The re-emergence of country music as a mainstream genre in recent years can be put down to a handful of individuals, one of which is the North Carolina-born hit machine, Luke Combs.
The bearded ‘Prince of Country’ rolled into town with his band and his beers to put on a show in the penultimate UK location before heading to the capital to round off a sell-out tour of just about every country with an arena but make no mistake, this man is no prince — he’s a king.
As the arena filled up and anticipation built ahead of a perfect Tuesday night soundtracked to a drunken sing-song, spirits were already high as the lights went out to make way for the national anthem of beer drinkers: ‘Sweet Caroline’.
With the crowd primed and ready, Luke emerged and raises the roof with an opening of ‘Lovin On You’ and ‘Hannah Ford Road’ before addressing the crowd of 18,000 admirers donning trucker caps and cowgirl boots, confessing, “I’ve been waiting for this one for a long time.”
Luke Combs looked at home in the AO Arena (Credit: The Manc Group)
Making Manchester’s AO Arena feel more like the Grand Ole Opry with his unique storytelling and grizzly sound, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter serenaded spectators with ballads and classic country anthems leaving no arm unraised and no beer unattended.
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Luke gave his fellow band members their flowers, then also an opportunity to show off their musical ability and vocals mid-show, declaring the lead guitarist ‘the best singer I’ve ever heard…’
In the middle of his crowd-pleasing performance of ‘1, 2, Many’, Combs pulls out his trademark move of throwing a beer to one eager fan so they can shotgun it together — a memory they are unlikely to ever forget and one we dearly wish belonged to us.
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For his big finale, Combs roars out the fan favourite, ‘The Kind Of Love We Make’, declaring his love for the city and sending fans away with stories of ‘I was there’ and a serious case of beard envy.
It was just about him though, the band deserved every bit of the props he dished out.
In case our affection for the Southern powerhouse wasn’t already totally unconditional, he reaffirmed our loves in spades in that moment and with that whole performance.
Nobody yet knows when the Asheville native will be back on UK shores, but given Combs’ track record of putting together music we don’t think you’ll have long to wait, you may, however, need to get in the queue a bit earlier next time.
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If you’re not already a country music fan, we strongly urge you to give Luke Combs a try and we’re fairly certain you’ll be a convert in no time — see you at the next one we he inevitable sells out the AO Arena yet again.
We will never understand how he makes ‘Fast Car’ better than the original.
Robyn: The Sexistential Tour – Co-op Live, Manchester | Review
Lonnie Bowes
There are pop stars, and then there is Robyn.
There’s something about the Co-op Live that still feels new, but last night it felt like it had been waiting for a show like this. The Swedish icon brought her long-awaited Sexistential Tour to Manchester, and from the first beat drop, the arena was hers.
Opening with a wall of robes, strobes and a euphoric rush of synths. Robyn didn’t so much arrive as materialise – already dancing, already fully committed. The production was immense; towering LED rigs, carefully crafted lighting, and a stage that somehow managed to feel intimate despite the sheer scale of the room. It was a proper spectacle.
Images: The Manc Group
The setlist drew from across her catalogue, weaving newer material around the bangers with real care. Honey felt celestial. With Every Heartbeat did what it always does. And when the opening bars of Dancing On My Own finally landed, the roar that met them was something else entirely – the kind that gives you goosebumps on the back of your neck. Even if you’ve heard the song a thousand times it still landed it like it was the first time.
What strikes you most about Robyn, though, isn’t the production or even the songs. It’s how real she seems up there. She throws herself into every lyric, dances like nobody’s watching, and radiates a kind of joy that feels hard-won rather than performed. In an era of very calculated pop, that matters.
The Sexistential Tour is exactly what it promises – big questions about love, loneliness, and what it means to just exist, set to some of the best pop music ever written.
Manchester, she owned us and I think we are all okay with that.
Manchester institution ‘a little emotional’ after receiving a visit from rock icon Hayley Williams
Daisy Jackson
Rock icon Hayley Williams has been spotted shopping at Manchester institution Afflecks.
The legendary independent retail emporium said it was ‘feeling a little emotional’ after its halls were graced with rock royalty.
And not only did the Paramore frontwoman and acclaimed solo singer-songwriter come for a browse, she even gave Afflecks a shout-out on stage later that night.
Hayley Williams headlined two solo shows at Manchester Academy on Monday and Tuesday this week.
The shows are in support of her third studio album, Ego Death at a Bachelorette Party.
And despite being known globally as one of music’s best lead vocalists, this is actually Hayley Williams’ first solo tour (her previous dates were cancelled because of Covid).
While on stage in front of fans last night, she said: “I’ve learnt some Mancunian, and I’ve been to Afflecks!”
It sounds like she’s as lovely as she is legendary, with Afflecks saying that the star hung around to chat and take photos.
Sharing photos of the star inside the building, Afflecks wrote: “So a very special visitor stopped by Afflecks yesterday…
“A huge thank you to Hayley Williams for taking the time to visit us, say hello, and pose for a photo. She was so super lovely, kind, and welcoming, and to top it all off she even gave Afflecks a shout-out during last night’s show.
“Safe to say we’re feeling a little emotional about it. Thank you again Hayley for supporting Manchester’s small businesses.”
The Manc Audio -
18th October 2023 
