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Noel Gallagher says he had to ‘switch off’ Kendrick Lamar’s ‘nonsense’ Super Bowl performance

'Say 𝙳̶𝚛̶𝚊̶𝚔̶𝚎̶ Liam...'

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 12th February 2025

Noel Gallagher has revealed he wasn’t exactly the biggest fan of the Kendrick Lamar Halftime Show at this year’s Super Bowl.

In case you’ve been living under a giant American football-shaped rock over the last few days, US rapper Kendrick Lamar enjoyed a much bigger second bite at what was already a bit of a ‘break-the-internet’ moment this past Sunday.

Having been chosen to headline Super Bowl LIX, the 37-year-old’s provocative performance during the Halftime Show had plenty of political messaging and made one VERY big and not-so-subtle statement about fellow feuding rapper Drake, sending those watching and reacting on social media into a frenzy.

That being said, despite being the most-watched Halftime Show in the event’s history, not everyone was so keen on it and one of those people, it turns out, was Manchester’s very own Noel Gallagher.

Noel perfrming at Wythenshawe Park.
Kendrick’s Super Bowl meme sent round the world.

Speaking on to talkSPORT ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League game against Real Madrid on Tuesday night (which didn’t exactly go to plan…), the Oasis singer, songwriter and lead guitarist was asked if he was a fan of the Super Bowl, to which he revealed he’s been watching the NFL for some time.

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With host Andy Goldstein then searching for his opinion on Kendrick and the Halftime Show, Noel began by saying, simply: “I had to switch it off…

“It was absolute nonsense”, said Gallagher, admitting that while he refused to watch all of it, he was initially confused by “like 300 people getting out of a car for the first two minutes.”

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He went on to add that it wasn’t necessarily a personal thing against the hip-hop star that he just doesn’t usually rate “the halftime nonsense”, claiming that “it’s usually artists I don’t like.” When asked about his favourite past Super Bowl Halftime performances.

Guess real doesn’t always recognise real…

Truth be told, he said he never typically watches it anyway, insisting that he’s “not interested” in the over-the-top spectacle that $10-20 million and often comes under criticism for its artist selection.

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We’d like to imagine a world where the older Gallagher brother and ‘King Kenny’ have nothing but mutual respect and admiration for their respective music careers but it’s fair to say he isn’t keen on the Halftime Show shenanigans.

Don’t hold your breath for a surprise Oasis appearance at next year’s Super Bowl.

You can watch Kendrick Lamar’s performance in full HERE or to see it broken down in more detail, check out the video down below:

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — RTP (via Flickr)/FOX/DAZN (screenshot)

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You Are Not Alone Festival deliver gutting delay news

Danny Jones Danny Jones You Are Not Alone Festival 2025 Stockport delayed

You Are Not Alone Festival has reluctantly had to inform Greater Manchester music fans that this year’s comeback event has sadly been delayed.

After debuting back in 2019 and hosting just their second-ever festival after lockdown, You Are Not Alone, or simply YANA Fest, was hoping to get back on track following another hiatus.

Having relocated from Manchester city centre to Stockport for their return festival this spring, where founder Benji Taylor first drummed up the idea and has gone on to build a strong local reputation thanks to the success of Bask, it’s an exciting prospect for the borough’s growing arts and cultural scene.

However, those hoping to go along to the event will have to wait a little longer as Taylor and his team have announced that You Are Not Alone 2025 has been officially delayed.

Sharing the unfortunate update on social media this week, they explained that having “lost four stages, of fairly big capacities”, they have been left with no choice but to postpone the event until further notice.

This comes after Blackbird Brewhouse and Kitchen, Syndikat, AMP – formerly Remedy Bar and then Dr Feelgood (a sister site of the short-lived Glass Spider, both of which closed) – joined the ever-growing list of Manc hospitality and venue casualties.

Syndikat is currently set to be transformed into a new music-forward space but some uncertainty around the project remains, meaning it could not be guaranteed as a venue.

All told this means that YANA Fest has suddenly found itself without four of its key stages; they go on to reassure that they are continuing to search for replacement spots in the area to stand in their place but, for the time being, the whole thing is on hold.

With a great selection of acts and all in aid of a fantastic cause, with proceeds going directly to mental health charity Mind, we sincerely hope it’s rescheduled sooner rather than later.

Dr. Dr.
Denver County Council
Two fantastic local acts we’re buzzing to see live again (Credit: Press Images)

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Signing off the statement, they continue: “Working hard to get this resolved quickly and to keep the lineup in place, and hopefully you can all do the new date once confirmed. Original tickets will remain valid. Lots of love and thanks for understanding. YANA x”

It’s unclear when exactly we can expect it to get back on track or whether Stockport will remain the home base for the festival given the struggle for suitable local venues but we’ll be keeping our fingers firmly crossed.

For now, anyone needing support during these difficult times, please reach out to services like Mind, Samaritans on 116 123; contact the NHS via the 101 service and in the event of any emergency, please dial 999 immediately.

YANA x

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — YANA Fest (supplied)

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Sam Fender to play massive outdoor gig at Wythenshawe Park this summer

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Sam Fender

Sam Fender is set to play a massive outdoor gig at Wythenshawe Park this summer following the release of his next album.

The North Shields singer-songwriter has undeniably made a name for himself since bursting into the mainstream back in 2019 with the success of his debut album, followed by the even more successful release of his second, and so-called ‘coming of age’ record, Seventeen Going Under, in 2021, as well as several memorable festival headline slots and appearances, and arena and stadium shows.

Only recently, Fender blew the roof off Manchester’s newest – and largest – live entertainment venue, Co-op Live, last December, playing to tens of thousands of adoring fans and cementing his place as one of the greatest live acts of the moment.

But now, with his forthcoming third studio album, People Watching, merely days away from release on 21 February, it’s been announced that he’ll headline Wythenshawe Park this summer.

The 30-year-old indie rocker and his band will take to the stage at what is quickly becoming one of Manchester’s most popular outdoor venues in August.

Fender fans will get to sing along to the band’s most well-known hits, from title tracks ‘Hypersonic Missiles’ and ‘Seventeen Going Under’, to everything in between, as well as here the tracks from the upcoming People Watching album – which is being billed as “a collection of colourful stories and observations of everyday characters living their every day, but often extraordinary, lives”.

Sam is currently gearing up for a sold-out tour of Europe in March, ahead of a US tour in the spring, and then a trio of sold-out shows at his boyhood football club’s stadium, Newcastle’s St James’ Park, as well as his biggest headline show to date at the London Stadium.

The boy really is bigger than ever.

Support at Wythenshawe Park will come from acclaimed neo-soul singer, Olivia Dean – with further opening acts to be announced soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

Sam Fender on stage
Wythenshawe Park gig
Sam Fender will be playing a massive outdoor gig at Wythenshawe Park this summer / Credit: Wikimedia Commons | Live From Wythenshawe Park (via Facebook)

Sam Fender will play Wythenshawe Park on Saturday 16 August 2025, following the likes of Noel Gallagher and Blossoms as the names to have graced the massive outdoor stage so far.

Rather unbelievably, he’s playing just a day after the equally massive Fontaines D.C., who will also be playing one of their biggest shows to date to Wythy locals and the thousands of others set to descend on the venue from all over Greater Manchester.

Keen to get yourself some tickets then? Fans are advised to register or pre-order the album for the opportunity to get their hands on pre-sale tickets, with the registration period for this open now until Monday, 17 February at 10am.

The pre-sale itself starts on Tuesday, 18 February at 11am and concludes the following day on (Wednesday 19 February) at 10am.

All remaining tickets will then go on general sale on Friday 21 February at 10am, the same as the album release date. You can grab tickets HERE.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image – Press photo (supplied)

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