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Beloved musical Dear Evan Hansen is coming to Manchester on its first ever UK tour

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Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 13th November 2023

Smash-hit musical Dear Evan Hansen is heading out on a UK tour for the first time ever, and it’ll be making a stop off here Manchester.

Known for being one of the most beloved new musicals of the last decade, having scooped up dozens of coveted awards after it first debuted on Broadway back in 2016 and then went on to take the West End by storm in 2019, a new production of Dear Evan Hansen is about to embark on its first ever tour of the UK from next autumn onwards.

And luckily for musical fans in Manchester, the show will be capturing the hearts of audiences in our city as part of that long-awaited tour.

The multi-award-winning production will be gracing the Palace Theatre stage in February 2025.

Unfamiliar with the show? Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of Evan – an anxious high school kid who wants nothing more than to fit in, but the only thing is, on his way to fitting in, he didn’t tell the whole truth, and now must give up on a life he never dreamt he’d have.

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As events spiral and the truth comes out, Evan faces a reckoning with himself and everyone around him.

Packed with some of the biggest musical theatre songs of this century from a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul – who are the Oscar-winning composers for The Greatest Showman – the original production of Dear Evan Hansen took home the Tony Award for Best Musical, the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Score.

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And this new touring iteration sounds set to be just as successful, as it’s directed by Adam Penford with a book by Steven Levenson.

Dear Evan Hansen is coming to Manchester on its first ever UK tour / Credit: Matthew Murphy (via Dear Evan Hansen UK)

“Dear Evan Hansen has thrilled audiences on both sides of the Atlantic since it first premiered in 2015,” commented director Adam Penford on the announcement that the production is heading out on a tour of the UK and Ireland.

“Evan’s powerful story grips and moves people, told through a captivating script and musical score, and this first new and exciting UK production offers the opportunity to reexamine some of its contemporary themes.

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“I’m excited to begin the search for our Evan very soon.”

The beloved musical will take to the Palace Theatre stage in February 2025 / Credit: Supplied

Dear Evan Hansen will take to the stage at the Palace Theatre Manchester from Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 February 2025, with tickets set to go on general sale this Friday (17 November) at 10am.

Given how popular the production has been in the past, how well-loved it is among musical theatre fans, and the fact this is the first UK tour, it’s expected that tickets will be snapped up quick, so you’ll want to make sure you act fast to get your hands on them.

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You can grab tickets here when they go on sale.

Featured Image – Matthew Murphy (via Dear Evan Hansen UK)

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The Pogues announce Manchester gig on first tour since death of frontman Shane MacGowan

Danny Jones Danny Jones The Pogues announce first tour since the death of Shane MacGowan

The Pogues have announced their first UK tour since the death of former frontman, Shane MacGowan, with Manchester one of just half a dozen cities chosen.

Nearly a full year on from his death at just 65, the Anglo-Irish favourites best known for their eternal Christmas classic, ‘Fairytale of New York’, are gearing up for their first outing since their iconic lead singer’s passing as a celebration of his life and their seminal second album.

It’s been 13 years since their last headline tour shortly before their split and it will be 40 years since the release of Rum Sodomy and the Lash by the time they hit the road along with special guests.

Safe to say it’ll be an emotional series of shows for everyone involved.

Revealing just six shows here in the UK, the long-standing band are set to play their sophomore release in full as well as a selection of their greatest hits.

The tour will feature remaining original members James Fearnley, Jem Finer, and Peter Richard ‘Spider’ Stacy, as well as a series of support that are yet to be confirmed.

Speaking on the upcoming dates, The Pogues said: “After the uproarious bash which was the 40th anniversary of our first record, Red Roses for Me, in 2024, we wanted to do it again, but with Rum Sodomy & the Lash.”

The music veterans are remaining tight-lipped about who they’re bringing along but they have promised their selections have been “thoughtfully chosen”.

With MacGowan, lead guitarist Philip Chevron (2013), bassist Darryl Hunt (2022) and long-time collaborator Kirsty MacColl (2000) now having passed away, the band will be roping in plenty of help on vocals and instrumentation.

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Even though the gigs themselves will be coming at the of next spring, you can rest assured you’ll get to hear your beloved festive ballad.

Kicking off the tour in Leeds, The Pogues will play their first Manchester show in over a decade – and without Shane MacGowan front and centre – at the O2 Apollo on Wednesday, 7 May 2025.

General admission will be available from 9:30am on Friday, 22 November but you can access pre-sale by registering via their website by 5pm this Tuesday (19 November).

Get ready to grab your tickets HERE.

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

Featured Images — Press Images (supplied)/Mordac (via Flickr)

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Rizzle Kicks announce massive Manchester comeback show at Castlefield Bowl

Danny Jones Danny Jones Rizzle Kicks Castlefield Bowl tickets

In case you missed it, Rizzle Kicks are BACK and they’re making their return to Manchester in a big way with a massive outdoor show at Castlefield Bowl.

Named as the latest artists to join the Sound of the City (SOTC) lineup for 2025, with only a few acts having been named thus far, the British pop duo will be playing a huge sun-soaked set next summer.

The 2010s hit-makers were a regular presence in the UK charts for a good few years, releasing just two albums in 2011 and 2013 before slipping into a somewhat unannounced hiatus to work on other things.

Jordan Stephens and Harley ‘Sylvester’ Alexander-Sule have both enjoyed multiple other music projects separate from the group, as well as getting into presenting, podcasting, acting and more, so they’ve been plenty busy while they’ve been away. But now they’re back with new music on the horizon too.

Confirming their SOTC festival gig on Monday, 18 November, Rizzle Kicks said on socials: “We told you that more shows are coming and we’re so buzzing to announce that we’ll be playing Castlefield Bowl this July [2025]. This is going to be a big one and we’d love to see you all there.”

The announcement also comes not long after the pair revealed their third studio album is on the way almost 12 years on from their sophomore record, Roaring 20s.

Speaking on their return to the music scene and the upcoming release, Jordan said: “We allude to the fact that we acted off the cultural encouragement and the reality of the time. I think now we’d like to believe that we’ve distanced ourselves from those just through experience.”

The new Rizzle Kicks sound touches on sobriety and paternity, “not just with Harley becoming a father and all the growth that comes with that role, but also in a larger sense as we get older we feel a responsibility to share our wins and our failures”, added the 32-year-old.

Entitled Competition is for Losers, the new studio LP is set to release on 14 February next year just before their official tour gets fully underway in March. Stephens and Sule played their first show together in nearly a decade at KOKO in Camden earlier this month and are eager to get back to business as usual.

Their other Manchester date, which was already announced, is set to take place on 19 March at the O2 Ritz and sold out – along with all the other shows – in just 15 minutes. Wow.

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For those fans dying to be at their Castlefield Bowl gig on Friday, 11 July, you can pre-order Competition is for Losers to access pre-sale from 10am this Thursday.

General admission tickets will be available from the same time on Friday (22 November).

Issuing a call-out to the die-hard Rizzkle Kickers, lovingly referred to by the band as the #tunesquad, they said: “You already know the drill, tickets are going to go fast. LET’S DO THIS.”

You can get ready to grab yours HERE.

It’s not the only one we’re looking forward to at the Bowl either.

Hacienda Classical announces record-breaking show at Castlefield Bowl next summer

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

Featured Images — Blacksocks (press Images supplied)

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