In news that seems to have rocked social media and got everyone on the Manchester music scene talking, Blossoms and Rick Astley announced this week that they’re teaming up for two special gigs next month.
And if that collaboration wasn’t odd enough as it is, they’re only going to be performing songs by The Smiths.
Performing at Manchester’s iconic Albert Hall on Friday 8 October, before a second show at London’s 02 Forum in Kentish Town the following day, the popular Stockport indie band will become Astley’s backing band for a full set of The Smiths songs during the two intimate shows.
The announcement of the two gigs comes after Astley joined Blossoms on stage during the first of their three nights at London’s Kentish Town Forum earlier this week.
Videos of the performances have been racking up millions of views on Twitter.
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“We’re going to do some songs by one of our favourite bands with a friend of ours from the North West, welcome our friend Rick Astley,” Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden said before they tore into The Smiths’ classics Panic and This Charming Man with Astley on vocals.
Later Tom also played an acoustic segment of Astley’s classic Never Gonna Give You Up.
Despite it seemingly being pretty hard for people to wrap their heads around the collaboration, with Blossoms themselves even admitting “we’ve had wilder dreams, but not many”, it makes a little more sense when you realise that Astley – who shot to fame in the 80s, but has also enjoyed recent success with his 2016 album going to number one – is a self-confessed The Smiths superfan.
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in 2016, Astley promised to one day perform a set of just The Smiths songs in Manchester because he “absolutely loved them”.
However, he predicted that he would “probably get lynched for it”.
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Speaking on the announcement of the unlikely collaboration, Blossoms’ frontman Tom Ogden said: “The Smiths have always meant so much to Blossoms, with even their rainiest songs complete with wry humour and soul-reaching musicianship and melody.
“Their poppier moments are pure, joyful, danceable poetry.
“Imagine backing Rick Astley to play the songs of The Smiths?
“We’ve had wilder dreams, but not many.
“We’ll barely be able to believe it until it happens, but the dates are set, we’re studying every note, line and beat to say ‘thank you’ to The Smiths alongside Rick and do both of them proud.”
Rick Astley added: “From the moment The Smiths emerged in 1983, I was hooked and it’s as a fan, with deep respect as a musician for Morrissey, Marr, Rourke and Joyce, that I’ll be joining the endlessly enthusiastic and talented Blossoms on stage to sing their songs.
“It’s no secret that it’s been an ambition of mine to turn an idea that first sounded crazy, making more sense as Blossoms and I talked about it and then rehearsed it, into a reality.
“These shows will be nights that I’ll never forget.”
Tickets for both shows happening next month are now on sale here.
The UK’s much-loved ‘day rave’ with Vicky and Jon McClure returns to Manchester for New Year’s Eve
Thomas Melia
One of the UK’s most popular new club events and pioneering ‘day rave’ is returning to Manchester this New Year’s, featuring founders Jon and Vicky McClure, as well as some very special guests.
The Line of Duty star and Reverend and the Makers frontman started the parent-friendly event back in January of this year as an alternative day out for those looking to have a party and still manage an early bedtime. Since then it’s gone on to become a real phenomenon and is only getting bigger.
With Vicky swapping UK dramas and crime thrillers for the discotheque and ‘Big Jon’ switching lanes from his usual rock, indie and alternative roots to favour timeless dance tracks to still get people up on their feet, Day Fever has gone down a storm all over the country.
With their first year coming towards a close, they now look set for arguably their biggest day rave to date as Day Fever will be hosting a special New Year’s Eve for their final hurrah of 2024 right here in Manchester city centre – and no, you don’t need to be able to stay up until midnight.
The two McClures – unrelated, by the way, they just share a name and a fantastic taste in music – and the rest of their crew will be partying between 3-8pm for a much more tame and friendlier night (day) out, commanding the decks alongside some other special guests.
Not only does this alternative way to party promise a more responsible curfew, meaning clubbers don’t have to worry about missing the last train home but it’s also geared towards over 30s whilst still being super inclusive.
This day-time clubbing event is designed to reminisce on the old days and all those dance-filled memories of evenings spent out on the tiles, just minus the late-night finish – and hopefully the hangover but that’s down to you really, isn’t it?
In their words: ‘There’s no dress code, no egos—just pure positivity’; there’s nothing we love to hear more than the sweet relief of not having to get dolled up for a big night when we just can’t be bothered.
With New Century Hall hosting the Day Fever once again for their first-ever NYE party here in Manchester, along with two other events being held simultaneously in Edinburgh and Birmingham, you can get all your partying done way with plenty of time to get cosy in bed before the calendar turns over.
Just in time to watch Jools Holland’s famous Annual Hootenanny, as they put it.
Jon McClure and Vicky’s co-star, Martin CompstonVicky McClure leading the dance routines
This is guaranteed to be an evening to remember for everyone in attendance, especially when you’re joined by stars of stage and screen who will be powering you through with some proper dance bangers as they have done all year long.
The New Year’s Eve party isn’t just the last dance of the year either, it’s also effectively the prequel to next year’s raft of shows as Day Fever has already announced more than a dozen big dates in January and February.
This batch of 2025 dates sees the gang taking on lots of other cities, including North West neighbours Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds and Hull over in Yorkshire, two Newcastle shows and plenty more.
So, if you’re feeling those clubbing blues, that pesky seasonal affective disorder or just still not booked up for NYE 2024, why not make the most of this day-time opportunity?
Tickets for both the New Year’s Eve and the rest of their 2025 events are available on the official Day Fever website HERE.
Oh yeah, and help get Rev to Christmas number one – it’s for a good cause and they deserve it!
Sean Paul and Ashanti are hosting a massive Manchester show in 2025
Danny Jones
The one and only Sean Paul is coming to Manchester next year and we’re about to be smashing that buy ticket button it’ll be left sticking like glue.
A terrible pun, we know, we’re just very excited.
Better yet, he’s bringing a fantastic co-headliner along with him as fellow noughties and R’n’B throwback Ashanti will be sharing the stage too.
Landing at the AO Arena in spring 2025, they’ll be upping the ‘Temperature’ ahead of the summer and just in time for the festival season to start getting underway.
Having both enjoyed the scene for many years back in its 2000s heyday and each still boasting their own long-serving fan bases no matter how long it’s been, we wouldn’t think of this as a Sean Paul headline gig with a support act but two very special guests doing what they do best.
The Jamaican-born rap, reggae and dancehall artist as well as all-round popstar needs no introduction really but we’ll give him one anyway: you have to pronounce his name funny and he’s best known for countless club classics like ‘Got 2 Luv U’, ‘Get Busy’ and ‘Gimme The Light’, just to name a few.
Coming back to Manchester for basically a celebration of what many still revere as one of the golden eras for the genre will no doubt be an unbelievable night and playing the AO Arena after all this time is no mean feat.
General admission goes live from 10am, Friday 20 December but presale will be available for Three mobile users who want exclusive early access from Wednesday onwards from the same time.
The ‘Bring It’ Tour comes our way on 13 April 2025, with other dates including Leeds, Birmingham, Cardiff and a massive London show with Fat Joe joining too.
You can get ready to grab your tickets for Sean Paul and Ashanti’s AO Arena date HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
16th September 2021 
