In case you somehow missed the countless videos on TikTok and people’s Instagram stories, Paramore are well and truly back and have been delighting fans with their world tour since October.
Arriving for the UK and Ireland leg of their ‘This Is Why Tour’ earlier this month, pop-punk turned alt-rock outfit are playing top tracks from their latest album of the same name — as well all the hits, of course — and judging by what we’ve seen online, they’ve been absolutely smashing it.
Now stripped to just three of the original four founding members, it looks like they really are back to doing what they do best: making music, playing massive shows and having fun.
With that in mind, Paramore arrive at Manchester’s AO Arena this Tuesday, 18 April, and for those of you going along to relive your noughties emo days or simply watch Hayley Williams be Hayley Williams, here’s all you need to know.
First things first, if you were still hoping to grab yourself some tickets, we’re sorry to be the bearer of bad news but pretty much every one of these puppies sold out in the blink of an eye — even we couldn’t even bag ourselves any, try as we might.
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That’s at least in terms of standing anyway; it looks like are a few seated tickets floating about on sites like Twickets and TicketSwap but they’re pretty pricey and, as always, we’d urge you to be super cautious when it comes to buying from resellers.
However, plans always change and someone always drops out, so we sincerely hope you get a miracle and bag yourself some standings in time for the gig.
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Support acts — what a billing!
As if getting to see the band back on stage with new music wasn’t enough, Mancs will be treated to some serious talent when it comes to Paramore’s support acts for the AO Arena gig.
In addition to bringing rising Winchester-born and London-based artist Rozi Plain (‘Help’, ‘Friend City’, ‘Inner Circle’) along for the UK and Ireland leg, those who grabbed tickets have also somehow managed to land themselves the legendary Bloc Party as ‘warm-ups’. You jammy so-and-sos…
The indie and alt-rock veterans, known for the likes of ‘Helicopter’, ‘Flux’ and ‘This Modern Love’, have been around since 1999 if you can believe it, but are still one of this country’s best exports and it seems the Tennessee trio know it.
There are special guests and then there’s having literal headliners as your ‘warm-ups’, come on, guys.
Paramore stage times for Manchester AO Arena gig
According to the Arena, doors will open to the event at 6pm. The gig itself should start shortly after with Rozi Plain due to play around 6:30pm before lead supports and special guests Bloc Party starting around 7:30pm.
If you even have any energy left after watching Kele Okereke and co. do their thing, Paramore are likely to take the stage at around 9pm for what we can only assume will be two hours of bangers, Riot! era headbanging and pure partying.
Last but not least, judging by what’s been played at the shows on the tour so far — with Dublin kicking off the first date on this current leg — the core ‘This Is Why‘ Tour setlist hasn’t been switched up too much from night to night.
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That being said, there has been some flexible around the middle section of these and coming to such a massive music city like Manchester, they’re sure to pull something big out of the bag.
With help from setlist.fm, here’s what we think it’s going to look like:
Note To Self (spoken word intro)
You First
The News
Playing God
That’s What You Get
Running Out of Time
Caught in the Middle
Ain’t It Fun
Liar
Crystal Clear (Hayley Williams song)
Still Into You
Rose-Colored Boy
Cover 1 (they’ve done everything from The Cranberries to Fleetwood Mac in the past)
Cover 2 (we’re going to assume some Manc anthem — just please not ‘Wonderwall’, guys)
This is the first time Paramore have been back to Manchester’s AO Arena since 2018 when the band were touring the After Laughter album and the lineup was different, so this feels like somewhat of a homecoming for the band as we first knew them.
Now six albums and nearly two whole decades into their career, we think it’s fair to call Paramore veritable rock and pop royalty — I mean, you don’t get the honour of playing the Arena if you aren’t worth the entry fee.
So, if you were wondering exactly why people are so buzzing for this gig, well, this is why:
Wolf Alice announce massive Manchester gig as part of new European tour
Danny Jones
Get ready to lose your marbles, Manchester, because Wolf Alice aren’t just back with more music and a brand new but they’re playing a massive show right here in the city centre.
The beloved British alt and indie rock outfit is one of the most talented groups of musicians to come out of the country in some time, earning countless nods for their debut LP and winning the Mercury Prize award for their sophomore outing back in 2018.
Now eyeing up album number four and having dropped a smash-hit first single, which has already been met with even more acclaim (why break the habit of a lifetime?), they’ve got us even more excited with the announcement of a huge headline date here at the AO Arena.
The Clearing for the amount of limbs in that standing section couldn’t be big enough.
Set to return to Yorkshire later this year as part of the touring cycle for their long-awaited studio comeback, The Clearing, the Wolf Alice Manchester gig is one of a select few UK arena dates confirmed, such as an equivalent over at Leeds’ first direct arena.
The four-piece, fronted by Ellie Roswell, will also be playing a handful of intimate domestic shows.
Due for release on August 29, 2025, we already know the next project is going to be another brilliant entry by the multi-BRIT and NME Award winners.
Written in their native district of Seven Sisters in North London and recorded in LA with Grammy-winning producer Greg Kurstin, the album is being branded a “bold, emotionally rich evolution of their sound.”
“It’s a record that radiates ambition, confidence, and an unfiltered sense of self—arguably their most cohesive and timeless work to date.”
Better still, to help support the grassroots venues that helped them while coming up, £1 of every ticket from this show and other domestic arena shows on the soon-to-be fully confirmed European tour will be donated to fundraising efforts.
What do you make of their new direction?
General admission tickets for Wolf Alice at AO Arena are available on Friday, 23 May from 10am.
It goes without saying that the demand for these things will be massive, so we’d get in that online queue as quickly as possible. The support act(s) haven’t even been revealed yet either.
You can also sort yourself out with exclusive early access by signing up for the AO pre-sale window on Wednesday, 21 May at 5pm; Three Mobile members will have an earlier opportunity also from 10am earlier the same day.
Get ready to grab your tickets for Friday, 28 November HERE.
Swinton’s FREE festival full of live music, food, and ‘family fun’ returns later this month
Emily Sergeant
A popular festival full of pop-up live music, performance, food, drink, and family fun is back in Swinton later this month.
Returning to the Salford town for the third year running at some of Swinton’s favourite venues and well-known locations, Swinton Sounds – which is a collaboration between Salford City Council and From The Other – is all about celebrating the local area and its vibrant community.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians and DJs in a programme curated by the team behind the Sounds from the Other City festival.
Local venues including Swinton Grand Palais, The Swinton Hop House, and The Wobbly Stool, as well as Swinton Square, and the beautiful Victoria Park, are just some of the places residents can head to around town to catch all the action.
Swinton Sounds is back later this month / Credit: Salford City Council
Kicking off on Friday 30 May and running through to Sunday 1 June, Swinton Sounds will launch at the historic Grand Palais with a dancefloor-filling set from Untold Orchestra, with unique takes on dance songs from all the best decades, so expect disco, funk, soul, and lots of shuffle-inducing surprises.
Some of the other stand-out musical performances across the weekend come from the likes of Soul artist Yemi Bolatiwa, Ghana-born, Manchester-raised contemporary guitarist and composer Rory A. Green, and R&B, Gospel, and Neo Soul fusing singer-songwriter Kiké.
Away from the music, festivalgoers will also be able to catch a visually-striking performance piece from the UK’s leading makers and creators of outdoor arts, theatre, and spectacle in the public realm, Walk the Plank – inspired by the nesting birds found around the waterways of Salford.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians / Credit: Supplied
Craft-based family fun will also be provided by Manchester’s Little Artists, while Swinton’s-own Arts Let Loose will be inviting kids to dance and create to music under UV lights.
Clay and craft workshops for the all the family will come courtesy of Clay Life, and Salford Mad Pride will be in town to promote creativity, arts, nature, and community connection for wellbeing, all while celebrating the unique talents of those who struggle with mental health.
If you’re feeling a bit peckish, Fratellis will be providing the pizza, and local bars, The Wobbly Stool and The Swinton Hop House will be running pop-up bars.
Further refreshments will be served from The Hive community hub.
There’ll also be lots of food and family-friendly entertainment over the three days / Credit: Supplied
“Swinton has plenty to celebrate, and has the potential to be one of the best places to live in Greater Manchester,” commented Councillor Jack Youd, who is the Deputy City Mayor at Salford City Council.
“Local people have told us they want to see a more vibrant Swinton, with more going on and more reasons for people to visit and spend their leisure time in the area, so this exciting weekend of activities is part of a programme of events developed in response to that community ambition, and it’s a great opportunity for people to explore the town and experience something new.”
Swinton Sounds will take over Swinton for three days at the end of this month from Friday 30 May – Sunday 1 June, and all events are free to take part in.
Danny Jones -
17th April 2023 
