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Iconic musical Hairspray to kick-off UK tour in Manchester next year

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Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 4th October 2023

One of the best-loved musicals of all time is kicking off its UK tour here in Manchester next year, and tickets are going on sale very soon.

That’s right, you can’t stop the beat… or Hairspray The Musical from heading back to our city.

There’s no denying that Hairspray is known and loved by millions worldwide since it first opened on Broadway all way back in 2002, and has had audiences tapping their feet on the West End and in countless other cities and countries across the globe ever since.

The eight Tony Award wins and the record-breaking 11 Olivier Award nominations prove that all to well, as does the smash-hit success of the 2007 film adaptation too.

But it’s been quite a while now since theatre lovers have been treated to the musical live on stage, and have been anticipating its return since 2017 – but luckily, the long wait is now over, as it’s just been confirmed this week that a new production of Hairspray The Musical is heading out on a major national tour of the UK and Ireland in 2024.

And what better way to kick things off than right here in Manchester?

In case you’re unfamiliar with the timeless story of Hairspray centres around heroine Tracy Turnblad, who has “big hair, a big heart, and big dreams” and wants to dance her way onto national TV, and into the heart of teen idol Link Larkin.

When Tracy becomes a local star, she is able to use her newfound fame to fight for liberation, tolerance, and interracial unity in Baltimore.

But the real question is, can she win equality – and Link’s heart -without denting her ’do?

Audiences in Manchester will be the first to hear some of musical theatre’s most well-known songs, including Welcome To The 60s, You Can’t Stop The Beat, and Good Morning Baltimore, before it heads out to other major cites across the country.

Iconic musical Hairspray to kick-off UK tour in Manchester next year / Credit: Hairspray the Musical

Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, and Bradford are just a few of the fellow Northern cites where the tour will stop off at in 2024.

The show’s original production team of Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale, and Laurence Myers will be joined by Brenda Edwards – who’s most famous for her appearances on ITV’s Loose Women, but also for having previously played “Motormouth” Maybelle in three tours of Hairspray – on the creative team as director for this new production, alongside Paul Kerryson too.

Choreography for the iconic show will come from Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie, while music is, of course, provided by the Academy Award, Tony, and Emmy-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

The beloved production will take to the Palace Theatre stage next summer / Credit: Hairspray The Musical

Hairspray The Musical will take to the stage at Manchester’s Palace Theatre from 16 – 27 July 2024.

Tickets are going on general sale today at 10am, and although prices haven’t been revealed yet, it’s expected they’ll be available in a range of prices so it’s affordable for everyone looking to make the most of the all-singing-all-dancing experience.

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Grab tickets when they go live here.

Featured Image – Hairspray The Musical

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Legendary funk and soul act Kool and the Gang are finally coming back to Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Kool and the Gang Manchester gig tickets

In case you hadn’t heard already, iconic funk, soul, and R’n’B artist Kool and the Gang are finally coming back to Manchester after far too long away from our musical city for a massive arena gig later this year.

Coming back to 0161 ‘For One Night Only’, the award-winning US supergroup and industry giants are set to make their first appearance here in over 15 years.

With a rich back catalogue and a career spanning six decades, not to mention multiple genres including funk, soul, disco, jazz (how they first began as an ensemble) and more, it’s only fitting they be given the top billing at the one and only AO Arena.

After Manc fans have had to wait for long, this is sure to be a night of ‘Summertime Madness’.

Though they need no real introduction if you know your music history, specifically African-American and Black music culture, Kool and the Gang are arguably one of the most influential acts to ever make it.

Having performed together longer than other R’n’B outfit on the planet, stood as one of the most sampled artists of all time and released a staggering 34 studio albums to date, they’re nothing short of foundational.

While, sadly, there is only founding member Robert ‘Kool’ Bell left from the original lineup formed back in 1964, the various iterations of the surviving live band have captured that same effortless cool, charisma, and effortless control of a crowd on the road that made the OG Gang such a toue de force.

As well as touring with everyone from Elton John and the Dave Matthews Band to The Roots and even a 50-city tour alongside equally legendary rock group, Van Halen, they have no shortage of accolades to their name.

How does two Grammys, seven American Music Awards (AMAs), a BET Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award; a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a place in the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine top ten hits in the pop charts, as well as 31 gold and platinum albums, strike you?

Best known for beloved tracks like ‘Celebration’, ‘Get Down On It’, ‘Cherish’ and ‘Jungle Boogie’, just to name a very small few (again, their discography is huge), you’ve most likely heard their songs or at least one of their serially sampled beats more times than its possible to count.

Yep, if there’s anyone that deserves the ‘icon’ moniker, it’s these lot.

Kool and the Gang come to the AO Arena in Manchester next month on Friday, 11 July and will have fellow British soul counterparts, The Real Thing, who looked to mirror their success throughout the ’70s, along for the ride.

General admission tickets are already on sale as we speak – you can grab yours HERE.

Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics is returning to Manchester later this year
There are plenty more dance veterans coming to the AO Arena this year.

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

Featured Images — Andreas Lawen/Fotandi (via Wikimedia Commons)

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Pulp at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Britpop band Pulp is heading over to Manchester for a night of singing along right through to ‘Sunrise’ or until Co-op Live’s curfew.

Jarvis Cocker and co., known more famously as UK cult classic band Pulp, are heading on the road, stopping off at various arenas up and down the country.

Their latest discography addition, their comeback LP, More, just debuted on the UK’s Official Album Charts and in pole position, no less: a very impressive feat that makes that a total of three number ones in their career.

Their eighth album is remarkable in more ways than one, as not only has it become a talking point in the music world, it’s also the band’s first new release in 24 years – an absolute banger as well, by the way.

Cocker and his bandmates are no strangers to the North either, much like our friends over at The Sheff, the Pulp frontman and several members of the lineup, both past and present, are Steel City natives.

As Britpop lovers and fans of the band ourselves, we’re buzzing about their chart-topping return, but no way as proud as their home city.

Pulp gig guide – all the key info you need to know

Pulp’s last visit to Manchester took place at Castlefield Bowl when they played a show as part of the impressive summer music series, Sounds of the City. Fast forward to 2025, and now they’re taking on the region’s biggest indoor entertainment and live music arena.

Pulp UK tour dates

  • Sat 7 June – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
  • Fri 13 June – London, UK – The O2
  • Sat 14 June – London, UK – The O2
  • Thu 19 June – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Sat 21 June – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Jarvis Cocker, frontman of Pulp, sporting his usual blazer and shades attire.
Let’s all imagine this picture of Jarvis is him checking the road signs on his way to Manchester

Are there tickets left for Pulp at Co-op Live?

If you’re suffering from ‘The Fear’ of not getting your seat ahead of Pulp’s ‘You Deserve More’ tour, there are limited seats for the Co-op Live show in Manchester HERE.

Don’t wait around, though; these won’t be around for long.

And if you fancy feeling all special and setting yourself apart from the rest of the ‘Common People’ for once (not that the mixer isn’t still the best place to be), why not treat yourself to a luxury concert experience thanks to SeatUnique, where you have access to your own private lounge?

Pulp 2025 ‘You Deserve More’ tour setlist

  • Spike Island
  • Grown Ups
  • Slow Jam
  • Sorted for E’s & Wizz
  • Disco 2000
  • F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E
  • Tina
  • Farmers Market
  • This Is Hardcore
  • Sunrise
  • Something Changed
  • The Fear
  • O.U (Gone, Gone)
  • 59 Lyndhurst Grove
  • Acrylic Afternoons
  • Do You Remember the First Time?
  • Mis-Shapes
  • Got to Have Love
  • Babies
  • Common People
  • A Sunset

What are the stage times for Pulp in Manchester?

Pulp are set to perform at Co-op Live, Manchester on 21 June.
Pulp are set to perform at Co-op Live, Manchester on 21 June.

Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning everyone can stay for the final ‘Slow Jam’ or two without worrying about getting home too late.

Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 7:30pm, which gives you an hour to turn to your friend and ask, “‘Do You Remember the First Time’…we watched Pulp?”

Pulp x Co-op Live afterparty

If you’re not ready go home after the encore and you really do think ‘You Deserve More’, you can always cop yourself a ticket to the afterparty inside Co-op Live’s Backstage Club’ too.

With a DJ set to play indie favourites straight after the show and until late, the party doesn’t stop until you say it does. Tickets are available now.

We recently got to experience it ourselves on our last visit to the arena to watch the one and only Lionel Richie, and it certainly left an impression on us.

Gig review | Lionel Richie leaves Manchester dancing on the ceiling after Co-op Live debut
We didn’t meet him backstage, but he did call us his ‘cousins’…

How to get to the venue

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.

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.

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:

  • Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
  • Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Walk/cycle

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 via 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.

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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 Jackson via Supplied /Garry Knight /Livepict /Bertrand (via WikiCommons)

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