Art & Culture

Stand-up sensation Mo Gilligan has announced a massive arena gig in Manchester

He's making 2026 his biggest year yet.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 22nd September 2025

Triple BAFTA-award winning stand-up comedian Mo Gilligan is heading to the AO Arena in Manchester next year on his biggest-ever world tour.

The Mo You Know tour will see the comic head right across the UK as well as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, UAE, and masses more European cities.

Dubbed ‘The Funniest Man in Britain’ by The Times, Mo Gilligan sold out venues the nation over with his debut stand-up tour, which included a two week residency in London’s West End.

That was recorded as his debut Netflix special, Original Momentum, before he headed back on tour with ‘There’s Mo To Life’ in 2021 (that tour included a history-making O2 Arena show).

Then in 2022, Mo released his second highly anticipated Netflix special of the smash hit live show to great critical acclaim.

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He won his first BAFTA in 2020 for The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan, then another for Best Comedy Entertainment Programme in 2022.

This year, he’s been on his biggest tour to date, heading across the globe with the In the Moment World Tour – and now it’s about to get even bigger.

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Mo Gilligan is making sure 2026 is his biggest year yet, and will bring him to the AO Arena in Manchester on 17 October.

You can find out more and grab tickets HERE.

Mo Gilligan tour dates in full

January

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  • Wed 28th St Albans, Alban Arena
  • Thu 29th Dartford, Orchard West
  • Fri 30th Eastbourne, Devonshire Park Theatre
  • Sat 31st Kingston, Rose Theatre

February

  • Wed 4th Guildford, G-Live
  • Thu 5th Cambridge, Corn Exchange
  • Fri 6th Oxford, The New Theatre
  • Sat 7th Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre
  • Thu 12th Hastings, White Rock Theatre
  • Fri 13th Stevenage, Arts & Leisure Centre
  • Sat 14th Peterborough, New Theatre
  • Wed 18th Reading, Hexagon
  • Thu 19th Southend, Cliffs Pavilion
  • Fri 20th Doncaster, The Dome
  • Sat 21st Ipswich, Regent
  • Wed 25th Exeter, Great Hall
  • Thu 26th Basingstoke, Anvil Arts
  • Fri 27th Bristol, Beacon
  • Sat 28th Woking, New Victoria Theatre

March

  • Wed 4th Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre
  • Thu 5th Brentwood, Centre
  • Fri 6th Stoke-On-Trent, Victoria Hall
  • Thu 12th Colchester, Charter Hall
  • Fri 13th Brighton, Centre

September

  • Fri 11th London, Eventim Apollo
  • Sat 12th London, Eventim Apollo

October

  • Sat 17th Manchester, AO Arena
  • Sat 31st Cardiff, Arena

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Featured image: Supplied

Art & Culture

Villanelle announce Manchester date on special UK/IE university tour

Danny Jones Danny Jones Villanelle Manchester university gig tickets

Emerging rock band Villanelle, fronted by Gene Gallagher, have just announced a new tour of university-backed UK and Ireland venues, including a gig right here in Manchester.

The still relatively rookie group led by the son of legendary Mancunian music icon, Liam Gallagher, is still in its very early days, but the four-piece has already flirted with everything from straightforward indie music to post-punk, grunge and alternative.

Yes, if you were expecting LG‘s youngest son to just be imitating his dad’s sound, you’d be wrong; the impressive fledgling outfit are already carving a creative little space for themselves.

More importantly, they’ve already hit the road plenty of times over the past 12 months or so, including on the Definitely Maybe 30th anniversary tour, and now Villanelle are coming back to Manchester once again for a show and one of our most beloved live music spaces: Night and Day.

Working with promoters Punchbag, who have created the brand-new ‘Punchbag University Tour’, Villanelle are one of multiple artists joining the inaugural event.

The dedicated uni-sponsored series sees multiple names heading to key grassroots entertainment spots, celebrating up-and-coming talent as well as student culture at large.

Other bands and solo acts taking part in the debut Punchbag uni tour include Florentenes, Bino Bames and Die Twice.

Places getting involved with the shows themselves include the likes of Sidney and Matilda in Sheffield, Hyde Park Book Club in Leeds, Zerox in Newcastle, among many more.

It looks like it’s already shaping up nicely if you ask us.

Once again, Villanelle will be playing iconic Manc music institution Night and Day on Friday, 17 October, which will precede another highly anticipated headline show in the city at The Castle Hotel.

As for the Night and Day gig, it’s actually a place they’ve played before, too.

The boys visited the venue back in November last year and brought a pretty strong die-hard following with them from the off, and have played plenty more support slots around the North since then.

If you’re interested, tickets for all musicians and their respective gigs are on sale now, and they’re being snapped up fast, so click HERE soon if you’re keen on catching any of them.

Whilst you’re here, you might as well stick around and find out what we made of Villanelle’s first full studio release down below.

Villanelle debut: Liam Gallagher’s son’s band release their first track – here’s our review

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Featured Images — Seb Barros (press shot)/Audio North

Art & Culture

The Lottery Winners have announced their first headline stadium gig here in Greater Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones The Lottery Winners Leigh Stadium tickets

Wigan’s very own Lottery Winners have just announced their first solo headline stadium show right here in Greater Manchester, in yet another huge milestone for the Manc favourites.

Doing big arena gigs is one thing, but booking a full-on stadium date on your own patch is something else entirely.

Announced on Monday, 22 September, the ever-rising indie-pop four-piece are now set to play their biggest ever live concert at none other than Leigh Sports Village Stadium, where they’ll be welcomed back as hometown heroes helping put Wigan‘s music scene back on the map.

Better still, they even got a close personal friend to help them with the reveal…

Imagine a shock appearance from Robbie – that would go OFF.

To be honest, we’re not ruling it out; as you can see in yet another amusing teaser video by the local band, they’re promising a number of special guests.

Already confirmed for the milestone live date are friends and long-standing collaborators Jon McClure with Reverend and the Makers, Frank Turner, plus fellow pop indie cult favourite Scouting For Girls, as well as another rising Wigan band in the shape of The Lilacs and a DJ set from Katie Owen.

Frontman Thom Rylance goes on to joke that he’ll “even ask Boy George”, and while they might have duped us last time, we’re not entirely betting against him pulling it off this time.

Judging by the reaction ‘the Rev’ got here in Manchester back in January, you can bet on the atmosphere being nothing short of incredible.

You had to be there.

Such a tune.

Speaking on the momentous occassion, lead singer and songwriter Thom said: “Leigh Sports Village (LSV) isn’t just another show for us, it’s a marker of everything we’ve worked for. From loading gear into pubs to travelling the world, every step has led here.

“To headline a stadium at home is rare, and we don’t take that lightly. This night will stand as proof of what’s possible when you keep on keeping on.

“Headlining LSV is special in itself, but doing it here in our hometown—surrounded by the people who’ve supported us from the very start—makes it truly unforgettable.

“The fact that we get to welcome legends and friends like Frank Turner, Reverend and the Makers and Scouting for Girls to our town feels incredible. It’s Leigh opening its doors to the world, and we’re proud to be the ones hosting.”

As for the former Take That star, he showed no hesitation in getting invovled with this little skit as the whole bunch of them are curently on the road as part of Robbie’s world tour, which visited Manchester just this past June.

Commenting on the announcement, the 51-year-old said: “I’ve completely fallen in love with The Lottery Winners, and even when the tour was just two weeks in, I had a pang of sadness that their tenure with me can’t last forever.”

We can’t wait to see what other surprises they have up their sleeves come next summer, with the gig scheduled for Saturday, 30 May 2026.

Presale tickets for the show go live this Wednesday, 24 September from 10am, and general admission will be available on Friday (26 Sep) at the same time, also from 10am.

You can get ready to grab yours HERE.

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

Featured Images — Tom Oxley (press shot)/The Lottery Winners (supplied)

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