The AO Arena has announced several details of its enormous transformation project, including increasing its capacity to 23k.
The venue in Manchester city centre is currently the largest indoor arena in the UK and Europe, and has undergone a £50m redevelopment.
When the project is completed, fans will be able to make use of new features like a brand-new lower concourse, a standing floor that has had a 100% capacity increase, and a brand new food and drink offering too.
Despite its new 23,000-fan capacity, the AO Arena promises that fans will feel even closer to their favourite artists.
The 30-year-old venue has gone through a complete re-imagination and reconstruction while continuing to host huge gigs and sporting events throughout.
ADVERTISEMENT
AO Arena and ASM Global say that the entire visitor experience will be improved, for gig-goers and performers and venue staff alike.
That includes new entrances with state-of-the-art technology that will make getting in and out of the arena the quickest of any venue in Europe.
ADVERTISEMENT
The concourse spaces will be digitised, helping concert-goers to find their way around the arena.
The Mezz at the AO Arena after its transformationThe AO Arena will have brand new bars for fansA new restaurant space at the AO Arena after its redevelopment project
There’ll be brand new bars throughout the AO Arena, and the new The Mezz restaurant and bar, where the menu will be created by Michelin-star chef Simon Rogan and Tom Barnes, who opens Skof in Manchester this year.
The AO Arena’s redevelopment project also includes improved acoustics, sound and sightlines, and the venue already had ones that were regarded as the best in Europe.
ADVERTISEMENT
Backstage, there are all-new back of house facilities for artists and touring crews.
Chris Bray, president of ASM Global Europe said: “As part of AO Arena’s redevelopment we have dramatically expanded the standing floor space which means it will compete with any other venue in the UK.
“Its unique bowl configuration means that AO Arena proudly remains the biggest sporting indoor arena, and we are excited to continue to host the world’s biggest and most exciting events here in the heart of Manchester.”
The new-look event floor at the AO Arena ManchesterThe AO Arena’s £50m redevelopment includes new event bars
At a topping out ceremony last month, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham described the venue as ‘the beating heart of Manchester’.
Aitch also visited that day, saying: “When the AO Arena asked me to be part of tonight I thought, how can I say no? It’s always been a huge part of the culture here in Manchester and you know I’m all about anything that gives back to the community.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The AO has been pushing the music scene forward for over 27 years and over one million people walk through these legendary doors every year, and we have them right on our doorstep.”
Last year, the AO Arena raised tens of thousands of pounds and gave hundreds of hours to local community projects.
It also had record attendances for LTA Tennis, England Netball, KSI vs Fury and Elton John’s Farewell Tour.
This year, there’ll be more events like Peter Kay Live, The 1975, Bill Bailey, Niall Horan, Ne-Yo and more.
The AO Arena’s redevelopment will be revealed in full in March 2024. See all of its upcoming events here.
Oasis release trailer for Don’t Look Back In Anger documentary – watch it here
Daisy Jackson
A new trailer for the upcoming Oasis documentary, ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger’, has been released today.
The highly anticipated documentary follows the iconic Manchester rock band as they reunited for a series of epic comeback gigs last summer.
The Gallagher brothers broke up the band 15 years prior to the Live ’25 shows, then returned in spectacular fashion for gigs including five sold-out nights at Heaton Park in Manchester.
The band were followed throughout their triumphant comeback tour by film crews, for the documentary film ‘Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger’.
Fans will see never-before-seen snippets of rehearsal, backstage, and onstage, as well as the first joint interview with Liam and Noel in more than 20 years.
It will also explores the profound impact that the reunion had on fans, and chart the global phenomenon that was Oasis Live ’25.
One of the people behind the new documentary is Steven Knight, of Peaky Blinders fame.
Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger will be released in the UK on Wednesday 9 September and you can book tickets HERE.
Watch the full trailer for Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger below:
Elbow get behind campaign to save Jodrell Bank from closure
Danny Jones
Manc band Elbow are among the latest to get behind the campaign to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from closing permanently.
The Greater Manchester natives famously played a sold-out gig at the important scientific and cultural landmark for a very special live album recording well over a decade ago, and know all too well the site’s national and, indeed, global heritage.
Choosing the Observatory and the rare chance to perform a show in the shadow of the world-renowned James Lovell Telescope, it probably remains one of their most significant standalone UK date ever.
With that in mind, the local lads have been left just as worried by the news of its impending closure as everyone else, and have therefore issued a fresh appeal to help keep it open.
Posting a timely statement on social media, the group wrote: “Jodrell Bank has long been close to elbow’s heart. In 2012, the band played beneath the Lovell Telescope for one of the most memorable shows in our history.
“The recent news that funding for the e-MERLIN radio telescope network is set to end in 2028 puts the future of the scientific work at Jodrell Bank under serious threat. It is a remarkable place, with an extraordinary history, and one that continues to play an important role in science, culture and education.”
In addition to reliving clips and images from the historic live set all the years later, they also pointed people towards their ‘elbow – Live at Jodrell Bank‘ album documentary, which has now been made available online for the very first time as part of wider efforts to raise awareness around the cause.
Directing people to key online resources shared by the institution and astrophysics centre itself following their unfortunate update late last month, the push to not only find the funding but sustain support for the facility continues to ramp up throughout the world of science, arts and industry.
For anyone who somehow missed the news – 2028 being the current deadline handed down as per budget cuts across the sector – concerned parties here in the North West and all over the country have since started petitioning to save Jodrell Bank Observatory from shutting down for good.
In addition to being described as a “huge blow” to the field by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), some have even gone so far as to describe the decision as a form of “vandalism” when it comes to research and British culture as a whole.
Having also served as the host venue for the annual bluedot Festival since 2016, the multi-genre science and arts celebration could soon be forced to find a new home.
The battle is far from over yet, and the community has time to rescue Jodrell Bank Observatory from its fate, but it will take lots of money and more notable public figures to make it happen.
Once again, you can do your bit by signing the petition mentioned above right HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
6th February 2024 
