British-Albanian performer and prolific pop star Dua Lipa is halfway through her first-ever international stadium tour, and it’s nothing shy of a spectacle – night one in Liverpool living, breathing, levitating proof.
To say I wasn’t singing more than half of this setlist verbatim would be a lie; the setlist for Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour is stacked with hits upon mega hits.
Her commanding single ‘Training Season’ kicks things off and besides getting the whole stadium hyped up, it sets the tone for the night ahead, one Dua has full control of, and also features a firework or two.
Within 15 minutes of stepping onto the stage, the unofficial anthem of Anfield’s resident football club and recently re-crowned Premier League champions, Liverpool FC, was played.
Dua Lipa performing ‘Physical’ at Anfield Stadium.Smiles all round at the ‘Radical Optimism’ tour in Liverpool.Credit: Audio North
In fact, ‘One Kiss’ was met with an unmatched electric energy that she ended up playing it again later on, because why the hell not?
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This isn’t just a song: it’s a beast. When you’re playing a song that’s spent eight weeks at No.1, has 2.5 billion streams and at an arena with a legacy like Anfield‘s, there was simply no way these fans were going to be tame.
Similarly, partway through the second act, Lipa had the audience wrapped around her fingers once more as she played the dance-inducing smash ‘Levitating’. In that moment, we were all her “sugarboos.”
This was a proper crowd-pleasing moment. To be honest, they all were.
As we strut our stuff into the third act, we’re met with another dancefloor filler, ‘Physical’, fans were ready and waiting to chant “let’s get physical” with the superstar.
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The fourth act, on the other hand, was much more relaxed. Ms. Lipa took some time to show her love to some of the album’s deeper cuts; I greatly appreciated being able to belt out “How looong?” as she played ‘Falling Forever.’
She finished this segment with the song that started it all, one she’s never forgotten to play since bursting onto the music scene back in 2015: ‘Be The One.’
Dua Lipa and Dave McCabe (The Zutons) performing ‘Valerie’.The superstar taking pictures with fans at Anfield.Liverpool is in for a treat if the second Dua Lipa show is even half as good as night one at Anfield.
Dua, let us tell you something, you’ll always be the one.
The encore felt like the epitome of all things Dua Lipa. It’s like when you hear that one ABBA megamix that has you shouting, “Oh, I know this one… and I know this one too!”
And rightly so, with a back-to-back, four-song medley spanning from ‘New Rules’ and ‘Dance the Night’, to ‘Don’t Start Now’ and ‘Houdini’. Perfect, perfect, perfect.
— DANIEL is calling..☎️💜 (@daniel__SG) June 24, 2025
After this medley, night one of the ‘Radical Optimism’ tour was over, but we and the fans were certainly left feeling radically optimistic.
Come on, how can you not be when the timeless classic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ by Whitney Houston is soundtracking your concert exit?
I have one last question for anyone who hasn’t splashed the cash for one of her shows yet… if you’re not watching Dua Lipa live, then ‘Whatcha Doing’?
Lipa had the crowd well and truly in her fingertips.Dua gave quite the performance in Merseyside.An increasing master of not just pop songs but stagecraft too. (Credit: Audio North)
Hans Zimmer at Co-op Live, Manchester – movie magic brought to life
Lonnie Bowes
What do Batman, Kung Fu Panda, and Captain Jack Sparrow all have in common? Music by Hans Zimmer, of course.
I must admit it’s an odd sight seeing 20,000 people seated in the Co-op Live. Manchester is no stranger to a big night out, but this is a different beast entirely. No mosh pits, no flying pints, no one on anyone’s shoulders. Just a full orchestra, a choir, and a wall of screens.
At the centre of it all is conductor Matt Dunkley, steering the Odessa Orchestra & Friends through some of the most recognisable music ever put to film. Zimmer appears on the big screens between pieces to introduce the music and the stories behind it. I was disappointed that Hans didn’t make an appearance but let me tell you this performance was no less impressive.
And in no time at all the gloves came off. Batman is, quite simply, incredible. All menace and muscle, strings sawing away like something is about to go very wrong, brass and percussion hitting so hard you feel it in your ribcage before you hear it.
Gladiator pulls things the other way. Where Batman pins you to your seat, this one lifts you out of it in a big way. Lets face it, if you are some what of a self respecting movie head, you’ll have seen Gladiator and know first hand how ‘Now we are free’ can command your mood. Well imagine that in person.
If the orchestra is the engine, the Nairobi Chamber Chorus is the heart. When their voices rise for The Lion King, it stops being a concert and becomes something closer to gospel.
Hans Zimmer at Co-op Live. Credit: The Manc Group
Because beneath the scale and the spectacle, there’s something more intentional at play. These pieces of music are part of people’s lives. We are talking first trips to the cinema, films watched with parents, soundtracks that got someone through a rough year.
And then there’s Interstellar. ‘No Time for Caution’ creates it own suspense. The organ churns, the tempo tightens like a ticking clock, you genuinely find yourself gripping the armrest as if you’re the one trying to dock a spinning spacecraft.
Time, from Inception, is the other side of that coin when it comes to what it emotes during the performance. It’s slow, it’s patient and it’s moving. It builds from almost nothing, layer on layer.
After all that, there’s only one way to send people home. Pirates of the Caribbean closes the night at full tilt. You think everything is drawing to end, Matt Dunkley has already guided you to the apex of nights performance, but no. Hans Zimmer flashes on to the screen one more time and alluded that’s we aren’t at the finish line just yet. Strings galloping, the whole orchestra going hell for leather. Heads nodding, feet stamping, grins everywhere.
Epic, emotional and beautifully played. This wasn’t just a concert it was a reminder: that a piece of music can take you somewhere else entirely, and that you don’t need a single lyric to make thousands of strangers feel the exact same thing at the exact same time.
Hats off to every musician on that stage. You absolutely smashed it.
Popstars icons Hear’Say and Liberty X announce huge reunion arena tour
Daisy Jackson
Iconic 00s pop groups Hear’Say and Liberty X have announced a joint reunion tour, visiting arenas right across the UK including here in Manchester.
The stars of the groundbreaking reality talent show Popstars are heading out on a 13-date arena tour, performing together for the first time ever.
As part of the tour, Hear’Say and Liberty X will be performing at the AO Arena in Manchester, along with venues in cities like Leeds, Newcastle, London, and Liverpool.
Both bands burst onto the music scene 25 years ago as the winners and runners-up of Popstars, a show which paved the way for reality TV-formed bands like One Direction, Little Mix, Girls Aloud, and JLS.
Now for the first time, Hear’Say and Liberty X are heading out on a joint tour, ‘Popstars: The Originals’.
They’ll be performing all their hits to a combined audience of more than 150,000 fans.
Reuniting on stage will be four original Hear’Say members – Danny Foster, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Noel Sullivan.
The band went straight to number one after winning Popstars, with their smash hit Pure and Simple, while their debut album Popstars reached triple-Platinum status.
Meanwhile Liberty X will have their entire original line-up of Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor, Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm and Kelli Young.
They finished as runners-up but had a glittering pop music career, with hits like Just A Little, Got To Have Your Love, and Being Nobody.
Hear’Say comment: “Coming back together after 25 years is something that’s incredibly special to all of us. It’s a chance to celebrate an unforgettable chapter in our lives, reconnect with each other and relive so many amazing memories.
“To be sharing the stage with Liberty X makes this celebration even more special, and it feels like the perfect way to mark such an incredible milestone.
“We are so excited to be celebrating with everyone and honestly can’t wait to reconnect with the Hear’say fans. To relive those amazing memories together and create some new ones along the way is going to be very special.
“We are counting down the days and can’t wait to see you there.”
Liberty X add, “It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since Popstars changed all of our lives. We are thrilled to be heading out on tour with Hear’Say to celebrate where it all began.
“It feels like the perfect way to mark such an incredible milestone, bringing the music, the memories and all the energy back to the stage.
“Most of all, we can’t wait to celebrate with all of you. Whether you’ve been with us since day one or you’re discovering these songs all over again, we can’t wait to sing, dance and make some brand new memories together. See you on tour!”
Popstars: The Originals tour with Hear’Say and Liberty X will be at the AO Arena in Manchester on 8 May 2027.
Tickets will go on sale via pre-sale from 9am on Wednesday 14 October, before remaining tickets go on general sale from 9am on Friday 16 October HERE.
Popstars: The Originals tour with Hear’Say and Liberty X – 2027 tour dates in full
Thomas Melia -
25th June 2025 
