One of the world’s most successful and loved musicals, Wicked, is returning to Manchester at long last.
The global theatre phenomenon has announced a major 10-city UK and Ireland tour, to span dates from 2023 to 2025.
Wicked will fly back in to the Palace Theatre in Manchester for six weeks only – and we already can’t wait.
The Grammy and Tony award-winning musical tells the untold story of the Witches of Oz, spinning a backstory for the lives of L. Frank Baum’s beloved characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Audiences are taken on an enchanting journey where two unlikely university friends go on their way to becoming Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
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Wicked production photography. Credit: Supplied
The stunning production features 350 costumes, 140 wigs, 244 pairs of shoes, 110 hats, 125 pairs of gloves and 30 prosthetic masks.
Dubbed one of the most successful musicals of all time, Wicked has a touring cast and crew of 82 people and played to sold-out audiences during its previous two tours, selling more than 225,000 during its previous visits to the Palace Theatre.
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Wicked is now in its 17th year at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London and is the fifth-longest running show in Broadway history.
Wicked production photography 2014-2015
Jennifer DiNoia Limited EngagementWicked production photography 2016-2017
Over the years, it’s been seen by more than 60 million people around the world and has been performed in over 130 cities in 16 countries.
Wicked executive producer (UK & Ireland) Michael McCabe,said: “We are proud to be bringing Wicked back to the magnificent Palace Theatre, where incredible audiences greeted us during two previous sold-out engagements.
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“We’re excited to have this opportunity to share once again the spectacle, magic and emotion that has created unforgettable memories for audiences in Manchester and all around the world.”
Robin Hawkes, theatre director of the Palace Theatre & Opera House, said: “It is a privilege to be hosting this world-renowned, record-breaking production once again after its previous sell-out runs with us.
“Seeing these huge West End productions continue to return to our venues illustrates that the appetite for musical theatre in our region is stronger than ever. We look forward to watching this wonderful show cast its spell over both audience goers and our city.”
Wicked will be at the Palace Theatre in Manchester between Tuesday 3 December 2024 and Sunday 12 January 2025.
Johnny Marr announces huge hometown show at Castlefield Bowl
Danny Jones
Johnny Marr is the latest act announced for next year’s Sounds of the City (SOTC), with the Manchester music legend set for a massive hometown show at Castlefield Bowl.
Not that we’re getting carried away or anything, but the SOTC 2026 lineup is already shaping up to be arguably one of the best ever.
With The K’s confirmed as the first band playing the annual outdoor festival in the city’s stunning amphitheatre, and other names now starting to fly in, the iconic Manc musician becomes number three on the roster.
Detailing his huge homecoming gig on Monday, 13 October, the legendary guitarist and songwriter is coming to Castlefield Bowl next summer.
I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be performing a hometown show at Castlefield Bowl on Thursday, 9 July 2026.
Presale begins Wednesday, 15 October at 10am BST, with general on sale from Friday, 17 October at 10am BST.
While he might be best known for his time with The Smiths, Johnny Marr has remained a noteworthy session player and featured artist alongside various artists ever since.
More importantly, he’s been releasing solo material for well over a decade now, with his recent Look Out Live! compilation record – made up of recordings from his London best of show – having only just dropped this past September.
Better still, he’s bringing fellow native indie and alternative band, Everything Everything, along for an all-Mancunian evening under what we hope will be sunny skies.
As big fans of both here at The Manc, we cannot wait for this one.
In case you missed the previous reveal, number two on the multi-date Sounds of the City lineup is another genre-defining name, as The Streets are set to play Castlefield Bowl once again, having last played the bucket list venue back in 2021.
As for ‘Misery Moz’s mate, the 61-year-old will be coming to the 10-day live event on 9 July, in between The K’s and Mike Skinner’s entourage.
Fans can land early access by signing up for presale via the official Johnny Marr mailing list from 10am this Wednesday, 15 October BST, while general admission tickets will be available from the same time on the following Friday (17 Oct).
Busted vs McFly’s Manchester arena shows – tickets, times, setlist and all you need to know
Thomas Melia
UK boybands Busted and McFly are going head-to-head for three whole nights of pop-rock bangers as they play out together at BOTH of the premier music arenas in Manchester.
It’s a real-life battle of the bands, as mainstream pop-punk boy bands Busted and McFly go up against each other to win over the crowds, not just AO Arena in Manchester, but at Co-op Live, too.
Known for smash singles like ‘Year 3000’ and ‘What I Go To School For’, pop-rock boyband Busted have amassed a cult following of fans since debuting in 2002.
Equally impressive noughties boyband McFly also have a fair few hits under their belt, dropping music since 2004 with the dreamy ‘Star Girl’ and serenade-twanged ‘All About You’.
The lineup of one of these UK bands may look a little different, as singer and guitarist James Bourne of Busted has had to pull out of this 2025 tour due to health issues, as revealed in a recent Instagram post.
Now, Matt and Charlie of Busted, as well as Danny, Dougie, Tom and Harry of McFly are laying all their cards on the table for a face-to-face music battle like no other.
Air guitars at the ready…
Busted vs McFly in Manchester – gig guide
Busted vs McFly is taking over the AO Arena in Manchester for two nights of head-to-head music (Credit: Supplied)
Busted vs McFly UK tour dates
Fri 10 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Sat 11 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Sun 11 October – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Tue 14 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Wed 15 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Sat 8 November – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Are there tickets left for Busted vs McFly in Manchester?
If you want a dose of this boyband rivalry, there are two shows for you to choose from, and luckily for you, there are a handful of tickets left for both dates at the AO and the Co-op.
Anyone looking to ‘Shine a Light’ on day one of the Busted vs McFly tour can catch them live in action on Friday 17 OctoberHERE.
Fancy reliving the early 2000s alongside two of the biggest British bands from that very decade? You’re ‘Not Alone’ and you can do so on Saturday, 18 October HERE.
Busted last visited the AO Arena in 2023 to commemorate their 20th anniversary (Credit: Supplied)
Busted vs McFly setlist 2025
McFly tracks
Where Did All the Guitars Go? (McFly)
Star Girl (McFly)
That Girl (McFly)
One for the Radio (McFly)
I’ll Be Ok (Mcly)
Obviously (McFly)
Room on the 3rd Floor (McFly)
All About You (McFly)
Twist and Shout (McFly cover)
Transylvania / Lies (McFly)
Red (McFly)
The Heart Never Lies (McFly)
Busted songs
Crashed the Wedding (Busted)
You Said No (Busted)
Meet You There (Busted)
Dawson’s Geek / Britney / Nerdy / Why (Busted)
Loser Kid (Busted)
Who’s David (Busted)
Sleeping With the Light On (Busted)
Everything I Knew (Busted)
Thunderbirds Are Go (Busted)
What I Go to School For (Busted)
Back and forth…
Hate Your Guts (McBusted)
3am (Busted)
Not Alone (McFly)
Air Hostess (Busted)
5 Colours in Her Hair (McFly)
What Happened to Your Band (McBusted)
Shine a Light (McFly)
Year 3000 (Busted)
It feels mad to think it’s been a decade since we first got this crossover.
What are the stage times for Busted vs McFly in Manchester?
Both AO Arena and Co-op Live have curfews of 11pm, meaning you can time-travel to the ‘Year 3000’ and not have to worry about getting home during the early hours.
There is no confirmed support act as of yet; however, it looks like this will remain as they have fronted this tour independently across the UK.
Doors for this event are opening from 6pm, and both bands are expected to take the stage from around 7:30pm onwards before combining into a supergroup in time for close.
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
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Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
Getting there by car and parking
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The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
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.
How to get to Co-op Live
Busted vs McFly are doing a clean sweep of Manchester arenas. (Credit: Audio North)
Tram
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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 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.
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Car and parking info
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 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.
Once again, the Beryl app is available for those looking to bike over to the venue; 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.
Daisy Jackson -
18th November 2022 
