One of the summer’s biggest and best-loved music events is now well underway, with a roster of massive names performing at Sounds of the City.
Next up at Castlefield Bowl will be Sheffield Britpop legends Pulp on 4 July, performing in Manchester for the first time in two decades.
Fronted by Jarvis Cocker, the band’s massive hits include Common People, Disco 2000, and Sorted for E’s & Wizz.
With seven albums and some massive award wins – including a Mercury Music Prize and multiple NME Awards – it’s going to be a massive night for Pulp at Castlefield Bowl.
Their summer reunion tour is titled This is What We Do For an Encore.
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The stage is set canal-side in Castlefield, with other headline performances from Hozier, Blossoms and Bastille still to come.
Here’s everything you can expect if you’re heading down to see Pulp.
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Who’s supporting Pulp?
Pulp will be supported by British musician Baxter Dury at their Castlefield Bowl gig.
He has six studio albums and has recently, notably, collaborated with Fred Again on the single Baxter (These Are My Friends).
After his slot supporting Pulp, Baxter Dury will be back in Manchester in October for a headline gig at New Century.
The stage times have already been announced for Pulp, but are always subject to change.
5.30pm – Doors and DJ 7.45pm – Baxter Dury 9pm – Pulp 11pm – Curfew
Tickets
Tickets for Pulp are, sadly, totally sold out.
They were initially priced at £75.35 including booking fee.
If you’re desperate to go, keep an eye on resale sites but make sure you’re buying from a trustworthy seller so you don’t get ripped off.
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Weather forecast
Castlefield Bowl is an outdoor venue, with only a very small amount of cover by the amphitheatre seating.
The wet weather is set to mostly take a break for Pulp’s gig on Tuesday 4 July.
Temperatures are set to peak at 19 degrees, with a low of 14 degrees, according to the Met Office.
There’s a 50% chance of light rain at 8pm, but otherwise things are looking dry.
Expected setlist
A previous Sounds of the City gig at Castlefield Bowl. Credit: FAC51 The Hacienda
Pulp have already squeezed in another huge outdoor gig, at Finsbury Park in London.
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The below is the setlist they went for down south.
I Spy Disco 2000 Mis-Shapes Something Changed Pink Glove Weeds Weeds II (The Origin of the Species) F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E. Sorted for E’s & Wizz This Is Hardcore Do You Remember the First Time? Babies Sunrise Like a Friend Underwear Common People Encore: Razzmatazz
About Castlefield Bowl
Castlefield Bowl is an amphitheatre-style outdoor venue in the city centre.
Although all tickets are billed as unreserved standing, if you’re quick you can take a seat on the large concrete steps that curve around the stage.
Many people also take a perch up on the grassy banks at the back of the venue too.
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Castlefield Bowl is located at 101 Liverpool Road in the city centre.
The closest tram stop is Deansgate-Castlefield, which is only a six-minute walk away.
You can also walk it from the major train stations, or use the 101, 197, 255, 256, 41, 50 or X50 buses.
JLS announce huge UK tour including Manchester gig
Daisy Jackson
Boy band JLS have just announced a huge Manchester gig as part of a new UK tour.
The Everybody in Love singers will be heading out on a new tour, The Club Is Alive Tour, this autumn.
Aston Merrygold, Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill shared the exiting news of the new tour dates this afternoon.
JLS will be performing at cities including Manchester, Leeds, and Sheffield, as they head to arenas right across the UK.
And support will come from fellow noughties legend Example, who’s behind massive songs like Last Ones Standing, Kickstarts, and Changed The Way You Kiss Me.
JLS formed on the X Factor back in 2008, when they placed as runners-up to Alexandra Burke.
Then they went on to release five chart-topping angles and hit singles like Everybody in Love, She Makes Me Wanna, and One Shot.
The group parted ways in 2013 but reunited for a huge Beat Again tour in 2021.
And now they’re back again, heading to the Co-op Live this November.
Announcing the news this afternoon, they said: “It’s official! We’re hitting the road this year for “The Club Is Alive Tour” with our very special guests Example.
“Get all the info on JLSofficial.com and make sure to click the link and sign up for presale access to tickets. If you miss that, tickets will go on sale to the public on March 28th at 10 AM.”
Bastille announce blockbuster Manchester arena date for special anniversary show
Danny Jones
Alt and indie-pop band Bastille are coming back to Manchester for another big gig, only this one is set to be bigger than ever as they celebrate a huge music milestone.
Having played Castlefield Bowl back in 2023 and recently returned to the city for a pair of more intimate shows at Manchester Cathedral and as part of Amazon’s ‘City Sessions’ at Aviva Studios, the Bastille boys have frequented 0161 pretty often of late.
With their latest LP Ampersand (or simply “&“) having dropped back in 2024, the London-formed outfit are now five studio albums and dozens of songs into their career. That being said, they’re set to look back on the journey up till now with some huge UK arena dates.
Announcing the ‘From All Sides’ tour this week, Bastille will be coming to Manchester and several other major cities to play their biggest, best and most beloved songs from the first 15 years.
Effectively being marketed as a greatest hits so far gig, these will be the band’s first UK arena tour in over three years.
With each show featuring songs from across Bastille’s entire discography – everything from fan favourites to deep cuts and rarities from the Other Peoples’ Heartache mixtapes, as well as seminal moments from Bad Blood, Doom Days and more – it’ll be a long journey down memory lane.
Bastille will be returning to the AO Arena for their Manchester date, a venue they’re more than familiar with, but with a decade and a half of music to get through, it’ll be one of their biggest Northern gigs to date.
Speaking on the tour, the band said: “We’re really excited to announce that we’re going on tour for the first time in a while to play the songs we all love from our first 15 years and beyond. Hope to see a load of you in November.”
You’ll definitely be seeing a fair few of us there, lads.
JUST ANNOUNCED🎸 @bastille 'Songs From The First 15 Years'
Bastille arrives in Manchester for one momentous anniversary night on Friday, 14 November and you can bet the arena will sell out quickly.
They are also showing their support for grassroots youth music spaces by giving a tour donation to Youth Music’s ‘Rescue the Roots’ campaign, which helps raise money for the next generation of young creatives.
As mentioned above, there will be two opportunities at pre-sale: first for Three+ mobile members from 10 am on Wednesday, 26 March, and then again via the venue at the same time the following day; as for general admission tickets, they will go live next Friday (28 Mar), also at 10am.
Daisy Jackson -
3rd July 2023 
