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New app launches taking music fans on an immersive AR tour around Manchester

Our city's rich musical history explored in a whole new way.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 15th July 2025

The history of Manchester’s globally-renowned music scene is now being celebrated through the launch of a unique new app.

Manchester Music Mooch is an app that takes you on an immersive journey of the city’s iconic musical heritage locations, all while giving emerging artists a platform to shine. 

Made possible through The National Lottery Heritage Fund, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, and by using the power of Augmented Reality (AR), the app takes music lovers on an interactive trail across five grassroots music destinations.

The app was created by MediaCity-based Dig Media and award-winning app developers, ArcadeXR, ahead of an expected 1.3 million music tourists arriving in Manchester this summer.

It was developed in collaboration with Manchester Digital Music Archive, Salford University, Toasted Productions, and the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), as well as with support by Visit Manchester and ABID.

Some of the famous grassroots music sites featured on the toor included like Tony Wilson Place, Band on the Wall, Fat City Records, and the Roadhouse.

Influential music spots in the Oxford Road Corridor like Manchester Academy, Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), and the former BBC building, can also be explored on the tour, as well as influential clubs in the Gay Village.

Loads of well-known and upcoming musical names will be providing the narrative for the tour along the way, such as DJ Paulette, Rowetta, Luke Una, and even Middleton-born singer songwriter JP Cooper.

A new app has launched and it’s taking music fans on an immersive AR tour around Manchester / Credit: Supplied

The app’s launch comes as the city celebrates a sensational summer of live music, with a whole series of music-themed activities taking place across the city as part of Manchester City Council’s MCR Live ’25 campaign – including Wild In Art’s Music for the Senses art trail.

“Manchester’s music history is globally renowned, but the city often struggles to convey its story cohesively,” commented Simon Marsland, who is the founder of app creators, Dig Media.

“With Dig Media’s expertise in media production, archiving and technology, alongside extensive local and international music networks, we’re spearheading a resilient way of sharing Manchester’s musical legacy never done before.”

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The Manchester Music Mooch app is free to download online, where you can also find extra interactive content, more in-depth history, and information.

Download the app here.

Featured Image – Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)

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Heaton Park’s ‘Gallagher Hill’ where people have been watching Oasis for free is no more

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia Heaton Park's 'Gallagher Hill' where people have been watching Oasis for free is no more

The Heaton Park viewpoint coined ‘Gallagher Hill’ which fans flocked to to watch Oasis for free has been closed off ahead of the remaining gig dates.

The particular high area of Heaton Park has gone viral online after Oasis fans have been using it to watch the Live ’25 shows for free, with a distant view of the huge screens.

But as thousands of ticket-holders flock back to the remaining Manchester gigs of Oasis Live ’25, fans who couldn’t manage to get any tickets will be disappointed to learn that the viral viewing point Gallagher Hill has been shut down.

Usually, this hill section of the Manchester green space isn’t filled with Gallagher supporters – it’s normally home to a herd of cows who use this land to graze and walk about on throughout the day.

Huge fences have now been erected around the area to prevent any further groups from gathering, with Oasis still set to perform on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.

Manchester City Council has said that there are also around 300 young trees that have been planted in this part of Heaton Park to develop a new woodland area.

@susiehookwayfitness #gallagherhill #oasis #oasisheatonpark #oasis25 ♬ original sound – Susie_m_h_fitness

The purpose of the fencing is ‘dual purpose’, a council spokesperson said: “Both to protect the environment from further damage and to dissuade people from gathering there. The necessary measure means the concert will no longer be visible from this area.”

After seeing videos of fans in this particular area, one TikTok user checked it out for herself asking her followers: “Would you get on Gallagher hill now?” before panning her camera to show cows grazing on the land.

Although fans of the Manchester icons were flocking to this spot in order to join in on the Oasis fun from afar, issues have been raised via safety concerns of visitors, the cattle herd and reports of litter.

Fans are now being directed to enjoy the many, many events taking place in the city centre, including the MCR Live Hub at Piccadilly Gardens.

'Gallagher Hill' in Manchester today ahead of the next Oasis shows
'Gallagher Hill' in Manchester today ahead of the next Oasis shows
‘Gallagher Hill’ in Manchester today ahead of the next Oasis shows. Credit: The Manc Group

Some fans have been very understanding reasoning this fair decision admitting, “Probably because of security and threats unfortunately”, while others express their disappointment asking, “How sad do you have to be to put that up?”.

One social media user, who was planning on taking a family member to this brand new Manchester landmark commented, “They could’ve utilised Gallagher hill”.

The fan went on to pose the question of making it an official viewpoint for concerts, posing the question, “£30 entry fee, is that too steep?”.

Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Employment, Skills and Leisure, Manchester City Council, said: “The atmosphere across Manchester has been electric over this last week with the whole city swept up in Oasis fever and peaking over the weekend with the first two hugely successful homecoming concerts at Heaton Park.

@x.777.sdj #oasis #oasis25 #gallagherhill #heatonpark #manchester #mancunian #manc ♬ original sound – Simone xo

“As you would expect given the size of the concerts and numbers of people attending, we go through a continuous process with partners of re-assessing the plans in place for the concerts to ensure both public safety and that any environmental impact on our award-winning park is minimalised.

 “The steps being taken ahead of the next concert regretfully mean the distant view of the large screens behind the event stage will no longer be there. Unfortunately our hand has been forced in having to put these additional measures in place to protect the very recent extensive planting of young trees in that location as we try to establish a new woodland area in the park, and the wellbeing of our cattle herd in the field, as well as to keep people in the park safe.

“Our advice to music fans who don’t have tickets for the concerts is to head into the city centre instead.  The whole city is going all out to celebrate and help everyone have a good time.  We’ve got some fantastic things going on with a real party atmosphere for everyone to enjoy whether they’ve got tickets for the Oasis gigs or not.”

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images – The Manc Group

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American rock band Alter Bridge announce massive Manchester gig

Danny Jones Danny Jones Alter Bridge Manchester ticket 2026 tour dates

American rockers Alter Bridge have announced a brand new album and a massive European tour along with it, including a pretty big gig here in Manchester.

Staring down the barrel of their eighth studio release, the Orlando-based heavy rock, progressive and alternative metal four-piece are bringing their brand of triumphant, in-your-face, Floridian guitar thrashing and powerful drumming to the city centre in the new year.

Veritable veterans of the industry at this point, Alter Bridge are set to drop their upcoming record – a self-titled project which will debut almost a whole 22 years on from the launch of their first, One Day Remains – at the start of 2026, and will be heading out on the road soon after.

Confirming a total of 31 dates across the continent, they’ll be getting the shows underway in mid-January before landing in the UK just over a month later.

Fronted by lead singer and equally talented guitarist, Myles Kennedy (who also performs with fellow genre legend, Slash, as part of The Conspirators), Alter Bridge have regularly notched number one in the rock charts, and have landed as high as number three in the UK’s pop-dominated Official Album Charts.

In 2017, they cleaned up at the 6th annual Loudwire Music Awards, winning ‘Best Rock Band’, ‘Best Rock Album’ and ‘Best Rock Song’ all in one night.

Boasting more than a billion streams to their name to date, they have gradually become one of the biggest and most commercially successful rock bands in the US over the course of more than two decades now.

Other tour dates on this side of the pond include Northern neighbours Newcastle, as well as the likes of Nottingham, Glasgow, London and Dublin over in Ireland.

Alter Bridge will be joined in Manchester by fellow long-standing rock outfit, Daughtry (‘What About Now’, ‘Home’, ‘Over You’), as well as Atlanta legends, Sevendust.

With such a well-respected discography, not to mention a deep and rich back catalogue, you can expect them to play a healthy selection of the hits as well as their newest tracks, which will be available on Friday, 9 January.

Speaking ahead of their latest LP, Kennedy said in a statement: “You can’t ever rest on your past success. We’ve never allowed ourselves to get too comfortable. The only way to stay at a certain level is to be very dedicated to what you’re doing. We’ve crossed the 20-year mark.

“We’ve proven we can do this for the duration. We worked hard to get to a place where we can plant our flag. We’re still around as the four original members, so it felt appropriate to call the album Alter Bridge.”

Co-founding member and former Creed lead guitarist, Mark Tremonti, went on to add, “I think this record earns that title. The material felt strong enough, so we’re letting the music speak for itself.”

Alter Bridge arrive at the AO Arena in Manchester on 26 February 2026, with Three+ presale available from 10am tomorrow (Wed, 16 July), venue early access going live at the same time on Thursday, and general admission tickets up for grabs from Friday – again, 10am.

You can get ready to secure yours HERE.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Chuck Brueckmann (supplied)/Audio North

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