Parklife 2023 is nearly here and if there’s one thing we know about this staple of the British summer and festival season it’s that it never disappoints.
There’s once again an absolutely massive line-up heading to the fields of Heaton Park, including headline slots from Fred Again, Aitch and The 1975.
The sun and warm weather seems to have arrived in the nick of time too, with what looks like a sunny, mud-free Parklife on the way.
If you can believe it, it’s been 13 years since the first-ever Parklife was held and since then it’s gone on to be not only a Manc music institution and rite of passage, but one of the most famous festivals around the world – we’re just lucky it happens to be right on our doorstep.
With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about Parklife 2023, from who’s playing and where to how you’ll be getting there and back.
As you can see, Parklife punters are in for an absolute stormer this year, with the organisers bringing along some of the biggest names across various different genres.
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With headliners and local lads Aitch and The 1975 topping the bill, the bar is already pretty high, but with the likes of Fred again…, Little Simz, The Prodigy; Anderson .Paak, Nas, Self-Esteem; Skrillex, Annie Mac and even the Wu-Tang Clan all rocking up over the weekend, it really is going to be unforgettable.
We could literally go on forever when it comes to who we’re excited to see at Heaton Park this year – Peggy Gou, Charlotte De Witte, DJ Seinfeld, Patrick Topping and so on – but part of the challenge is always going to be sorting out your clashes.
If any of you ever figure out the magical power of being able to be in two places at once let us know but until then, here’s which Parklife artists will be appearing on which stages for 2023.
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Parklife 2023 festival site map
Parklife takes over a corner of Heaton Park, just to the north of Manchester itself.
With so many stages and street food and parties scattered around the festival site, it’s good to get your bearings beforehand.
And Parklife has just dropped its festival site map for 2023, which you can see below.
Who’s playing when and where?
Since moving from its original home at Platt Fields (2010-2013), Parklife Festival now stretches across several stages, many of which are exclusive only to Saturday/Sunday.
There is, of course, the self-titled main stage, as well as The Valley, The Hangar and The Temple – all of which span across both days.
It won’t surprise you to learn that there aren’t a lot of Parklife tickets left for 2023, with all Saturday and full weekend passes now sold out and only travel packages really available.
However, that isn’t to say there aren’t any: there a still a handful of tickets left for the Sunday, with general admission costing you £92.95 including the booking fee.
There are also VIP passes still going for £123.65 with upgrades also available for Saturday too if you’re feeling fancy. After all, summer is getting into full swing and it’ll have just been payday (hopefully), treat yourself – or don’t know, we’re not the boss of you.
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Travelling to and from Parklife
Speaking of travel, knowing how you’re going to get to and from Heaton Park is also something you should plan ahead for rather than just wing it on the day.
Luckily, Parklife’s famous Big Green Coaches will be running as per usual, all of which will be carbon neutral, will only set you back a £10 deposit and are running from all over the country.
As for public transport, the Parklife shuttle buses and regular TfGM bus services will all running across the weekend and into the early hours of each night to make sure everyone gets home safely.
The dreaded Metrolink strike has now been called off, so you can also use the tram to get up to Heaton Park – just hop off the Bury-bound tram at either Heaton Park or Bowker Vale.
For the shuttle bus, you can board it from the corner of Aytoun Street and Minshull Street (M1 2DD) near Piccadilly train station, with the drop-off site right inside the festival. For any further information, check out the travel portal on the Parklife website.
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The Parklife travel pass is £10 for the whole weekend and can be used on trams or the shuttle buses.
Last but not least, there’s not much point in turning up to the festival without your wristband. Here are the three official locations to have your Parklife 2023 tickets verified and receive your wristband.
Open on Saturday 11 June and Sunday 12 June.
Minshull Street (next to the shuttle bus departure point) from 9.30am-4.00pm.
Cathedral Gardens (in front of the National Football Museum) from 10am-4.00pm.
St Peter’s Square (outside of Manchester Central Library) from 10am-4.00pm.
As always, we’d also remind you to steer clear of ticket touts – not worth spoiling your weekend by being stung.
Parklife 2023 is set to be an absolute stormer and with the weather looking to be holding up too, all the stars are aligning as punters prepare to descend on Manchester.
It’s a great weekend for the region and for the UK music scene, let alone Greater Manchester, and we can’t wait. You’ll see a few faces from The Manc going along too, so feel free to come up to us and say hello – we don’t bite.
Last but not least, look after each other out there and, above all else, enjoy yourselves. Roll on June 10!
Phoebe Bridgers announces long-awaited return with HUGE phones-free arena gig in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
It’s official, Phoebe Bridgers is back on earth.
More than six years since her last studio album, Punisher, was released to the world, cementing her status as one of indie folk’s leading figureheads, Phoebe Bridgers has given fans the news they have been waiting so patiently for.
A new tour North America and EU tour is on the horizon, and she’ll be stopping off here in Manchesterlater this year for a huge arena gig.
Following a sold-out acoustic show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden last night (4 June), Phoebe has now revealed details of ‘The Lost Tour’ for 2026.
Other than the series of surprise pop-up acoustic shows that have wrapped around the country over the last few weeks – beginning in Roswell in New Mexico on 8 May, and continuing on to smaller venues in other US cities before culminating in last night’s dazzling MSG show – this upcoming full band tour marks the first Phoebe Bridgers shows since early 2023.
Phoebe will be taking to the stage at Co-op Live here in Manchester for one night only on 26 November 2026 – with tickets going on sale next week.
And just like the pop-up shows, the use of mobile phones, cameras, and other recording devices will be strictly prohibited on this tour, encouraging fans to be more present in the moment.
This means the Co-op Live event will utilise secure pouches to store all devices during the performance.
Phoebe Bridgers is playing a huge arena gig in Manchester on her UK tour later this year / Credit: Supplied | Raph PH (Wikimedia Commons)
Upon arrival, all phones, smartwatches, and related accessories will be secured in these pouches, the pouches will be unlocked at the conclusion of the show, and any guest observed using a non-permitted device during the performance will be escorted out of the venue.
If the news of Phoebe’s return wasn’t exciting enough for fans as it is, she won’t be the only one making a highly-anticipated return to the stage, as support on the UK & EU leg of the tour is to be provided by former Black Country, New Road frontman, Isaac Wood.
Wood stepped away from the ensemble band – and the limelight as a whole – right before the release of BCNR’s critically acclaimed second studio album, Ants From Up There, in 2022, citing mental health reasons.
Phoebe has also partnered with PLUS1 so that €1/£1 from every ticket sold on the European tour leg goes to local organisations throughout the EU/UK working to support those impacted by sexual assault and violence.
Phoebe Bridgers will be playing Co-op Live as part of ‘The Lost Tour’ on Thursday 26 November 2026.
Tickets officially go on sale first through the Phoebe Bridgers Pass Presale via Fan3, and Co-op Member Presale starting at 10am on Wednesday 10 June, before general sale then begins on Friday 12 June, again at 10am.
UB40 at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
British-based reggae band UB40 are coming to Manchester for a celebration of all their greatest hits live at AO Arena.
Formed in Birmingham in the late 70’s, this predominantly dub and reggae band has gone on to achieve much success, including 50 UK charting singles.
UB40 have also sold over 100 million records, as well as keeping a consistent line-up for almost 30 years, before lead vocalist Ali Campbell decided to leave the band.
Now, the band’s lead vocalist is former Kioko lead singer Matt Doyle, who’s taken on this role since mid-2021 and is ready to soundtrack your night while you enjoy some ‘Red Red Wine’.
There’s no official setlist confirmed for their latest tour, however, this 11-piece band have played an array of European dates with a pretty consistent roster of tracks:
Here I Am (Come and Take Me)
Maybe Tomorrow
Homely Girl
Sing Our Own Song
One in Ten
Home
Please Don’t Make Me Cry
Many Rivers to Cross
Higher Ground
The Way You Do the Things You Do
I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
Cherry Oh Baby
Johnny Too Bad
Red Red Wine
Food For Thought
Forever True
Kingston Town
Can’t Help Falling in Love
What are the stage times for UB40 in Manchester?
Anyone up for seeing UB40 play out at Manchester’s impressive 19,000-seater AO Arena will have to get there a tad early.
Doors will open at 6pm with a gig start time of 6:45pm due to the special guests who will be taking to the stage before them.
Make sure you get down early, as you really won’t want to miss the phenomenal duo Aswad, as well as standout vocalist Maxi Priest – It really is a reggae revolution.
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
Danny Jones -
28th May 2023 
