A live show dedicated to legendary pop group ABBA is heading to Edgeley Park in Stockport this summer.
An Evening of ABBA will see the stars of the West End hit musical Mamma Mia taking to the stage to perform the band’s timeless hits.
The tribute band are going to be taking over Edgeley Park stadium, home of Stockport County FC.
The venue only started hosting concerts on this scale in recent years but has welcomed the likes of Blossoms, Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott, and last year’s An Evening With Queen, which saw thousands of Freddie Mercury fans descend.
The football ground will be transformed into the ultimate disco experience, ready for an evening of dancing along to the likes of Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia and Fernando.
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An Evening of ABBA
The event, proudly supported by Brsk, will take place on Saturday 3 June from 6pm.
There’ll be food and drink on offer from various kiosks around the ground, including street food from the County Courtyard and pies from the award-winning Great North Pie Co.
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Tickets start from just £30 for an adult and £25 for concessions (under 18’s, over 65’s, students, and guests with disabilities).
Hospitality tickets include a two-course meal, welcome drink and the best seats in the house, are available from £100.
Tim Burgess pens touching tribute to ‘everyone’s mate’ Mani
Danny Jones
Legendary local musician Tim Burgess has written a touching tribute to the late, great Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield as people continue to pay their respects to the iconic Stone Roses bass player.
The Charlatans’ frontman, who recently got the band back in the recording studio for their stunning 14th studio album, is one of many who have taken the time to honour the influential Manc musician over the past few days.
Mani, 63, who also saw his career reignited as a regular member of Primal Scream after his time with the Roses, sadly passed away last week.
Penning a lengthy eulogy for The Sunday Times, Burgess was unaware that the digital version of the paper would be behind a paywall, deciding instead to share it publicly online.
Sharing the first few excerpts from the full article, the 58-year-old lead singer, solo artist and Salfordian said of Mani: “People have more stories to tell of their shared adventures with Mani than anyone else I know, often simply about enjoying a gig with him.”
The most striking part of his column is how much of it reiterates not just the Crumpsall native’s undying love for music but his raw obsession with the medium.
Perhaps most touchingly, however, is how he is positioned as “everyone’s mate” in the piece – a sentiment that seems to have been echoed all over social media, among the countless Manchester United fans that bumped into him at games, in the pub chat since and countless other corners.
Burgess is one of several high-profile artists to have honoured Mounfield in their own way; Richard Ashcroft and Oasis playing the ‘She Bangs the Drums’ riff and dedicating ‘Live Forever’ to their idol, The Membranes member and Louder Than War boss, John Robb, speaking via the BBC, just to name a few.
A particularly heartbreaking line is when he says, “On hearing the news of his death last week, I found solace in the idea that Mani lived life to the full. But at 63, it was a life cut lamentably short.” You can read more down below.
Since disclosing the Times write-up with his followers, it’s clear that the 58-year-old is going through a period of reflection following the death of not just a peer and role model but a close friend.
On Sunday, he summed up his feelings perfectly: “Go to that gig. Listen to that song, dust off that record player, learn to play that guitar. Music helps us through. Life can be overwhelming at times. Music can help, I promise you that.”
We couldn’t agree more.
Speaking of – we don’t know about you, but we’re going to be playing the best of The Stone Roses for the foreseeable future, and there’s a good chance we’ll also be heading to Chorlton for a special tribute DJ set by one of his friends and former colleagues.
Sex Pistols and Frank Carter to toast important Manc music anniversary with massive outdoor gig
Danny Jones
Frank Carter and Sex Pistols are continuing their fruitful partnership and are celebrating the anniversary of a very important Manchester music venue with a massive outdoor gig right here in the city centre.
Yes, you lucky sods are getting more Frank Carter as the perfect new lead singer for the Sex Pistols, live and in the flesh.
The frenetic frontman, best-known for his self-titled outfit and the Rattlensakes, as well as his time with Gallows and Pure Love, initially joined the legendary punk rock band on the road for a special handful of live shows; ultimately, the reviews were so glowing that they announced an entire UK tour.
It seems fitting, therefore, that as we approach half a century of punk – a movement that the Sex Pistols themselves kicked off right here in Manchester – that the landmark shows celebrating that milestone should be held where it was arguably first born.
Even to this day, it’s still talked about as an ‘I was there’ gig that not only spawned so many artists from this city, but that helped shape both the British scene and global music industry as a whole for decades to come.
Therefore, the veterans couldn’t let the seminal date simply pass without recognising it in some way, and after the success of their previous shows alongside Carter, they’ve decided to do it all over again.
While the first run – which included a Manchester date at Academy One back in September 2024 – saw the band and 41-year-old vocalist play their debut and only album in full, this upcoming outdoor gig is more importantly pegged as a celebration of the movement as a whole.
You can see the kind of energy they generated inside a sweaty mid-capacity room; just imagine how incredible this is going to be live at Castlefield Bowl:
Yes, Frank Carter and the Sex Pistols will be playing the city’s increasingly iconic amphitheatre next festival season, following the likes of New Order, Noel Gallagher, The Courteeners, Blossoms and just a handful of other local names.
Joining the lineup for the annual Sounds of the City music festival, spread across several nights every summer, they follow the likes of Johnny Marr, The Ks and The Charlatans among the latest raft of regional acts on the roster.
The event itself never disappoints, and it’s great to see so many Greater Manchester natives and other nearby artists getting spotlighted at a venue that is becoming increasingly iconic in its own right.
It might never birth a moment in musical history quite like Free Trade Hall, but it’s definitely helped put a few more local talents on the map.
As for Frank and the Pistols, we don’t want to sound like someone else’s broken record, but you really did have to be there…
Other outdoor dates announced include The Piece Hall in Halifax, Cardiff Castle and the Scarborough Open Air Theatre.
Perhaps one of the coolest parts about this next batch of live shows is that they’ll also be joined not only by fellow long-serving contemporaries, The Undertones, but by ‘The Bard of Salford’ himself, John Cooper Clarke, too.
‘The Godfather of Punk Poetry’ and spoken word hero has already hosted two popular evenings in Manchester this year alone, and is set to prove a real fan favourite once again.
General admission tickets are set to go live at 10am this Friday, 28 November, and you can bank on them being snapped up just as fast as you could say ‘Anarchy in the UK’; get ready to grab yours HERE.
They’re not the only rock legends coming to town soon, either.
Daisy Jackson -
21st May 2023 
