It’s that time once again, Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram are going head-to-head in another DJ battle for charity.
Following what was the headline-grabbing showdown between the two Northern mayors last year here in Manchester, where both ended up claiming a victory, Burnham and Rotheram have announced they’re going for round two next month.
And it’s all in the name of charity, of course.
This time round, the Mayor of Liverpool City Region has invited the Greater Manchester Mayor over to his neck of the woods, as the pair will be taking to the decks at Camp and Furnace in Liverpool city centre on Friday 2 February.
Liverpool and Greater Manchester will face off in what is being described as a “good-natured music battle for a worthy cause”, with all the proceeds from the event going to local homeless charities.
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Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram are going head-to-head in another charity DJ battle / Credit: Supplied
It’s not just Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram that you’ll get to see in action on the night though either, as there’s also some local and international stars set to make an appearance too.
Ticketholders will be treated to the musical stylings of singers Rebecca Ferguson and Peter Hooton, alongside LFC and England footballer (and rapper) John Barnes for the so-called ‘home side’, while former Coronation Street actress Sally Lindsay, M-People’s Heather Small, and BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Nihal Arthanayake will join the Greater Manchester team.
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“We’re coming back, but this time, we’re heading over to Liverpool,” Andy Burnham said ahead of the DJ battle next month.
“I was so proud of what we achieved with our DJ battle last year, using the power of music and friendly rivalry to unite behind one powerful message, that homelessness has no place in Greater Manchester. It’s going to be bigger and better this time round, as we spread the fundraising and ramp up the noise over in Liverpool.”
The two Northern mayors will face off in Liverpool at the start of next month / Credit: Shaun Peckham
The first in-person DJ battle between the two mayors in Manchester back in December 2022 ended up raising over £25,000, and even won ‘Leading Live Event of the Year’ at the 2023 This is Manchester Awards.
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“I’m really looking forward to welcoming Andy and the rest of the Greater Manchester contingent to Liverpool,” added Steve Rotheram, “We’ve shown time and again that nowhere can throw a party quite like our area, and we’ve got a fantastic lineup of famous faces joining us on stage for what promises to be an evening full of fun and great music.
“Most importantly though, it’s all in aid of a cause that’s very close to all our hearts, and together, we’re showing that the North West will always stand united in support of those who need it most.”
Proceeds from the night will be distributed between the Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester charities, and all funds will support initiatives to tackle homelessness and end rough sleeping.
Early-bird tickets for the DJ Battle 2024 are now on sale here.
Featured Image – Shaun Peckham
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Harry Styles announced as latest performer at the 2026 BRIT Awards
Danny Jones
Yes, in what is set to be his Co-op Live debut (yes, the venue he’s literally invested in), Harry Styles has been confirmed as the latest blockbuster performer at this year’s BRITs.
The lineup for the 2026 BRIT Awards was already pretty stacked, but this just takes the cake.
Not long after FINALLY announcing his fourth album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally and releasing the new lead single, ‘Aperture’, the Cheshire-born singer-songwriter is coming to the Co-op Live arena for the very first time as part of the ceremony’s live music lineup.
Absolute scenes. Screaming, crying, throwing up.
we've got news… Harry's coming home 💋🪩@Harry_Styles will be making his live TV performance debut of music from his new album 'Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.' at The BRIT Awards 2026
Watch the performance live Saturday 28th February on ITV1 & ITVX in the UK and on… pic.twitter.com/Aax3lV03xM
The 31-year-old former One Direction member turned solo artist and global megastar recently revealed a raft of live shows this coming May (and there’s been plenty of discussion surrounding ticket prices), but he’s sadly overlooked Manchester for now.
However, anyone who already secured a seat at the first-ever BRITs here in Manchester will no doubt be doing cartwheels now following the announcement.
As if that wasn’t a mega enough name, he will be joining the likes of the wonderful, already award-winning and fellow multi-time nominee, Olivia Dean.
As quite literally two of the biggest musicians on the planet right now, we couldn’t pick a better roster if we dreamed it up ourselves.
Speaking of Ms Dean, she is also one of several acts confirmed to be playing a series of intimate acts across the country – and her’s is right here in Manchester.
You can see the full lineup of gigs HERE – all we’ll say is that there’s some seriously big hitters playing very small capacity venues on this list.
What a great few weeks for music, eh?
Taking place on Sunday, 28 February, public tickets for the show unfortunately sold out some time ago for what will also be his first-ever live musical TV performance.
Perhaps his booking is at least partly why we haven’t got a standalone Harry Styles Manchester gig on the ‘Together, Together’ tour, but we’re still keeping everything crossed that he’ll announce a second leg of shows here in the UK.
You’d think he’d fancy properly headlining the gaff he helped pay for, or maybe a return to the Etihad Stadium across the way, right?
Find the complete shortlist of nominees, as well as the rest of the live music lineup for the 2026 BRITs ceremony here in Manchester, down below; and if you see on screen trying to clutch at Harry’s ankles, we’re sure you’ll understand…
Featured Images — Leticia Moraes (via Flickr)/Press shots (supplied)
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Sounds From The Other City releases 2026 lineup with 100+ acts playing on 17 stages across Salford
Emily Sergeant
More than 100 exciting artists are set to perform on 17 stages dotted across Salford this spring.
In case you hadn’t heard, 2026 is the year Salford is celebrating 100 years since it was first declared its own city, and to celebrate such a monumental occasion, the popular Sounds From The Other City (SFTOC) festival has now released its full lineup ahead of its return on the early May Bank Holiday weekend.
Salford’s long-running independent festival of new music is known for its genre-spanning showcase of new artists from across the UK and beyond.
This year’s festival is curated by some of the most exciting promoters, record labels, radio stations, magazines, and tastemakers in the North.
Music lovers will get the chance to see artists in a wide range of independent venues and unconventional spaces across the city – with 17 stages around Chapel Street and The Crescent, from pubs and churches, to concert halls and galleries.
Artists announced today include the uncategorisable masked provocateur Lynks, South African ‘future ghetto funk’ trailblazer Moonchild Sanelly, Manchester-based artist jasmine.4.t, who has recently been named BBC 6 Music Artist of the Year 2025.
Other artists to look out for include Grey Lantern, FaT OuT, ambient pop artist Pollyfromthedirt, genre-straddling South London six-piece, Blue Bendy, South London trio ashnymph, and Manchester quartet Pyncher.
The Sounds From The Other City festival has released its 2026 lineup / Credit: Breige Cobane (Supplied)
One of the undeniable highlights of the lineup is that the spiritual home of the festival, Islington Mill, will be programmed day and night by the legendary Band on the Wall, multi-award-winning Reform Radio, Manchester’s infamous queer day-rave BENT, and the LGBTQ+ POC collective Swagga, with performances from Sorvina, Renee Stormz, and Chimpo.
“This year, we’re shining a spotlight on Salford’s independent venues and the selectors in the North who shape our programme,” commented Emma Thompson, Co-Director of From The Other, as the lineup was announced this week.
“Giving these organisations the space to showcase the artists they champion is vital, not just for discovering emerging talent, but to recognise how important these spaces are for our scene.”
Sounds From The Other City 2026 takes place on Sunday 3 May, and tickets go on sale this week – with Early Bird ticket access available to mailing list subscribers from tomorrow (Thursday 29 January) and the remaining tickets going on general sale from Friday 30 January.
Prices remain unchanged from 2025 with tiers at £30/35/40/45, and you can get tickets when they go live here.
Emily Sergeant -
12th January 2024 
