Some of the world’s biggest artists will be touching down in Manchester in 2025 with massive gigs announced that will fill up your concert calendar FAST.
We’ve been trawling through all the listings to bring you some of the best live shows coming to town next year.
Manchester is a hub of music and culture and is now home to TWO massive arenas, so it’s no surprise that some serious superstars are flocking to our lovely city to hear our lovely Manc voices sing their biggest hits back to them.
So keep reading for all the live music and gigs inspiration you need for 2025 in Manchester.
(If any of my friends or family are reading this and are struggling for gift ideas, I’ll happily go watch a 5 foot tall sun-kissed blonde sing about a certain coffee drink any day of the week, wink, wink, nudge, nudge…)
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Must-see Manchester 2025 gigs
Katy Perry, AO Arena
Credit: Publicity Picture
The ultimate definition of 2010’s pop, this California girl is swapping the heat of the West Coast for the crowds of the North West.
Getting my daisy dukes ready as we speak and I’m DIY-ing my own cupcake bikini right now in preparation for the pop legend.
Katy Perry is bringing ‘The Lifetimes Tour’ to Manchester on 8 October 2025 with tickets onsale HERE.
Robbie Williams, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
Featuring in chart-topping boyband Take That and also having a remarkable solo career, Robbie Williams is no stranger to performing in the music capital of the North.
The Stoke born singer will be hoping this batch of 2025 shows will be just as sweet as his 2012 single ‘Candy’.
Robbie Williams is bringing ‘Robbie Williams Live 2025’ to Co-op Live on 10 and 11 June 2025 with tickets on sale HERE.
Lionel Richie, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
Richie and almost 24,000 people are gearing up to dance ‘All Night Long’ with the American hitmaker when he pays a visit to Manchester’s newest live entertainment venue next year.
Last visiting Manchester city centre in 2016, Lionel Richie’s star power hasn’t slowed down he’s always reaching new heights, and that’s because no one can get him down he’s always ‘Dancing On The Ceiling’.
The Jamaican born dancehall act has seen chart success with ‘Temperature’, ‘Got 2 Luv U’ and ‘Get Busy’, Paul has been steadily soundtracking people’s lives since his debut.
Ashanti has her own roster such as ‘Rock Wit U’, ‘Foolish’ and ‘Baby’, the latter single by the New York R&B artist even got an Aitch remix in 2022.
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Sean Paul & Ashanti are bringing the ‘Bring It Tour’ to AO Arena on 20 April 2025 with tickets onsale HERE.
Pierce The Veil, Co-op Live
Credit: Wikicommons
This wouldn’t be a proper gig list if we didn’t have some serious headbanging going on and it’s Californian rock band, Pierce The Veil, who we turn to for some big guitar and drum numbers.
The band are hoping to be the ‘King For The Day’ as they command a spectacular 23,500 audience in autumn of next year.
Pierce The Veil are bringing ‘I Can’t Hear You World Tour’ to Co-op Live on 25 September 2025 with tickets onsale HERE.
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Tyler The Creator, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
Influential within the Hip-Hop genre, his latest album Chromakopia has a collection of 2020’s defining rap voices like Doechii, Sexyy Red and GloRilla.
Two support acts in the form of Georgia talent Lil Yatchy and Californian duo Paris Texas who are ready to drop some of the best bars Co-op Live has ever seen.
Tyler The Creator is bringing ‘Chromakopia: The World Tour’ to Co-op Live on 27 and 28 May 2025 with tickets on sale HERE.
Kesha, Albert Hall
Credit: Brendan Walter
The early 2010s wouldn’t have been the same without Kesha spinning our heads right round, right round and we’re not complaining, every single song is a banger.
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There’s a number of hits fans can expect and with a discography as popular as this American vocalist’s, the crowd will be wild.
Her sixth album which is expected the same year as her tour is set to be her first official release under her independent music label Kesha Records with two singles ‘JOYRIDE’ and ‘DELUSIONAL’ out already.
Kesha is bringing ‘Kesha Live In The UK’ to Albert Hall on 30 May 2025 with tickets on sale HERE.
Sugababes, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
Mutya, Keisha and Siobhán better known as UK girl group Sugababes have not long left Manchester performing at Parklife just this summer.
They have accumulated a total six number one singles in the span of five years including ‘Push The Button’ and its infamous line which “I’ve been dropping so many hints and you’re just not getting it”.
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These leading ladies have been a UK music staple with ‘Freak Like Me’ and ‘Round Round’ , if you’re going to this you’ll soon be up on your feet busting your best moves.
Sugababes are bringing ‘Sugababes ’25’ to Co-op Live on 11 April 2025 with tickets onsale HERE.
Gary Barlow, O2 Apollo
Credit: Publicity Picture
2025 is set to be an epic year for this boyband heartthrob with the renewal of his TV show ‘Gary Barlow’s Wine Tour’ and a host of UK gigs, what can’t this man do?
Barlow is embarking on a huge tour of the country with 41 UK tour dates including O2 Apollo in Manchester and dates in Blackpool, Halifax, and Liverpool, if you’re after a nice, local afternoon out.
He’s seen much acclaim in Take That but with his solo records too, most notably ‘Sing’, ‘Forever Love’ and ‘Love Won’t Wait’, written by Madonna (We’re not joking).
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Gary Barlow is bringing ‘The Songbook Tour 2025’ to O2 Apollo on 9 May 2025 with tickets on sale HERE.
Teddy Swims, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
One of the most recent rising stars, Teddy Swims has built a rapid fanbase who admire him for his strong vocal capabilities heard on his smash hit ‘Lose Control’.
Swims has collaborated with the likes of the incredible hitmaker Meghan Trainor and even country songstress Maren Morris.
The American male vocalist is seeing similar success with newest release ‘The Door’ which is just as soulful as his 2023 groundbreaking single.
Teddy Swims is bringing ‘I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy Tour’ to Co-op Live on 10 March 2025 with tickets on sale HERE.
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Rizzle Kicks, Castlefield Bowl
Credit: Publicity Picture
As the two lads sing themselves in 2011’s ‘Mama Do The Hump’, “Yeah, yeah I love that sound” and we really do love the sound of this duo coming back to Manchester.
They’ve grafted hard with their memorable tracks like ‘Down With The Trumpets’, ‘Skip To The Good Bit’ and even featured on the Olly Murs record ‘Heart Skips A Beat’.
Jordan and Harley have sold over one million singles and 600,000 albums in the UK under the stage name ‘Rizzle Kicks’ and they’re taking over Manchester next summer.
Rizzle Kicks are visiting ‘Sounds Of The City 2025’ at Castlefield Bowl on 11 July 2025 with tickets onsale HERE.
Sabrina Carpenter, Co-op Live
Credit: Publicity Picture
‘Espresso’, ‘Taste’ and ‘Please Please Please’ – Sabrina Carpenter’s grip on the charts this year has literally been phenomenal.
Carpenter is known for keeping her shows fresh from varying her ‘Nonsense’ outros, covering songs via ‘Spin the wheel’ or the big one on everyone’s lips, “What ‘Juno’ position is she going to do in Manchester?”.
Sabrina Carpenter is bringing ‘The Short ‘N’ Sweet Tour’ to Co-op Live on 13 March 2025 with tickets sold out, but you can try resell sites like Twickets. (Good luck).
Oasis, Heaton Park
Credit: Publicity Picture
We’ve saved our favourite Mancs til last and as many of you are probably aware, this tour is more than certainly sold out however it would be a dishonour not to mention it.
Burnage boys, Noel and Liam, have well and truly got the band back together ahead of their 2025 Oasis reunion tour and are set to play five shows at huge outdoor Manchester venue, Heaton Park.
Oasis are bringing ‘Oasis Live ’25’ to Heaton Park on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 July 2025 with tickets sold out, however much like the pop princess above, you can also try resell sites like Twickets.
Kendal Calling festival guide 2026 – stages, times, travel, and everything you need to know
Danny Jones
It’s that time again: time to head back up Lake District way and over to the town of Penrith for Kendal Calling 2026.
No, it isn’t technically in Kendal, but it is absolutely mint – so shut your face.
Comfortably one of our favourite festivals of the year and not just one of the best in the North but the entire country, if you ask us, it sells out early every year and never, ever disappoints.
For those of you who are heading to Kendal Calling for the first time or returning for another consecutive year like us, we’ve put together a handy festival guide to steer you through the entire long weekend filled with art, music, culture, and unlimited good vibes.
Now, while we already shared the lineup for this year back in December, this is a good chance to refamiliarise yourself with it if you haven’t already, especially since you’ve not got the confirmed stage splits for Kendal 2026.
Marking its 21st iteration and yet another sold-out edition with one of its best rosters ever – to be honest, it’s been selling out and getting better every year since it first started back in 2006 – the likes of award-winning British favourites Biffy Clyro, Wolf Alice and Two Door Cinema Club lead the lineup.
And that’s just the main stage.
Then you’ve got everyone from Primal Scream and The Coral, Scissor Sisters, Circa Waves and Doves, to The Libertines, The Vaccines, Deaf Havana, Groove Armada, Neighbourhood headliners Keo and SO much more. Find the full breakdown of who’s playing where down below.
Speaking of the stages, there are 11 proper different live music sites this year – not to mention all other smaller tents and pop-ups around the wider festival site which spans roughly 120 hectares.
You can find out a little bit more about each of them here:
Main Stage – Where all the action and big headliners are playing at the northernmost spot.
Parklands – The second largest stage, pretty much smack bang in the middle of the site; there’s also a brilliant Glow takeover by night.
Calling Out – Rounding out the trio of Kendal stages with even more big acts to the west.
Woodlands – Exactly what it sounds like: a cosy stage set within the Lost Eden forest.
Chai Wallahs – Another large tent towards the North East of the site, boasting a variety of genres.
The Soapbox – Just northwest of Parklands, it’s where most of the live comedy is taking place.
Tim Peaks Diner – Named after Salford icon Tim Burgess himself, this little hut is built for more pared-down sets.
Desert Island Disco – Where the electronic scene goes to shine and usher in the late-night fun.
Roots – Built to spotlight emerging talent from across the region, there are gems to be found here.
The Town Hall – One of the newer additions to the festival alongside the official Kendal Calling pub, which first began back in 2023.
Azaadi – Last but not least, there’s the all-new Azaadi stage: a late-night mini venue curated by DJ Bobby Friction, specialising in alt-Desi electronica, global bass, and South Asian sounds following a fantastic debut at Glasto.
And then, of course, there’s Lost Eden out in the neon and fairylit woods, Kendal’s own aforementioned pub, The Stagger Inn; dedicated children’s stages, Oktoberfest and plenty more.
Kendal Calling festival site map
We’ll admit it can take a minute to properly orientate with your surroundings, especially when it’s packed with more than 40,000 people, so with all those different locations to get to grips with, the map always comes in handy.
As always, we’d reccommend downloading copies of it HERE when you save a screenshot of the lineup, for instance, but there will also be printed copies available and being handed out by staff over the course of the weekend.
Until then, this should do you just fine…
Travel info – how to get there, parking and more
If you’re wondering how to get to Kendal Calling, once again: the festival takes place at Lowther Deer Park in Hackthorpe near Penrith, Cumbria (no, it’s not quite Kendal).
For the sake of ease when it comes to popping the location into the SatNav, the postcode is CA10 2HT.
By car
Located roughly 25 minutes north of its namesake Kendal, you can drive up there via the M6 and south down the A6 from Penrith. You can easily download full directions on Google Maps.
Parking
The general car park is adjacent to the general campsites, but BE AWARE, the further away you park, the longer the walk up that hill – and it is a big one, we’re afraid.
Also, pre-warning, you must bring any alcohol purchased from outside the festival site up on the first trip up to your pitch. We found out the hard way…
Hoping to encourage people to carpool and ride share where possible, with Kendal remaining a dedicated and environmentally-conscious event (see their ‘Leave Nothing But Memories’ mission statement, for example), there is a charge for parking separate from festival admission.
Passes can be purchased online in advance for £24.50, or you can pay on the day for £40, but just like downloading/printing out your tickets prior to entry, we’d obviously advise you plan ahead and get them ready beforehand.
Emperors Field, Great Plains, Deer Lodge and Tangerine Fields all have their own respective car parks, which require specific parking passes as part of campsite upgrade packages. You can see all the options and secure your parking HERE.
The nearest train station to the festival site is Penrith (also known as Penrith North Lakes), which is just a 15-minute taxi journey from the site.
Alternatively, you can hop on the special shuttle bus service that runs from the station to the festival at various points over the weekend. Various services are available from Scotland, Birmingham, London, here in Manchester and across the North West – for example:
From Birmingham New Street to Penrith (2h31m) — trains every hour
From London Euston to Penrith (3 hours) — trains every 30 minutes
From Glasgow to Penrith (1h21m) — trains every hour
From Edinburgh to Penrith (1h30m) — trains every hour
From Lancaster to Penrith (34 mins) — regular service
From Manchester Piccadilly to Penrith (1h41m) – trains every 30 minutes, change at Preston
Shuttles will run to and from Penrith (North Lakes) Station to Kendal Calling from 10am-18:45pm on Thursday and 8:30am-19:15pm on Friday. They won’t resume again until early Monday, with the final service lasting from 8:30am-13:15pm.
The festival has a dedicated pick-up and drop-off point (PUDO) outside at Green Gate. Follow the road signage as you get closer to the site for directions to the PUDO, which is also where you’ll find the taxi rank alongside our coach drop-off spot – just a short 5-10 minute walk to the wristband exchange too.
By coach/mini-bus
Speaking of coaches, you can find ticket prices for official services from destinations like Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and many more places across the UK by the likes of festival veterans, Big Green Coach, as well as National Express right HERE.
Other activities and entertainment on at Kendal Calling beyond the music
Once again, the music is obviously the big draw for the Lowther Deer Park party, but there is tonnes of other stuff to be enjoyed through the course of what we consider a mini bank holiday of sorts.
Last year saw Bongo’s Bingo make its maiden visit to a festival, and then of course there’s the usual Picturehouse cinema with movies on all day and special screenings for the little ones; the annual parade, which shows off all the ribbons and colours of the rainbow cinema, live comedy and lots more.
From live performers, a whole host of fantastic food and drinks traders, freebies up for grabs, and even dedicated accessibility areas such as the Sensory Calm Space, they really do cater to everyone.
You only have to wander into one of the alternative live theatre shows, their silent discos or the famous Lost Eden forest to be transported to virtually any kind of world you could want.
Getting underway from 5pm on Thursday, 30 July and running all the way until Sunday night (and well into the early hours, by the way), Kendal Calling 2026 is finally upon us.
Judging by the lineup alone and the new additions they’ve brought into the mix, it really is looking like another belter.
In case anyone’s questioning just how much we and so many others across the region love this festival, not to mention all the others who travel from far and wide to enjoy the all-ages extravaganza, you only need to check out our review from last year. Or from 2024 – and the year before that, and the year…
ITV is reviving an iconic music trivia gameshow Name That Tune from the 70s
Emily Sergeant
ITV is set to revive one of the most iconic music-themed gameshows of all time for a new generation.
That’s right – Name That Tune is making a comeback.
Based on the successful US format of the same name, and airing in the UK on its original run from 1976 through to 1987, before being rebooted for the first time by Channel 5 from 1997-98, Name That Tune is being revived for the third time and is set to hit screens on ITV early next year.
If you’re unfamiliar with the premise of the show, Name That Tune sees contestants pitted against each other as their music knowledge is put to the test in a series of fast-paced rounds that featuring tracks from some of the world’s best-loved music artists and bands across every genre, all building towards a nail-biting finale.
Competitors will be tasked with correctly deciphering iconic riffs, melodies and lyrics from some of the biggest songs on the planet.
Set to be presented by Alison Hammond, and with a studio audience singing along, the show’s reboot will invite viewers at home to play from their living rooms, making it the ultimate soundtrack for all generations.
Every round is designed to challenge music enthusiasts by asking them just one simple question – can you name that tune?
“As a massive music lover, my biggest challenge as a host will be trying not to grab the mic and start singing along when one of my all-time favourite tunes comes on,” commented Alison Hammond as she was announced as the host for the reboot.
“And trust me… that will take serious self control.
“I grew up absolutely loving the original show so being part of this now feels like a real full-circle moment. I cannot wait to get into the studio, put the contestants through their paces, and see who really knows their music.”
ITV has told viewers to expect the show to be ‘bigger, louder, and more feel-good than ever’ once it returns in January.
Thomas Melia -
30th December 2024 
