What's On

Kesha to play huge gig at historic Manchester music venue

I’m yelling TICKETS… I mean Timber. (Contains affiliate links)

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia - 21st October 2024

Californian pop hitmaker Kesha is returning to Manchester more than a decade since her last visit in 2011.

Whether you’re here for ‘TiK ToK’ or coming along for the ‘Joyride’ with her newer releases, Kesha is sure to put on a performance.

Amassing billions of streams across her discography and having her songs soundtrack pop culture for the past decade, she’s returning to Manchester to perform these tracks live.

During her career, the songstress even won an MTV EMA for ‘Best New Act’ – an awards ceremony which is being hosted in Manchester next month.

This month saw her on stage at Charli XCX and Troye Sivan’s joint ‘Sweat Tour’ in North America, and also featuring on her monumental Brat remix album.

ADVERTISEMENT

Her songs span multiple genres from EDM staples such as ‘Die Young’ to slow-tempo ballads like ‘Praying’. This concert will have you laughing, crying and reminiscing in the space of one hour.

Kesha has it all, from nostalgic hits to groundbreaking achievements, with three UK number ones, seven top ten singles and two top ten albums.

ADVERTISEMENT

In more recent years, the artist has used her platform to uplift marginalised voices such as the LGBTQIA+ community.

She has a great respect for ‘Animals’ (her fans) and the fluffy kind too, as in 2020 she launched ‘Kesha Rose Beauty’ her cosmetics line which even received a shoutout from PETA as it joined their ‘Beauty Without Bunnies’ program.

The ‘House Of Kesha/ Live In The UK Tour’ visits three mighty UK venues including O2 Academy in Glasgow and Mighty Hoopla in London as well as Manchester next summer.

ADVERTISEMENT

When Sebert last visited thirteen years ago she made the O2 Apollo her home for the night, in 2025 however it’s the landmark music venue Manchester Albert Hall who will be hosting the pop titan on 30 May.

With Kesha in residence, Albert Hall, it’s safe to say that… this place about to blow!

Tickets for Kesha’s ‘House of Kesha/ Live In The UK Tour’ go on sale this Friday 25 October at 9am HERE.

Read more:

Featured Image: Publicity Picture, Brendan Walter

What's On

Becky Hill at AO Arena, Manchester – A show just as electric as her dance anthems

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Becky Hill didn’t just sing her songs at her AO Arena show – she transported us all on a free trip to Ibiza too with back-to-back club bangers that the crowd knew every word of.

The most successful The Voice UK contestant in history and Bewdley-born belter, Becky Hill put on a show that no audience member will ever forget with her stacks of addictive radio hits and even more fascinating deep cuts.

Supporting was Charlie Boon, who made the stage his own first bringing nothing but tunes playing some nostalgic and modern dance records to get the crowd up and moving, from the likes of ‘Free From Desire’ to ‘Prada’.

Next it was the drum and bass artist Catching Cairo and her house DJ guiding the AO Arena through a 30-minute slot of fast-paced melodies packed with snares, intricate loops and patterns merged with beat drops galore.

As she introduced her song ‘Touch’, she placed her microphone on the stand and schooled the crowd with her effortless vocals. If that microphone hadn’t been so held down by its stand, her vocals would’ve had it floating through mid-air in no time, what a musical force!

Becky Hill had the AO Arena audience up on their feet for the duration of her show full of non-stop dance hits, feeding Manchester‘s legacy as a 24 hour party city.

Hill made sure she respected Manc culture too, as later on in her set she gave a special shoutout to our music capital explaining ‘This is where the Haçienda was born’ and ‘UK Dance music and clubbing both originated in Manchester’.

The two-time BRIT award winning artist is helping prove that Manchester’s love of music has never been stronger and you can definitely see why Manchester’s nightlife scene has never been better than right now.

Having her debut single reach the top spot in 2014 is one feat but having over 14,000 people chanting the verses and choruses to almost every song on the setlist is an achievement many can only dream of.

The crowd captivated by Hill’s back to back dance anthems. Credit: The Manc Group

When it came to the inescapable ‘Afterglow’ the crowd were pumped. She may have just been a self-described ‘Little 19 year old girl from the West-Midlands’ when it released, but this song has a legacy of its own, one which the audience knew every single word to.

Dance music has always been an important foundation to the UK soundscape and with 19 UK Top 40’s Becky Hill’s discography has contributed to keeping the genre alive and kicking.

Rileasa, Drag Queen and collaborator on ‘One Track Mind’ even made an appearance onstage to perform the album track duet together before hitting the splits mid-song, much like Hill’s latest album title we’re not making this up, Believe Me Now?

Hill is making sure everyone in the crowd gets the chance to see her up-close and personal this tour with a mini stage perched in the heart of the arena.

Fans were graced with some acoustic versions of her radio hits like ‘I Could Get Used To This’, giving us clubbers a chance to regain our breaths after a back-to-back dance workout, swapping rises and drops for intimate vocals and chilled piano chords.

Becky Hill getting up close and personal with fans on the B-Stage. Credit: The Manc Group

As the night went on, alongside delivering vocals upon vocals, the 30 year old would connect with fans during song changes. At one point, the star even commented on her own outfit joking ‘I feel like I raided the fancy dress shop’.

Read more:

These pauses and interactions really showed off her down to earth nature, but then when the instrumentals for her singles including dancefloor filler ‘My Heart Goes (La di da)’ began, popstar mode was activated.

The Dance and EDM singer closed out the show with her epic number and magnum opus ‘Remember’ and was greeted with roars from the crowds of Manchester’s magnificent 14,200 concertgoers.  

Based off the crowd’s reaction to the rest of the set and the tour closer, this concert is one we will certainly never forget.

Featured Image: The Manc Group

What's On

New £2.5m ‘state-of-the-art’ indoor activity park to open at MediaCity

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

A brand new indoor activity park is set to open its doors over in Greater Manchester early next year, and it all sounds very exciting.

Salford has been chosen by Oxygen Activeplay as the location for its next venture, and will be descending on Quayside MediaCity next February with state-of-the-art equipment and activities to help local families stay active whilst having fun at the same time.

Oxygen will sit above bustling food hall Kargo MKT, taking over the former site of I’m a Celebrity Jungle Challenge. 

Following a £2.5 million investment, the new park will feature more than 30 trampolines, a mega-air bag, a high ropes course, a ‘Rollglider’ aerial ride which flies over the facility, and Oxygen’s signature ‘Excite Tunnel’ – an illuminated sensory experience.

More “epic” activities are set to be unveiled over the coming weeks.  

Set to be the company‘s tenth indoor activity park to open in England, Oxygen Activeplay says it’s “passionate” about creating opportunities and accessible spaces where every family learn, develop, and stay active through play.

A series of optional games and dance parties will also be on offer during each play session, and the new Manchester park will also host ‘Peaceful Play’ sessions designed for neurodivergent guests, who prefer a calmer and quieter playing environment.

A cafe serving drinks, snacks, and meals will also overlook the park.

A new £2.5m ‘state-of-the-art’ indoor activity park will be opening at MediaCity / Credit: Jamie McPhilimey

More than 50 new jobs will be available for local people through the creation of the park – including party hosts, bouncers, and members of the management team. 

Speaking ahead of the new park opening next year, Stephen Wilson, who is the CEO at Oxygen Activeplay, said: “With Oxygen at MediaCity being our tenth park, we knew we had to do something really special, so we have some really big and exciting plans.

Read more:

“We couldn’t think of a better home for the newest addition to the Oxygen Activeplay family. We’re beginning the build very soon and the countdown is well and truly on for our opening in February.

“We can’t wait to bring some big-time fun to Manchester.”

Featured Image – Jamie McPhilimey

More What's On

Christmas

Stockport to host ‘captivating’ Christmas festival with 50 FREE shows and hundreds of performers

Didsbury Dozen pub crawl - The Didsbury

Eats

The countryside pubs serving free breakfasts to walkers

Initial works start on Therme Manchester spa resort Trafford

Business

Enabling works at the UK’s biggest spa and wellbeing resort are finally going ahead

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches