One of the biggest rap, R&B and pop names on the planet rocks up to Manchester this week and we really ‘Stay’, never say his ‘Goodbyes’ and soak up all the ‘Congratulations’…
That’s right, Post Malone is coming to 0161 for not one but two nights on the trot and it’s going to be an absolute party.
It’s been a couple of years since Post Malone was last in the UK for a show, playing Reading Festival back in 2022, and it’s been four whole years since the New York-born rapper was last in Manchester.
Luckily, us Mancs get to make the most of this visit, with Posty set to play two massive shows at AO Arena on Tuesday and Wednesday (16-17 May). With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know.
Thankfully, if you’re looking to get in on the Twelve Carat Tour, there are still a fair few tickets left to see Post Malone in Manchester either night, with even more available on the second night (Wednesday).
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Better still, they all range between various different locations and prices around the Arena too, with tickets in the lower seated section starting from just under £100 and VIP standing spots around his impressive stage area setting you back £126.50.
The cheapest seats up towards the back of the venue will cost you £76.55, but you best be quick if you want these before they get snapped up by someone else. You can always opt for the Champagne, Suite and Heineken Sky Lounge experiences if you really want to splash out.
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Whatever level of flashy you want to go, you can grab yours HERE.
Post Malone’s supports for his Manchestergigs are two-fold: American rap duo Rae Sremmurd — one half of which, Swae Lee, combined with the 27-year-old on the hit track ‘Sunflower’ for the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse film — as well a guest appearance from another name that is yet to be confirmed.
Who it could be is a total mystery; as far as we can tell from the previous gigs on the UK leg of this tour, there has little been little info leaked about who else has got it on the action, but all we know is that an additional support act is set to be confirmed soon.
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Who do you think it could be or, maybe the better question is who would you like to see?
Doors for Post Malone at the AO Arena will be open from 6pm, with the first support act (whoever they might be) taking the stage at 7.
After a swift half-hour set, Rae Sremmurd will take the stage at 8pm until 8:40; from then there’ll be a quick 20-minute interval for you to fill up on snacks and booze before Posty himself starts playing, with the gig set to run to 10:30pm.
Of course, you always have to make room for an encore and with so many bangers to his name, your guess is as good as ours as to what he’ll close the show with.
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Chances of him doing a Manc cover or some kind? He does love that guitar of his…
Predicted setlist
Speaking of the music itself, judging by the tracks and the running order from his recent three-night run at London’s O2 Arena, this is what we are expecting when it comes to Post Malone’s setlist for Manchester AO Arena:
It’s set to be a brilliant double bill at Manchester’s iconic AO Arena and with tickets still left to grab, you still have a chance to see Post Malone do what he does best right on your doorstep: put on a brilliant performance with more genre’s in one night than you’ll get from virtually any other musician around.
From the clips we’ve seen of his world tour so far, this bloke is just enjoying himself, having an absolute party on stage every night and taking crowds along for the ride.
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We hope to see a few of you there and if there are any other details you need, you can always check out the Arena’s info pack down below:
The Pussycat Dolls announce major comeback with huge global arena tour
Daisy Jackson
Global pop icons The Pussycat Dolls have announced a major global tour, with 50+ shows across Europe and North America.
The pop icons will be performing a massive show here in Manchester as part of the tour, which kicks off this summer.
The Pussycat Dolls have been teasing their return this week, plastering hints on venues across the UK – including the Co-op Live, which displayed a pink digital ad reading ‘Don’t cha wish you knew who we’re announcing tomorrow??’
The multi-platinum pop supergroup will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut record, PCD. They’ll be supported on the European leg of the tour, which will bring them to the UK in September and October, by Lil’ Kim.
The PCD Forever tour will span a whopping 53 dates, where they’ll perform their chart-topping hits including the 5x platinum Buttons, plus Don’t Cha, and Stickwitu.
The Pussycat Dolls were pop heavyweights in the 2000s, known for their electrifying choreography and live performances.
The Pussycat Dolls have announced a major global tour with a Manchester date. Credit: Rankin
Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, and Ashley Roberts will be back together once again this year for what will be their biggest international run in years.
They’ll be releasing a new song for the first time since 2019 – Club Song is produced by Mike Sabbath (RAYE, Jade) and written by Nicole Scherzinger with Sabbath, Caroline Ailin (Dua Lipa) and Solly (Teddy Swims).
General tickets will go on sale from 10am on Friday 20 March, but fans can sign up for pre-sale at pcdforever.com by Monday to access tickets early.
Country 2 Country music festival is coming to Manchester next year
Danny Jones
Hold on to your cowboy hats, country fans: the smash-hit Country 2 Country music festival is coming to Manchester.
The massive live music festival specialising in all things country, folk, bluegrass, Americana and more has slowly been expanding its presence across the UK and Ireland over the last decade or so.
Starting in London at the O2 Arena, before hitting the Emerald Isle in 2015 and debuting in Scotland just three years later, it has seen some of the biggest acts from the world of country music cross the Atlantic to show off the Stateside genre, plus plenty from around the globe already immersed in the culture.
We’ll confess, even prior to the official announcement, we had a feeling this was coming when we spotted these posters dotted about in town:
Like so many of those buzzing in the comments, we cannot wait for this to come around.
With this year’s respective events taking place simultaenously place over the coming weekend, Friday, 13 to Sunday, 15 March, it’s fair to say they’ve timed the news perfectly.
Everyone from established names such as Carrie Underwood, Tim McGraw, Chris Stapleton, Kacey Musgraves, to up-and-coming bands as well as fast-rising artists working in and around the genre, like Nate Smith, Lainey Wilson and, of course, the now well and truly massive Luke Combs.
For instance, the likes of Keith Urban, Noah Rinker, Alana Springsteen – no relation – Zach Top and many, MANY more, are playing across London, the OVO Hydro in Glasgow and Belfast’s SSE Arena for the 12th edition of the now annual celebration.
Set to arrive in our city centre for the very first time, Country 2 Country (C2C) will be making its Manc debut at none other than the legendary AO Arena, where so many of the biggest names and current generation of stars alike have played.
You only have to look at recent examples like Darius Rucker last year and the ever-growing Tyler Childers, helping kick off this season of country gigs here in Manchester.
Meanwhile, as you can see for Country 2 Country music fest’s Manchester debut, it’s coming in March 2027, and they’ll be teaming up with other local gig venues and bars to turn 0161 into a little slice of Broadway – we just hope we get a bit of Austin weather to boot.
It’s fair to say that this particular part of the music industry is definitely enjoying a big boom right now, with lots of different acts dipping their toes into the bayou, if you will.
However, C2C have been flying the flag for country music over here for ages now, and with it being hailed as remaining “one of the UK’s most spectacular annual festivals” by the likes of The Express and countless, among countless other reviews, we think it’s time you give it a go.
Better still, let’s show everyone that we can do it even better up North, and here in what everyone knows is Britain’s real musical home: Greater Manchester.
Tickets will be available from 10am next Friday, 20 March, and you can sign up to get early bird pre-sale access right HERE.
Credit: Niko Moon/Luke Dyson Photography (supplied)