The musical revamp of the cult classic teen comedy Heathers is wowing sold-out audiences at the Palace Theatre.
We’ve all seen the classic 1988 high school flick where Winona Ryder leads a world where cliques rule and jocks dominate, with all the ‘popular’ girls being called Heather.
And of course, the musical adaptation that rose to fame in 2018 does not disappoint.
A delightful combination of crunchy, bright, catchy songs alongside a morbid, melancholy plot line – the musical is nothing short of mesmerising.
Following two smash hit West End seasons and a record-breaking run at The Other Palace, Heathers the Musical is in the midst of a national tour and luckily for us, they’ll be in Manchester until Saturday 12 August.
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Image: Supplied
Following the journey of protagonist and teenage misfit Veronica Sawyer, the musical perfectly depicts high school life and all its challenges.
The talented ensemble include all the stereotypes, the ‘stoner’, the ‘nerd’, the ‘theatre geek’ and of course the macho jocks clad in baseball jackets and six packs.
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From the offset you are catapulted into high school life, with lockers lining the stage walls and students dancing joyously with cafeteria trays above their heads.
We are introduced to ‘The Heathers’, three leaders of the pack all dressed in primary colours and knee high socks with the school wrapped around their manicured fingers.
Heather Chandler, played by Verity Thompson, was an absolute power house, with vocals that shone to the upper tier of the auditorium leaving audience members stunned and applauding merrily.
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Image: Supplied
We follow Veronica as she becomes a Heather herself, sporting an electric blue blazer and fake smile to try fit in with the ‘cool kids’.
She meets JD, a morbid troubled teen who leads her down a garden path to revenge, rebellion and inevitably murder.
Both Veronica and JD, played by Jenna Innes and Jacob Fowler, produced stand-out performances which had audience members chatting of their brilliance in the foyer throughout the interval.
We intently followed their love story, and accepted it with all its quirks, as they eliminated class mates who have wronged them one by one.
Image: Supplied
But although the plot line had moments of morbidity, the overall feeling was one of charm, pride and elation.
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Heathers the Musical shrieks with joy throughout, and is an absolute explosion of a theatrical experience which will leave you wanting more and more.
Heathers the Musical is playing at The Palace Theatre until Saturday 12 August and you can get your tickets here, which we absolutely urge you to do so.
As heading up North wasn’t already exciting enough, the nominations are looking well and truly stacked as always; without further ado, here is the shortlist in full:
2026 MOBOs Nominees
BEST FEMALE ACT, IN ASSOCIATION WITH got2b
FLO
KWN
LITTLE SIMZ
OLIVIA DEAN
PINKPANTHERESS
SASHA KEABLE
BEST MALE ACT, IN ASSOCIATION WITH PROSTATE CANCER UK
Biffy Clyro at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Danny Jones
It’s nearly time for one of the biggest gigs of the year, and we’re lucky we didn’t have to wait that long, as Biffy Clyro are playing the Co-op Live arena in Manchester this month – and we have all the important info.
For instance, 2026’s rock calendar really isn’t wasting any time, as the Scottish legends are playing this coming weekend.
Despite being one core member down for this year’s tour in support of their 10th studio album, Futique, we have no doubt that the Kilmarnock icons will still give us both barrels, and you can always guarantee a Manc audience will give it back just as good as they get.
Without further ado, here is everything you need to know about Biffy Clyro at the Co-op in Manchester on 17 January 2026.
Gig guide | Biffy Clyro at Co-op Live – all the key info
Before we do anything else, it’s worth reminding/informing anyone who didn’t already know that this show will unfortunately not be involving James Johnston, who has dropped out of the tour.
One-half of the ginge twins shared a heartbreaking statement online last month, but the announcement was met with an outpouring of support; whilst it’s a shame, we hope he’ll be on the mend very soon.
After kicking straight into fifth gear already, we have no doubt his bandmates will honour him this Saturday and won’t disappoint when it comes to energy.
Are there tickets left for Biffy Clyro in Manchester?
The gig is still going ahead as planned, though, with session bass player Naomi MacLeod stepping in for the shows and having already impressed.
Now, as for those of you wondering if there are any tickets left for Biffy Clyro‘s gig, whilst it is currently low availability, you can find a few last-minute seated options at Co-op Live.
But that’s not all…
Following a huge last-minute clamour for the show, some extra standing tickets for Biffy in Manchester have now been released; you can grab yours HERE.
Who is supporting Biffy at Co-op Live?
Now, in addition to the very exciting hardcore punk outfit, The Armed – a raucous multi-member collective formed in Detroit – who are opening up for Biffy Clyro on the Futique tour, those going to the gig are also getting another cult favourite British band.
Soft Play (who you might better remember as Slaves) are the main support for Biffy in Manchester and across the rest of the tour, and despite just being a duo, they still make A LOT of bloody noise.
Even when they were ‘Slaves’, these boys have thrived here. (Credit: David Edgar via WikiCommons)
Biffy Clyro stage times for 2026 ‘Futique Tour’ dates
Now, as for when you can expect each of these support acts to take the stage, doors will open from 6pm, and the first warm-up performances from The Armed is due to begin around an hour later, with Soft Play following them at approximately 7:30pm.
Regarding the headliners, Biffy Clyro are scheduled to get the main event underway at roughly 8:50pm, accordingto the most recent set times posted on their social media.
The venue’s curfew is typically restricted to 11pm, giving people plenty of time to get home, but things can run over into extended hours on busy weekends like this.
‘Futique Tour’ setlist
As for what we expect the gang to play, we have the benefit of a few Futique shows having already been and gone, not to mention being very well reviewed.
We’d usually turn to the likes of the ever-trusty Setlist.fm, but luckily this time the legendary NME have done the work for us. The setlist can obviously change from night to night, but here’s a general idea:
Here’s what @BiffyClyro played as they kicked off their epic 2026 ‘Futique’ UK and Ireland tour
Special Biffy Clyro Futique pop-up for Manchester show
Another rather exciting part of the pre-gig fanfare this time around is that Biffy Clyro are hosting dedicated merchandise pop-ups across the UK ahead of the band’s gigs in each city.
On for a limited-time only, we’d advise getting those ducks in a row and nailing your schedule to make sure you leave enough time to visit one if you’re interested.
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Promising everything from special edition vinyls, tees, and even more, such as exclusive even tattoo sessions, Manchester’s Biffy Clyro merch pop-up venue is yet to be confirmed, so keep your eyes peeled on social media.
You can find the full list of details for over locations down below.
How to get to Co-op Live – travel advice, parking and more
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.
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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 ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
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.
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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 come 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:
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.
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Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through 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.
Clementine Hall -
9th August 2023 
