Don’t ask us how, why or when, but once upon a time, long, long ago, half the world decided that they didn’t like Nickelback and that’s just the way it’s been ever since.
In fact, they’re probably one of the most Marmite acts, not to mention most memed bands on the planet – they even have a new documentary called Hate to Love – but we’re here to put a stop to that today.
Who knows what it was that put a bee in the collective bonnet when it came to Nickelback all those years ago, all we know is that we’re bored of it and you shouldn’t waste a second more of your life pretending to hate them.
This isn’t even a guilty pleasure thing: we have absolutely no shame in ‘confessing’ that we think Nickelback are mint and their gig at the AO Arena in Manchester on Monday night proved it.
Exhibit A: it all started with an absolutely perfect choice of support act in The Lottery Winners. While you could argue their brand of indie rock doesn’t necessarily line up with what you’d expect most Nickelback fans to listen to, their pop sensibility and love of proper catchy hooks definitely do.
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The local band from just down the road in Leigh continue to be one of our favourite Manchester bands at the minute not least because of their banter and energy up on the stage.
Yes, their tunes are great and we particularly loved the audience participation they got going for ‘Start Again’ (we would have really loved Frank Turner to suddenly appear for his bit), but it was Tom’s effortless Manc chat and jokey but sincere energy throughout the set that won over the crowd.
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By the time they were about to leave the stage they managed to get the crowd jumping arguably just as much as they did when the headliners came out. Speaking of…
After a short little intro from a running VT of a getaway van leading a police chase that looked like a cutscene from some kind of late 2000s PS3 trailer (you just have to chuckle at the over-the-top Americana of it all), they erupted on stage to kick things into fifth gear.
They say Canadians are famously polite but there was nothing reserved about this entrance; they smashed the doors down to set the arena to full party mode with banger after banger and, honestly, we forgot just how many they had.
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It’s not often you hear this phase unironically, but this was, as Chad put it, a good old fashioned ‘rock show’ and the roughly 20,000 fans were all ‘rocking out’ from start to finish.
The four-piece were very much enjoying a little bit of naughtiness from the Manchester crowd too, with the camera panning to a woman holding a sign that read ‘I like my pants around my feet’ – the first line from ‘Figured It Out’ – to which the frontman replied, “me too” before proceeding to play the song in full.
Those little moments of funny nonsense didn’t stop there either – not even close.
From jokingly introing the song as ‘Look at this graaaph’ and confessing that they do have the internet, to getting a member of the crew on stage to serve shots as they got the crowd to chant his name, they were just having fun and throwing some very good tunes in between.
That slightly odd and nostalgic visualiser kept popping up in the background every now and again too but the icing on the cake had to be when they got a literal Chad Kroeger lookalike on stage to sing ‘Rockstar’ with them.
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You’ve not quite lived until you’ve seen a somewhat tipsy Manc with the original long, blonde Nickelback hair in a black band tee tucked into blue jeans and a big shiny belt buckle genuinely make the actual bloke from Nickelback want to grow his back.
A shining moment
There were lots of highlights and particularly memorable moments to pick out amongst all the fun.
Be it rhythm guitarist Ryan Peake explaining how the QR code on the screen was to help raise funds for wells in the third world before they played ‘When We Stand Together’, or hearing everyone roll back the years as they raspily sang ‘How You Remind Me’, we were spoilt for choice.
Watching the AO Arena bouncing to ‘Burn It to The Ground’ was also up there with some of the standouts, but there was no more beautiful sight than seeing the band bring The Lottery Winners back out on stage to have an arena full of Mancs belting out ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’.
Chad said at the time, “Now we know you can sing”, and true to form we were in full voice from that moment on, singing every word, every line and every song from what suddenly felt like a greatest hits tour because the truth is, Nickelback are great and you’re just lying to yourself if you think otherwise.
We were slightly gutted we didn’t get to hear ‘This Means War’, ‘Never Gonna Be Alone’ and a fair few others, but that’s what happens when you take a band that has been around for nearly three decades, with a discography this rich, and try to cram everything into a couple of hours.
So we’re hoping that puts an end to his nonsense that the rock veterans are rubbish because they’re not, they’re mint. Come on, join us – the dark days are over and we’re saying it’s ok to admit you like them.
And just wait, we’re coming for you Coldplay haters next…
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Supplied (via AO Arena)
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Manchester nightclub clamps down on no-phones policy after ‘disappointing’ rule breakers
Daisy Jackson
Amber’s, a nightclub in Manchester with a strict no-filming policy inside, has shared a strict new set of rules to prevent people using their phones.
The venue says it’s seen an ‘increased amount of phones on the dance floor’ despite its very clear policy against such a thing.
That’s included a recent set from Fred Again, where videos of his show were all over social media the next day.
Amber’s has said it’s ‘disappointing’ to see people flouting the rules of the space, leading to the venue introducing a zero tolerance policy.
Fans who are caught filming on their phones will be asked to leave Amber’s on the spot – no second chances.
There’ll even be extra members of staff patrolling the venue, to protect the ‘vibe of the space’.
“If you are spotted at any point across the night using your phone to record, you will no longer be permitted inside Amber’s,” they shared.
Amber’s wrote in a statement today: “Since our launch back in December, we have made it very clear that we are a No Phones venue. We want to create an experience for everyone where they are present in the moment and not distracted by phones.
“While the majority of people that attend Amber’s keep their phones away, there are a select few that don’t.
“This is of course disappointing.
“Over the recent weeks and months, we have seen an increased amount of phones filming on the dancefloor and we are aware of numerous videos shot on phone appearing online.
“To those that come to Amber’s and respect our house rules, thank you, you are contributing to an incredible vibe in the room.
“For those that don’t, we ask that you think about the space and the people around you before removing your stickers.
“The rules previously have been that if you are seen filming on your phone, you are politely asked to stop, if you are seen again, you are asked to leave the venue.
“From now on, as a renewed pledge to our No Phones policy, if you are seen recording in the venue, you will be asked to leave, there will be no second chances.
“There will now be extra members of staff patrolling the venue, ensuring that the vibe of the space is protected and if you are spotted at any point across the night using your phone to record, you will no longer be permitted inside Amber’s.
“Open your mind. Honour the concept. Respect the space.”
Katy Perry at AO Arena, Manchester – stage times, setlist, tickets and more
Daisy Jackson
Katy Perry will be playing a huge arena show here in Manchester this week, with a sold-out night at the AO Arena imminent.
The popstar is bringing her The Lifetimes Tour, which features an extravaganza of props and pyrotechnics, to town on Wednesday 8 October.
The Roar singer will be heading to the AO Arena this week, alongside shows in Sheffield, Glasgow, Birmingham and London.
Whether you’re going to watch hits like ‘California Gurls’, ‘Hot ‘N’ Cold’ or excited for the newer tracks like ‘I’m His, He’s Mine’, it’s sure to be one of the biggest gigs to hit the legendary arena all year.
Perry has the second most Diamond-certified singles in for a female artist in the U.S, four guiness world records and five UK number one hits.
Her latest album ‘143’, which is a numeric synonym of ‘I love you’ and the singer’s angel number, came out last year and stormed straight into the top 10 on the UK album charts.
If you’re heading to Katy Perry at the AO Arena tonight, we’ve rounded up all your essential information.
Stage times for Katy Perry at the AO Arena
The AO Arena hasn’t yet confirmed exact stage times for tonight’s show, but we do have enough information to give you a good estimate.
Doors will open at 6pm, with a show start of 7.45pm.
That will mean the support act should wrap up around 8.15pm and Katy Perry is likely to take to the stage between 8.30pm and 8.45pm.
For her Manchester show, Katy Perry will be supported by singer-songwriter Goldie Boutilier.
Goldie, who has also performed under monikers Kay, My Name Is Kay, and Goldilox during her career, will be joining Katy on most of her UK dates, before handing over the reins to Au/Ra and then Becky Hill.
Tickets for Katy Perry at the AO Arena
Katy Perry has completely sold out the AO Arena with The Lifetimes Tour, with no general tickets left at all.
However, there are a few tickets remaining on Ticketmaster’s resale platform, which are priced between £78.73 and £131.18 each.
Expected setlist
Katy has split her show into sections she’s calling ‘Levels’, as a nod to the video game inspiration behind the tour.
Each one is absolutely packed with pop bangers, as you’d expect.
Here’s the latest setlist from her most recent show in Glasgow.
Level 1: Artificial
ARTIFICIAL
Chained to the Rhythm
Teary Eyes
Dark Horse
Level 2: Woman’s World
WOMAN’S WORLD
California Gurls
Teenage Dream
Hot n Cold
Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)
Peacock
I Kissed a Girl
Level 3: Nirvana
NIRVANA
CRUSH
I’M HIS, HE’S MINE
Wide Awake
Level 3.5: Choose Your Own Adventure (fan requests)
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
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Getting there by car and parking
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
Danny Jones -
21st May 2024 
