Noel Gallagher’s latest single, ‘Easy Now’, released earlier this week and just so happens to feature a queen, as actor Milly Alcock stars in the evocative new music video.
The 22-year-old Aussie has already appeared in various movies and TV shows across the UK, US and Australia in her relatively short career, but is undoubtedly best known for playing Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in HBO’s House of the Dragon.
Playing the younger version of the Westerosi princess turned Queen of the seven kingdoms in the Game of Thrones, Alcock is now a more recognisable face than ever
Swapping the courtly robes and fantasy palaces for a hoody, baggy jeans, an oversized jacket and a pair of trainers as she walks around a nondescript urban area, the young actor managed to say quite a lot without us ever hearing her voice.
Out today: Brand new single ‘Easy Now’ is the 2nd track to be taken from the forthcoming album ‘Council Skies’. Watch the official video, starring Milly Alcock, in full here: https://t.co/w6v80zISJvpic.twitter.com/ca2XqpnF2J
Milly Alcock plays the rebellious youth running through the streets of a miscellaneous British town.
While you might have expected co-star Olivia Cooke to be the more likely of the two fictional queens to be approached for the lead role in the iconic Manc musician’s new video now that people are finally realising that she is from Oldham, but her rebellious opposite number in the hit show is equally brilliant.
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Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds announced their fourth studio album, Council Skies, on Tuesday, 17 January and, as you can see, this visualization for this lead single is very much about building from that title.
Based on the title of a book by illustrator and friend Pete McKee, the new record is said to showcase Gallagher reminiscing about what it was like growing up in Manchester. Born in Longsight and raised in Burnage, the council estates of Greater Manchester were all he and brother Liam ever knew.
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While Oasis ultimately moved down to London whilst riding the wave of success and the Britpop era, this album is seemingly about tapping into those northern, working-class surroundings that so many of us are familiar with. The album cover also pays tribute to his beloved Manchester City Football Club:
Speaking in a statement, the 55-year-old said of the project: “It’s going back to the beginning. Daydreaming, looking up at the sky and wondering about what life could be… that’s as true to me now as it was in the early ‘90s. When I was growing up in poverty and unemployment, music took me out of that.”
It only takes you hearing a few of the lyrics to get a taste of the themes undercutting the track and, presumably, the album as a whole: the aspirations of youth, looking to escape the monotony of everyday normality and so on.
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Elsewhere, while Gallagher is obviously fully focused on the new album and the inevitable tour to follow, he was recently asked about that old chestnut: ‘are Oasis ever getting back together?’
However, his answer was a lot more suggestive than usual.
We’re not holding our breath just yet but this is a step in the right direction. 🤞
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ new album, Council Skies, drops on 2 June, 2023 and you can watch the full video for the first official single, ‘Easy Now’, down below.
As is often the case with Noel, it’s an absolutely beautiful track and Milly Alcock gives a powerful performance.
Manchester’s very own Interplanetary Criminal announces major headline Warehouse Project show
Daisy Jackson
Interplanetary Criminal will play a major headline show this autumn, taking the stage at Warehouse Project in his hometown.
Manchester’s very own rising star producer, who has been a driving force behind the global resurgence of UK garage, will play his biggest headline show to date.
Interplanetary Criminal will be joined by a huge line-up that includes ANZ, Joy Orbison, Jyoty, HAAi, and more.
He’ll be returning to his home city for a Warehouse Project gig on Saturday 10 October – his only Manchester appearance of the year.
As well as taking over the illustrious Depot Mayfield, including Depot, Concourse and Archive stages, there’ll be a special WHP Records takeover at the iconic Star & Garter pub too.
Manchester’s very own Interplanetary Criminal announces major headline Warehouse Project show
The line-up has been curated by Interplanetary Criminal himself and spans house, garage, techno and beyond, with a series of surprise B2Bs in the works too.
There’ll be key names on the bill like ANZ, Joy Orbison, Jyoty, DJ Seinfeld, HAAi and Skin On Skin, alongside a deep roster of emerging and established talent.
Pre-sale tickets for Interplanetary Criminal at Warehouse Project in Manchester go on sale from 10am on Thursday 30 April, priced at £35 plus booking fees – you can sign up HERE.
General sale is from 10am on Friday 1 May.
Interplanetary Criminal at Warehouse Project A-Z line-up
All-girl K-pop powerhouse aespa book MASSIVE Manchester arena show
Danny Jones
All-girl K-pop group, ‘aespa’, are coming to Manchester for some of their largest performances to date as part of a new global tour.
If you know anything about the K-pop scene, you’ll know that most acts are even bigger than you could ever imagine.
Manchester has gained a steady supply of gigs from artists within the genre over the past year or so, and now aespa are the latest to book the AO Arena for a headline show.
Rest assured, these tickets will fly…
aespa SYNK : COMPLæXITY
Catch the LIVE TOUR in Manchester at @AOArena on Thu 14th January 2027!
Register by [Wed 29 Apr at 6AM PT / 8PM CT / 9AM ET] for access to the artist presale: https://t.co/JuWFFMCE8Q
Dubbed the ‘SYNK : Complæxity World Tour’, this follows on from their last live iteration, ‘æXIS LINE’ shows, which began back in August 2025 and, technically, have only just ended this April.
As per an official press release, “Produced by Live Nation, the tour will bring aespa’s acclaimed live production and immersive performance experience to arenas across Asia, North America, Latin America, the UK, and Europe.”
There are actually just two shows in the entirety of Britain (the other being down in the capital), and Manchester has the good fortune of kicking off not only being the first of both, but the inaugural date of the entire European leg.
Consider us honoured.
Made up of a talented quartet – Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning, the rising South Korean stars – this female-led phenomenon is arguably one of the fastest rising acts in the world of K-pop.
Having now been to a couple of these shows for ourselves, we’re starting to understand that these artists might have some of the most passionate followings on the planet.
Kicking off the latest run of performances back in their home country’s capital of Seoul, they’ll hit multiple continents before wrapping things up in Paris.
aespa EU tour dates 2027
14 January – AO Arena, Manchester
16 Jan – London
19 Jan – Amsterdam
22 Jan – Stockholm
24 Jan – Copenhagen
26 Jan – Berlin
29 Jan – Milan
31 Jan – Barcelona
2 February – Paris
If you’re a fan or are interested in throwing your hat in the ring for a first K-pop gig experience, you can register by signing up for their exclusive pre-sale window.
As for general admission, tickets to see aespa at the AO Arena in Manchester will go live at 3pm on Wednesday, 6 May; you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
Danny Jones -
19th January 2023 
