Audio

Placebo are returning to Manchester with a special re-worked album tour for their 30th anniversary

Still one of THE very best British breakouts. (this article contains affiliate links)

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 18th March 2026

Placebo are coming back to Manchester city centre for a very special anniversary show celebrating their seminal debut album, which will be re-worked 30 years on from its release.

The beloved British alt-rock band, which first broke onto the indie, post-glam and pseudo-goth scene back in the mid-1990s, haven’t played here since November 2022, so it’s fair to say fans have been waiting for a return.

Last time out, they played the AO Arena, but this year they’ll be making a maiden visit to one of Europe’s biggest indoor entertainment venues.

Announcing the ‘RE:CREATED‘ re-release of their debut album and the accompanying anniversary tour this week, tickets are set to go on sale very soon.

Confirming just a handful of UK shows this December following a more extensive European run in autumn and winter 2026, they are the latest big rock name to book Co-op Live.

ADVERTISEMENT

Placebo’s self-titled debut album, RE:CREATED

As mentioned, Placebo RE:CREATED features “powerful reworked and embellished versions of all ten tracks from the original album”, as well as two new bonus tracks.

The group say that these new songs are sort of like an ‘amplification’ of what made their inaugural studio outing such a success in the first place.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking in an official statement, they said: “We think of this record as a director’s cut. We haven’t recreated it from scratch. We went back to the original master tapes and brought 30 years of playing these songs live back into the record.

“This project was about finally finishing the record, dragging it into the 21st century sonically, while preserving the integrity and the spirit of the original. It’s not about improving it; there’s nothing wrong with it – it’s about completing it.”

Signing off and getting tails up ahead of the tour, they added: “It’s a celebration of where we began, and a meeting point between who we were then and who we are now; a way of honouring that innocence, while letting the songs exist with the scale, confidence, and energy of the band we’ve become”.

ADVERTISEMENT

It remains to be seen who, if anyone, will be supporting them for the limited run of domestic shows, but it has been revealed that they will also be playing some fan favourite songs from their sophomore LP, Without You I’m Nothing. You can see the rest of the gigs here in Britain and Ireland down below:

Placebo UK tour dates 2026

2 – Dublin, Ireland – 3 Arena
4th – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live Arena
5th – London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley
7th – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena

For those looking to secure early access, you can do so by pre-ordering the album (which drops on 19 June), with the pre-sale window opening at 9am on 24 March.

As for general admission, they will be available from the same time the following Friday, 27 March.

You can get ready to grab your tickets to see Placebo at Co-op Live in Manchester for their 30th anniversary gig right HERE.

ADVERTISEMENT

They’re not the only big rock name that first back in the 90s set for a big Manc arena show this year.

Korn announce massive Manchester gig on first UK tour in a decade

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press shots (supplied via SJM Concerts)

Audio

Review | What we made of Country 2 Country 2026, and why Manchester should be very excited

Danny Jones Danny Jones C2C London review ahead of coming to Manchester in 2027

Excuse me, but it looks like we might have a new favourite festival on the cards: Country 2 Country – and it’s very rare we gig in London and enjoy ourselves anyway near as much as we do up North, but now we’re already dreaming of just how good C2C Manchester could be.

In fact, scratch that, we know it is.

Billed as Europe’s biggest country music festival, there really isn’t anything quite like it here. Yes, there’s Buckle & Boots Festival closer to home, but there’s nothing in the folk and country world on this kind of massive scale, unless you go all the way to see the actual CMA Fest over in the US.

London’s also been lucky enough to host some very big names at BST Hyde Park too, but this fully-fledged arena weekender, complete with an outdoor festival hub, town square, trading post, a barn full of line-dancers, and SO much more, celebrates every single part of that culture.

country 2 country 20206 review
c2c yellowstone yard
c2c town square
By day, the aim is to make a little country town, complete with shops, food, drink and music aplenty. (Credit: Audio North)

But… We think the North can do it better.

So too did some of the acts and punters as well, by the way; we spoke to several people on-site who’d made the trip from all over because it was closer than Glasgow, Belfast or Berlin.

Up-and-coming British country rock artist, Bronnie – who was literally hours away from a move across the pond to pursue her dreams of living the cowgirl turned music artist experience down in the Southern states – said simply: “There’s always this feeling like there’s more fun to be had up North”

Moreover, the friends she’s already made over in America’s ‘Music City’, she says, have claimed that “the vibes are just better”, apparently. Not to sound too biased, but we obviously couldn’t agree more.

However, with the news that C2C is coming to Manchester city centre and Northern England for the very first time, people are already hopping mad at the idea of a Manc debut.

That’s to say that what The O2 in London isn’t special and will always be to most punters, we just know full well that our particular region is going to take to this new annual event like a duck to water.

A lot of the people we spoke to kept repeating the same: that working class connection, simple but relatable imagery, the pure poetry you’ll find not only in Nashville but creative cousins like Manchester.

The Broadway strip in Austin may be the spiritual home of this kind of music, but we Greater Mancunians lay claim to plenty of genres and some of the biggest artistic traditions ourselves.

With that in mind, we are convinced we’re going to leave a lasting impression when our inaugural Country 2 Country Festival comes to the AO Arena next year.

Our line dancing might leave a little to be desired, but we’ve got a whole year to work on it, not to mention plenty of time to dive even further into the UK’s growing country music obsession.

Find out more about his magnificent music festival ahead of its maiden Manc edition and sign up for early pre-sale access to Country 2 Country Manchester HERE.

You can see more pictures from our 2026 C2C gallery down below.

c2c cowboy hats
Country fashion was everywhere
CMA Spotlight Stage Country 2 Country
The official CMA Spotlight Stage was one of the best
other activities at c2c music festival
No one shyed away from a party
kruse brothers music
Kruse Brothers were one of our favourite from the weekend
alana springsteen c2c 2026
Alana Springsteen was incredible
And by the evening, it’s a proper hedonist hoedown… (Credit: The Manc)

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

Audio

Dave at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more for UK tour

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Highly-acclaimed rapper-songwriter Dave is heading to Co-op Live for two nights, in support of his recent release The Boy Who Played The Harp. 

Manchester is gearing up for two nights of high-energy rap with a sprinkle of prose courtesy of rapper and songwriter Dave, taking place at Co-op Live.

The rapper has been cultivating an audience of dedicated fans through his impressive solo work and some pretty huge collaborations with acts like Central Cee, AJ Tracey, Fredo and more.

The Brit-Nigerian star has three albums to his name and an even bigger number of chart-toppers, recently earning his fourth, a collaboration with Afrobeats artist Tems titled ‘Raindance’.

Now, Dave is compiling a 10-year discography, creating a setlist perfect to be played at 23,500 seater venue Co-op Live right here in Manchester. 

Gig guide | Dave at Co-op Live, Manchester – all you need to know

Dave is playing two shows at Co-op Live Manchester in March as part of UK tour / Credit: supplied via Wikimedia Commons
Dave is playing two shows at Co-op Live Manchester in March as part of his UK tour / Credit: supplied via Wikimedia Commons

Dave UK tour dates

  • Fri 13 March – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Mon 16 March – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Tue 17 March – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Sat 29 August – Little John’s Farm – Reading, UK
  • Sun 30 August – Bramham Park – Leeds, UK

Are there tickets left for Dave at Co-op Live?

You ‘Wanna Know’ if there’s any Dave tickets going spare? Well guess what, you’re in luck as you can still find a handful of tickets to both dates.

It might not be a ‘Funky Friday’, but Dave is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester on Monday 16 March with tickets HERE.

There’s two chances to witness some of the best ‘UK Rap’ so grab your ‘Trojan Horse’ and get ready to watch him live on Tuesday 17 March – tickets HERE.

Dave setlist for 2026 tour

  • History
  • No Weapons
  • Verdansk
  • Clash
  • System
  • Both Sides of a Smile
  • Screwface Capital
  • Location
  • Thiago Silva
  • No Words
  • Professor X
  • Funky Friday
  • Kat Slater
  • Titanium
  • Victory Lap Freestyle
  • Trojan Horse
  • UK Rap
  • Selfish
  • Chapter 16
  • The Boy Who Played the Harp
  • Sprinter
  • Starlight

Stage times for Dave and support act at Co-op Live, Manchester

Doors for the ‘Money Talks’ hitmaker are set to open from 6.30pm with no official starting time listed although the rapper has taken to the stage around 9pm at previous dates.

The show officially begins at 7.30pm, with Lost Boys performing as support.

You’re guaranteed to get swept away by Dave’s songs and the storytelling weaved throughout his lyrics.

How to get to Co-op Live

Tram

For those of you heading to Co-op Live, 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.

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.

Getting there by car and parking

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

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 Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
  • Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Walk/cycle

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.

ADVERTISEMENT

For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images – Press shot via supplied / Wikimedia Commons via supplied

More Audio

Korn announce massive Manchester gig on first UK tour in a decade

Audio

Korn announce massive Manchester gig on first UK tour in a decade

The Pussycat Dolls have announced a major global tour with a Manchester date

Audio

The Pussycat Dolls announce major comeback with huge global arena tour

Country 2 Country music festival Manchester dates tickets 2027

Art & Culture

Country 2 Country music festival is coming to Manchester next year

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches