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80s icons Duran Duran are hosting a special Halloween gig at a massive Manchester venue

Consider us 'Hungry Like the Werewolf' for this one.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 23rd June 2025

British pop-rock legends Duran Duran are heading back to Manchester, but not just for any old gig: they’re hosting a huge Halloween special at the city’s biggest arena.

The ‘Rio’ and ‘Girls on Film’ singers are still going strong nearly five decades on, and after releasing their 16th studio album, Danse Macabre, back in October 2023, the boys have been in a somewhat gothic mood for a hot minute now.

With that in mind, the Brummy boys are sticking in that lane for a little while longer, deciding to set up an All Hallow’s Eve night just a couple of years on from the LP’s release.

Better yet, they’ve managed to book no less than the bloody Co-op Live for it too. Massive.

Encouraging all those coming along to show up in the finest fancy dress and get in the holiday spirit, the show is taking place on Halloween itself, so that’s your plans for this year sorted already.

As per an official press release, “fans can expect a one-night-only exclusive Halloween set filled with the essential hits, alongside rarely-played songs from the Duran Duran crypt.”

The first of what is now a “highly anticipated annual tradition”, ‘The Danse Macabre Halloween Party’ first began at a fabled October 31st gig at the Wynn Theatre in Las Vegas in 2022.

With that night now immortalised across 13 songs on the eponymous cult favourite record, which features new tracks, themed covers, as well as dark reimaginings of Duran Duran classics, Manchester is set for its first state of the experience.

At the risk of overusing a very easy pun, it does sound spook-tacular. Sorry not sorry.

We’re absolutely here for this era of Duran Duran.

Once again, Duran Duran make their way to Manchester’s Co-op Live arena on Friday, 31 October, setting fans up for a perfect Halloween 2025 weekend.

VIP pre-sale for official Co-op members begins this Wednesday, 25 June from 8am onwards, with general admission tickets going live to the public at 10am the following Friday (27 Jun).

You can get ready to grab your tickets HERE.

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

Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)

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From drone shows to free ice lollies – what went down at Parklife 2025

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson What went down at Parklife 2025

It’s been a few days since Parklife 2025 wrapped up, and now that we’ve all caught up on sleep we’re looking back on some of the highlights you might’ve missed. 

With such a stacked line-up of live music, it would be impossible to have seen everything – from that sizzling final set from Charli XCX to Morgan Seatree’s emotional hometown show, plus viral sensation Interplanetary Criminal filling Matinee and D.O.D. getting the whole Big Top dancing. 

One moment that you couldn’t possibly have missed if you were on the ground at Parklife festival was a surprise drone show which dazzled overhead on Saturday night. 

As rap legend 50 Cent wrapped up his huge headline set on The Valley stage, and The Hangar came alive to the sound of Pawsa, fans got an extra special treat way up in the skies. 

Hundreds of drones came together in an impressive, illuminated aerial display, starting with a 10-second countdown that stopped festival-goers in their tracks. 

The drones then flew in formation to create iconic shapes like a yellow JD Sports duffle bag, an adidas shoebox, and the shape of a slowly-rotating Climacool trainer – and what a trainer it is. 

The adidas drone show on Saturday night
The adidas drone show on Saturday night
adidas handed out Climacool-branded lollies and slushies
adidas handed out Climacool-branded lollies and slushies
50 Cent on The Valley stage
50 Cent on The Valley stage
adidas handed out Climacool-branded lollies and slushies
adidas handed out Climacool-branded lollies and slushies

That wasn’t the only bit of attention the Climacool footwear got at Parklife either – thankful fans were treated to free Climacool branded ice lollies and slushies on their way into the festival on Saturday. 

As the sun beat down on Heaton Park (bar the odd brief downpour, classic Manchester), adidas and JD Sports arrived in an ice cream truck with the coolest drop at the festival. 

There was a helping hand from social media sensation Yombo to hype up the crowd before the festival had even got started. 

The Climacool has a textile lining and upper work, with a perforated midsole to allow airflow and keep your feet fresh – perfect for any city adventure (and pretty perfect for a day at Parklife, we discovered). 

If the Climacool trainers have caught your eye – either in the sky, at the Climacool ice cream truck, or on social media – then the good news is you can now shop them for yourselves.

They’re now live to shop at JD Sports HERE.

Read more: Every bit of live entertainment coming to Haydock Park Racecourse this season

Featured image: The Manc Group

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First Look: Fitzpatrick’s – Stockport’s new Irish Bar gets off to a stunning start

Danny Jones Danny Jones Fitzpatrick's new Irish bar and grill opening Stockport

Stockport has a brand new Irish bar as the growing Greater Manchester trend continues, with Fitzpatrick’s officially debuting to the public on Thursday, 19 June.

Taking over the former Bask site just outside the train station, Fitzpatrick’s is the borough’s answer to American sports bar meets an Irish pub and grill, with live music, a wide array of food and more.

Founded by the man who now shares his name with the already lively boozer, John Fitzpatrick – a.k.a. local producer, musician and DJ, Jon Fitz – the venue has big shoes to fill following its predecessor, but is already off to a very strong start.

We had the privilege of walking in on opening day, and the place was absolutely packed to the rafters from the off, and we didn’t even stay until the end. More fool us…

As you can see, it hasn’t taken them any time at all to get an atmosphere going; good weather on their inaugural day, but the free-flowing beer, classic pub food flying out of the kitchen, and musicians reeling off classic Irish folk music did most of the heavy lifting.

Plus, that beer garden and covered outdoor terrace area are pretty perfect in any weather, to be fair.

The scran on their maiden evening mainly consisted of pizza, chips and other easy-to-serve-up plates as they gradually ease into the first week or so of service, but with a full menu of burgers, pies, breakfasts and even Sunday roasts to come, we’re very excited to try the full gamut.

Regardless, the staff were pulling pints like pros, John himself had plenty of involvement greeting people and getting behind the bar, and the atmosphere was buzzing from minute one.

ln fact, that was arguably the best part about it all: there was that genuine feeling of a new community cornerstone being born, with the well-known Stopfordian reeling off names and recognising what seemed like almost every face that walked through the door.

You don’t get that everywhere.

A lay of the land at Fitzpatrick’s Stockport. (Credit: The Manc Eats)

Although this was their first proper day of trading, they had already gauged the kind of crowds they could expect by soft launching with friends and family last week.

That being said, as mentioned, there was a real tight-knit, community feel to the place, full of County kits, young families and older couples alike, all of whom seemed to be dovetailing together as if the pub had always been around.

SK is often dubbed one of those places where everyone kind of knows everyone, even despite how big the town is as a whole, and this definitely felt like proof of that perception.

There was even close-up magic from Stockport’s famous ‘Fingerless Magician’, Dean Lahan, who famously featured on Britain’s Got Talent and even featured for Team GB’s Para Ice Hockey squad.

Of course, there is some familiarity with the space having previously been Bask, but the location of the stage, a newly decked out bar and the large jumbo-tron style TV set-up for live sport in the centre of the room (providing prime viewing from virtually all angles) have made a big difference.

Based solely on the hordes of people that piled into the place the second the doors opened, we can’t wait to see what the gaff is like once it’s in so-called ‘full swing’. John and his team might just be on to something big here.

Speaking to The Manc, he said: “As a local lad, I wanted to put something into the space that reflects a lot of my history and culture. Music, food, sport and a great atmosphere are all things I love, so I wanted to reflect that in this gorgeous space.”

Open 4-11 from Tuesday to Thursday, 2pm until late on Fridays, and the same only from 1pm at weekends, we can imagine Stockport punters are about to be spending a lot of time in Fitzpatrick’s.

(Credit: The Manc Group)

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Featured Images – The Manc Group

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