Audio

An old indie favourite is heading back to Manchester for a ‘Best Of Tour’ at a brilliant venue

Would you consider yourself a 'Pigeon Head'?...

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 25th April 2025

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?

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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!

ADVERTISEMENT

“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.

Read more:

The Pigeon Detectives come to New Century on Saturday, 29 November, which will be the closing night of their ‘Best Of’ run.

ADVERTISEMENT

The greatest hits album arrives on 23 May via Dance To The Radio and tickets for all other shows go on general sale next Friday, 2 May at 10am.

You can also gain access to pre-sale by pre-ordering Still Not Sorry. Get ready to grab tours HERE.

They’re not the only throwback we’re looking forward to catching this year.

Scouting For Girls announce stacked UK tour with Manchester date
Elvis ain’t dead and neither are Scouting.

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

Featured Images — Nina Zimmerman (via Flickr)/Resident Music

Audio

The Strokes at Co-op Live, Manchester – actually very hard to explain

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The Strokes at Co-op Live in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

Manchester has waited a long, long time for this – The Strokes back on stage in our city.

I’ve been a fan of the band for as long as I can remember, but have never managed to catch them live, partly because they’ve left it TWENTY YEARS between shows here.

But back they are, with an enormous gig at the Co-op Live on their Reality Awaits tour.

The Strokes are known as one of the most solid indie bands of the 2000s, going triple platinum with their debut album Is This It and releasing massive anthems like Last Nite, Reptilia, and Someday.

They’re also known as a bit of an unpredictable live act – some will say they’re one of the best on the circuit, others will say they’re disappointing, and it really can depend on the night.

What they’re not known for is their audience interaction, so when frontman Julian Casablancas tries to have a bit of a chat with the audience, we all sort of stare blankly back at him. He’s speaking to us? What do we do?

“Wow, tough crowd,” he says, which is the first time I’ve ever heard anyone describe a Manchester audience as tough.

Then he turns back to drummer Fabrizio Moretti and says: “This is f*cking hideous, let’s play some songs.”

The setlist seems to get a shake-up every couple of shows, which is a nice surprise for us – and apparently also Julian, who regularly pops over to ask his bandmates what’s up next.

It doesn’t really matter that he’s not done his homework, because the second that drum kicks in, along with the impeccable guitar work of Schiltz, Fraiture and Hammond Jr., he snaps into action.

It’s impressive that their songs still have such singalong quality when Casablancas enunciates like a man with a dislocated jaw. For certain songs he’s so incoherent that if you weren’t a fan you’d walk in this room and wonder what the f*ck was going on.

But then, that’s sort of why us The Strokes fans love them so much. There’s a calamitous beauty to the work they put out and it’s so fun to belt out some words, even if they’re not the right ones.

I was hoping that seeing it live would sell that divisive new album, Reality Awaits, to me, but it didn’t. It’s too autotuney, too languid, and too often the victim of everyone’s toilet breaks.

Their earlier tracks still land best in a live setting, especially Reptilia, an absolute juggernaut in their back catalogue.

Rollercoaster set and tricky crowd interactions aside, we all had a great time – I’m just not sure I could say the same about Julian Casablancas.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

Audio

Sam Fender describes his own ticket prices as ‘b*llocks’ and demands change for fans

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Sam Fender describes his own ticket prices as 'b*llocks' and demands change for fans

Sam Fender has kicked off about ticket prices for his own tour, ahead of his huge stadium summer next year.

The Geordie star announced his Proper Massive stadium tour last week, which will visit some of the UK’s biggest venues including The O2 in London, Etihad Stadium in Manchester, and St James’ Park in his home city of Newcastle.

But after ticket prices for the tour were announced, Sam Fender surprised us all by joining in with a moan about how expensive they were.

He described the ticketing strategy for his tour as ‘b*llocks’ and said he was ‘not happy’ with ticket prices.

And proving just how much sway an artist can have on ticket prices, Sam Fender then demanded that things be redone.

Sam first appeared in the comments on Gavin Davis’ Instagram account, which frequently shares tour leaks and ticket prices.

There, he wrote: “I’m not happy with these prices, they’re getting changed. It got inflated well more than I’d had in mind, it should only be inflated in relation to the cost of putting the show on.

“The standing will not be split as well, I had no idea about it. I have no idea how this was normalised in gigs.

“It’s bollocks and it won’t be happening on this tour.”

Then later, on his own Instagram stories, Sam Fender posted: “I’ve managed to get Front Standing tickets removed from the UK stadium tour. Whoever buys a standing ticket gets as much chance as anyone to be at the front.

“No more £120 standing tickets either.

“Costs are astronomical compared to two years ago, I can’t control the venue and ticketing fees, that’s a sad reality of today’s industry.

“This is gonna be the biggest and best show we’ve ever put on. Can’t wait to see everyone on the road next summer!”

The ticket prices for the Proper Massive tour are now confirmed by Sam Fender himself as being £85 for GA standing, and £55/£75/£95 for seats.

You can get tickets when they go on sale HERE.

Read more

Featured image: Publicity picture

More Audio

The Strokes announce first Manchester gig in two decades

Audio

The Strokes at Co-op Live, Manchester – stage times, setlist, tickets and more

Audio

Mercury Prize 2026 review: RAYE takes home the crown as Newcastle celebrates the very best in music

Alex Warren announces massive Heaton Park gig in Manchester

Audio

Alex Warren announces massive Heaton Park gig in Manchester

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches