Time to roll back the years as old-school indie favourite The Pigeon Detectives are coming back to Manchester for a special show at one of the most stunning venues in the city.
We swear, if we could find our old iPod, their tracks would still be all over it.
Coming back to another part of the North that always showed them plenty of love, The Pigeon Detectives will be playing a special ‘The Best of Tour’ in line with their latest record, Still Not Sorry.
The Manc gig comes as the Yorkshire lads announced just six UK headline sets to support the album release, but let’s be honest, they were never going to skip 0161, were they?
UK TOUR! NEW RECORD! On Sale Friday 2nd May, but get pre-sale NOW when you buy a best of record (with 3 new tracks) or t-shirt from here: https://t.co/a1q44LYbD6 see you in Autumn! pic.twitter.com/HWA9ITS9Ii
— The Pigeon Detectives (@pigeonsofficial) April 25, 2025
With only half a dozen domestic dates confirmed so far, including the likes of Manchester, a homecoming night in Leeds and up in Glasgow, this really does feel like a return that long-standing fans won’t want to miss.
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The new LP, which is a greatest hits compilation featuring the very best tracks from their discography that stretches over two decades, drops next month and we’re very ready to pump some adolescent nostalgia into our ears.
And best of all, they’ll be playing all the cult favourite Pigeon Detectives tracks at the simply stunning New Century Hall, marking just their second visit to the venue.
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Boasting the food and beer hall downstairs as the ideal pre-gig location, not to mention a sprung dancefloor and those iconic, mesmerising lights, it’s a nigh on perfect space for live music.
We’re not exaggerating when we say we’ve had some of our best gigs in recent memory here.
Speaking in a lengthier statement on social media, the boys from Rothwell wrote: “If a band is lucky (and hardworking, and fairly decent at what they do!) there comes a time in their career when they realise that the journey they started as mates messing about on guitars has culminated in a hefty bunch of songs that people actually care about and connect with!
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“At this point, the only logical next step is to take a breath, reflect back through the archives and assemble a ‘Best Of’ album. We’ve reached that point, Pigeon Heads!”
They describe the project as a collection of songs and memories that chart their career from their humble beginnings in Leeds to their “adventures around the globe”, where they have been fortunate enough to “some of the biggest stages on the planet.”
“As a band it’s always felt like we had to do things the hard way, even with an amazing set of supportive fans”, they go on to add, “but we just kept on writing songs, kept on playing gigs and kept on being The Pigeon Detectives. Us against the world. We weren’t sorry then, and we’re Still Not Sorry now!”
Maybe it’s our age showing but those last few lines alone have got us feeling all teary-eyed.
Manichester organisers confirm tribute festival will return in 2027
Danny Jones
For anyone who didn’t manage to make it to the inaugural ‘Manichester’ festival held earlier this year in memory of British music legend Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, you’ll be glad to hear that the tribute festival will be returning in 2027.
Set up in the name of the late, great Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist, the event sold out in the blink of an eye, as hordes of Mancs and more turned up to honour the local icon through live music.
Following paying their respects in the immediate aftermath, his surviving family members, peers and other figures from within the industry then held that wonderful evening, where several big names turned up to remember with live performances – and it’s official: they’re not done yet.
Writing in a lengthy caption, the brand said, “The family of Stone Roses legend Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield have thanked everyone who made Manichester at Diecast such a special day — performers, organisers, and the thousands who turned up to celebrate a true Manchester icon.”
The evidently emotional and grateful statement goes on to read: “On behalf of Gene, George & the Family — thank you to everyone who performed, contributed and attended Manichester on 30 May 2026, and for all your kind words of support.
“The response was massive — fans travelled from everywhere, demand through the roof, love for Mani louder than ever. [Local fashion label] GioGoi even said they could’ve filled Old Trafford.”
Revealing that the team of organisers have now green-lit the follow-up edition next year, they promise to deliver the same kind of magic, only “bigger, better, built properly” and with more music and people involved this time around.
They also thanked Manc-Mexican musician and creative, Alejandro Reyes Knight, for filming and editing the content on the night, adding that since he “grew up in Madchester”, there was no better person to be tasked with the job.
For anyone who was there at Diecast on the special memorial evening itself, we don’t need to tell you how special the energy was in the room.
We spent a good week or so looking back at footage following the maiden Manichester festival, as we’re sure plenty of you did, too; safe to say we’re glad we’ll have another opportunity to celebrate his life and career in the best way we know how: with plenty of tunes and singing our hearts out.
It remains to be seen whether Diecast will remain the host venue for the sophomore tribute fest, and the next date is also still yet to be fully set.
All we do know is that with such a good lineup and turnout the first time around, you can expect an excellent and equally heartfelt sequel in 2027.
You can register your interest right HERE. Wherever and whenever it is, we’ll see you there.
@the.manc Yesterday, Manchester laid one of the city's greatest music legends, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, to rest at Manchester Cathedral. 🍋 Fellow band member and life-long friend Ian Brown read out a speech as hundreds gathered outside the cathedral to pay their respects to The Stone Roses and Primal Scream bassist. Mani will be missed by many, and we send love to all his family and friends. ❤️ #manchester#mani#ianbrown#thestoneroses#stoneroses♬ original sound – The Manc
Oasis promoters drop biggest Knebworth hint yet after securing license around key date
Danny Jones
Not that we’re the type to get carried away, but we’ll confess that our curiosity, interest and general levels of anticipation have been piqued, as Oasis’ main promoters have recently renewed the license to host events at the infamous Knebworth.
My word, is this it? Like the reunion, is it ACTUALLY going to happen?…
We’re sure the raw, uncontrollable excitement will come should it be fully confirmed, but for now, all we know is that our colleagues in music media, SJM Concerts, have renewed the land in and around Knebworth Park and House for live entertainment once again.
Moreover, the company have also done so on a rather fitting date decades on from the original and legendary outdoor gigs.
As can be found on the planning application section of the North Hertfordshire Council website – the county in which the storied Britpop gigs took place – a fresh license to hold new events.
If/when the announcement happens, the already granted permission will allow for a capacity of up to 125,000 and a curfew of 3am.
We know the original Knebworth shows were beyond iconic, but let’s say this would be nailed on to be nothing short of absolutely box office.
Besides having also helped promote Oasis’ colossal Live ’25 reunion tour last summer, it’s also worth noting that they secured said license just over a week before the 30th anniversary of the pair of nights back in 1996: 10-11 August, to be specific.
The licence is said to have come into effect this past Saturday (1 Aug) and is believed to be indefinite.
What added even more fuel to the fire of these well-established rumours over the past year was when Baroness Sharon Taylor of Stevenage told the House of Lords the band would be playing FIVE whole nights at Knebworth in the future, before later clarifying that she was speaking in “hypothetical terms.”
All that being said, it’s fair to say we’ll be keeping a very keen eye on socials over the next few days, in particular, just in case.
The Manc has reached out to SJM for an official comment (surprise, surprise), but we are yet to receive a response regarding the matter.
Your silence speaks volumes, just saying.
This coming Monday, 10 August 2026, will mark the official 30th anniversary of Oasis at Knebworth 1996, and with the likes of ‘Wonderwall’ seeing a chart resurgence as the go-to England anthem at this year’s World Cup, we’re choosing to be optimistic. What about you?
Danny Jones -
25th April 2025 
