an occurrence we’re likely to see again for a while.
Elbow have just announced three intimate Manchester gigs, performing at the O2 Ritz this November.
They’ll perform their debut, Asleep In The Back, in its entirety, along with selected B-sides and rarities.
Speaking of the announcement, Guy Garvey said: “It’s fascinating for us to revisit the atmosphere we created, and the Ritz feels like the perfect setting to capture that atmosphere.
“A time machine night for us and for the fans. See you there.”
Elbow will perform at O2 Ritz Manchester on Friday 20, Saturday 21, and Sunday 22 November.
Tickets will go on general sale from 10am on Friday 4 September HERE, with an artist presale from 10am on Wednesday 2 September.
Andy Burnham’s favourite Manchester pub, restaurant, neighbourhood and Sunday roast
Daisy Jackson
Andy Burnham’s favourite pub, restaurant, neighbourhood, and Sunday roast have been revealed – and the man’s got taste.
Old footage of now-PM Andy Burnham chatting to content creator Isaac Likes has been doing the rounds again, and while the interview dates back to before Andy left us and headed down to the big smoke, his Manchester recommendations still stand.
From his go-to neighbourhood and favourite pub to where he heads for a Sunday roast, and even the song he likes to play when he gets behind the decks, Burnham gave us a glimpse into his ideal Manchester day.
First up, there’s the Northern Quarter, which Burnham reckons has to be his favourite neighbourhood in the city.
He said: “Got to be the Northern Quarter. It’s the place where it’s all happening.”
When it comes to food, he singled out Firehouse, sitting on the edge of the Northern Quarter, as one of his favourite places to eat. He also gave a shoutout to its sister venue Ramona, where he’s been known to get behind the decks.
Andy said: “On the edge of the Northern Quarter, Firehouse is a place I love to go. Ramona Pizza, I’ve DJ’d there – if the mayor DJs there it’s gotta be alright.”
For a proper pint, Burnham’s choice is a little more traditional, saying his favourite pub is the ‘proper old school’ Peveril of the Peak.
The beautiful tiled pub was recently named the best in the UK, just days before its legendary landlady Nancy passed away.
When Sunday rolls around, Burnham said he has a couple of options up his sleeve. The Wharf in Castlefield gets a mention, as does Edinburgh Castle up in Ancoats.
The Peveril of the Peak pub in ManchesterThe Edinburgh CastleFirehouseSome of Andy Burnham’s favourite places in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
He said: “We love our gravy, we drink it by the pint in Manchester.”
Of course, no conversation with Burnham about Manchester would be complete without talking music.
Asked to name the best Manchester band of all time, he offered a few contenders – The Smiths, New Order, and, ultimately, The Stone Roses.
“The band I think are quintessentially Manchester is The Stone Roses. That was peak Manchester,” he said.
Daisy Jackson -
9th October 2023 
