Eric Cantona has announced he’s heading out on a tour of the UK this year – and, of course, he’ll be playing a gig in our city.
Sure, he may be known as a Manchester United all-time great, and one of the best players in the history of the Premier League, but when ‘The King’ rocks up to see us in Manchester once again in a couple of months time, his reason for visiting won’t have anything to do with football on this occasion.
That’s because, in case you didn’t know, Cantona is a rockstar star… genuinely.
If this is the first you’re hearing of the legendary striker’s career pivot, then you may have missed the fact that he released his debut EP, I’ll Make My Own Heaven, to critical acclaim in 2023, along with two accompanying singles, and even played the whole album to a sold-out crowd at The Stoller Hall last October to celebrate.
Eric Cantona has announced a gig at Manchester’s Palace Theatre as part of his 2024 UK tour / Credit: Manchester United | Eric Cantona (via Instagram)
And while the words ‘Eric Cantona‘ and ‘singing’ might come as a bit of a shock to you – and rightly so – we had a listen to his two singles, which are titled ‘The Friends We Lost’ and ‘Tu Me Diras’, and we can’t lie, they’re actually pretty good.
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Besides, the 57-year-old Frenchman has always been more than a sportsperson, as he’s not only an actor on stage and on screen – most famously for acclaimed directors, Alain Corneau and Ken Loach – but he also paints, writes poetry, and has picked-up photography too, not just as post-career hobbies, but as so much more than that.
Cantona says his outside-of-football passions stem from “the absolute necessity” to express himself creatively – and music is no different to that.
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Globally celebrated icon Eric Cantona announces a new tour for April 2024 across the UK and Ireland, marking his return to the stage following last year's debut sold-out success in London and Manchester.
This is why the honorary Manc is heading out on a tour of the UK this April, and will be gracing Manchester Palace Theatre‘s stage as part of that – with tickets officially going on general sale this Friday.
Eric Cantona – ‘Cantona Sings Eric’ UK tour dates 2024
Wednesday 10 April – Liberty Hall (Dublin)
Friday 12 April – O2 Academy (Glasgow)
Saturday 13 April – Music Hall (Aberdeen)
Sunday 14 April – O2 City Hall (Newcastle)
Tuesday 16 April – O2 Academy (Leeds)
Wednesday 17 April – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (London)
Thursday 18 April – Wulfrun Hall (Wolverhampton)
Saturday 20 April – Palace Theatre (Manchester)
These new tour dates follow last year’s debut sold-out success in London and Manchester, which saw Cantona take to stage solo with just himself and a modest piano and a cello to “stamp his mark on new artistic heights”.
Presales for ‘Cantona Sings Eric’ start tomorrow (Wednesday 24 January) at 10am, with additional presales running throughout this week, all before general on-sale begins this Friday 26 January at 10am.
Rick Astley at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Pop hitmaker Rick Astley is playing a few UK shows and is treating Manchester to a night of live music as part of The Reflection Tour.
Newton-le-Willows-born singer Rick Astley has achieved worldwide success, most notably with his work in the 80s alongside songwriting and production duo Stock-Aitken and Waterman.
Astley’s album Whenever You Need Somebody has amassed 15 million sales across the globe and is a pivotal record that many would use to define 80s music.
On this LP is his huge hit ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, a.k.a. the famous ‘Rickrolling’ tune, but he’s gone to have a real renaissance in recent years, smashing Glastonbury, playing beloved covers with Blossoms, and so much more since turning 50 – case in point: playing Co-op Live for a SECOND time.
With that in mind, here’s all you need to know…
Gig guide | Rick Astley at Co-op Live, Manchester – all the info
Rick Astley brings his ‘The Reflection Tour’ to Manchester (Credit: Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons)
Rick Astley UK tour dates 2026
We’ve kindly highlighted other shows in the North for you:
Fri 10 April – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Sat 11 April – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Mon 13 April – Belfast, UK – SSE Arena
Tue 14 April – Dublin, IE – 3Arena
Thu 16 April – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena
Fri 17 April – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Sat 18 April – Leeds, UK – First Direct Bank Arena
Mon 20 April – Bournemouth, UK – Bournemouth International Centre
Tue 21 April – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
Wed 22 April – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Fri 24 April – Birmingham, UK – BP Pulse Live
Sat 25 April – London, UK – The O2
Fri 5 June – Scarborough, UK – Scarborough Open Air Theatre
Fri 19 June – Newport, UK – Isle of Wight Festival
Wed 24 June – Llangollen, UK – Llangollen Pavilion
Thu 25 June – Lincoln, UK – Lincoln Castle
Sat 27 June – Gloucester, UK – Westonbirt Arboretum
Fri 24 July – Ludlow, UK – Ludlow Castle
Sat 25 July – Sheffield, UK – Tramlines
Sat 30 August – Silverstone, UK – Carfest
Are there any tickets left for Rick Astley in Manchester?
No need to ‘Cry For Help’, there’s plenty of tickets for Rick Astley’s Manchester show at Co-op Live, and you can grab yours HERE.
It’s been ‘Driving Me Crazy’ waiting for the right opportunity to do a little Rickrolling of my own – the actual tickets can be found HERE.
Rick Astley setlist for ‘Reflections’ tour
This year will mark Rick Astley’s first official headline tour since 2024, meaning a full setlist is yet to be confirmed.
Here is a setlist from 2024 when the 80s performer played a series of festival sets:
Stage times for Rick Astley and support act for Co-op Live, Manchester
Doors for Rick Astley’s The Reflection Tourare set to open from 6:30pm, with no official starting time listed as of yet.
Support for this show comes in the form of another celebrated UK performer who achieved prominence in the decade after Astley: Gabrielle.
This R&B-pop singer is recognised for her 1993 hit ‘Dreams’ and is known for soundtracking the 90s and noughties with multiple chart entries throughout the decades.
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 1:00am 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. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event.
Getting there by car and parking
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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
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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.
Featured Images – Press shots via Peter Neill (supplied)/Raph_PH via Wikimedia Commons)
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Parklife 2026 | all stage splits and stage times
Thomas Melia
One of Manchester’s biggest music festivals, Parklife, is back at Heaton Park and has just announced its stage splits for its 2026 line-up.
Parklife 2026 is just around the corner, and with some hefty headliners, it’s safe to say this year is looking absolutely stacked in terms of amazing music.
Get ready to immerse yourself in not one but two days soundtracked by some of the world’s best DJs, b2b sets, live performances and more.
This year’s a biggie too, as Scottish dance heavyweight Calvin Harris, Swedish sensation Zara Larsson, Bradford’s own Nia Archives, and London lad Skepta are just some names planning to win over the Heaton Park crowd.
So grab a paper and pen because it’s time to make a note of all the artists you’re interested in seeing and which stage they’re playing live, so you can make the most of your Parklife experience.
Parklife 2026 | Stage splits and stage times
Saturday 20 June
Skepta and Sammy Virji are headliners for Saturday 20 June at Parklife 2026 in Heaton Park / Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Alistair McVeigh (supplied)
G Stage
12pm – 1.30pm | Mya
1.30pm – 3pm | A For Alpha
3pm – 4.30pm | The Trip
4.30pm – 6pm | Kepler
6pm – 8pm | Locky b2b Phill De Janeiro b2b Benji King
8pm – 9.30pm | Locklead
9.30pm – 11pm | Jamback
Magic Sky
12pm – 1pm | North Base
1pm – 1.40pm | Catching Cairo
1.40pm – 2.30pm | Lens (w/ Dread)
2.30pm – 3.20pm | Born On Road (w/ Carasel)
3.20pm – 4.15pm | Kanine(w/ Rage)
4.15pm – 5.15pm | Wilkinson (w/ AD-APT)
5.15pm – 6.10pm | Bou (w/ B Live 247)
6.10pm – 7.10pm | Dimension
7.10pm – 8.15pm | Andy C (w/ Tonn Piper)
8.15pm – 9.10pm | Hedex (w/ Eksman)
9.10pm – 10.05pm | Mozey (w/ 2Shy)
10.05pm – 11pm | K Motionz (w/ IC3)
Matinée
12pm – 1pm | Niamh
1pm – 2pm | ATRIP
2pm – 3pm | MPH
3pm – 4pm | Oppidan
4pm – 5pm | Effy
5pm – 6.20pm | MALUGI b2b Sam Alfred
6.20pm – 7.40pm | Marlon Hoffstadt
7.40pm – 8.40pm | Morgan Seatree
8.40pm – 10pm | Mall Grab
10pm – 11pm | Daria Kolosova
Panorama
12pm – 1.15pm | Ellia Jaya
1.15pm – 2.30pm | Julian Fijma
2.30pm – 3.45pm | bullet tooth
3.45pm – 5pm | SOSA
5pm – 6.30pm | Cloonee
6.30pm – 8pm | ALISHA
8pm – 9.30pm | Rossi.
9.30pm – 11pm | East End Dubs
The Valley
12pm – 1pm | Rich Reason & Yami
1pm – 2pm | Alexandria
2pm – 3.30pm | Prospa
3.30pm – 5pm | Josh Baker
5.15pm – 6pm | 4am Kru
6.30pm – 7.30pm | Nia Archives
8pm – 9pm | Skepta
9.30pm – 10.45pm | Sammy Virji
Sunday 21 June
Zara Larsson and Calvin Harris are headliners for Parklife 2026 on Sunday 21 June at Heaton Park / Credit: Charlotte Rutherford / Press Shot (supplied)
G Stage
1pm – 1.50pm | Mattik b2b Larishka
1.50pm – 2.40pm | Shade V b2b Rich Reason
2.40pm – 3.40pm | Dismantle
3.40pm – 4.40pm | Douvelle19
4.40pm – 5.10pm | Window Kid
5.10pm – 6.10pm | Osmosis Jones
6.10pm – 7pm | Arthi
7pm – 8pm | Bushbaby
8pm – 9pm | BAKEY
9pm – 10pm | SHY FX
10pm – 11pm | RYOTA
Magic Sky
1pm – 2.10pm | Cam Stockman
2.10pm – 3.20pm | Olive F
3.20pm – 4.30pm | DXNBY
4.30pm – 5.40pm | Riordan
5.40pm – 6.50pm | Omar+
6.50pm – 8pm | Marsolo
8pm – 9.30pm | L.P. Rhythm
9.30pm – 11pm | Obskür
Matinée
1pm – 2.15pm | 4000HZ
2.15pm – 3.30pm | Saidah
3.30pm – 4.45pm | Fumi
4.45pm – 6pm | Diffrent
6pm – 7.20pm | Faster Horses b2b Benwal
7.20pm – 8.20pm | ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U
8.20pm – 9.30pm | blk.
9.30pm – 11pm | AZYR
Panorama
1pm – 2pm | Minna
2pm – 3pm | Delilah
3pm – 4.10pm | Silva Bumpa
4.10pm – 5.20pm | Luuk Van Dijk
5.20pm – 6.30pm | Chloé Caillet
6.30pm – 8pm | Ewan McVicar
8pm – 9.30pm | KETTAMA
9.20pm – 11pm | Chris Stussy
The Valley
1pm – 2.15pm | Nicola Bear
2.15pm – 3.15pm | Mix-Stress
3.30pm – 4.15pm | Clementine Douglas
4.30pm – 5.30pm | Armand Van Helden
6pm – 6.45pm | Rudim3ntal
7.15pm – 8.15pm | Zara Larsson
9.15pm – 10.45pm | Calvin Harris
Parklife 2026 has delivered a stellar line-up once again, and if you’re after catching any of these artists live at Heaton Park later this year, you can grab a range of tickets.
Feel like Saturday is more your vibe? Check out the ticket option for just Saturday, 20 June HERE, or if Sunday sounds better for you, then grab a ticket or two for Sunday 21 June HERE.
And if one day just isn’t enough, how about a whole weekend? Enjoy two days of live music with tickets for Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd January 2024 
