If you had any doubt that the upcoming Oasis reunion shows weren’t going to be heavily documented, you’re an absolute fool. However, we’ll admit we weren’t expecting to hear the creator of Peaky Blinders‘ name connected to the tour.
Yeah, as in the Brummies with the flat caps on the telly – them ones.
That’s right, the same man who brought Tommy Shelby and Birmingham’s most infamous gang to our screens is apparently overseeing a major documentary project which will chronicle the return of the Gallagher brothers and put the best bits on film.
As announced by the band themselves this week, Steven Knight has been confirmed as the creator and producer of the Oasis ‘Live ’25’ world tour documentary movie.
The brain behind Peaky Blinders is creating the second Oasis doc after 2016’s Supersonic. (Credit: Taylor Rooke/BBC/IMDb)
It’s worth noting to begin with that besides the BBC’s blockbuster gangster series, which is soon to be followed up with the franchise’s first feature film on Netflix, Knight does have some background in music-related media.
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The 65-year-old created the six-part BBC drama, This Town, which revolves around the rise of ska and the ‘two-tone’ revival movement in the Midlands during the 1970s; he also wrote the script for the 2024 opera biopic, Maria, starring Angelina Jolie.
Other names involved in the Peaky Blinders boss’ Oasis documentary are joint directors Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace, who made the LCD Soundsystem film, Shut Up And Play The Hits, which covers frontman James Murphy’s final gig as part of the band at Madison Square Gardens.
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Although we are obviously yet to get a release window at this early stage – they’ve got to get through all 41 dates first (touch wood) – more details are expected soon.
Who’s managed to grab tickets? (Credit: Press Image)
The bedlam around ‘Live ’25’ becoming a reality may have died down a little as now just have to play the waiting game and gear up for those first gigs in July, but there have still been plenty of exciting announcements since then.
As well as Richard Ashcroft and Cast being confirmed as the two support acts for the tour, the full reunion band has also reportedly been revealed, with another member of the original 1991 lineup set to make his own comeback.
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We’re still way too far away from seeing leaks of the setlist and what they’ve been playing in rehearsals etc., but we
After all, as much as love debating the best Oasis songs of all time, we’ll just be glad to hear any of them being played by the Burnage boys, together again in the flesh, for the first time in 15 years.
Lord of the Rings live in concert is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
The fellowship is not lost: JRR Tolkien fans are being invited to come along to see the beloved first film in the Lord of the Rings trilogy live in concert here in Manchester.
Undoubtedly, some of the most beautifully shot and, crucially, rousingly scored Hollywood blockbusters in history, the LotR movie soundtracks still remain among the most iconic to this day.
So just imagine how incredible they must be to witness it in the flesh…
Well, that opportunity is just on the horizon, as a live performance of The Fellowship of the Ring by a fully-fledged live band is coming to the city centre’s biggest indoor arena later this year.
Available either as an evening or matinee show, ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring – In Concert’ arrives this winter at Co-op Live.
Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the iconic Academy Award-winning film, which kick-started a mega franchise both on the big and the small screen nowadays, what better way to toast the date than by rewatching it like never before?
Teaming up with the one and only Hallé – Manchester’s premier orchestra since 1858 – the production will be bringing Howard Shore’s legendary original scores to life in person as they soundtrack the epic motion picture playing behind them.
We’ve got chills just thinking about some of those scenes: the council of Elrond in Rivendell; the ‘Argonath’ passing, that first stunning New Zealand vista as Middle-Earth, and SO many more.
Here’s a sample of what it’s like to hear those instantly recognisable sounds live:
Come on, how incredible is this?
For those looking to attend the Manchester showings of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of The Ring – In Concert, as always, official Co-op members will be granted early access through the venue’s presale window.
This will open at 10am on Wednesday, 25 March; meanwhile, general admission tickets will then be available from the same time the following Friday (27 Mar).
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied)/New Line Cinema (screenshots)
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The MOBO Awards in Manchester – everything you need to know
Thomas Melia
It’s official, the MOBOs are coming to Manchester for a night of live music performances and international artists, all at Co-op Live.
This award show, dedicated to music created by black creatives and musicians, has been hosted in cities nationwide, most recently in Newcastle, but 2026 marks its first time ever in the music capital of the North: Manchester.
A whole host of impressive musicians and acts take to the stage every year, with iconic moments throughout the award show’s history attributed to R&B royalty Lauryn Hill and Queen of Dancehall, Spice.
This award show is dedicated to celebrating Music of Black Origin but is recognised more widely as the MOBOs, with the aim of platforming as many genres as possible, from reggae and rap to soul, hip-hop and more.
Odeal and Spice performing at MOBOs 2025 in Newcastle / Credit: Nick Redman
The MOBOs first took place in 1996, and since then, founder Kanya King and her team have created a legacy – one now set to celebrate its 30th anniversary at 23,500 indoor venue Co-op Live.
MOBOs 2026 guide – all the key info
Are there still tickets left for the MOBO Awards ceremony at Co-op Live?
In a word, yes; there is still a healthy amount of tickets, both general admission and hospitality/VIP packages, if you fancy splashing out.
There’s still time to secure a seat, so grab yours HERE while you still can.
What time do the 2026 MOBOs start in Manchester and on TV?
This year, the MOBOs won’t be broadcast on mainstream TV channels; the award show has decided to collaborate with Amazon.
The show will be live-streamed via Amazon Music UK’s official Twitch account on Thursday, 26 March from 8pm – watch HERE.
There’s also an ‘Access All Areas’ programme hosted by DJ Target on BBC One with interviews and all the red carpet action on Friday 27 March, recapping all the action HERE.
All live streams and official channels have a finishing time of 10:30pm, meaning you can enjoy a night of huge performances while also getting a good quality kip.
Eve and Eddie Kadi are hosting this year’s MOBOs in Manchester / Credit: MOBO Organisation
2026 MOBO nominations
Obviously, the focus of this night isn’t just toasting 30 years of music with Black British culture and beyond, but recognising those pushing the industry forward in their field(s).
Lots of current and up-and-coming acts have found their way onto the list of nominees for the MOBOs this year – many for the very first time.
Shortlisted are the likes of the neo-soul singer-songwriting sensation, Olivia Dean, fellow female solo artists, PinkPantheress and Little Simz; Central Cee, Skepta, Kojey Radical, Raye, Myles Smith and FKA twigs, just to name a few excitinng few.
The MOBOs are known for some of the most insane live performances by some of the music industry’s biggest stars, this year with presenters Eve and Eddie Kadi.
Get ready for the Co-op Live crowd to chant “DEANO!” as the aforementioned Ms Dean will be performing on the night, and with the amount of hits this ‘Lady Lady’ has, we’re bound to know every word.
The ‘Queen of Afrobeats’, Tiwa Savage, is set to take to the stage and her album, This One Is Personal, helped soundtrack 2025, like the Skepta collaboration ‘On The Low’. With ‘Skeppy’ in attendance, anything is possible…
Dancehall diva Shenseea will be performing and has seen massive international success on MOLIY’s single ‘Shake It To The Max (Remix)’, Aya Nakamura duet ‘Dis-moi’, and solo hit ‘Time For Me’.
R&B trio FLO, Manchester rapper Aitch, Myles Smith, Slick Rick and Estelle, as well as a grime medley featuring Wiley, Chip, Nolay, Scorcher and D Double E curated by DJ Target, are also putting on a show – Co-op Live is in for a treat.
Tiwa Savage, FLO and Shenseea are just some of the acts taking to the Co-op Live stage / Credit: Press Shots via supplied
Who else is on the live music line-up in Manchester for MOBOs Fringe?
With the MOBO Awards heading to town for the very first time, there’s also a whole host of events taking place at various independent venues throughout the city.
Some may have already passed in the build-up to event week, such as a special partnered Manchester Basketball game for the MOBO Fringe festival, but if you time to go along to any of the ones still remaining, we strongly urge you to do so.
Get your MOBOs fix ahead of the show by attending some stellar upcoming acts as you gear up for the big event next Thursday night.
Fri 20 March – Shimrise Selects – The Deaf Institute
Sat 21 March – Mobørigins – Renae
Sat 21 March – Habitat x MOBO Fringe – Cupra City Garage
Sun 22 March – Manchester Made: Roots, Rhyme & The Future – Niamos Centre
Sun 22 March – Aarchive House – Side Street
Sun 22 March – Crib Sessions with Faro – Side Street
There are plenty of events ahead of the MOBOs that you can get involved with across Manchester / Credit: Nick Flynn via supplied
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
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For those of you heading to Co-op Live to watch the BRIT Awards shows in person, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays. It’s also worth noting that anyone with a valid BRITs ticket is granted FREE travel from all zones travelling to and from the venue.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
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Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on 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. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Danny Jones -
13th March 2025 
