Noel Gallagher is facing criticism from fans after announcing Tom Meighan, former Kasabian frontman, as the support act on the Noel Gallagher‘s High Flying Birds arena tour.
While music fans are delighted to have UK shows on the horizon in December, the choice of support act has already been called into question.
Meighan stepped down from Kasabian back in 2020 shortly before it came to light that he’d been arrested for assaulting his then-fiancée and now wife, Vikki Ager.
Fans were shocked to hear that he was leaving the band, which he’d been frontman of since they formed way back in 1997.
He was replaced by fellow bandmate Sergio Pizzorno, who took on the role of lead singer.
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Meighan has since gone on to launch a solo career, releasing his debut solo album The Reckoning in May.
And now he’s been announced as the support act for Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ December tour.
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The news comes after he played at one of Noel’s shows over the weekend.
Former Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan is to support Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds on their UK arena tour later this year. pic.twitter.com/4zxSKgWFn0
Fans have been disappointed to see the news that Meighan would be joining Noel on tour.
One person wrote: “What on earth is he doing having Tom Meighan as his support? The guy tw*tted his miss ffs and got kicked out of Kasabian for it.”
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Another person said: “Put my ticket up for sale! Tom Meighan is absolutely despicable & disappointed Noel would have someone like him as his support.”
But many others were pleased to see the musician heading back on to a large stage.
Facing a similar backlash earlier this year, organisers of Sheffield festival Be Reyt said that ‘people deserve a second chance’.
Their statement added: “We do not accept that Tom should be cast out from the music community after working hard to better himself.”
Featured image: Wikimedia Commons
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Niall Horan is heading back to Manchester with a massive arena show just announced
Daisy Jackson
Niall Horan will be back in Manchester this year on a huge newly-announced European arena tour.
The former One Direction star (and chart-topper in his own right) has just announced his Dinner Party Live On Tour tour.
The tour comes in support of his upcoming fourth solo studio album, Dinner Party, which promises to be ‘cinematic and organic’.
Niall Horan will be performing at the Co-op Live in Manchester this September, along with gigs in other UK cities including Sheffield, Glasgow, and Newcastle.
He’ll then head right across Europe, playing music from his multi-Platinum-selling songbook.
Niall first shot to fame as one-fifth of One Direction, but has one of the group’s strongest solo careers, with three chart-topping albums and massive hits like Slow Hands, Heaven, and Our Song.
Niall Horan is heading back to Manchester with a massive arena show just announced
He’s also worked on some exciting collaborations with the likes of Anne-Marie, and most recently Myles Smith.
£1 from every ticket sold for Niall Horan’s Dinner Party tour will be donated to the LIVE Trust, which is dedicated to protecting, expanding, and supporting grassroots music across the UK.
Niall Horan will be at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Friday 25 September.
Tickets will go on sale from 10am on Thursday 2 April HERE.
Yard Act announce handful of new headline shows ahead of 6Music gig in Manchester
Clementine Hall
Yard Act are back as they announce first round of UK headline dates since 2024, including a show right here in Manchester – but not before their BBC 6Music Festival gig later this week.
We are so, SO back.
It’s been a few years, but Yard Act have just announced a limited run of domestic shows for later in the year including their homecoming gig at the O2 Academy in Leeds on Friday, 6 November.
But after playing over in Yorkshire, the lads will be performing shows at the O2 Victoria Warehouse on the following Friday (13 Nov).
Yard Act completed the touring for their critically acclaimed second album, Where’s My Utopia?, with a victory lap back home at the 5000 capacity Millennium Square in Leeds in August ’24.
It was a record that brought a stark change of pace to the acerbic, post-punk of their debut, embracing something altogether more playful and bringing a different energy.
It shifted the dynamic on stage too, with the addition of dancing backing singers and additional musicians and openly challenged listeners to reconsider who they thought Yard Act were.
Since then, the band have been keeping busy writing and recording their third studio LP, as well as heading out across the UK and Europe with The Hives – oh, and that intimate one-off show at Blackpool Tower last May.
Following a lengthy stint in the studio, the band now look to this coming autumn for three big UK dates and we cannot wait. We spoke to them a little while back and know how much big stuff they’ve got further pipeline; you can see the interview HERE.
Booking just three headline slots, the handful of tour dates are as follows:
06 Nov – Leeds
13 Nov – Manchester
26 Nov – London
Tickets go on artist presale from 10am on Wednesday, 25 March before hitting general sale at 10am on Friday, 27 March. Sign up to grab yours right HERE.
As for those wanting to find out more about this year’s 6Music Fest, you find the full lineup and more down below.
Daisy Jackson -
8th August 2023 
