It’s rare that we get to speak in superlatives like this but arguably the biggest rock band on the planet is coming to Manchester this week; that’s right, the Foo Fighters are back in town.
Undoubtedly one of the biggest names to ever do it, it’s been six years whole years since the Foos last came to 0161 and nearly a decade since they last played the Old Trafford cricket ground, delivering one of the most legendary sets this city has ever seen.
Having released their most recent record, Here We Are (Foo Fighters’ 11th studio album and the first since the tragic loss of Taylor Hawkins) around this time last year, we’re looking forward to hearing all their latest hits live for the first time – as well as all the bangers, of course.
Let’s be honest, they’re pretty much all bangers, that’s why they sell out massive arena tours all over the world. Anyway, enough prattling on, here’s everything you need to know about Foo Fighters’ return to Manchester and Emirates Old Trafford.
We’ll be straight with you, it’s very slim pickings.
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Unsurprisingly, you’re only hope of grabbing a ticket to see Foo Fighters here in Manchester is by opting for a resale, with tickets for the main standing pitch starting from £92 on Thursday, 13 June (before fees) and what seats there are left strictly in the Platinum section. Things look even pricier for the Saturday.
We’re talking £172.50 upwards but if money’s no object and you want to spring from a fully decked-out hospitality experience, then by all means, go right ahead.
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You can see what limited availability there is left HERE and obviously, be sure to keep your eye out via trusted resellers like TicketSwap and Twickets but we urge you to avoid illegal ticket touts at all costs.
Who is supporting Foo Fighters in Manchester?
Well, the answer to this question all depends on which night you’re going along to.
For those with tickets to see the first Foo Fighters show on the Thursday, you’ll be treated to the stylings of breakout British stars Wet Leg, as well as fellow rising indie-rock and funky post-punk stars Loose Articles, from none other than right here in Manchester.
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However, if you’re heading to the weekend show on Saturday, 15 June, you’ve got a different pair of support acts in store, as Aussie singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett and Welsh alt-rock trio Chroma will be serving as warm-ups for the main event.
Either way, you’re going to have a hell of a show on your hands.
As for when you can expect all of these lovely acts to take the stage, obviously set times are always subject to change but here is everything we know so far.
It’s a much earlier start than most gigs – at least on Thursday, anyway – with gates opening from 4pm and Manc outfit Loose Articles getting things started at 5:25pm and due to finish just before 6pm.
Wet Leg are then set to follow up with the main support set at 6:15pm and playing until 7pm. From there, you’ll have a half-hour interval to grab yourself a drink, nip to the loo etc. before Dave Grohl and co. start their headline set at 7:30pm.
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The curfew is set to 10.30pm, leaving you plenty of time to get home, and although the times haven’t been officially rolled out for Saturday, you can expect something roughly similar.
Setlist
Now, we just so happen to be the first stop on the UK leg of their ‘Everything or Nothing’ at All tour, so we can only go off the most recent run of shows over in the US when looking at what the boys are going to play later this week.
Fortunately, the folks over at trusty old Setlist.fm have done exactly that to compile an average setlist for Foo Fighters’ double bill at Manchester’s Old Trafford Cricket Ground. Subject to change, as always, but here’s what you can roughly expect.
All My Life
No Son of Mine
Rescued
The Pretender
Times Like These
La Dee Da
Breakout
Medicine at Midnight
Walk
Guitar Solo / Sabotage / Keyboard Solo / Blitzkrieg Bop / Whip It / March of the Pigs
The Sky Is a Neighborhood
Learn to Fly
Arlandria
These Days
Shame Shame
Monkey Wrench
The Glass
Aurora
Best of You
Everlong
Encore:
The Teacher
Foo Fighters have made no secret about their love of Manchester crowds and our music heritage. (Credit: Scarlet Page)
Travel info
Getting there by tram
There are a number of stops within easy walking distance of the ground:
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Old Trafford (Bury/Altrincham lines) – located next to the stadium
Trafford Bar (Altrincham/East Didsbury/Manchester Airport lines) – 10-minute walk.
Along Chester Road/Trafford Bar – a 20-minute walk from the venue
X50 – Piccadilly Gardens – Old Trafford – Trafford Park – Worsley
250– Piccadilly Gardens – Trafford Park – The Trafford Centre
You can see a full interactive map for public transport down below.
Getting there car/parking
According to TfGM, congestion on the roads close to the ground is due to build around two hours before the event, with hotspots towards the ground from junction seven of the M60 (Chester Road), and the Mancunian Way if you are travelling from the city centre, as well as Trafford Park and the Trafford Centre.
If you need to travel by car to the Emirates Old Trafford, we advise you to plan your journey in advance, official parking is available at the venue with entry gates located on both Talbot Road and Great Stone Road, with ‘Pay on Foot’ machines installed at official car parks.
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It goes without saying that you need to ensure you’re parking responsibly during the events so that other road users and local residents can also use the highways in and around the ground.
And that should be just about all you need to know about the Foo Fighters two dates at Old Trafford this week – we cannot wait to see all the footage popping up on socials.
We know it’s going to be an emotional couple of nights as this is the first time Manc crowds will be seeing the rock legends take the stage without Taylor, but you already know we’re going to sing our hearts out.
Go and make it a special one, Manchester.
Featured Images — Andi K. Taylor (supplied)/The Manc Group
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Olly Murs at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more
Thomas Melia
The ‘Troublemaker’ himself Olly Murs is ready to cause some more chaos, and this time he’s returning to Manchester with throwback boyband, Blue.
X Factor and British star Olly Murs is embarking on his latest UK arena tour, which feels more like lads on tour with a helping hand from UK boyband, Blue.
Back in the late noughties, it was hard to escape the blazer-wearing, trilby-wearing popstar as he was dropping back-to-back bangers like ‘Heart Skips a Beat’ and doo-wop inspired ‘Dance With Me Tonight’.
Now, this cheeky chappy is embarking on the ’15 Years Of Hits – Live 2025′ tour, where he’ll be belting out all those classics as well as some more recent tunes too.
Olly Murs is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester this week.Credit: Marcos Moreno via Wikimedia Commons
Are there tickets left for Olly Murs’ Co-op Live gig?
There are just a few tickets left for Olly Murs at Co-op Live, so make sure you bag yours before your ‘Heart Skips a Beat’.
To see a range of tickets and prices in all sections of this impressive new entertainment venue, Co-op Live, tickets can be found HERE.
Plus, even if you miss out on the Co-op Live, we wouldn’t worry too much, because the British popstar is also coming to AO Arena later this month near the end of his tour with tickets HERE.
Olly Murs 2025 tour – ’15 Years Of Hits’ setlist
This Essex chap might have a solid setlist which he follows night in and night out, but he’s no stranger to being a bit ‘Unpredictable’ – I mean, he’s bringing a flamethrower on stage…
After being on our screens and airwaves for almost two decades, it’s no surprise that this setlist is lengthy, totalling at just over 20 songs, give or take the 80s medley weaved into the mix.
Who doesn’t love a bit of ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ paired alongside Murs’ stacked setlist?
Troublemaker
Right Place Right Time
Please Don’t Let Me Go
Thinking of Me
Oh My Goodness
Heart Skips a Beat
Kiss Me
Army of Two
Hand on Heart
Up
Die of a Broken Heart / I Found Her / Dancing on Cars / I Hate You When You’re Drunk (Marry Me Medley)
Seasons
You Don’t Know Love
I’m Your Man / Never Gonna Give You Up / Livin’ On a Prayer / Beat It / Careless Whisper / I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) / I’m So Excited (80s Medley)
Dear Darlin’
Years & Years
Never Been Better
Wrapped Up
Save Me
Dance With Me Tonight
What are the stage times for Olly Murs in Manchester?
Olly Murs sporting his usual blazer and top-hat style back in 2013.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning concertgoers can be ‘Wrapped Up’ in the Essex popstar’s hits without having to worry about getting home too late. It’s a school night after all!
Doors for Olly Murs’ ‘15 Years Of Hits – Live 2025’ are scheduled for 6:30pm, with a kick-off time of 7:30pm and support from 2000s UK boyband, Blue.
The BRIT Award winners, Eurovision-performing and one-time chart toppers, are back together once again and about to take us back to pop school as we re-learn the words to boyband textbook classics, including ‘All Rise’, Best in Me’, ‘Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word’ and more.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, fortunately, it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre; they run until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there are limited parking spaces available at the venue but these must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are also designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
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. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Featured Images — Mark Hayman/ Edward Cooke/Marcos Moreno(supplied)
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A music festival is coming to a Manchester skate park
Danny Jones
With the sun starting to shine more consistently and the music festival season well and truly on its way, we’ll admit we weren’t expecting to see an event taking place on a Manchester skate park, of all places.
Projekts Skatepark, the long-standing skating hub and cultural hotspot located under Macunian Way, is set to host the fourth edition of the unapologetically named ‘Metlchester’.
Starting out life as little more than a small Oldham Street takeover, the city centre festival is returning for this year, bringing plenty of alternative music, skate vibes, bevs and more.
You can see the lineup confirmed so far down below:
The 2025 edition of the festival, a.k.a. ‘Metlchester Vol. 4’, is taking place later this month.
Projekts has been catering to local boarders for the past two decades, and along with their on-site cafe and bar, the space has been put to use for several other special events – case and point, Meltchester Festival, which first started back in 2022.
Bringing a healthy dose of garage rock, post-punk and psych music to NQ from the outset, now it’s expanded, you can expect even more variety when it comes to genre this time around, as well as a well-stocked in-house bar and street food stalls.
Oh yeah, and of course there’ll be the usual merch and skate shop for you to browse.
As for the aforementioned tunes, while last year’s festival was headlined by Night Beats and Frankie & The Witch Fingers, topping the bill this year are Snapped Ankles, along with a mix of grassroots artists, including local duo, Slap Rash, who recently featured as one of our Manc artists of the month for April.
Projekts opened back in 2004Slap RashCredit: Supplied
Set in collaboration with Sour Grapes Records, an equally longstanding regional promoter with hundreds of successful events to their name, they make up part of the Greater Manchester Music Commission.
Serving up an exciting springtime event full of energy, from the skate culture to the performances themselves, this is the perfect appetiser ahead of a busy summer schedule as we approach festival season.
They also happen to be the event coordinators for local music venue Big Hands, where not only are current Sicilian traders Rizzo’s are based (also set to join the festival for the day) but where this year’s after party will be held, which is free for ticket holders, by the way.
Set to kick off from 12 noon on 17 May, with a pro skater session running until 2pm before the tunage, Metlchester sounds like a belter.
Danny Jones -
11th June 2024 
