Audio

Fred Again and Caribou to play intimate gig at Amber’s in Manchester

This is wild.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 17th September 2025

Fred Again, arguably the world’s most in-demand DJ and producer, has announced a super intimate gig in Manchester this week.

He’ll be joined by equally massive name Caribou for a very special night at Amber’s nightclub in the city centre.

Also performing with Fred Again will be Zuri, a resident DJ at the club.

Fred Again teased the news to his mailing list last night, saying he was ‘so happy’ to be playing in a ‘really important independent venue’.

The hugely popular producer is no stranger to a Manchester gig, having headlined Parklife in 2023 and popped up for a surprise set at Warehouse Project later the same year.

ADVERTISEMENT

That was dubbed the ‘best Warehouse Project there has ever been’ by people in the room – so the chance to see him at Amber’s is going to be pretty wild.

Fred Again sent a ticket link to fans registered in Manchester, which appear to have sold out immediately.

ADVERTISEMENT

He wrote in his mailer: “cos it’s a very small venue i really wanna make sure the tickets go to the people who are more likely to be from Manchester based on what the team see when you’ve signed up for things before. so yeah, that’s why you’re getting this first :)”

Sharing the news on his Instagram stories today, he added: “i am playing a small show at @ambers.club
in Manchester this thursday with @cariboumusic and @zuri_fernandez. a handful of tickets have been sent to the ppl we know are in manny, we did it this way jus to try and stop resellers and stuff ykno”

Fred Again added: “massive love to amber’s for making it possible. another really important independent venue i’m so happy i get to play in.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Amber’s is a no-phones nightclub that’s famed for its sound system.

Fred Again and Caribou will take to the stage at Amber’s on Thursday 18 September.

Read more

Featured image: Publicity picture

Audio

Johnny Marr teases his work on upcoming Gorillaz album

Danny Jones Danny Jones Johnny Marr features on collabs for new Gorillaz album The Mountain

Legendary Manchester musician Johnny Marr has revealed he features on the new Gorillaz album, adding even more interest in the highly anticipated release.

The Mountain is the ninth studio LP from the musical collective led by Damon Albarn, which is set to drop in early 2026, more than three years on from their last album, Cracker Island.

Although the virtual band made up of several real-life creatives (though the ex-Blur frontman and artist, Jamie Hewlett, technically remain the only two consistent core members) hasn’t been away for too long, each new project brings a wave of excitement.

With that in mind, we have no shame in admitting we have even more interest in Gorillaz’s latest album now that we know Johnny Marr is attached to it.

In the new rundown of tunes already posted earlier this month, the former Smiths songwriter and lead guitarist features on four different songs on the new record. You can see it in full down below:

Gorrilaz – The Mountain tracklist

1. The Mountain (feat. Dennis Hopper, Ajay Prasanna, Anoushka Shankar, Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash)
2. The Moon Cave (feat. Asha Puthli, Bobby Womack, Dave Jolicoeur, Jalen Ngonda and Black Thought)
3. The Happy Dictator (feat. Sparks)
4. The Hardest Thing (feat. Tony Allen)
5. Orange County (feat. Bizarrap, Kara Jackson and Anoushka Shankar)
6. The God of Lying (feat. IDLES)
7. The Empty Dream Machine (feat. Black Thought, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
8. The Manifesto (feat. Trueno and Proof)
9. The Plastic Guru (feat. Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
10. Delirium (feat. Mark E. Smith)
11. Damascus (feat. Omar Souleyman and Yasiin Bey)
12. The Shadowy Light (feat. Asha Bhosle, Gruff Rhys, Ajay Prasanna, Amaan Ali Bangash, and Ayaan Ali Bangash)
13. Casablanca (feat. Paul Simonon and Johnny Marr)
14. The Sweet Prince (feat. Ajay Prasanna, Johnny Marr and Anoushka Shankar)
15. The Sad God (feat. Black Thought, Ajay Prasanna and Anoushka Shankar)

As you can see, the 61-year-old appears for the first time on song seven, ‘The Empty Dream Machine’, as well as ‘The Plastic Guru’, ‘Casablanca’, and the penultimate track on the album, ‘The Sweet Prince’.

You might even call it a fitting title for one of Manchester’s most famous musical sons.

It’ll be interesting to see how he fits into the captivating soundscape already teased by the group, with Gorillaz having now shared ‘The Happy Dictator’ featuring art pop duo Sparks.

A strong and politically loaded start.

Marr – who only released his fourth batch of solo material, Fever Dream Pts 1-4, back in 2022 – has continued to craft and produce with countless other artists over the past few decades, sharing the studio with fellow icons such as Noel Gallagher, Billy Bragg, Talking Heads and many more.

He even helped create the score for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 soundtrack with legendary composer Hans Zimmer.

That being said, we can only hope to hear some of his famous guitar tones sprinkled throughout this album, though it’s still unclear as to exactly how much input he had on The Mountain overall.

What we do know about the album is that it’s the first to be released via Albarn’s new record label KONG; it’s 15 tracks, and was largely made following extended recording sessions across India, with the likes of Ajay Prasanna, Omar Souleyman and Anoushka Shankar, joining IDLES, Jalen Ngonda and other collabs.

Perhaps most excitingly, the announcement of ‘Gorillaz no.9’ came alongside a series of tour dates, including one right here in Manchester. We can’t wait to see 2D, Murdoc Niccals, Russel Hobbs and Noodle ‘live’ in 0161.

Gorillaz announce huge Manchester arena gig on upcoming UK and Ireland tour
It’s another big venue debut, too.

Read more:

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

Featured Images — Raph_PH (via Flickr/KONG (press shot)

Audio

The K’s book Castlefield Bowl for their biggest ever headline show

Danny Jones Danny Jones The K's Castlefield Bowl Manchester Sounds of the City 2026 tickets

High-flying indie rock outfit, The K’s, are set to play a landmark headline show right here in Manchester, as the local lads have been confirmed as the first act for Sounds of the City 2026.

The cult favourite working class heroes from down the road in Newton-le-Willows have had an incredible couple of years, climbing their way up the ranks around the North, playing bigger venues and festivals up and down the country, and now they’re on a fully-fledged European tour.

It’s been brilliant to watch their rise thus far, and we couldn’t be more buzzing to hear that they’ve booked none other than Castlefield Bowl for the single largest standalone gig of their careers to date, and you can bet The K‘s army will be out in full force.

Announced alongside another massive outdoor venue this week, the toast of Earlestown will be one of several artists set to play the Sounds of City (SOTC) concert series next year.

Confirming Castlefield Bowl alongside the magnificent Piece Hall in Halifax for summer 2026, the four-piece will make their way from Merseyside, not only down the M62 to Manchester but over to Yorkshire for what is one of the most stunning outdoor venues in the country.

These two incredible atmospheric amphitheatres are not only incredible spaces for live music, but in the case of our very own city centre stunner, Castlefield Bowl boasts a capacity of approximately 8,450 – making it comfortably The K’s biggest show yet.

Having opened for the likes of Blossoms at Live From Wythenshawe Park last year, and playing huge festival slots at the likes of Kendal Calling back in just last month, they’re no strangers to big crowds – but this will be something special.

Speaking of Kendal, we were in the field ourselves when the group got to revel in the moment of announcing their second album, Pretty On The Internet, had reached number one just in time for their main stage set.

You can watch the magical moment down below:

Official artist presale access will be available this Wednesday, 17 September from 9:30am by signing up to their mailing list, but general admission tickets for both dates will go live at 9am the following Friday (19 Sep).

You can get ready to grab yours HERE.

Once again, we can only say well done on the number one; having been there to discuss their debut record’s release while they threw plastic balls around a room, we couldn’t be more gassed to see how far they’ve come.

‘SYDTF x’

Read more:

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

Featured Images — Press shot (supplied)/Audio North

More Audio

Affiliate

Lewis Capaldi announces huge outdoor Manchester gig at Wythenshawe Park next summer

The MOBO Awards are coming to Manchester

Audio

Manchester will host the 2026 MOBO Awards, with city-wide takeover planned

Gorillaz announce huge Manchester arena gig on upcoming UK and Ireland tour

Audio

Gorillaz announce huge Manchester arena gig on upcoming UK and Ireland tour

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches