Welsh rock band and all-round music legends Stereophonics are embarking on their first tour together in three years next summer, announcing a series of massive ‘Stadium Anthem’ dates.
Formed in 1992, the band have enjoyed plenty of commercial and critical acclaim over the years, with 11 UK top ten hits and despite only managing one chart-topping single in 2005, the unforgettable ‘Dakota’, they’re known for countless other hits like ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ and ‘A Thousand Trees’, just to name a few.
Led by the instantly recognisable voice of frontman, Kelly Jones, the band has gone from making music together as neighbours to becoming one of Wales’ biggest exports and a beloved British group. It’s no wonder that more than 30 years later they’re still headlining huge stadiums.
However, we’re sure you were right on track to ‘Have A Nice Day’, but we sadly have to break the news that they’ll be skipping Manchester as well as other big Northern cities like Leeds, Sheffield and more.
Announcing the ‘Stadium Anthems’ tour on Monday, 7 October, the boys from Cwmaman village in the Cynon Valley are doing their bit to back that same small-town feel and show some love for cities that often get overlooked when it comes to big arena tours.
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Notably including Cork and Huddersfield’s John Smith Stadium among the small handful of sure-to-be sell-out concerts.
Crowds can expect all the usual suspects: ‘The Bartender And The Thief’, ‘Mr Writer’ and ‘Pick A Part That’s New’, their iconic ‘Handbags and Gladrags’ cover, alongside songs from their discography which dates all the way back to 1997 and their debut LP, Word Gets Around.
As well as hearing all the favourites in the flesh, crowds can also expect to be treated to some more live music from special guests, although the support act(s) will be announced at a later date.
The rock band are ready to deliver an unforgettable performance to a crowd of almost 25,000 as they bring their UK and Ireland tour to the home of Huddersfield Town and Giants on 14 June 2025, but Manchester fans will have to travel for a change.
On top of their incredible achievements with smash hit singles, the band also managed to amass eight number-one albums, a feat which many aspiring artists dream of.
Catching attention throughout the turn of the millennium, their second studio album Performance and Cocktails released in 1999 was when Kelly Jones’ unmistakable vocals got us all hooked for the foreseeable future.
Eager fans who want a bigger chance of securing tickets can do so by pre-ordering the band’s newest album, the title and artwork for which are yet to be revealed.
Tickets for Stereophonics’ stadium tour including the West Yorkshire date go on general sale Friday 11th October at 9am HERE.
Oasis and adidas drop yet more new merch in the Live ’25 collection
Danny Jones
The Oasis and adidas love affair isn’t over just yet; it isn’t going anywhere, as the legendary Manc band group and global sports apparel franchise are releasing another batch of merch as part of the smash-hit Live ’25 collection.
After shirts, shoes, jackets and bucket hats galore sold out all over the world, adidas is now toasting not only the end of the reunion world tour but “the year that was Oasis” with a second drop in the already iconic crossover.
If you passed through Manchester at all during their Heaton Park homecoming run, you will have no doubt seen countless examples of the ‘adidas Originals x Oasis’ football shirt collaboration alone, not to mention several other bits of fashion in the official Live ’25 fashion line.
Now, just in time for Christmas, there’s a whole new set being introduced into the range of casual wear.
Simply titled ‘Oasis Live ‘25 Drop 2’, the latest additions to the adidas Originals collection are releasing next month and, obviously, will be sold in stores and online.
While the pop-up stores that opened up here in the city centre all over have now shut up shop, Greater Manchester’s adidas locations on Market Street – which turned into an Oasis fan paradise this past summer – and Pear Mill in Stockport will still be stocking the various bits of Britpop clobber.
Although the most recent items will be exclusively available domestically for now, they will be rolled out overseas in 2026.
Considering how quickly most of it sold out last time, you can guarantee most of the options to fly off the shelves just as fast here in the UK.
Honestly, we’ve only just managed to get our hands on the standard black ‘jacquard jersey’.
As you can see, a good chunk of the second drop is that same footy shirt in different colours and other tees in different lengths/variations.
Scheduled to launch on Friday, 12 December, the ‘Oasis x adidas Originals Live ‘25 Drop 2’ will go on sale at 9am sharpish, so you’d best get ready for a scrap in that digital queue.
Naturally, fans, fashionistas and collectors can expect virtually identical costs for the majority of pieces (and buying in-person will obviously help keep the cost down), though it does look like some price points have been adjusted.
As for the Live ’25 tour itself, now that the dust has settled on the ‘Oasis Mania‘ take two, Liam himself has taken to social media to express his gratitude in the most Gallagher way possible…
Lily Allen adds another massive Manchester arena show to West End Girl tour
Daisy Jackson
Lily Allen has just announced an extra show here in Manchester, after her previously announced dates in theatres across the UK drove phenomenal demand.
The much-loved British singer sold out some of the nation’s finest theatres in just minutes with her West End Girl tour.
Since then, the star has announced her biggest-ever headline tour, with a run of arena shows coming next summer.
Lily Allen is now set to visit the AO Arena in Manchester not just once but twice, as well as playing other big cities including Leeds, Nottingham, Birmingham and London.
West End Girl was released less than a month ago and has received critical acclaim across the board, amassing 150 million streams and sticking near the top of the UK Albums Chart.
The bear-all, scathing, deeply personal record has catapulted Lily Allen back into the spotlight, and now she’s got the arena tour she deserves.
The show – ‘Lily Allen Performs West End Girl‘ – will see the singer/songwriter play her brand-new album in its entirety, in the order the songs appear on the record.
She had already announced two nights at Aviva Studios in Manchester next March, which sold out almost instantly.
Before this era, Lily was famed for her big hits like ‘Smile’, ‘The Fear’, and ‘F*ck You’. It’s fair to say she’s now riding one of the biggest waves of popularity in her career thus far.
Lily Allen is set to play at the AO Arena in Manchester on Friday 19 June 2026, with tickets on sale from 10am on Thursday 27 November.
You can get your tickets right HERE, but we’d be quick about it…
Thomas Melia -
7th October 2024 
