Pop-punk veterans New Found Glory have just announced their first full UK headline tour in over eight years, and feel free to ‘Kiss Me’ now because they’re coming back to Manchester.
We’re pretty sure we’ve still got a pair of checkerboard Vans that still fit somewhere.
American rock fans of a certain age will be more than familiar with New Found Glory, but for anyone who never had the phase, they’re up there with some of the longest-running pop-punk bands still around.
Having last released music in 2023 with a staggering 12th studio album, they’re still as prolific as they’ve ever been, and they’ll soon be heading back across the pond.
The Florida-formed four-piece first began around Coral Springs in 1997 and have been through plenty of iterations in their nearly three-decade-long career, with five different past members and even more touring musicians (including the likes of Paramore‘s Hayley Williams), but they’re still going strong.
Now consisting of frontman Jordan Pundik, fellow co-founders Ian Grushka (bass) and Chad Gilbert (lead) and Cyrus Bolooki, who has been in place since 2013.
That being said, with all the chopping and changing – not to mention still plenty of work being done in the studio – it’s been a hot minute since they’ve done a transatlantic tour.
However, they had to come back some day, and it turns out that day, at least for Manchester, is coming just next month when they’ll be playing O2 Victoria Warehouse.
You can find their rest of the New Found Glory May 2025 UK dates down below:
Fri, 10 May – 02 Academy, Birmingham Sat, 11 May – 02 Victoria Warehouse, MCR Sun, 12 May – 02 City Hall, Newcastle Tues, 14 – 02 Academy, Glasgow Wed, 15 – Rock City, Nottingham Fri, 17 – 02 Academy, Bournemouth Sat, 18 – 02 Academy Brixton, London
Featured Images — Press Shots (supplied)/Audio North
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Soft rock heroes Foreigner announce UK tour including big Manchester gig
Thomas Melia
Foreigner are bringing their soft rock classics over the waters and to the UK as they embark on a new tour which features a Manchester stop.
Formed in the 70’s, Foreigner are a British-American rock band known for their catalogue of soft rock, including hits like ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ and ‘Cold As Ice.’
These rockers have gained a newfound following of late thanks to their music making an appearance in an array of yet more contemporary TV shows like Stranger Things, Euphoria, Wednesday and more, having been heard in plenty of films over the years.
This UK tour marks the band’s return to Manchester after four years – and no, you’ve not got ‘Double Vision’: they are in fact revisiting the same iconic arena they played back in 2022, AO Arena.
The band may look a little different on their next visit as Kelly Hansen, former vocalist of Foreigner, has stepped down after 20 years and has handed the reins over to the equally impressive Luis Maldonado.
This newest gig announcement, set for 2026, will celebrate a landmark 50 years since the band formed back in 1976, and you can expect to hear all their greatest hits.
Foreigner are no strangers to the charts with a chart-topping album and single as well as five Top 40 hits and five Top 40 albums – I guess you could call them the ultimate ‘Juke Box Hero’.
The band were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame back in 2024, and to celebrate, they played their timeless classic ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ with pop singer Kelly Clarkson performing alongside.
Whether you’re there for ‘Urgent’, ‘Double Vision’ or ‘Waiting For a Girl Like You’, the New York-formed rockers will be smashing out their variety of anthems at AO Arena next year.
Now, Foreigner are coming back to Manchester and the AO Arena on Thursday, 18 June, with tickets for the gig going on presale this Wednesday, 3 September at 10am GMT.
As for general admission tickets, they will be available from the same time on Friday, 5 September – you can get ready to grab yours right HERE.
They’re not the only rock legends booking big Manc arena gigs recently, either.
Featured Images — Press shot (supplied)/Jim Geuther (via Vinyl Records Gallery)
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Aussie punk rockers and cult favourites Amyl and the Sniffers announced biggest Manchester gig yet
Danny Jones
Australian pub rockers and punk outfit Amyl and the Sniffers have announced their biggest Manchester headline show to date, and we CANNOT wait.
In case you hadn’t guessed, we’re pretty big fans here at The Manc Group.
The cult favourites have made a big splash on the music scene over the past couple of years, playing big festival slots at the likes of Glastonbury and R&L Fest 2025, winning over new fans in the process. We had a feeling they were bringing some big to our shores…
I mean, you could argue they made it fairly obvious where it was going to be held, but it was still a cool little teaser campaign, nevertheless.
That’s right, Amyl and the Sniffers have booked the O2 Victoria Warehouse – an ideal venue for any heavy gig – later this year, following the big poster going up outside the venue in Trafford Park last week.
Fronted by frenetic frontwoman Amy Taylor, they’ve grown a strong following outside of their home country of late, not only winning multiple Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards but picking up gongs from the NME, Kerrang and more since 2022.
They received plenty of accolades for their sophomore record, Comfort To Me, and collected even more for their latest album, Cartoon Darkness, which they’ve been touring pretty much ever since.
It’s that same project that they’re bringing to Victoria Warehouse this autumn, with the punchy ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ performers almost nailed on to sell out the 3,500 capacity venue.
Tipped as a ‘one-night only’ experience, with support from Floodlights and The Menstrual Cramps, this should be a tasty one.
Aussie rock and indie really is having a moment right now, with the likes of Spacey Jane and Royel Otis both set for big Manc gigs this year too.
The early access window opens from 10am this Wednesday, 3 September, with general admission tickets live from the same time the following Friday (5 Sep). Besides the sold-out Ally Pall show, this is their very LAST headline gig of the year, don’t miss it.
You can get ready to grab yours for 22 October right HERE.
In the meantime, why not watch the moment Amy joined Fred Again in the flesh for a live set over in Sheffield last month?
Danny Jones -
8th April 2025 
