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Busted at Manchester’s AO Arena — tickets, support acts, stage times and more
They're back with pop-rock guitar riffs, irresistible Noughties nostalgia, plenty of jump kicks and we couldn't be happier.
Guys, we don’t know if you heard but Busted are back on tour— or, more accurately, back on top and they’re bringing all the hits and unparalleled energy levels to Manchester’s AO Arena for a second night in less than a week.
The Busted boys played an initial sold-out show last weekend but had to add a second Manchester date due to the massive demand and although they received rave reviews the first time around, it might as well have been a warm-up for the main event which is already shaping up to be a belter.
With some seriously good supports, another soon-to-sell-out crowd of 20,000+ and the trio now having had a ridiculously good practice run only a few days ago, Busted at the AO Arena night two is going to be insane.
That being said, here’s everything you need to know about their 20th-anniversary tour date and greatest hits show.
Are there tickets left for Busted in Manchester?
If you’re still scrambling around in the hope of getting a last-minute ticket to hear the likes of ‘Year 3000’ and ‘What I Go to School For’ live, you’re in luck: there’s still a very small handful of tickets to be snapped up if you’re quick enough.
There are still a few seats floating about, ranging from £42.50 to £53.50 on Ticketmaster, and you can obviously splurge on the AO Arena’s Champagne Experiences in the Electric Lounge if you fancy it.
As always, if you end up missing out you can also check out resale sites like Twickets and TicketSwap, we advise steering clear from ticket touts at all costs.
Support acts
Busted have brought some truly great support acts along with them this time, including 90s and 2000s US pop favourites, Hanson — remember them?
As well as the equally iconic trio, Manc pop band New Hope Club are playing the home crowd too. Go on the local lads!
Throwing together some of the era’s most iconic pop-rock together with another three-piece from the modern generation, you’re getting a proper value-for-money and for-all-ages show this Saturday.
Busted stage times for AO Arena night two
As for when you can expect to see each of these fantastic acts take the stage, doors will open from 6pm and New Hope Club will be getting things started at 7:30pm.
Finishing a quickfire set just a few minutes before Hanson, the American throwback best-known for ‘MMMBop’ with be playing from 8pm until 8:30pm — and you might even have a surprise in store. We’re saying nothing else…
Then, at 9pm, the main event gets underway with Busted set to play up until curfew around 11pm and we literally can’t wait.
20th Anniversary and Greatest Hits setlist
Thanks to the ever-reliable Setlist.fm (and the fact we already had multiple members of The Manc office go along to the first night), we even know what they’ll be playing:
- Air Hostess
- Meet You There
- Loser Kid
- You Said No
- Everything I Knew
- MMMBop (Hanson cover)
- Sleeping With the Light On
- Good One
- What I Go to School For
- Who’s David
- Falling for You
- Thunderbirds Are Go
- She Wants to Be Me
- 3am
- Crashed the Wedding
Encore
- Video (Brit Awards 2004)
- Teenage Kicks (The Undertones cover)
- Interlude
- Year 3000
All the hits — what more could you ask for? Oh yeah, and did we mention they’re number one!?
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It’s going to be another great night at the Arena, we just know it, no matter where you end up.
And, seriously, if you can afford it don’t sleep on the VIP experience — it’s worth every penny and perfect for a special occasion.
We recently went along to try ourselves for this year’s Davis Cup and it was a brilliant experience.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Image — Busted/@chazzadnitt (via Instagram)
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The K’s book Castlefield Bowl for their biggest ever headline show
Danny Jones
High-flying indie rock outfit, The K’s, are set to play a landmark headline show right here in Manchester, as the local lads have been confirmed as the first act for Sounds of the City 2026.
The cult favourite working class heroes from down the road in Newton-le-Willows have had an incredible couple of years, climbing their way up the ranks around the North, playing bigger venues and festivals up and down the country, and now they’re on a fully-fledged European tour.
It’s been brilliant to watch their rise thus far, and we couldn’t be more buzzing to hear that they’ve booked none other than Castlefield Bowl for the single largest standalone gig of their careers to date, and you can bet The K‘s army will be out in full force.
Announced alongside another massive outdoor venue this week, the toast of Earlestown will be one of several artists set to play the Sounds of City (SOTC) concert series next year.
Confirming Castlefield Bowl alongside the magnificent Piece Hall in Halifax for summer 2026, the four-piece will make their way from Merseyside, not only down the M62 to Manchester but over to Yorkshire for what is one of the most stunning outdoor venues in the country.
These two incredible atmospheric amphitheatres are not only incredible spaces for live music, but in the case of our very own city centre stunner, Castlefield Bowl boasts a capacity of approximately 8,450 – making it comfortably The K’s biggest show yet.
Having opened for the likes of Blossoms at Live From Wythenshawe Park last year, and playing huge festival slots at the likes of Kendal Calling back in just last month, they’re no strangers to big crowds – but this will be something special.
Speaking of Kendal, we were in the field ourselves when the group got to revel in the moment of announcing their second album, Pretty On The Internet, had reached number one just in time for their main stage set.
You can watch the magical moment down below:
Official artist presale access will be available this Wednesday, 17 September from 9:30am by signing up to their mailing list, but general admission tickets for both dates will go live at 9am the following Friday (19 Sep).
You can get ready to grab yours HERE.
Once again, we can only say well done on the number one; having been there to discuss their debut record’s release while they threw plastic balls around a room, we couldn’t be more gassed to see how far they’ve come.
‘SYDTF x’
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Featured Images — Press shot (supplied)/Audio North
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Lewis Capaldi announces huge outdoor Manchester gig at Wythenshawe Park next summer
Emily Sergeant
Lewis Capaldi has announced a run of huge outdoor shows next summer, and he’ll be stopping off here in Manchester.
After unprecedented demand saw one of the biggest-ever rushes for tickets across both pre-sale and general sale earlier this year, Lewis Capaldi is currently blazing through a triumphant 200,000-ticket sold out 17-date UK arena tour as we speak – and is set to take to the Co-op Live stage for two huge Manc gigs this weekend.
But he shows no signs of slowing down soon, as he has today announced his biggest ever UK and Ireland headline gigs for next summer.
Wythenshawe Park is fast becoming one of Manchester‘s go-to outdoor gig venues, and Lewis’s visit next summer is only helping the reputation, as the Scottish 28-year-old will be headlining the park for one night only next August.
The announcement of the run of summer outdoor shows comes amid Lewis’s first return to touring in two years following his triumphant Glastonbury 2025 return after an extended break to take care of his mental health break, and following the release of his comeback track ‘Survive’, which shot to the top of the UK charts and became the fastest-selling single of 2025.
The response to Lewis’s current tour has been ‘electric’, according to critics, who have been unanimous in their praise for him.
Prior to his comeback, Lewis played a run of Scottish warm up shows in May that saw him return to the stage as a guest of mental health charity CALM, in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week.
Lewis Capaldi – Summer Outdoor Gigs 2026
- Wednesday 24 June – Marlay Park, Dublin
- Friday 26 June – Thomond Park, Limerick
- Sunday 28 June – TX Maxx presents Live at Powderham, Exeter
- Tuesday 30 June – Blackweir Fields, Cardiff
- Saturday 4 July – American Express presents Roundhay Festival, Leeds
- Saturday 11 July – American Express presents BST Hyde Park, London
- Thursday 20 August – Vital, Belfast
- Saturday 22 August – Wythenshawe Park, Manchester
With no pressure and no level of expectation, the shows allowed Lewis the space to gauge his comfort and emotional response before returning to the spotlight – a move which ended up proving nothing short of a triumph.
Lewis Capaldi will be coming to Wythenshawe Park in Manchester on Saturday 22 August 2026, and tickets go on pre-sale this Thursday 18 September at 9am, before general sale commences the following day (Friday 19 September), again at 9am.
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Get your tickets here.
Featured Image – Supplied
