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Stanleys announce landmark hometown gig at an iconic Wigan venue

Another homecoming gig for Wigan (this article contains affiliate links).

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 23rd July 2024

Wigan band Stanleys have just announced a landmark headline show back in their hometown at the legendary Monaco later this year.

One of the borough’s most iconic and longest-standing venues located over in the town of Hindley, The Monaco has hosted many a noteworthy name down the years, from Dusty Springfield and Lonnie Donegan back in the day, to The Lancashire Hotpots and local lads The Lathums more recently.

With live comedy, theatre, music and lots of other live entertainment (not least their regular Bongo’s Bingo events these days) contributing to the venue’s rich heritage, it’s arguably one of the most unsung venues in Greater Manchester.

Having been returned back to its original moniker in 2019 after being known as The Rose Club for a time, the rising indie stars are the latest act trying to put it back on the back by confirming one of their most momentous gigs to date.

Fresh off opening up for fellow Wigan native and Britpop veteran Richard Ashcroft during his highly-anticipated double bill of shows at Robin Park Arena this month, the fast-growing four-piece are now set to have their own homecoming moment at the much-loved art deco building.

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Having already been on the road with the likes of The Libertines, Inspiral Carpets, The Lathums; Jamie Webster, The View and more, they’re coming back home a much bigger name than they left it.

From George Formby Senior and Junior to The Verve, Starsailor and The Lathums before them, they’re hoping to be the next gem to come out of Wigan, which Ashcroft himself recently said has long been overlooked.

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With tunes like this coming out of the nearby town, we’d wager that’s finally starting to change:

Wigan outfit Stanleys released their latest EP, The Gallery, back in June.

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The lads rock up to The Monaco on Friday, 29 November, with support acts still yet to be revealed.

We’ll make no secret of being big fans of the Stanleys and the material they’ve put out so far, having recently named them on our list of new Manchester bands we’ve been listening to just last month, so we’ll be first in line for this special hometown gig.

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Tickets for the Stanleys’ headline show at The Monaco go on sale at 9am on Wednesday, 24 July – you can grab yours HERE.

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

Featured Images — Press Images (supplied)

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Olly Murs announces Manchester show on huge arena tour – with Blue as support

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Olly Murs has announced a huge UK tour including a Manchester show. Credit: Mark Hayman

Olly Murs has just announced details of a huge arena tour, including a stop here in Manchester.

He’ll be playing the city’s biggest arena, the Co-op Live, as part of his 2025 tour.

The news comes fresh off the back of his nationwide tour supporting Take That on their massive This Life on Tour tour.

He’s announced a massive support act for himself too, bringing along British boyband favourites Blue.

Olly Murs first rose to stardom when he placed as runner-up in 2009’s The X Factor competition (though his career has soared past winner Joe McElderry’s).

Since then, he’s released seven solo studio albums, including last year’s Marry Me.

His massive hits include Heart Skips a Beat, Dance With Me Tonight, and Troublemaker, and he’s worked with the likes of Rizzle Kicks, Snoop Dogg, Demi Lovato and Flo Rida.

Olly Murs is now heading back out on the road for an all-singing, all-dancing arena tour.

It will include dates in Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Liverpool and loads more.

Olly said: “Celebrating 15 unbelievable years doing what I love best will be truly special. But to top it off I’m taking a band with me who I was obsessed with in my college years, BLUE!

“No doubt the pranks and banter will be free-flowing but most importantly it’s going to be a great night for the fans to enjoy, I can’t wait.”

Blue said: “We were really delighted when Olly asked us to join him on his Arena tour next year and can’t wait to get on the road with him in the Spring!

“We are going to have a whole lot of fun and look forward to making him an honorary Blue boy! We’ll be singing the biggest hits and maybe the odd joke here and there – watch out Olly!”

Tickets will go on sale on Friday 13 September at 10am – you can get yours here.

Olly Murs 2025 tour dates in full

  • 24 April – Plymouth, Pavilions
  • 26 April – Brighton, Centre
  • 27 April – Hull, Connexin Live
  • 29 April – Dublin, 3Arena
  • 30 April – Belfast, SSE Arena
  • 2 May – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
  • 3 May – Aberdeen, P&J Live
  • 4 May – Newcastle, Utilita Arena
  • 6 May – Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
  • 8 May – Manchester, Co-op Live
  • 9 May – Leeds, First Direct Arena
  • 10 May – Sheffield, Utilita Arena
  • 12 May – Cardiff, Utilita Arena
  • 15 May – Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena
  • 16 May – Birmingham, bp pulse LIVE
  • 17 May – London, The O2

Featured image: Mark Hayman

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Inside Sifters Records, the time capsule record shop that inspired Oasis

Harry Quick Harry Quick 'Mr Sifter' himself Pete Howard inside Sifters Records in Burnage. Credit: The Manc Group

The date the world never thought was coming is set. Manchester’s most famous brothers have against all the odds put their differences aside for music’s greater good. Oasis are BACK.

I suppose it is only good news at the moment if you were one of the lucky few who managed to secure a ticket to one of the 17 gigs (actually, now 19 with two new dates added) in the Oasis 25′ Tour. If you didn’t – hard luck – but there is arguably one shop owner who deserves one more than most.

Fans of our most iconic band from all around the world should show their gratitude to a little record store in Burnage for helping to make that happen. Some might say, Sifters Records is the home of the Gallaghers’ love for music. The two brothers were brought up just a stone’s throw away from here on Cranwell Drive and were regular visitors of Sifters throughout their teenage years.

Noel has previously mentioned how he used to stroll around to Sifters on Fog Lane and pick up records by the likes of The Smiths, Joy Division and The Happy Mondays, which would help inspire some of the world-renowned anthems Oasis would later go on to create. The relationship between the Gallaghers and Sifters Records is emblematic of their deep roots in Manchester’s music scene.

If you feel like you’ve heard the name before, you probably have as Liam mentions the store in the song ‘Shakermaker’. In the final verse of the song – before the closing Shake Along with Me / Them interlude – he gets his special mention.

The lyrics “Mr Sifter sold me songs when I was just sixteen, now he stops at traffic lights but only when they’re green” pay homage to its main road location and the lads’ musical upbringing before the international stardom.

Sifters Records inspired Oasis' love of music - and gets a namecheck in Shakermaker. Credit: The Manc Group
Sifters Records inspired Oasis’ love of music – and gets a namecheck in Shakermaker. Credit: The Manc Group
Sifters Records inspired Oasis' love of music - and gets a namecheck in Shakermaker. Credit: The Manc Group
Sifters Records inspired Oasis’ love of music – and gets a namecheck in Shakermaker. Credit: The Manc Group

If the lyrics alone don’t put an image in your head, the official music video for the song pictures Liam stereotypically swaggering towards the shop front in a parka and shades on the hunt for some new music. After flicking through a few 12″ vinyls he shows Red Rose Speedway to the camera by Paul McCartney’s – Wings. I wonder if he bought it that day or could it still be in there?

In a brand new 30-minute interview filmed ahead of the 30th anniversary of Definitely Maybe, Noel revealed how he wrote the infamous lyric in an off-the-cuff moment directly outside the shop.

“I have to say this shop has not changed a bit. I bought a lot of my records in here, it’s where I discovered my love of ‘best of’ albums.

“Every time I hear Shakermaker I remember pulling up in that car and looking over and seeing the song.”

It’s no wonder this was Noel’s favourite place to scope out new tunes growing up. It’s still one of Manchester’s most impressive collections with hundreds, if not thousands of vintage LPs.

Most of these are from the personal collection of ‘Mr Sifter’ himself Pete Howard who has run this musical mecca since 1977. The building itself has an unchanged charm – a time capsule of fading band posters, windows of unrelated local advertisements and well-trodden carpet from the thousands of feet on a pilgrimage from far and wide.

Fans from across the globe have rocked up for a word with Pete and the admiration for his store only keeps growing, which he sometimes struggles to believe how fortunate he got. If you pop in looking for any Oasis discography, good luck, it doesn’t stick around long.

When ‘Definitely Maybe’ dropped in ’94 he said he recognised the members of the band straight just from the album cover.

Now, with a deluxe edition re-release 30 years later, and a reunion tour around the corner, it’s undeniable that the whole world does – let’s just hope they stay mates this time!

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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