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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Tate McRae at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for ‘Miss Possessive’ tour
Thomas Melia
Canadian performer Tate McRae is bringing her viral bangers to Co-op Live, Manchester for a night of sass, synths and of course dance breaks.
The time has come to let all your ‘exes’ know, put your ‘Sports car’ in drive and get ready to ‘run for the hills’ because it’s finally time for Tate McRae to take to the Co-op Live stage in Manchester.
Now the Calgary-born talent, four albums deep and only 21 years old, is ready to perform to 23,500 Manchester fans at our city’s largest indoor entertainment venue.
Tate McRae gig guide
Tate McRae is visiting Manchester twice, 24 May and 25 June, playing Co-op Live.
Sun 22 June – Nottingham, UK – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Tue 24 June – London, UK – The O2 Arena
Thu 25 June – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Tate McRae tickets for Co-op Live gig
‘What would you do?’ if I told you that there were tickets left for Tate McRae’s Co-op Live shows in Manchester, because there just might be.
Any fans of this Canadian pop star will have to act fast because there are only a select number of precious tickets left for both of her Manchester dates.
Tickets for both Tate McRae’s shows on Saturday, 24 May and Thursday, 25 June, are selling fast and are in high demand.
What are the stage times for Tate McRae in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm meaning the Canadian performer might have her set wrapped up before the clock hits ’10:35′.
Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 8pm and support from New Zealand star BENEE, best known for soundtracking lockdown with her huge hit, ‘Supalonely’, collaborating with the likes of Gus Dapperton, Spacey Jane and more.
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know 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 and until 1:00am 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 is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are 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, 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.
Expect nothing but hits from 21 year old superstar Tate McRae when she performs at Co-op Live, Manchester.
Wolf Alice announce massive Manchester gig as part of new European tour
Danny Jones
Get ready to lose your marbles, Manchester, because Wolf Alice aren’t just back with more music and a brand new but they’re playing a massive show right here in the city centre.
The beloved British alt and indie rock outfit is one of the most talented groups of musicians to come out of the country in some time, earning countless nods for their debut LP and winning the Mercury Prize award for their sophomore outing back in 2018.
Now eyeing up album number four and having dropped a smash-hit first single, which has already been met with even more acclaim (why break the habit of a lifetime?), they’ve got us even more excited with the announcement of a huge headline date here at the AO Arena.
The Clearing for the amount of limbs in that standing section couldn’t be big enough.
Set to return to Yorkshire later this year as part of the touring cycle for their long-awaited studio comeback, The Clearing, the Wolf Alice Manchester gig is one of a select few UK arena dates confirmed, such as an equivalent over at Leeds’ first direct arena.
The four-piece, fronted by Ellie Roswell, will also be playing a handful of intimate domestic shows.
Due for release on August 29, 2025, we already know the next project is going to be another brilliant entry by the multi-BRIT and NME Award winners.
Written in their native district of Seven Sisters in North London and recorded in LA with Grammy-winning producer Greg Kurstin, the album is being branded a “bold, emotionally rich evolution of their sound.”
“It’s a record that radiates ambition, confidence, and an unfiltered sense of self—arguably their most cohesive and timeless work to date.”
Better still, to help support the grassroots venues that helped them while coming up, £1 of every ticket from this show and other domestic arena shows on the soon-to-be fully confirmed European tour will be donated to fundraising efforts.
What do you make of their new direction?
General admission tickets for Wolf Alice at AO Arena are available on Friday, 23 May from 10am.
It goes without saying that the demand for these things will be massive, so we’d get in that online queue as quickly as possible. The support act(s) haven’t even been revealed yet either.
You can also sort yourself out with exclusive early access by signing up for the AO pre-sale window on Wednesday, 21 May at 5pm; Three Mobile members will have an earlier opportunity also from 10am earlier the same day.
Get ready to grab your tickets for Friday, 28 November HERE.
Danny Jones -
11th June 2024 
