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Lorde to play massive Manchester gig later this year as part of world tour

What was that? A tour announcement, that's what.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 8th May 2025

Lorde has announced she’s heading out on a massive world tour later this year, and of course she’s stopping off in Manchester.

The New Zealand-born singer-songwriter undeniably burst onto the music scene at the tender age of 16 with her runaway number one hit ‘Royals’ all the way back in 2013, and has been successfully cementing herself as a household name ever since.

Following her debut single, she has gone on to break several records with the releases of her first three studio albums.

She has also scooped up a handful of GRAMMYs and BRIT awards along the way.

Lorde is set to play a massive Manchester gig at the AO Arena later this year / Credit: Supplied

The 28-year-old – who is known and loved for her unconventional style of pop music and introspective songwriting – has recently delighted fans by confirming that she’ll be releasing her fourth studio album, titled Virgin, towards the end of next month, and not long after that highly-anticipated release is when you’ll be able to catch her taking to one of Manchester‘s biggest stages.

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Fans of the critically-acclaimed pop star will be able to grab tickets to see Lorde when she performs at Manchester’s AO Arena on Saturday 15 November 2025 as part of the Ultrasound Tour.

Other major UK cities she’ll be stopping off at include London, Birmingham, and Glasgow – making this a somewhat exclusive ticket to get your hands on.

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Lorde Ultrasound 2025 UK Tour Dates

  • Saturday 15 November – AO Arena (Manchester)
  • Sunday 16 November – O2 Arena (London)
  • Wednesday 19 November – OVO Hydro (Glasgow)
  • Thursday 20 November – Utilita Arena (Birmingham)

Tickets are set to go on general sale next week, following several pre-sales in the days leading up to it.

Support for Lorde’s Manchester gig is to come from equally-revered singer-songwriter and record producer, Dev Hynes – better known by his stage name, Blood Orange – who is believed to have lent several co-production credits to Lorde’s upcoming fourth studio album.

Fellow producer Jim-E Stack will also provide support in Manchester.

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Lorde will be taking to the AO Arena stage here in Manchester on Saturday 15 November, and tickets officially go on general sale next Friday 16 May at 10am.

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General sale follows two pre-sales – a Three+ Presale on Wednesday 14 May, followed by an AO Arena-specific Presale on Thursday 15 May, both going on sale again at 10am.

Find out more and get tickets when they go on sale here.

Featured Image – Thistle Brown (Supplied)

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Parklife 2025 – dates, line-up, day splits, tickets and more

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Parklife is back for 2025

Parklife is, hands down, the biggest party of the year in Manchester, luring tens of thousands of music-lovers to Heaton Park for two days of live music.

This year’s is shaping up to be the biggest in years, with huge headline slots from Charli XCX and 50 Cent, plus festival favourites like Bicep, Pawsa and Confidence Man.

With just a few weeks to go, festival-goers will be deep in their Parklife prep, whether it’s planning how to get there or what to wear all weekend.

Parklife is now releasing plenty of information about this year’s festival, including VIP upgrades, travel passes, and a few changes to the festival site, including new stages.

So we’ve rounded up a load of essential information you’ll need if you’re heading to the fields of Heaton Park.

When is Parklife 2025 and what times?

Parklife 2025 will be taking place on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 June, at Heaton Park.

Parklife gates open from midday on Saturday 14 and 1pm on Sunday 15 June. On both days the event finishes at 11pm.

Last entry to Parklife is strictly 5pm.

Who’s on the line-up for Parklife 2025?

It’s a whopping year for the Parklife line-up, pulling in two huge headliners – artist of the moment Charli XCX, and hip-hop heavyweight 50 Cent.

Next up will be performances from incredible talent like soul singer Jorja Smith, Parklife favourite Peggy Gou, Pawsa, Bicep, Overmono, Confidence Man, Hybrid Minds, Rudimental, and Chris Stussy.

There’ll also be slots for Mancs like Interplanetary Criminal, Antony Szmierek, and Morgan Seatree.

Sadly, one of the hottest names on the bill, Lola Young, has pulled out of the festival this year, but it’s still shaping up to be a massive weekend.

You can see the full Parklife line-up below.

The Parklife 2025 line-up poster

How to get tickets, and ticket prices

Tickets for Parklife are still on sale, with decent availability for most ticket types – but they’re selling fast as the festival gets nearer and nearer.

Below are the prices for the main ticket options.

  • Weekend tickets – £164.45 each
  • VIP weekend tickets – £218.90 each
  • Saturday day tickets – £95.20 each
  • VIP Saturday day tickets – £137.50 each
  • Sunday day tickets – £95.20 each
  • VIP Sunday day tickets – £137.50 each

How much is a VIP or Backstage upgrade, and what does it get you?

If you’ve already bought a ticket but want to upgrade yourself to VIP, it’s not too late (and speaking from experience, WORTH IT).

You can upgrade your whole weekend to VIP for £72.80 each, or £44.80 each for day tickets.

The Parklife VIP area has jumped across to the other side of the festival site this year and is now right in the heart of the action near the Valley Stage.

From here, you have an exclusive viewing area of the stage, plus exclusive food and drink, priority entry, VIP toilets, a hair and makeup pamper station, and plenty more.

Then there’s a new Backstage ticket type this year, which gets you on-stage access to the Hangar stage, an exclusive viewing area of the Valley Stage, a backstage bar and a chill out area – it’s £165.00 each to upgrade for the weekend.

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How to get to and from Parklife festival 2025, plus travel pass

Parklife takes place up at Heaton Park, so it’s a little way out of the city centre – but it’s a doddle to make your way up to the fields.

The festival still advises using the dedicated shuttle bus to get there and back, which is the quickest and easiest route.

The shuttle bus leaves from Lever Street in the Northern Quarter and will drop you right outside the festival site within about 30 minutes.

Alternatively, you can get a Bee Network tram to Bowker Vale or Heaton Park tram stops, and walk up to the gates.

As for getting home, buses will operate from early evening until everyone has safely left the festival site.

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Trams will operate on their normal schedule but note that Heaton Park station closes at 9pm on both evenings, so that crowds can be safely managed at Bowker Vale instead.

There’s a special Parklife Travel Pass that allows you to travel on any bus or tram service including the shuttle bus – it’s £8 per day, or £14 for the weekend, and is available on the Bee Network app.

Parklife 2025 festival map and stages

There are some big changes on site at Parklife this year – including The Parklife Stage disappearing altogether.

Now, The Valley will act as the main stage, and there are two brand new stages to check out too.

Both Matinee and Big Top will be new this year.

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Magic Sky will move a bit more centrally into the festival site, while the truly impressive Hangar stage dominates the western side of the event.

And at the top of the hill will be the small but mighty G Stage.

What you can and can’t bring to Parklife 2025

There’s strict security in place getting in and out of Heaton Park for Parklife festival, for everyone’s safety, and a long list of what you can and can’t bring with you.

You can bring your own water bottle on site with refill stations all over Parklife, but it mustn’t be larger than 500ml and can’t be metal.

You can also take sun cream as long as it’s 200ml or less and in original containers, and if the weather goes the other way, compact umbrellas are okay.

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As for the banned list, it includes obvious stuff like alcohol, drugs, knives, aerosols and flares/fireworks, as well as less obvious things like hoverboards and skateboards, hi vis jackets and selfie sticks.

Check the full list and more information HERE.

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Featured image: Jody Hartley

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A huge Irish festival with iconic music stars, markets, food and more is coming to Greater Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

A massive Irish music festival with masses of food, drink, crafts, workshops and surprises is returning to Greater Manchester this summer. 

Craic by the Creek 2025 will bring together all the best bits of the Emerald Isle for a weekend-long knees-up in a gorgeous countryside location on our doorstep in July. 

There’s a huge music line-up (with plenty more still to be announced) featuring Boyzlife, made up of Keith Duffy from Boyzone and Brian McFadden from Westlife. 

And this fun-filled Irish Music Festival is the only one of its kind offering full weekend camping, at the beautiful village of Compstall in Stockport. 

The countdown is now officially on for this unmissable celebration of Irish music, culture, and community spirit, which will take place between 18 and 20 July. 

Craic by the Creek has been hailed as the greatest Irish music festival in the UK and is back for 2025 bigger than ever.

Craic by the Creek is back in Greater Manchester. Credit: Supplied
Craic by the Creek is back in Greater Manchester. Credit: Supplied
Craic by the Creek is back in Greater Manchester. Credit: Supplied
Craic by the Creek is back in Greater Manchester. Credit: Supplied

Already announced to perform live along with Boyzlife are The Tumbling Paddies, Derek Ryan, All Folk’d Up, Johnny Brady, The Kilkennys and loads more. 

There are still more acts to be revealed in this stacked line-up. 

And it’s not just about the music at Craic by the Creek – there’s also a bustling Irish-themed craft market with handmade goods, Irish-inspired food and drink, social dance workshops, and plenty of surprises. 

Expect a weekend of tunes, traditions, community vibes and campfire craic. 

Craic by the Creek will take place between 18 and 20 July, 2025 – tickets are on sale now via Skiddle, and they’re already flying.

Read more

Featured image: Supplied

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