Pop champion Lady Gaga is heading to the notable Manchester music venue, Co-op Live, for two nights of her spellbinding ‘Mayhem Ball’ this October.
Little Monsters, “It’s time to cast your spell tonight” as ‘Mother Monster’, a.k.a. 14-time Grammy-winning singing sensation, Lady Gaga, is treating us lucky lot here in Manchester to not just one but TWO theatrical performances.
This pop mastermind has soundtracked many over the past two decades, and her latest LP, Mayhem, continues this streak with the success of its enchanting and harsh-pop lead single, ‘Abracadabra.’
Gaga has cultivated a worldwide following thanks to hits like ‘Poker Face’, ‘Telephone’, ‘Bad Romance’ and ‘Die With a Smile’, which will all receive a huge reception when across the two nights at Co-op Live.
Lady Gaga is playing Co-op Live in Manchester twice on 7 and 8 October as part of her Mayhem Ball tour / Credit: Supplied
Most recently, the US vocalist found her hit ‘Bloody Mary’ trending alongside the coming-of-age Netflix series Wednesday, which led to her creating ‘The Dead Dance’ for the show’s second season.
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Now we’re ready to see our much-loved monster in the flesh
Lady Gaga at Co-op Live, Manchester – all you need to know
Lady Gaga UK tour dates
Mon 29 September – London, UK – The O2
Tue 30 September – London, UK – The O2
Thu 2 October – London, UK – The O2
Sat 4 October – London, UK – The O2
Tue 7 October – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Wed 8 October – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Lady Gaga tickets for Co-op Live gig
If you want to see this ‘Perfect Celebrity’ through your own eyes, you’ll have to act fast, as there’s only a handful of seats left to witness the star in action. Get ready to ‘Just Dance’ the night away with tickets HERE.
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After avoiding all the ‘Paparazzi’? Then why not treat yourself to exclusive tickets in one of Co-op Live’s luxury boxes on Tuesday 7 October and enjoy premium seats, a dining experience and more HERE.
‘The Mayhem Ball’ marks pop heavyweight Lady Gaga’s first time returning to Manchester in over 10 whole years (Credit: Supplied)
What are the stage times for Lady Gaga in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning that Mother Monster won’t get the opportunity to ‘Marry The Night’ – however, this does mean fans can get an early night.
There is no official support act listed for any date across her UK tour, with doors set to open from 6:30pm and no start time for the show, but her London dates did kick off around 8:30pm.
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How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
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You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
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Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Hans Zimmer at Co-op Live, Manchester – movie magic brought to life
Lonnie Bowes
What do Batman, Kung Fu Panda, and Captain Jack Sparrow all have in common? Music by Hans Zimmer, of course.
I must admit it’s an odd sight seeing 20,000 people seated in the Co-op Live. Manchester is no stranger to a big night out, but this is a different beast entirely. No mosh pits, no flying pints, no one on anyone’s shoulders. Just a full orchestra, a choir, and a wall of screens.
At the centre of it all is conductor Matt Dunkley, steering the Odessa Orchestra & Friends through some of the most recognisable music ever put to film. Zimmer appears on the big screens between pieces to introduce the music and the stories behind it. I was disappointed that Hans didn’t make an appearance but let me tell you this performance was no less impressive.
And in no time at all the gloves came off. Batman is, quite simply, incredible. All menace and muscle, strings sawing away like something is about to go very wrong, brass and percussion hitting so hard you feel it in your ribcage before you hear it.
Gladiator pulls things the other way. Where Batman pins you to your seat, this one lifts you out of it in a big way. Lets face it, if you are some what of a self respecting movie head, you’ll have seen Gladiator and know first hand how ‘Now we are free’ can command your mood. Well imagine that in person.
If the orchestra is the engine, the Nairobi Chamber Chorus is the heart. When their voices rise for The Lion King, it stops being a concert and becomes something closer to gospel.
Hans Zimmer at Co-op Live. Credit: The Manc Group
Because beneath the scale and the spectacle, there’s something more intentional at play. These pieces of music are part of people’s lives. We are talking first trips to the cinema, films watched with parents, soundtracks that got someone through a rough year.
And then there’s Interstellar. ‘No Time for Caution’ creates it own suspense. The organ churns, the tempo tightens like a ticking clock, you genuinely find yourself gripping the armrest as if you’re the one trying to dock a spinning spacecraft.
Time, from Inception, is the other side of that coin when it comes to what it emotes during the performance. It’s slow, it’s patient and it’s moving. It builds from almost nothing, layer on layer.
After all that, there’s only one way to send people home. Pirates of the Caribbean closes the night at full tilt. You think everything is drawing to end, Matt Dunkley has already guided you to the apex of nights performance, but no. Hans Zimmer flashes on to the screen one more time and alluded that’s we aren’t at the finish line just yet. Strings galloping, the whole orchestra going hell for leather. Heads nodding, feet stamping, grins everywhere.
Epic, emotional and beautifully played. This wasn’t just a concert it was a reminder: that a piece of music can take you somewhere else entirely, and that you don’t need a single lyric to make thousands of strangers feel the exact same thing at the exact same time.
Hats off to every musician on that stage. You absolutely smashed it.
Popstars icons Hear’Say and Liberty X announce huge reunion arena tour
Daisy Jackson
Iconic 00s pop groups Hear’Say and Liberty X have announced a joint reunion tour, visiting arenas right across the UK including here in Manchester.
The stars of the groundbreaking reality talent show Popstars are heading out on a 13-date arena tour, performing together for the first time ever.
As part of the tour, Hear’Say and Liberty X will be performing at the AO Arena in Manchester, along with venues in cities like Leeds, Newcastle, London, and Liverpool.
Both bands burst onto the music scene 25 years ago as the winners and runners-up of Popstars, a show which paved the way for reality TV-formed bands like One Direction, Little Mix, Girls Aloud, and JLS.
Now for the first time, Hear’Say and Liberty X are heading out on a joint tour, ‘Popstars: The Originals’.
They’ll be performing all their hits to a combined audience of more than 150,000 fans.
Reuniting on stage will be four original Hear’Say members – Danny Foster, Kym Marsh, Suzanne Shaw and Noel Sullivan.
The band went straight to number one after winning Popstars, with their smash hit Pure and Simple, while their debut album Popstars reached triple-Platinum status.
Meanwhile Liberty X will have their entire original line-up of Michelle Heaton, Jessica Taylor, Tony Lundon, Kevin Simm and Kelli Young.
They finished as runners-up but had a glittering pop music career, with hits like Just A Little, Got To Have Your Love, and Being Nobody.
Hear’Say comment: “Coming back together after 25 years is something that’s incredibly special to all of us. It’s a chance to celebrate an unforgettable chapter in our lives, reconnect with each other and relive so many amazing memories.
“To be sharing the stage with Liberty X makes this celebration even more special, and it feels like the perfect way to mark such an incredible milestone.
“We are so excited to be celebrating with everyone and honestly can’t wait to reconnect with the Hear’say fans. To relive those amazing memories together and create some new ones along the way is going to be very special.
“We are counting down the days and can’t wait to see you there.”
Liberty X add, “It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since Popstars changed all of our lives. We are thrilled to be heading out on tour with Hear’Say to celebrate where it all began.
“It feels like the perfect way to mark such an incredible milestone, bringing the music, the memories and all the energy back to the stage.
“Most of all, we can’t wait to celebrate with all of you. Whether you’ve been with us since day one or you’re discovering these songs all over again, we can’t wait to sing, dance and make some brand new memories together. See you on tour!”
Popstars: The Originals tour with Hear’Say and Liberty X will be at the AO Arena in Manchester on 8 May 2027.
Tickets will go on sale via pre-sale from 9am on Wednesday 14 October, before remaining tickets go on general sale from 9am on Friday 16 October HERE.
Popstars: The Originals tour with Hear’Say and Liberty X – 2027 tour dates in full
Thomas Melia -
3rd October 2025 
