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James Blunt announces huge Manchester gig on new European arena tour

Are his eyebrows clouds...?

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 5th September 2026

Singer-songwriter James Blunt is heading back out on tour next year, and has announced a massive Manchester gig as part of his run of arena shows.

The singer, perhaps best-known for his iconic 2005 pop ballad ‘You’re Beautiful’, is hitting the road again in 2027.

The newly-announced European tour is in celebration of his new album Airplane Mode, which is set for release this autumn.

James Blunt will kick off his tour in Leeds next spring, before heading over for a night at the almighty Co-op Live in Manchester.

Then he’ll head to more cities including Newcastle, Birmingham and London.

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His new album, Airplane Mode, is being released on 6 November and will, according to his press release, be ‘exhilarating’.

James has already released the first single, ‘Tastes Like Summer’, and ‘Weight Of It All’, with 10 more songs to come on the record.

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Airplane Mode was recorded with James’ brilliant long-standing live band, who’ll be back on tour with him next year.

Speaking of the new album, and recording in Pig Music Studios, he said: “Somewhere back there, I lost my way, but found it again in a studio in Banbury.”

James Blunt will be at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on 3 April, 2027. Tickets go on sale from 10am on 9 September.

James Blunt UK and Ireland 2027 tour dates

  • 26 March – Leeds
  • 27 March – Birmingham 
  • 28 March – Newcastle
  • 30 March – Dublin
  • 31 March – Belfast
  • 2 April – Glasgow
  • 3 April – Manchester
  • 4 April – London
  • 6 April – Cardiff
  • 7 April – Bournemouth
  • 8 April – Brighton 

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Featured image: Supplied

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Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.

Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.

Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.

On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.

Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.

After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.

The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.

This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.

Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.

After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.

Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.

It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.

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The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.

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

Featured Image: @samserved (via Instagram)

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Fontaines D.C. announce ANOTHER enormous Manchester gig in Heaton Park

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Fontaines D.C. are heading back to Manchester on their new European tour

Fontaines D.C. have just announced yet another Manchester gig – and this time, they’re heading to Heaton Park.

A run of arena gigs went on sale this morning, including a show at the AO Arena, but tickets sold out within minutes.

And now fans who missed out will have another chance to see the Irish rockers, with a run of outdoor summer gigs next year.

Fontaines D.C. will perform at Heaton Park, along with massive venues in Newcastle, Cardiff, Glasgow and London.

Their Manchester show will take over the stage at Heaton Park the weekend before next year’s Parklife festival.

The band will play Heaton Park on Saturday 3 July 2027, as part of a huge run of outdoor headline shows across the UK.

Fontaines DC announce Manchester gig at Wythenshawe Park tickets

They’ll kick off the UK leg at Blackweir Fields in Cardiff on Tuesday 29 June, before heading to Newcastle’s St James’ Park on Thursday 1 July.

After Manchester, they’ll head to Glasgow Green on Tuesday 6 July, before bringing the run to a close at London Stadium on Friday 9 July.

And if that wasn’t enough, the band will also play two huge shows at Slane Castle in Ireland on 26 and 27 June.

It’s another major milestone for Fontaines D.C., who have rapidly gone from cult favourites to one of the biggest rock bands around.

The new outdoor dates come just hours after the band sold out their entire UK arena tour, including their Manchester show at the AO Arena on Saturday 21 November.

The Heaton Park show will also see Fontaines D.C. joined by two seriously big support acts, with Little Simz and Viagra Boys set to appear at every UK outdoor date.

It’s set to be a particularly busy period for the band, who are currently gearing up to release their fifth studio album, Dopamine Chamber.

The record is due to arrive on 16 October 2026 via XL Recordings, following the release of lead single Marianne.

The album follows 2024’s critically acclaimed Romance, which reached number two in the UK Albums Chart and helped propel the band even further into the mainstream.

Fontaines D.C. have also just headlined Reading & Leeds Festival, another sign of just how far they’ve come since forming in Dublin.

And now they’re preparing to take on some of the UK’s biggest outdoor stages yet.

Fontaines D.C. 2027 UK dates in full

  • Tuesday 29 June – Blackweir Fields, Cardiff
  • Thursday 1 July – St James’ Park, Newcastle
  • Saturday 3 July – Heaton Park, Manchester
  • Tuesday 6 July – Glasgow Green, Glasgow
  • Friday 9 July – London Stadium, London

Tickets for the new outdoor dates go on presale at 10am on Tuesday 8 September, with general sale opening at 10am on Thursday 10 September HERE.

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Featured image: Publicity

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