It’s not often you get to see genuine music royalty on the big stage just a few minutes down the road, but let it be known that the Foo Fighters’ first gig in Manchester for six years was one we’ll remember for the rest of our lives.
We’re also going to go ahead and confess that this isn’t even a review, not really: consider it an ode to one of the greatest bands to ever do it and it’s only after seeing them live that we truly appreciated their status as the rock gods they’ve been for decades now.
For a long time, the Foos have felt somewhat otherworldly, almost as if they were too big for us to ever believe we were actually seeing them in person.
But pinches of disbelief aside, we did – though not before two extremely impressive support acts.
Getting to catch a glimpse of Manchester post-punk with a hint of funk band Loose Articles as we finally made our way through the queues and crowds was a delight and we’re always buzzing to see local artists being given a platform by bigger acts – and it doesn’t get much bigger than Foo Fighters.
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We didn’t hear much of their live set, we’ll admit, but they’ve been on our radar for a little while now and we’re certainly going to be watching them closely as they fly the flag for our city like so many before.
Wet Leg lead singer Rhian Teasdale was also full of praise for the warm-ups. The BRITs Best New Artist and Group of the Year for 2023 had just as much of a job on their hands to keep the thousands of Mancs dancing in the slight but steady rain, but they certainly lived up to the task.
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It might not necessarily have been their crowd but moments like the scream in ‘Ur Mum’ and the undeniably catchy bop that is ‘Chaise Longue’ are never going to miss, managing to ramp up the energy a notch just in time for the Foos to take their places.
Seeing Dave Grohl walk out on stage in front of you in the flesh is a feeling we don’t think we’ll ever be quite able to describe but all we’ll say is that it was like the entire crowd inside the Emirates Old Trafford were simply welcoming home an old friend whilst simultaneously losing their minds.
Then the buggers had the audacity to start with ‘Monkey Wrench’ of all tracks, immediately getting everyone moving and rolling back the years as they slipped straight into a personal favourite, ‘Learn to Fly’ and then proceeded to play at least one track from every single album. They have 11, for context.
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lt didn’t matter what era they drew from for the setlist and it’s no exaggeration when we say banger after banger. You don’t stay around for this long without putting out quality consistently.
Hearing cult favourite tunes like ‘Generator’, ‘Statues’ and even ‘Under You’, which Grohl was left stunned by as Manchester sang it back to him word for word – despite this being only one of the few occasions he’s played it live and just the first he’s played it entirely acoustic – it was all just so special.
We were also glad to see that Foo Fighters’ first night in Manchester had all the staples of an old-school rock show too, from long guitar solos and each band member getting a nice little intro/breakout moment, and even a 10-minute long jam in the form of ‘The Teacher’.
New drummer Josh Freese was a real standout too, showcasing exactly why the band picked him to follow in such big footsteps, but we can’t lie, there was any moment more emotional than the dedication to the late Taylor Hawkins.
Insisting that all they “ever do is tell Taylor” stories and that “he loved this place”, you could see faces welling up as they proceeded to play his song, ‘Aurora’, as a giant hawk motif appeared on the back of the stage and the applause felt like it would never end.
Another highlight was hearing the chorus of ‘ohs’ as they tried to play ‘The Best Of You’ and Dave simply said, “You win motherf***ers”, having already joked that he’d like to at least try and join in with us.
Manchester crowds hearing one note and running with it as they proceed to start the singalong themselves, voices in full, will simply never get old. It was the first night of the UK tour too; we set an example for everyone else – try following that.
After a truly memorable night, we can categorically confirm that Foo Fighters are as amazing live as you think they are – probably even better. Decades into their career and even with the loss of such a key driving force in the band, it’s incredible to see their stamina and talent haven’t wavered one bit.
These are the gigs you cross off your bucket list and if you’re going along on Saturday, you won’t be disappointed; plus you can still find all the important information you need in our Foo Fighters gig guide. Trust us, you’re going to have an absolute blast.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Foo Fighters (via IG)
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James Morrison is BACK with new music and coming to a beautiful Manchester venue
Danny Jones
Noughties favourite James Morrison is back with his first new album in six years and is putting on a small handful of special shows in a select few cities to celebrate, with Manchester being one of them, and tickets are going on sale next week.
With five records to his name over the course of a career spanning more than 20 years, it may have been a while since we’ve heard his instantly recognisable and raspy vocals, but he’s making his return later this year with his sixth studio LP and this limited run of live performances.
The Rugby-born singer-songwriter, acoustic guitarist and one-time regular in the pop charts enjoyed a successful period in the 2000s, even collaborating with the likes of Nelly Furtado, Demi Lovato, Olly Murs, Kelly Clarkson and more.
Having just announced his latest project, Fight Another Day, which is scheduled for release this autumn, we’re looking forward to seeing him not just back on stage but at a truly beloved and beautiful Manc music space.
My new album ‘Fight Another Day’ is out 03/10/25, and I’ll be going on tour this September. Pre-order the album here https://t.co/1ycLwUTETo to get early access to tickets, with pre-sale starting 10am on 04/06/25. I hope you enjoy 'Fight Another Day', my first single, out today pic.twitter.com/Ud6YKziGXd
Morrison, now 40, said of his latest music: “When I leaned into how I was feeling, that’s when the songs started coming. I started writing about what I was going through. My own struggles with myself. Every day being a bit of a battle. Trying to eke the light out after what felt like darkness for ages.
“I’m really proud of the album in terms of the creative, sonic elements and how I dealt with truthful stuff. But also it’s an album of songs that hopefully make you feel better and make you nod your head and stamp your feet and singalong.”
“It just sums up what the record is. It’s about reminding yourself what’s good. About convincing yourself you’ve got enough strength to keep the fight going”, he went on to add.
Having helped co-produce the entire thing with the likes of two-time Ivor Novello winner, Eg White; Daniel Merriweather, Connor Reeves and Andy Platt (Young Gun Silver Fox), fingers crossed it’s everything fans are hoping for.
As for the gig venue itself, the ‘Broken Strings’ and ‘You Give Me Something’ singer will be coming to Manchester’s grand Bridgewater Hall in September.
A historic and truly iconic place. (Credit: The Manc Group)
With just three other shows confirmed – Birmingham, Symphony Hall on 23 September, Glasgow, SEC Armadillo (24 Sep) and a night at the London Paladium (28 Sep) – Manchester can count itself lucky to have been chosen for these intimate evenings.
As for the album itself, Fight Another Day is due to drop on 3 October and is available for pre-save/pre-order right now; those who do so will gain access to the pre-sale window, which opens at will open at 10am next Wednesday, 4 June.
General admission to see James Morrison in Manchester city centre goes live at the same time on the following Friday (6 June); you can get ready to grab your tickets HERE.
Meanwhile, for those unaware of the venue itself, find out more down below.
A brand new grunge and hard rock festival is kicking off in Manchester
Danny Jones
Manchester grungers, hardcore heads, and fans of all things rock, pay attention because there is a brand new festival coming to the city centre – and it has possibly the best name for a live music event we’ve heard in some time.
Ahem… let us introduce you to Broken Knees Fest.
Yes, donning a name that feels increasingly more relatable the closer we get to the wrong side of 30, Broken Knees Festival 2025 marks the inaugural edition of Manchester’s newest series of rock and grunge gigs, helping spotlight rising artists across the genres from within two crucial grassroots venues.
Very loud music inside tightly-packed, small-capacity rooms? It’s a winning formula that never fails. It’s about time we broke a sweat – here’s hoping the knees just about hold out.
Hosted in the heart of the Northern Quarter, which continues to thrive as a creative hub for new music and art of all forms, the festival will be debuting at small-cap favourites Gullivers and Castle Hotel just across the road.
As you can see, the lineup is full of up-and-coming talent within the guitar-driven space, but you can bank on more than a few bringing their die-hard fans to fill the place out to the rafters.
It doesn’t matter if you prefer punk, hardcore, grunge or another specific sub-genre found somewhere in between the ever-sprawling rock spectrum, there’s something to suit all alternative tastes at this one.
With the likes of Bohmen, Mavis, One Dimensional Creatures and Smother headlining the first-ever iteration of the festival across four stages, you can expect plenty of energy and even more noise.
Set up by the events group of the same name, Broken Knees Promotions, who help platform rock and alt acts across Greater Manchester and beyond year-round, this is more than just a festival: it’s a grassroots celebration through and through.
Best of all, if you’re interested, you don’t have to wait long because it’s kicking off next month.
Gigs go off in here. If you know, you know… (Credit: Audio North)
Broken Knees Fest 2025 is happening on the weekend of 21-22 June, and you’ll be glad to hear that, as a brand new event, prices have been kept nice and low.
The early bird window had prices starting from just £12, and although this tier has now sold out, day tickets are still only £15 while a full weekend pass will set you back £25.
Until then, why not dive into another load of new Manchester music? We round up artists from all genres each month; we’ll also confess to leaning slightly more towards the heavier stuff from time to time.