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Mumford and Sons set for Manchester return and Co-op Live debut

It's been a while, hasn't it?

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 12th March 2025

Mumford and Sons are back and heading to Manchester for a massive arena show at none other than Co-op Live.

Ahead of dropping their fifth studio LP Rushmere at the end of the month, the cult favourite folk-rock outfit has announced a brand-new European tour in support of the record, including a limited UK leg.

Set to land back in Manchester for their first big headline show since 2019 – yes, it really has been that long – Mumford and Sons have always had a strong following around these parts.

With our city being one of just half a dozen in Britain, we can count ourselves lucky and it serves as yet another reminder of what a big attraction the Co-op is proving to be.

The significance of the band’s return can be found in the title of the new album, as Rushmere is the spot where it all began for the boys: a pond located on Wimbledon Common in south-west London where Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett and Ted Dwane first hung out.

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However, the multi-award-winning acoustic-driven British rockers and folk revivalists are now a trio following the departure of Winston Marshall, who quit the band back in 2021 following controversies surrounding his right-wing beliefs.

With that in mind, it’s rather fitting that they have insisted that beyond just a place and a title, Rushmere is also the beginning of a new phase.

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Following an intense period of creativity, the project was produced by fellow nine-time Grammy winner Dave Cobb and recorded at the famous RCA Studio A in Nashville, as well as in Savannah, Georgia and back home at Marcus’ studio in Devon.

The album itself drops on Friday, 28 March and judging by the little that we’ve heard so far, they’ve been well worth the wait.

Selecting the likes of London, Glasgow, Dublin, Cardiff, Birmingham, Sheffield and, of course, Manchester on their list of domestic tour dates, it feels like it’s even a minute since we’ve seen them. Because, well, it has.

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But even before the big Co-op Live date, the group will be heading to 0161 for the latest instalment of the Amazon Music ‘City Sessions’, playing an intimate show at Aviva Studios next month.

As for the arena show, official Co-op members can access pre-sale from 10am on Tuesday, 18 March before general admission goes live at the same time the following Thursday (20 March).

Best of all, they’re donating £1 from every ticket sold straight to War Child UK – this sort of stuff should be standard for any big act as far as we’re concerned.

You can get ready to grab yours HERE.

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Featured Images — Press Images/Audio North

Audio

Experience ‘The Sound of Magic’ with a live performance of Disney classics in Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Disney Live orchestra concert Manchester tickets

We have a very big place in our hearts for hearing movie scores performed by a live band, so when we heard that a live concert series of Disney classics was coming to Manchester, our ears naturally pricked up.

In what is just the latest event at the legendary Bridgewater Hall to bring movie scores and soundtracks to life in front of an audience, the hugely popular ‘Sound of Magic’ audio-visual show is coming to one the city centre’s best venues for an unfortgettable family friendly evening.

As you may have already guessed by now, this event pretty much does what is says on the tin: delivers some the most beloved songs and scores from over 100 years of Disney to a crowd of cartoon lovers and animation ethusiasts, not to mention anyone who live music and the classical genre, especially.

If you’re anything like us and those early memories of watching Disney are some of your most formative movie and music experiences then you know it’s set be just as special seeing it in person.

Set to be performed by the highly celebrated Novello Orchestra on a limited eight-date UK tour, ‘Disney in Concert: The Sound of Magic’ promises to be “a symphonic celebration of Disney music, animation and memories – a century in the making.”

Drawing inspiration form throughout the entire history of the Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, you can expect some of your favourite childhood films and characters on screen along with a the powerful sound of a live symphony orchestra on the concert hall stage.

But it just a case of playing the hits: songs and scores are combined into exciting new medleys and suites, creating an unexpected and thrilling journey through music and animation.

This newly imagined concert series is set to include moments from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Moana and Alice in Wonderland; Aladdin, The Jungle Book, Frozen; The Lion King, Fantasia, Encanto, Beauty and the Beast, Dumbo and MANY more.

lion king live concert manchester
The Lion King
moana live concert
Moana
Credit: Disney

The Sound of Magic is being directed by of an acclaimed team of collaborators which includes Creative Director, Amy Tinkham; Music Director, Giles Martin, as well as Arranger and Orchestrator, Ben Foster.

Heading across the Atlantic next February and for two more shows in May 2026, ‘Disney: The Sound of Magic’ is kicking off its UK tour right here in Manchester before hitting Birmingham, Edinburgh, York, London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Sheffield and Glasgow.

Tickets for Disney’s flagship live concert series in Manchester go on sale at 10am on Friday, 14 March. You can get ready to grab yours HERE.

We’re loving this trend of cross-genre concerts and in addition to the likes of Aviva Studios hosting an equivalent live concert experience of the smash-hit Witcher videogames, there’s another big series of scores coming to Bridgewater Hall as well.

‘On your left…’

An incredible performance of Marvel’s ‘Infinity Saga’ by a live orchestra is coming to Manchester
It may be a different arm of Disney, but this is still sure to be one of the most magical live concerts in Manchester this year.

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Featured Images — Disney (supplied)/Ardfern (via Wikimedia Commons)

Audio

Full band lineup for Oasis reunion reportedly revealed

Danny Jones Danny Jones Oasis reunion full band lineup confirmed

Every time a new detail about the Oasis reunion shows drops we ever so slightly lose our mind and if reports on the full band lineup for the world tour are to be trusted, we have every right to do so.

We can’t say all of the gang are back together, but it sounds like a good few of them are.

The ‘Live ’25’ gigs are fast approaching and although we’ve already had the support acts confirmed, fans have been waiting to find out whether the other Oasis bandmates would be joining the Gallagher brothers in reuniting this summer.

Well, according to NME, we now know the other names who’ll be standing aside Liam and Noel to bring the Britpop icons back to life.

As has now been reshared at length online, sources close to the band reportedly told the outlet that at least one of the original Oasis lineup is thought to be joining them on tour, as well as two long-serving members who played with the legendary rock band between 1999 and their split a decade later.

The seemingly ‘confirmed’ lineup is as follows:

Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs – rhythm guitar

Perhaps the most anticipated member said to be returning to the stage is legendary guitarist, ‘Bonehead’. After playing with LG for a number of years as a solo artist and now having been given the all-clear following his cancer diagnosis, Archers is a lasting connection to the ’91 lineup.

Gem Archer – guitar and backing vocals

The other name carrying the riffs besides Arthurs and Noel will be Gem Archer: the man who replaced the returning 59-year-old who has similarly played with both Liam’s Beady Eye and the older Gallagher brother’s High Flying Birds for many years.

Andy Bell – bass

Next up is another member of the ’99-2009 lineup as Andy Bell is believed to be dusting off his bass guitar for the Live ’25 dates. Bell, now 54, replaced legendary Paul ‘Guigsy’ McGuigan and is also a former member of Welsh indie rock band Ride – but now he’s set to get back on the road with Oasis.

Joey Waronker – drums

Last but not least is the only ‘new’ face and that is 55-year-old Joey Waronker, a well-known American drummer and producer who has worked with everyone from Beck, Thom Yorke, R.E.M, as well as former Stone Roses member John Squire on his joint album with Liam Gallagher released in March 2024.

As for how accurate this list is, we weren’t too sure until Liam quickly hopped on social media and essentially hinted that the leak may or may not be on the money.

Then again, you never know if the infamous frontman is on the wind-up or not…

Writing on X, he said, “It’s not the lineup reveal I’m bothered about I’ll reveal that to you in a minute I’m more bothered about the line where it says a source close to the band and tour that really causes me a great deal of concern LG x”.

It didn’t take long for him to sarcastically post his own ‘real’ lineup in response:

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To be honest, whatever combination of former, most recent or first-time players we get, we’re just going to be happy to see the Burnage boys standing side by side in the flesh.

We’re still not sure we’ll believe it until we see them up there on the stage with our own eyes but, for now, it looks as though the Oasis reunion is on track with a strong lineup to make the comeback as memorable as possible.

It’s nice to the Gallagher kids now getting along with each other again too:

Anaïs, Molly and Gene Gallagher share the screen in a new phone advert

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Featured Images — Anirudh Koul (via Flickr)/Simon Emmett

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