Last night the AO arena found itself deep inside the West Coast, as Ice Cube, Cypress Hill and D12 gave Manchester the ‘High Rollers Tour experience’. The 90s and Noughties at its finest.
2000s rap heavyweights D12 opened the show for a Manchester crowd that began filling the AO Arena from the moment the doors opened.
The Detroit legends paid homage to their heyday years with Eminem performing tracks like ‘Lose Yourself’ and ‘Purple Pills’ to get the crowd rolling back the years.
Serving as a brilliant support act for headliners, they did plenty more than just warm up the once-freezing fans on a frosty night in Manchester and before we knew it, Cypress Hill stepped up to set the arena alight.
Sen Dog, B-Real, DJ Lord and Eric ‘Bobo’ Correa demonstrated exactly how and why they have stayed in the game for more than 32 years now.
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Cypress Hill’s set was packed with plenty of nostalgia. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Lord commanded the turntables with a level of skill that’s becoming more of a rarity these days, intertwining with Bobo’s unfathomably fast and rhythmic percussion, all whilst B-Real and Sen Dog worked a lively crowd to tracks like ”Dr Greenthumb’, ‘Rock Superstar’ and ‘Hits from the Bong’.
However, the real reminder of just how crazy their sets can be at times came when they dropped the iconic ‘Insane In The Brain’. Old-school lyricism, marijuana-filled graphics on the big screen and a crowd clearly breathing just as much of the ‘atmosphere’ as B-Real himself, is was like Cali had been transported to Manny.
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And then Ice Cube arrived. Chills, pun intended.
Proving to everyone in the building that he’s still got it and then some, his arrival at the Arena was his first return to the UK since 2011, and oh how he’s been missed.
Cube owned the stage; no dancers, no gimmicks — just himself and long-time partner in crime WC giving everyone a legendary recap of a legendary career all the way back to the 80s.
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Ice Cube walked into Manchester’s AO Arena like he owned the place — and he did.
From ‘Natural Born Killaz’ to ‘Why We Thugs’ and, of course, ‘Straight Outta Compton’, the duo showed precisely what an OG can really do. It felt like an honour to watch the N.W.A legend Crip-walking across the stage as a reel of film clips played behind him. The crowd were starstruck and rightly so.
One of the greatest MCs to ever do it even blessed us with arguably one of the greatest diss tracks of all time, ‘No Vaseline’, in which he kills off four rappers and a DJ — and makes sure nobody forgets. Mint.
As he asks the crowd if they want one more, he’s met with an inevitable roar of cheers and applause four times over and then, as he’s done a thousand times before, he signed off by letting everyone know that ‘It Was a Good Day’. Perfection.
It was a truly special performance for those inside the AO on Thursday night and one which we can guarantee no one will be forgetting any time soon. Still going 35 years strong, that was all about Ice Cube making a point of reminding everyone why he’s still one of the best in the game.
Fall Out Boy announce huge Manchester gig on Twilight of the Punks Tour
Lydia Mastrolonardo
The Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum rock group, Fall Out Boy, have announced a stop over in Manchester as part of the biggest global tour of their career to date.
The Twilight of the Punks 2027 tour announcement follows the release of the bands newest song ‘ACES,’ marking the end to their long-awaited return to music production.
The band began subtly hinting at a tour earlier last month, sparking excitement among fans worldwide.
‘ACES,’ produced and mixed by Neil Avron, channels the nostalgic, unmistakable energy of the band’s early days, as a nod to the sound that solidified the band within the pop-punk scene all those years ago. It also marks a particularly special time for the band as they celebrate their 25th year together.
And now Fall Out Boy are celebrating the milestone with a 15-date live tour across Europe and the UK, including a night at Co-op Live in Manchester.
That’s all before completing the tour in North America next summer, including a landmark hometown stadium performance at Chicago’s legendary Soldier Field.
Fall out Boy will be joined by special guests A Day To Remember and Neck Deep on all European dates.
For those of you that aren’t familiar – A Day To Remember are an Floridian rock band specialising in metal-core and pop-punk music.
Neck Deep are a Welsh pop-punk band that will be bringing some of their hits such as ‘Wish You Were Here’ and ‘In Bloom,’ to the stage next summer.
Fall Out Boy will perform at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Thursday 3 June 2027.
Tickets will go on presale tomorrow from 12pm midday, before general sale begins on Thursday 12 November from 12pm HERE.
Fall Out Boy UK and Ireland tour dates in full
Sunday 30 May 2027 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
Tuesday 1 June 2027 – Dublin, 3Arena
Thursday 3 June 2027 – Manchester, Co-op Live
Saturday 5 June 2027 – London, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Soopa Hooch are on the hunt for the UK’s next big DJ to support Girls Don’t Sync member at XLR
Lydia Mastrolonardo
It’s no secret that Manchester has gained a surplus of aspiring DJs in recent years – well now it’s time to put those skills to use and show the rest of the UK what Manchester is made of.
Soopa Hooch has just launched Soopa Charged Sounds, an exciting competition, aiming to uncover emerging talent across the UK, offering one lucky winner the opportunity to perform at XLR, supporting member of Girl’s Don’t Sync, Gaia Ahuja aka G33.
Not only would the winner gain the platform to showcase their skills but they would also gain a year’s supply of Soopa Hooch drinks and a home DJ set up – now have I got your attention?
Come on, it seems only right that a Mancunian should win considering the event would be hosted inside our very own iconic nightclub, XLR Manchester.
So, if it’s always your job to supply the music wherever you go, you’re the friend that never fails to know the track ID or you simply practice in the safety of your bedroom – this is your time to shine. Dust off those decks, brush up on your mixes and get applying.
Soopa Hooch, the wild, bolder cousin of the classic Hooch, is an 8% ABV sparkling vodka mix available in five different flavours – Blue Raspberry, Twisted Tropical, Electric Lemonade, Darkest Berry and Cherry Cola, providing the perfect flavour for every kind of playlist.
Sam Watson, Brand Manager at Soopa Hooch and Hooch, commented: “We know there’s a huge amount of undiscovered DJ talent out there, whether they’re creating mixes at home or already making waves in their local scene.
“We’ve launched Soopa Charged Sounds to give that talent a platform to get their skills heard, and we can’t wait to shine a light on DJs who are bringing energy to pre-drinks and parties across the country.”
Soopa Hooch are on the hunt for the UK’s next big DJ. Credit: The Manc GroupThe chosen DJ will support Girls Don’t Sync member G33 at XLR. Credit: Supplied
Think you or someone you know has what it takes? Simply create a 15-20-minute mini mix and submit it via the Soopa Hooch website to enter by Thursday 26 November 2026.
The mixes will be reviewed by a panel of experts, from regional DJ radio stations up and down the country, on the following five key criteria: creativity, originality, ability, energy and overall suitability. Five finalists will then be announced on Sunday 20 December, before the lucky winner is crowned on Thursday 28 January 2027.
The Soopa Charged Sounds winner will then swap their bedroom desks for the big stage, for a live performance at XLR nightclub, on Friday 26 February 2027.
The Manc Audio -
8th December 2023 
