With the penultimate performance on the horizon and this year’s Sounds of the City festival drawing to a close, a pair of legendary British bands are set to see us out in style, as Manic Street Preachers and Suede prepare to play Castlefield Bowl this weekend.
Two of the most revered veterans of the UK’s alternative rock with careers spanning the best part of four decades, the Manics and Suede are up there with the biggest names to have ever played Manchester much loved outdoor arena, and this crowd will be full of people who’ve been there since day one.
With the former flying the flag for the Welsh and the latter keeping the glam side of the genre alive,
So, for any of you going along to see the Manic Street Preachers and Suede double bill at Sounds of the City 2024, here’s everything you need to know about the gig on Friday, 12 July.
Tickets for Suede and Manic Street Preachers in Manchester
Now, the question is are there tickets left for Manic Street Preachers and Suede? And the very simple answer is technically yes, but only a few and they are via resale.
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Unfortunately, when you get two big acts with a reputation and long-lasting following as loyal as these guys command, tickets tend to sell out very quickly – that’s just the way the cookie crumbles.
If you do want to spring for the resales available on Ticketmaster, they’ll cost you £77.85 each before fees and, as always, you can also keep an eye out for spares through other trusted resellers like Twickets and TicketSwap.
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Sounds of the City stage times
It looks as though Suede will play first as the two co-headliners have been taking turns when it comes to opening up for each other on this tour.
As for when you’ll see everyone taking the stage, you can expect them to take the stage around 7:25pm before Manic Street Preachers follow them at 9:15pm.
Gates to the venue itself, as they have throughout SOTC 2024, will be open from 5:30pm onwards and we all know the early birds get first crack at those seats below the canopy.
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We can’t promise you good weather but we can always guarantee a good crowd (Credit: The Manc Audio).
What tracks are they likely to play?
Speaking of previous performances, the last date also gives us a good idea of what we can expect from both bands on Friday night.
Manic Street Preachers predicted setlist for Castlefield Bowl
You Love Us
Everything Must Go
Motorcycle Emptiness
Suicide Is Painless (Theme From MASH – Johnny Mandel cover)
You Stole the Sun From My Heart
To Repel Ghosts
Little Baby Nothing (with The Anchoress)
Your Love Alone Is Not Enough (with The Anchoress)
Elvis Impersonator: Blackpool (Richey Edwards dedication)
A Design for Life
La tristesse durera (Scream to a Sigh)
Walk Me to the Bridge
Tsunami
Orwellian
From Despair to Where
No Surface All Feeling
Today (The Smashing Pumpkins cover – would this be a treat!)
If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
Again, we’re not soothsayers, so please take all of this with a pinch of salt and just trust we did our best to give you a rough average at the very least.
Castlefield Bowl (M3 4JR) is on Rice Street just down Liverpool Road which cuts off the main Deansgate strip in the city centre and you can enter Manchester’s much-loved outdoor amphitheatre via Duke or Castle Street.
It’s just a short walk from Deansgate train station or the Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop, where you’ll find regular trams running all over Greater Manchester.
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If you’re driving there, Great Northern Warehouse’s (M3 4EE) car park, as well as two other NCPs near Bridgewater Hall and on Quay Street in Spinningfields.
That should be just about all you need to know but do keep an eye out on socials for updates on the event night and we’ll do our best to keep you in the loop on our end too.
Parklife 2026 | all stage splits and stage times
Thomas Melia
One of Manchester’s biggest music festivals, Parklife, is back at Heaton Park and has just announced its stage splits for its 2026 line-up.
Parklife 2026 is just around the corner, and with some hefty headliners, it’s safe to say this year is looking absolutely stacked in terms of amazing music.
Get ready to immerse yourself in not one but two days soundtracked by some of the world’s best DJs, b2b sets, live performances and more.
This year’s a biggie too, as Scottish dance heavyweight Calvin Harris, Swedish sensation Zara Larsson, Bradford’s own Nia Archives, and London lad Skepta are just some names planning to win over the Heaton Park crowd.
So grab a paper and pen because it’s time to make a note of all the artists you’re interested in seeing and which stage they’re playing live, so you can make the most of your Parklife experience.
Parklife 2026 | Stage splits and stage times
Saturday 20 June
Skepta and Sammy Virji are headliners for Saturday 20 June at Parklife 2026 in Heaton Park / Credit: Wikimedia Commons / Alistair McVeigh (supplied)
G Stage
12pm – 1.30pm | Mya
1.30pm – 3pm | A For Alpha
3pm – 4.30pm | The Trip
4.30pm – 6pm | Kepler
6pm – 8pm | Locky b2b Phill De Janeiro b2b Benji King
8pm – 9.30pm | Locklead
9.30pm – 11pm | Jamback
Magic Sky
12pm – 1pm | North Base
1pm – 1.40pm | Catching Cairo
1.40pm – 2.30pm | Lens (w/ Dread)
2.30pm – 3.20pm | Born On Road (w/ Carasel)
3.20pm – 4.15pm | Kanine(w/ Rage)
4.15pm – 5.15pm | Wilkinson (w/ AD-APT)
5.15pm – 6.10pm | Bou (w/ B Live 247)
6.10pm – 7.10pm | Dimension
7.10pm – 8.15pm | Andy C (w/ Tonn Piper)
8.15pm – 9.10pm | Hedex (w/ Eksman)
9.10pm – 10.05pm | Mozey (w/ 2Shy)
10.05pm – 11pm | K Motionz (w/ IC3)
Matinée
12pm – 1pm | Niamh
1pm – 2pm | ATRIP
2pm – 3pm | MPH
3pm – 4pm | Oppidan
4pm – 5pm | Effy
5pm – 6.20pm | MALUGI b2b Sam Alfred
6.20pm – 7.40pm | Marlon Hoffstadt
7.40pm – 8.40pm | Morgan Seatree
8.40pm – 10pm | Mall Grab
10pm – 11pm | Daria Kolosova
Panorama
12pm – 1.15pm | Ellia Jaya
1.15pm – 2.30pm | Julian Fijma
2.30pm – 3.45pm | bullet tooth
3.45pm – 5pm | SOSA
5pm – 6.30pm | Cloonee
6.30pm – 8pm | ALISHA
8pm – 9.30pm | Rossi.
9.30pm – 11pm | East End Dubs
The Valley
12pm – 1pm | Rich Reason & Yami
1pm – 2pm | Alexandria
2pm – 3.30pm | Prospa
3.30pm – 5pm | Josh Baker
5.15pm – 6pm | 4am Kru
6.30pm – 7.30pm | Nia Archives
8pm – 9pm | Skepta
9.30pm – 10.45pm | Sammy Virji
Sunday 21 June
Zara Larsson and Calvin Harris are headliners for Parklife 2026 on Sunday 21 June at Heaton Park / Credit: Charlotte Rutherford / Press Shot (supplied)
G Stage
1pm – 1.50pm | Mattik b2b Larishka
1.50pm – 2.40pm | Shade V b2b Rich Reason
2.40pm – 3.40pm | Dismantle
3.40pm – 4.40pm | Douvelle19
4.40pm – 5.10pm | Window Kid
5.10pm – 6.10pm | Osmosis Jones
6.10pm – 7pm | Arthi
7pm – 8pm | Bushbaby
8pm – 9pm | BAKEY
9pm – 10pm | SHY FX
10pm – 11pm | RYOTA
Magic Sky
1pm – 2.10pm | Cam Stockman
2.10pm – 3.20pm | Olive F
3.20pm – 4.30pm | DXNBY
4.30pm – 5.40pm | Riordan
5.40pm – 6.50pm | Omar+
6.50pm – 8pm | Marsolo
8pm – 9.30pm | L.P. Rhythm
9.30pm – 11pm | Obskür
Matinée
1pm – 2.15pm | 4000HZ
2.15pm – 3.30pm | Saidah
3.30pm – 4.45pm | Fumi
4.45pm – 6pm | Diffrent
6pm – 7.20pm | Faster Horses b2b Benwal
7.20pm – 8.20pm | ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U
8.20pm – 9.30pm | blk.
9.30pm – 11pm | AZYR
Panorama
1pm – 2pm | Minna
2pm – 3pm | Delilah
3pm – 4.10pm | Silva Bumpa
4.10pm – 5.20pm | Luuk Van Dijk
5.20pm – 6.30pm | Chloé Caillet
6.30pm – 8pm | Ewan McVicar
8pm – 9.30pm | KETTAMA
9.20pm – 11pm | Chris Stussy
The Valley
1pm – 2.15pm | Nicola Bear
2.15pm – 3.15pm | Mix-Stress
3.30pm – 4.15pm | Clementine Douglas
4.30pm – 5.30pm | Armand Van Helden
6pm – 6.45pm | Rudim3ntal
7.15pm – 8.15pm | Zara Larsson
9.15pm – 10.45pm | Calvin Harris
Parklife 2026 has delivered a stellar line-up once again, and if you’re after catching any of these artists live at Heaton Park later this year, you can grab a range of tickets.
Feel like Saturday is more your vibe? Check out the ticket option for just Saturday, 20 June HERE, or if Sunday sounds better for you, then grab a ticket or two for Sunday 21 June HERE.
And if one day just isn’t enough, how about a whole weekend? Enjoy two days of live music with tickets for Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June HERE.
Featured Images – Jody Hartley/Charlotte Rutherford /WikiCommons/Alistair McVeigh(supplied)
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More artists added and stage splits confirmed for Neighbourhood Weekender 2026 lineup
Danny Jones
Two waves for NBHD Weekender’s 2026 lineup have now been officially confirmed, and Greater Manchester leads the way in terms of headliners, with local music legend Richard Ashcroft and Stockport’s finest, Blossoms, both already confirmed for the big slot on the main stage.
Now THAT is how you follow up a comeback.
Yes, Neighbourhood Weekender always promises a healthy dose of Northern acts on the lineup, including plenty of Mancs, scousers and others from Cheshire and the region at large, but to get two much-loved music artists from our boroughs topping the 2026 bill is an absolute treat.
With other noteworthy appearances in the Kaiser Chiefs, DMA’s, Jamie Webster, Example and many more on there already, it feels like next year’s festival is shaping up to be a potential all-timer, with a second wave of acts being added and the stage splits now set.
As you can see, the first pair of waves of the NBHD 2026 lineup includes returning crowd-pleasers like Shed Seven, Razorlight and The K’s, as well as other additions like rising stars Basht., Better Joy and North West favourites, The Kairos, as well as fellow Manc lads, M60.
Other acts that also caught our eye include our own natives like Arkayla, The Guest List, Luvcat and The Covasettes, just to name a few, as well as rising ‘Britainicana outfit’, Westside Cowboy, who just so happen to star on our most recent round-up of what we’ve been listening to.
In fact, there are a few past Manc bands of the month features on this lineup, not to mention more nearby names in Lucvat, The Royston Club, Keyside, Nxdia and so on, who are all well worth earmarking ahead of the stage splits being announced.
As for the headliners, indie heroes Blossoms need no introduction; nor does Wigan’s most famous musical son, with Ashcroft riding a real resurgence at the moment – he’s also one of our artists of the month, naturally.
In fact, confirmation of both Ashcroft and his Oasis Live ’25 support act partners, Cast, being booked for Warrington’s Victoria Park and the next NBHD Fest comes after the 54-year-old confirmed a fellow hometown band for some very big shows of his own.
This coming May Bank Holiday Weekend (Saturday 23-Sun 24 May 2026) is shaping up nicely, and we can’t wait to see what else is new to the festival site this year.
General admission tickets are already available, and new for this year, there will also be different payment plans via their website.
You can grab your tickets HERE. See you in the fields!
Danny Jones -
11th July 2024 
