Some of the world’s biggest artists will be touching down in Manchester in 2025 with massive gigs announced that will fill up your concert calendar FAST.
We’ve been trawling through all the listings to bring you some of the best live shows coming to town next year.
Manchester is a hub of music and culture and is now home to TWO massive arenas, so it’s no surprise that some serious superstars are flocking to our lovely city to hear our lovely Manc voices sing their biggest hits back to them.
So keep reading for all the live music and gigs inspiration you need for 2025 in Manchester.
(If any of my friends or family are reading this and are struggling for gift ideas, I’ll happily go watch a 5 foot tall sun-kissed blonde sing about a certain coffee drink any day of the week, wink, wink, nudge, nudge…)
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Must-see Manchester 2025 gigs
Katy Perry, AO Arena
Credit: Publicity Picture
The ultimate definition of 2010’s pop, this California girl is swapping the heat of the West Coast for the crowds of the North West.
Getting my daisy dukes ready as we speak and I’m DIY-ing my own cupcake bikini right now in preparation for the pop legend.
Katy Perry is bringing ‘The Lifetimes Tour’ to Manchester on 8 October 2025 with tickets onsale HERE.
Robbie Williams, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
Featuring in chart-topping boyband Take That and also having a remarkable solo career, Robbie Williams is no stranger to performing in the music capital of the North.
The Stoke born singer will be hoping this batch of 2025 shows will be just as sweet as his 2012 single ‘Candy’.
Robbie Williams is bringing ‘Robbie Williams Live 2025’ to Co-op Live on 10 and 11 June 2025 with tickets on sale HERE.
Lionel Richie, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
Richie and almost 24,000 people are gearing up to dance ‘All Night Long’ with the American hitmaker when he pays a visit to Manchester’s newest live entertainment venue next year.
Last visiting Manchester city centre in 2016, Lionel Richie’s star power hasn’t slowed down he’s always reaching new heights, and that’s because no one can get him down he’s always ‘Dancing On The Ceiling’.
The Jamaican born dancehall act has seen chart success with ‘Temperature’, ‘Got 2 Luv U’ and ‘Get Busy’, Paul has been steadily soundtracking people’s lives since his debut.
Ashanti has her own roster such as ‘Rock Wit U’, ‘Foolish’ and ‘Baby’, the latter single by the New York R&B artist even got an Aitch remix in 2022.
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Sean Paul & Ashanti are bringing the ‘Bring It Tour’ to AO Arena on 20 April 2025 with tickets onsale HERE.
Pierce The Veil, Co-op Live
Credit: Wikicommons
This wouldn’t be a proper gig list if we didn’t have some serious headbanging going on and it’s Californian rock band, Pierce The Veil, who we turn to for some big guitar and drum numbers.
The band are hoping to be the ‘King For The Day’ as they command a spectacular 23,500 audience in autumn of next year.
Pierce The Veil are bringing ‘I Can’t Hear You World Tour’ to Co-op Live on 25 September 2025 with tickets onsale HERE.
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Tyler The Creator, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
Influential within the Hip-Hop genre, his latest album Chromakopia has a collection of 2020’s defining rap voices like Doechii, Sexyy Red and GloRilla.
Two support acts in the form of Georgia talent Lil Yatchy and Californian duo Paris Texas who are ready to drop some of the best bars Co-op Live has ever seen.
Tyler The Creator is bringing ‘Chromakopia: The World Tour’ to Co-op Live on 27 and 28 May 2025 with tickets on sale HERE.
Kesha, Albert Hall
Credit: Brendan Walter
The early 2010s wouldn’t have been the same without Kesha spinning our heads right round, right round and we’re not complaining, every single song is a banger.
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There’s a number of hits fans can expect and with a discography as popular as this American vocalist’s, the crowd will be wild.
Her sixth album which is expected the same year as her tour is set to be her first official release under her independent music label Kesha Records with two singles ‘JOYRIDE’ and ‘DELUSIONAL’ out already.
Kesha is bringing ‘Kesha Live In The UK’ to Albert Hall on 30 May 2025 with tickets on sale HERE.
Sugababes, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
Mutya, Keisha and Siobhán better known as UK girl group Sugababes have not long left Manchester performing at Parklife just this summer.
They have accumulated a total six number one singles in the span of five years including ‘Push The Button’ and its infamous line which “I’ve been dropping so many hints and you’re just not getting it”.
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These leading ladies have been a UK music staple with ‘Freak Like Me’ and ‘Round Round’ , if you’re going to this you’ll soon be up on your feet busting your best moves.
Sugababes are bringing ‘Sugababes ’25’ to Co-op Live on 11 April 2025 with tickets onsale HERE.
Gary Barlow, O2 Apollo
Credit: Publicity Picture
2025 is set to be an epic year for this boyband heartthrob with the renewal of his TV show ‘Gary Barlow’s Wine Tour’ and a host of UK gigs, what can’t this man do?
Barlow is embarking on a huge tour of the country with 41 UK tour dates including O2 Apollo in Manchester and dates in Blackpool, Halifax, and Liverpool, if you’re after a nice, local afternoon out.
He’s seen much acclaim in Take That but with his solo records too, most notably ‘Sing’, ‘Forever Love’ and ‘Love Won’t Wait’, written by Madonna (We’re not joking).
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Gary Barlow is bringing ‘The Songbook Tour 2025’ to O2 Apollo on 9 May 2025 with tickets on sale HERE.
Teddy Swims, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
One of the most recent rising stars, Teddy Swims has built a rapid fanbase who admire him for his strong vocal capabilities heard on his smash hit ‘Lose Control’.
Swims has collaborated with the likes of the incredible hitmaker Meghan Trainor and even country songstress Maren Morris.
The American male vocalist is seeing similar success with newest release ‘The Door’ which is just as soulful as his 2023 groundbreaking single.
Teddy Swims is bringing ‘I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy Tour’ to Co-op Live on 10 March 2025 with tickets on sale HERE.
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Rizzle Kicks, Castlefield Bowl
Credit: Publicity Picture
As the two lads sing themselves in 2011’s ‘Mama Do The Hump’, “Yeah, yeah I love that sound” and we really do love the sound of this duo coming back to Manchester.
They’ve grafted hard with their memorable tracks like ‘Down With The Trumpets’, ‘Skip To The Good Bit’ and even featured on the Olly Murs record ‘Heart Skips A Beat’.
Jordan and Harley have sold over one million singles and 600,000 albums in the UK under the stage name ‘Rizzle Kicks’ and they’re taking over Manchester next summer.
Rizzle Kicks are visiting ‘Sounds Of The City 2025’ at Castlefield Bowl on 11 July 2025 with tickets onsale HERE.
Sabrina Carpenter, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
‘Espresso’, ‘Taste’ and ‘Please Please Please’ – Sabrina Carpenter’s grip on the charts this year has literally been phenomenal.
Carpenter is known for keeping her shows fresh from varying her ‘Nonsense’ outros, covering songs via ‘Spin the wheel’ or the big one on everyone’s lips, “What ‘Juno’ position is she going to do in Manchester?”.
Sabrina Carpenter is bringing ‘The Short ‘N’ Sweet Tour’ to Co-op Live on 13 March 2025 with tickets sold out, but you can try resell sites like Twickets. (Good luck).
Oasis, Heaton Park
Credit: Publicity Picture
We’ve saved our favourite Mancs til last and as many of you are probably aware, this tour is more than certainly sold out however it would be a dishonour not to mention it.
Burnage boys, Noel and Liam, have well and truly got the band back together ahead of their 2025 Oasis reunion tour and are set to play five shows at huge outdoor Manchester venue, Heaton Park.
Oasis are bringing ‘Oasis Live ’25’ to Heaton Park on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 July 2025 with tickets sold out, however much like the pop princess above, you can also try resell sites like Twickets.
Review | We need Neigbourhood Weekender every year – and so does the North West
Danny Jones
Neighbourhood Weekender returned for 2026 this late May bank holiday, and after its second consecutive edition following an admittedly brief hiatus, we’re more confident than ever that we want this music festival on the calendar every single year.
Actually, we’d go so far as to say that lots of people around the North West and beyond NEED it.
We know plenty of people are understandably wary of potential hyperbolic declarations like that, but let us explain ourselves…
For starters, getting an opportunity to see the likes of criminally underappreciated Northern names like Richard Ashcroft playing the big slot on the main stage is a good place to start.
Many of you will have no doubt seen the Wigan legend on solo tours – not to mention serving as the pitch-perfect support act for Oasis’ reunion tour last summer – but topping the bill on Saturday night of NBHD Weekender 2026 served as yet more proof that he is, in fact, a headline act.
Maybe that changed a little for lots of people post-Live ’25, but his set was one of several over the course of the two-day festival in Victoria Park that served as a reminder of just how good lots of these long-standing acts both were and still are.
Kaiser Chiefs, Razorlight, The Fratellis, Mel C, Shed Seven, and so on: they’re not just nostalgic acts that those of a certain generation get to enjoy as a throwback – they’re all still incredible, seasoned performers in their own right.
They boast a wealth of experience and aptitude for playing to live crowds that you only get by being very good at what you do for a long time. You only have to look at the countless youths who quickly realised they knew more choruses than they realised, and got to sample hearing them in person for the first time.
Strong crowds from 12 noon until curfew. (Credit: Audio North)
And then speaking of the younger, more up-and-coming section of the lineup, the next generation absolutely smashed it as well. Let’s just say there were more than a few rising stars on show.
Westside Cowboy are clearly at the start of something very special and got a healthy dose of shout-outs from punters on the day; Keo were as frenetic as everyone knew they would be, Brooke Combe was on top form as she has been every time we’ve seen her, and Cassia were class.
More Mancs rose to the challenge in the form of The Guest List’s biggest show yet, too – they were also left super humbled when we spoke to them afterwards – and fellow regional band The Royston Club were nothing short of excellent, simple as.
Hearing thousands belt out ’52’ and ‘Cariad’ at the top of their lungs was one of our highlights of the entire weekend, to be honest.
Of course, then you’ve got the likes of the already established DMA’S, who were absolutely box office and made it plain how much affection they have for “their second home” up here in this part of the UK, and Sunday’s headliners, Blossoms, have proven time and time again that they’re the real deal now.
But aside from banger after banger, it was a conversation we overheard near us during the Stopfordians’ set that helped us come to this revelation.
Somewhere between their walk-out on stage and the second/third song, a bloke and his mate behind us shared an intimate moment we felt almost rude for having accidentally eavesdropped on, right up until the point it made us well up ourselves.
Without going into too much detail, this very stereotypical-sounding Northerner dropped all pretence and confessed to his friend that he’d had a tough couple of months, and that he’d been looking forward to this for weeks – not simply because Blossoms are his favourite artist, but because he needed it.
Call it a release, that hour or so of sheer abandon, or just sharing a special music memory with his best mate: whatever it was, this evening was much more than a gig to him. People throw the phrase ‘lifesaver’ around about music a lot, and it never feels like an exaggeration in moments like this.
It was also apparent that he was a working-class Warrington native who was lucky enough for his postcode to help him afford to go to Neighbourhood Weekender and have this embrace with his pal, who was in an ideal setting to have perhaps a long overdue heart-to-heart. THIS is what it means to people.
Music is therapy, and when done in its purest form – i.e. played live to people who live and breathe the stuff – it can do more good than you’ll ever know.
Doja Cat at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
One of the 2020’s leading female artists, Doja Cat, is heading to the UK for a stop on her newest tour and has chosen to host it at Co-op Live in Manchester.
American recording artist Doja Cat is making her long-awaited return to Manchester and an arena debut, with this artist’s first and only visit to the city being back in 2024, headlining Parklife.
Heading to the UK as part of her Ma Vie World Tour, the California-born star is recognised for her spellbinding performances, extravagant outfits and array of UK Top 40 hits.
Not afraid to blend genres, Amala Dlamini, better known by artist moniker Doja Cat, has lent her voice to rap, hip-hop, pop, R’n’B, and now 80’s synths on her newest LP, Vie.
Gig guide | Doja Cat at Co-op Live, Manchester
Doja Cat is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester for one night of her Ma Vie Tour / Credit: Publicity Picture (Supplied)
Doja Cat UK tour dates
Sat 23 May – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Tues 26 May – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Fri 29 May – London, UK – The O2
Are there any tickets left for Doja Cat at Co-op Live?
Do you ‘Need to Know’ about grabbing tickets to see this multi-hyphenate performer live? Well, you’re in luck…
After seeing this iconic ‘Woman’ live on stage in Manchester? Well, if I’ve got your ‘Attention’, you can find tickets and more info HERE.
All you ‘Need to Know’ about Doja Cat’s Ma Vie World Tour in Manchester / Credit: Greg Swales (Supplied) / The Manc Group
Doja Cat setlist for 2026 UK tour
Lipstain
Cards
Get Into It (Yuh)
Kiss Me More
Gorgeous
Couples Therapy
Take Me Dancing
Woman
Acts of Service
Agora Hills
Make It Up
All Mine
Ain’t Sh*t
Paint the Town Red
Silly! Fun!
Juicy
Need to Know
Streets
Wet Vagina
WYM Freestyle
Demons
Tia Tamera
AAAHH MEN!
Boss B*tch
Stranger
Happy
One More Time
Say So
Jealous Type
What are the stage times for Doja Cat in Manchester?
Doors for Doja Cat’s Ma Vie Tour at Co-op Live in Manchester are set to open from 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 7pm from one very good warm-up act.
Supporting the rapper and performer on her UK and EU leg of the tour is alternative-r&b artist Naomi Sharon with singles like ‘Better Days’ and ‘Bittersweet’.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Thomas Melia -
30th December 2024 
