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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.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 29th September 2023

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.

You better do one better if you’re going to night two — don’t let us down!

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:

  1. Air Hostess
  2. Meet You There
  3. Loser Kid
  4. You Said No
  5. Everything I Knew
  6. MMMBop (Hanson cover)
  7. Sleeping With the Light On
  8. Good One
  9. What I Go to School For
  10. Who’s David
  11. Falling for You
  12. Thunderbirds Are Go
  13. She Wants to Be Me
  14. 3am
  15. 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!?

Read more:

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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Gorillaz announce huge Manchester arena gig on upcoming UK and Ireland tour

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Gorillaz announce huge Manchester arena gig on upcoming UK and Ireland tour

Gorillaz are well and truly back, and they’ve announced a huge Manchester gig on the upcoming The Mountain Tour.

The legendary band, created by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, will be performing at the Co-op Live arena next spring.

Gorillaz is a virtual band made up of singer 2D, bassist Murdoc Niccals, drummer Russel Hobbs and Japanese guitar prodigy Noodle.

The huge tour announcement comes along with the announcement of their new album, The Mountain, which features a whole myriad of collaborations including Johnny Marr, IDLES’ Joe Talbot and Dennis Hopper.

It’s their ninth studio album and promises to be a ‘playlist for a party on the border between this world and whatever happens next, exploring the journey of life and the thrill of existence’.

The Gorillaz The Mountain Tour will visit arenas across the UK and Ireland next Spring, with support from Trueno, and follows the sold-out 5-star House of Kong exhibition and four triumphant performances at Copper Box Arena.

Manchester will get the new Gorillaz tour first, with the band kicking things off at Co-op Live on 21 March before heading to cities including Leeds, Cardiff, Nottingham, and Liverpool.

The BRIT and Grammy-winning virtual band formed following a collision of mishaps, meetings and pure luck to blow up a pre-digital world.

The album will officially release on 20 March 2026.

General on sale begins at 11am on Friday 19 September HERE.

Gorillaz’ ‘The Mountain Tour’ dates in full

MARCH
21 – Co-op Live, Manchester
22 – BP Pulse Live, Birmingham
24 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow (support from Trueno)
25 – First Direct Arena, Leeds
27 – Utilitia Arena, Cardiff (support from Trueno)
28 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham (support from Trueno)
29 – M&S Bank Arena, Liverpool (support from Trueno)
31 – SSE Arena, Belfast

APRIL 
1 – 3Arena, Dublin (support from Trueno)

JUNE
20 – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London (support from Sparks and Trueno)

Featured image: Press image

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The adopted Manc indie pop star with that we’re backing to win the Mercury Prize this year

Danny Jones Danny Jones CMAT Mercury Prize shortlist 2025 favourites

The 2025 Mercury Music Prize shortlist is officially out, and we’re proud to say that the North has been well represented once again this time around, with multiple names from the top end of the nation featured among the nominees – including an adopted Manchester-based rising star.

You know what, cratch that: she might as well be a Manc music queen at this point, if you ask.

We may be heavily biased here, but with indie and alt-pop artist CMAT making her way onto the Mercury Music Prize award shortlist this year, our vote is practically already cast.

If you haven’t listened to CMAT yet, then you’re seriously missing out, and following the release of her latest LP, Euro-Country, at the end of August, it’s little surprise she’s earned the Mercury nod.

What is CMAT’s connection to Manchester?

She may be Irish-born, but the ‘Dubyone Diana’ truly started to make a name for herself in Manchester, and you’re damn right we’re taking her as one of our own.

Moving to 0161 as a teenager with her old band, Bad Sea, she was just 17 when she got here; now 29 and making fairly different music to the kind she did as part of the previous duo, she’s grown massively in popularity over the last few years – and she’s done a lot of it from right here in Greater Manchester.

From playing the city centre music venue circuit to stunning crowds at the likes of Kendal Calling and Glastonbury Festival, she’s come a long way in a relatively short amount of time.

Come on, if this isn’t award-winning energy, then we don’t know what is…

We welcome her to keep leaning into country music as much as she wants.

There’s another reason we want CMAT to win the Mercury Prize

It isn’t just because we’re somewhat biased local fans that we’re putting our money on her winning the 2025 Mercury Prize: she nearly already did this time last year for her sophomore outing, Crazymad, For Me, having released three impressive studio albums in less than 36 months.

Further reflecting on the second shortlisting, Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson (ergo, ‘CMAT’) went on to explain: “I had a weird thing happen at the Mercury Prize 2024 when Annie Mac was announcing who the winner was.

“As she was reading it, I had this weird flip in my stomach, that I didn’t want to win the Mercury Prize for THAT record, because I had a feeling I could make something better.

“Two days later, I started to make EURO-COUNTRY. The Mercury Prize put a bottle rocket up my bum, to try and do something a bit more cutting edge and experimental and intense, if that makes sense.”

She signed off by adding, “I didn’t necessarily expect to be nominated again as a result, but I am very happy to have been.” We had a feeling she would, to be honest, hence why she was among our artists of the month – not even a fortnight before the shortlist was announced, no less.

Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month | August 2025
You say CMAT was our headliner last month, and rightly so, Euro-Country is an absolute triumph.

Thompson joins the likes of resurgent Sheffield Britpop icons, Pulp, as well as Wolf Alice, FKA twigs and lots more talented acts on the list.

Not only are there plenty of Northerners on the list, but our friends over in Yorkshire have had another big year too.

Leeds jazz musician Emma-Jean Thackray has also been nominated, and with the story behind her most recent heartbreaking but brilliant material, it’s no surprise.

Unsurprisingly, the likes of Fontaines D.C. and Sam Fender are also on there after a standout 12 months for both artists, but we’re sticking with CMAT for our 2025 Mercury Prize winner. After all, surely she can’t miss out two years in a row?

You can see the full list of nominees down below:

Read more:

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

Featured Images — Raph_PH (via Flickr)/Publicity picture

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