Post Malone finished up his second night at Manchester’s AO Arena on Wednesday evening, which The Manc had the pleasure of going along to, and believe us when we tell you we weren’t prepared to have sucha special time.
Austin Richard Post, as he casually introduced himself to the audience, has been on the scene for over a decade now, releasing his first-ever single ‘White Iverson’ back in 2015 — the track that launched his career and has seen fans falling deeper and deeper in love with him over the years.
Even from the start and his debut album, Stoney, Post Malone‘s extremely palatable brand of rap, pop and R&B has meant that he’s never been just one thing or the other and that became abundantly clear the second he walked out on stage.
His entrance alone proved that still had gears we didn’t expect, opening the show with an atmospheric and suspense-building arrangement of ‘Reputation’ as massive spiralling lights, smoke and phone torches filled the room, before exploding almost demonically into ‘Wow.’ and kicking the show into fifth.
Just two songs in and we were already pretty mesmerised — the set design by creative director, Lewis James, alone a seriously impressive spectacle — then came what felt like the most relentless barrage of bangers, playing ‘Better Now’, ‘Psycho’, ‘Candy Paint’ and ‘I Fall Apart’ all back-to-back.
We even got to hear him do ‘I Like You (A Happier Song)’ minus Doja Cat’s part, mind, but thankfully with the bonus of that wholesome little dance you might have seen him do on TikTok. If you know you know.
And ‘happier’ couldn’t have summed up the show any better: with each song, every single person in the room seemed twice as stoked as they were on the previous one, with the screams as he dropped the next track only getting louder as then show went on.
Even when he slowed things down and got out his guitar to do acoustics like ‘Lemon Tree’ and ‘Stay’, it felt like one big sing-song around a campfire — you know, if the fire had 20,000 round it and was spitting out of pyros on stage. Then, of course, he swiftly reminded us he was a literal ‘rockstar’ and smashed up his guitar, something that always kind of frustrates but looks undeniably fun.
It was at this point we realised this guy isn’t just a rapper most people have heard on the radio anymore — he hasn’t been that for a long time: he’s a generational, genre-bending talent and an absolute god to his die-hards and we almost felt stupid for not realising just how good he was earlier.
Chants of ‘Posty, Posty!’ began ringing around the AO Arena between songs and the 27-year-old would simply soak it in and do another chuffed little dance every time. Everyone in there was enjoying themselves and so was he — him even more than us, to be fair.
One of the lasting things we took away from the show, however, was just sincere and positive Post Malone comes across not just as an artist but as a bloke in general. We say it like we know him personally but that was kind of how the whole thing felt, like he was just up there being himself and we happened to be watching.
He stopped to savour the moment and tell the crowd how much he loved them at regular intervals, how much he’d missed being over in the UK and urging people to appreciate and look after each other. Then there was his speech about fatherhood, which had both him and most people watching on in tears.
So yeah, Post Malone at AO Arena Manchester night two was pretty ace.
The whole thing experience wasn’t just “the best party in the world” that night, to quote support act Rae Sremmurd (one the best and most enthusiastic we’ve seen in a long time, by the way), but it was just so positive — even Sremmurd’s Swae Lee was telling fans to grab their best mate and enjoy every second.
His time on stage with Posty for ‘Sunflower’ was a great moment too, one that pretty much encapsulated the entire night: a bunch of people singing and dancing their heads off to so many hits that you almost didn’t realise just how much quality music the man has put out.
As the show drew towards a close we got his latest single ‘Chemical’ — a lovely poppy little number which gives an idea of what his newly announced album, Austin, might sound like — as well as firm-favourite ‘Congratulations’, which feels like a lifetime ago but is still the perfect self-affirmation all these years later.
That being said, it was only fitting that he ended with the track that started it all off, serenading the Arena with ‘White Iverson’ as they held aloft their drinks and swayed back and forth to what remains one of the most chill tunes he’s ever made. The song might be but we left with none.
Post Malone in Manchester night two confirmed one thing: we are now Posty stans for life.
Featured Image — Post Malone (via Instagram)/The Manc Group
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‘The Brand With the 3 Stripes’: adidas returns to Market Street with dedicated Manchester Oasis shop
Danny Jones
Manchester’s famous Market Street adidas store has reopened as quite possibly the most mega and, certainly, the most Manc shop on the high street– thanks to Oasis.
Amidst their already iconic collaboration with the global sports apparel name, Oasis have followed up their recently opened pop-up shop with another bold and (go on, we’ll say it) BIBLICAL building dedicated entirely to the ‘band with the three stripes’.
Or should we say brand?*…
You’ll have to have been living under an entire ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ to have missed this crossover, but it really does have to be visited in person to truly appreciate.
The Oasis x adidas shop is sure to be a big Manchester attraction in its own right. (Credit: The Manc Group)
With tonnes of memorabilia, genuine artist artefacts, a shed-load of every adidas Originals shoe model imaginable; dedicated Live ‘25 tour printing, buckets of buckets hats and simply more merch than you can shake a tambourine at, it’s a genuinely incredible space.
In fact, we’d wager you don’t even have to be a fan of the legendary Britpop band to enjoy the massively overhauled rooms.
Put it this way, if you like adidas, the effortlessly cool nature of Manc culture, or even just really, really good quality sports, street and casual-wear, you’ll get something out of this.
Besides the archive walls, photo-booth (which we spent an inordinate amount of time in) and all the other nods to Noel and Liam, there is still a standard adidas Originals floor upstairs.
With a corner still set aside for the usual football stuff, a whole wall of their different shoes with detailed explanation and story behind each type, plus even more fitting rooms.
The Market St shop is almost unrecognisable compared to what it used to be like – you kind of only recognise because it’s still in the same spot – and it really does feel akin to a home for the much-loved brand, the city that wears its logo not just like a uniform but a badge of honour, and a shrine to our Oasis.
Separate from the pop-up merch stores that have appeared over in Spinningfields, London is the only other place that will be getting a store like this, and with stocks of almost every item available quite literally selling out as fast as tickets did, this is one of the few places you’ll still find them.
With that in mind, we couldn’t help but walk away with our own customised Oasis ‘Live 25 World Tour ‘Jacquard’ football jersey, complete with our own branding on the back. Not quite on the same level as adidas or Oasis, but we’ll take it.
You’re damn right we’re framing this one… (Credit: The Manc)
We also still have a competition for you to win two tickets to see the Burnage boys in the flesh on their ‘Live 25 reunion tour this summer, so don’t forget to enter HERE.
Roll on Heaton Park and please let Oasis’ marriage with the adi-trefoil insignia ‘Live Forever’.
Transport ‘masterplan’ announced as more than 300,000 fans hit Manchester for Oasis reunion gigs
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester’s transport ‘masterplan’ has been released ahead of Oasis’ huge run of reunion gigs starting next week.
Manchester is all set for a sensational summer of sound, and as more than 300,000 music fans prepare to descend on our city next week as a little-known band called Oasis (sarcasm detected) reform for the first time in over a decade, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has now announced its plan to transport everyone to and from Heaton Park.
With the Gallagher brothers staging five nostalgia-drenched gigs starting from next Friday (11 July), the transport network wants to make sure no one is left ‘looking back in anger’ over their travel arrangements.
Travel arrangements for the hotly-anticipated reunion shows have involved months of planning by TfGM and its partners, so over the next couple of weeks, you can expect to see additional staff on the network, more frequent, all-double tram services running to Heaton Park from Victoria station, and a shuttle bus service running from the city centre.
TfGM’s state-of-the-art control room will also be operating 24/7 to monitor and coordinate the public transport system and respond to any emerging incidents as they materialise.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Greater Manchester’s transport ‘masterplan’ has been released ahead of the Oasis gigs / Credit: TfGM | Simon Emmett (Publicity Picture)
Travelling by tram
The best way for fans to beat the traffic and get to the 80,000-capacity outdoor venue over the five dates will be to travel using the Metrolink network.
On each night, there will be a six-minute service from Victoria Station to Bury – the only city centre station with a direct tram to Heaton Park – and this service will be capable of carrying 4,000 passengers an hour, with concertgoers travelling from other lines told to change onto a Bury-bound tram at Victoria.
If you have a ticket for front standing, your best option is to get off and on again at Bowker Vale, which is the closest stop to the venue entrance on Sheepfoot Lane, as the Heaton Park stop will be closed at 9pm on all nights.
Both the Bowker Vale and Heaton Park stops are just a few minutes away from the park gates, but as as the Heaton Park stop will be closed at 9pm on all nights, if you have a ticket for front standing, your best option is to get off and on again at Bowker Vale, which is the closest stop to the venue entrance on Sheepfoot Lane.
For the shows on 11, 12, and 19 July, the final trams will leave for the city centre at 2:02am and for Bury at 1:16am, and on 16 July, the last trams will run at 1:32am to the city centre and 12:46am to Bury.
Travelling by tram to Heaton Park is recommended by TfGM / Credit: TfGM
Travel by shuttle bus
Alternatively, there will be frequent shuttle buses from Lever Street in the Northern Quarter from 1:30pm on each event day, with the last bus departing at 7:30pm.
Buses will then start running back to Manchester after the event – with the city centre drop-off point being Shudehill Interchange – from a temporary bus station inside Heaton Park from 10pm, and buses will continue to run until all passengers have cleared the bus station.
Limited shuttlebus tickets, priced at £10, are available, but these must be purchased in advance through the Bee Network app.
Further details on how to buy the tickets can be found on the Bee Network website.
There will be increased congestion and various road closures in place around Heaton Park and the surrounding areas on each of the event dates.
Those who have to drive or need to be dropped off and picked up are encouraged to consider taking advantage of the 24 ‘park and ride’ sites in Greater Manchester, where you can park for free and hop on a tram to your destination.
The park and ride sites on the Bury line are Whitefield, with 331 spaces and 13 disabled spaces, and and Radcliffe with 480 spaces and 22 disabled spaces.
Shuttlebus services will be in operation on all dates of Oasis’ run of gigs / Credit: TfGM
And if all of that wasn’t busy enough as it is, Manchester will also be playing host to a number of other big events during Oasis’ run of shows – including Kool & The Gang at AO Arena and Billie Eilish at Co-op Live.
So as you can see, public transport and roads will be busier than usual during this exciting time, so TfGM encourages everyone to allow plenty of time for their journey and check the Bee Network app or website for the latest travel advice.
Danny Jones -
18th May 2023 
