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In memory of Gallagher Hill: an ode to one of the greatest moments in Manc music history

Gone, but never EVER to be forgotten.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 21st July 2025

The Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour shows at Heaton Park are officially over, with an estimated 400,000 fans having flocked to the fields for the historic Manchester gigs – but actually, there were A LOT more than that, thanks to what will now and forever be known as Gallagher Hill.

In truth, it’s impossible to know just how many people went to camp out and watch their favourite rock and roll band and arguably the greatest to ever do it, play their five homecoming nights from the unofficial spectators’ hill that was quickly named after the Burnage boys.

But with approximately 80,000 ticketed fans attending each of the gigs and thousands – more and more each night, as it happens, even with the initial views from Heaton Park’s cow field being restricted by a giant barricade – it’s not too outlandish to estimate that not far off half a million came to listen.

Come rain or shine, like true Mancunians, they turned up and sang their hearts out, as did countless others who made the trip just to watch from Gallagher Hill.

By the fifth and final night, as you can see by the scenes above, the raised section of the 600-acre park was absolutely packed with people of all ages and backgrounds, coming not just from all over the region but even further afield.

When boarding one of the trams heading to the show on Sunday, 20 July (Oasis‘ last Live ’25 gig at Heaton Park), we even overheard someone who said they had travelled down from London to the city simply to watch from Gallagher Hill as they’d not yet managed to get a ticket.

Regardless, he just couldn’t wait, and after seeing the videos on social media, was clearly compelled to come and join in the party.

And who could blame him? Like only us Northerners can do, not that we’re biased or anything, the city, Bury, and the boroughs at large managed to turn Oasis Mania/Fever/whatever you want to call it into what we can only imagine it’s like when Glastonbury takes over Worthy Farm and beyond.

The tidal wave of fans jumping on the bandwagon only got bigger with each gig, and it wasn’t long before the Gallagher brothers themselves got wind of it and began dedicating songs to them.

Once the trend had taken off and fully hit social media, Liam told the crowds last week, “If you lot are listening on the hill… ‘Bring It On Down’.”

By the evening of the final farewell, he and Noel had even arranged for free shirts that read ‘Gallagher Hill’ to be handed out to punters posted up on the truly Greater Mancunian mound, with Noel’s daughter Anaïs sharing images of the happy recipients who were among the lucky lot to score one.

With the veritable sea of bucket hats and Oasis merch all over 0161 over the past fortnight alone, ‘Gallagher Hill’ itself was pretty much decked out in ‘Mancuni-form’.

‘What was suppose to be a day in Manchester ended up on Gallagher’s hill singing Oasis with an Oasis top and bucket hat.’
The Gallagher kids doing their bit too.

‘What a 2 weeks to be alive. Oasis Manchester unbelievable last night on Gallagher hill with the wee man.’
Credit: Anaïs Gallagher (via IG)/Paige Coult (via X)/@rossparlane

If the commitment to seeing the Britpop legends here in the UK and, indeed, ‘All Around The World’ wasn’t already evident and impressive enough, we’re sure it is now.

Would-be gig-goers came and set up shop with their camping chairs, kids, picnics, ever so slightly more affordable crates of cider and so on to join in the action for what was (barring Sunday) the perfect place to soak up the sun and some free tunes.

Some fans even went so far as to fly their paraglider over the event – nope, not joking…

Most people just wanted to turn up so they could say ‘been there, done that’ – and ironically, some really did get the t-shirt to boot.

Put simply, Oasis’s Manchester homecoming wasn’t just like festival season for the city, it was practically Manc Christmas; we’ve never seen anything quite like it.

And a big chunk of that, we feel, is owed not just to what was witnessed inside Heaton Park but all around, in places like Definitely Maybe Bar, out on St Peter’s Square and, above all else, the magical, musical, Mancunian commune that was Gallagher Hill.

We know there was controversy around it at times, but above all else, it helped create unforgettable memories among those who missed out on tickets that will, well, ‘Live Forever’.

You can read our full review of Oasis Live ’25 night five at Heaton Park but, for now, we’ll leave you with one last moving image that will be remembered for all time.

RIP Gallagher Hill and ‘as you were x’.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group/@rebeccahl26 (via X)/Supplied

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Manchester music legends lead Cheshire Fest 2025 lineup

Danny Jones Danny Jones Cheshire Fest lineup 2025

The increasingly popular Cheshire Fest returns for 2025 next month, and some much-loved Manchester music names are leading the lineup.

Hosted at the stunning Capesthorne Hall estate, just a short drive from the city centre and even closer by for some boroughs, the Macclesfield-based music festival is ready for another big summer blowout.

Cheshire Fest came back with a bang and a bit of a rebrand back in 2022, selecting a whole new venue that has gone down as an instant hit across the North West.

Set to welcome more punters than ever this year, the lineup promises indie icons, up-and-coming artists from around the region and beyond, as well as plenty of the usual dancefloor fillers.

macclesfield music festival
cheshire fest ministry of sound
Credit: Press shots (supplied)

So, ‘Which local talents native to Greater Manchester are on the Cheshire Fest 2025 lineup?’, we hear you ask – well, get ready for a bit of the old, the new and the future.

Not only will you be treated to performers from indie icons like Peter Hook & The Light, who will be sure to play plenty of Joy Division and New Order classics, but Bez from the Happy Mondays will be bringing the party atmosphere, along with veteran Oldham rock band, Inspiral Carpets.

There’ll be plenty more dance vibes too, as always with Cheshire Fest and their continued passionate partnership with Ministry of Sound (MoS).

As well as the legendary Tunde from pop-soul duo, you can also expect plenty of club energy from the likes of DJ Billie Clements, Chester’s very own K-Klass and many more.

Oh yeah, don’t forget the stylings of MoS Ibiza Anthems featuring Ellie Sax and Friends, who’ll be pumping out tracks by the likes of Faithless, Eric Prydz, Becky Hill, The Shapeshifters, Daft Punk, Robin S and Fisher, just to name a few.

Made up of multiple stages, including the all-new ‘Indie Live Lounge’, around 5,000 are set to attend this all-day festival, with VIP tickets already sold out. 

Taking place on Saturday, 2 August, you’ll have all fuel you need until the end of the night; there’ll be a street food village featuring local vendors, an international lager bar, a silent disco and even a ‘Wellness Tent’ and relaxing Premium Lounge by Bollinger for when you need to cool off, it’s to everything.

Cheshire Fest is a strictly 18+ only event, but trust us, those who are of age will be dancing the night away with all the vim and vigour of their youth.

General admission tickets are available now and can be purchased from £40 per person before booking/admin fees.

You can grab your tickets HERE.

This isn’t the only big party happening in nearby Cheshire this summer either…

A huge house and disco music festival is taking place just on the border of Greater Manchester
How does a full day house, vocal and disco sound?

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Featured Images — Cheshire Fest (supplied)

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

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Rap champion Drake is touching down in Manchester at Co-op Live for four nights of electric energy with some very “special shows 4 u”.

The Canadian hitmaker has just come off the back of three very impressive nights at one of the biggest music events of the year, Wireless Festival, and now he’s ready to tour the UK and Europe.

Drake has solidified his position in the rap field, dropping bangers from 2006 and since then, he’s gone on to have some of the most streamed tracks of all time with ‘One Dance’ and ‘God’s Plan’.

He’s also become a mainstay in online music discussions, earning a place in ‘The Big Three’ where the Toronto-born rapper shares this honour with fellow respected rap nobles J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar.

Drake gig guide – all the important info

Most recently, Drake has found himself in the crossfire with the latter after dropping a series of diss tracks: the most famous, ‘Not Like Us’, was included in Lamar’s Super Bowl performance, which a certain Gallagher labelled as ‘nonsense’.

Now, Drake has teamed up with fellow Canadian artist PartyNextDoor to release their joint album ‘Some Sexy Songs 4 U’

Drake UK tour dates

  • Sun 20 July – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Mon 21 July – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Wed 23 July – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Fri 25 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Sat 26 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Mon 28 July – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Mon 4 August – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live

Drake tickets for Co-op Live gig

Mr ‘Hotline Bling’ is making his way to Manchester not just for one night but for four, and it seems we Mancs couldn’t be more in our feelings as tickets for ‘Some Special Shows 4 UK’ are limited.

If you don’t want to be left saying ‘What Did I Miss?’, you can still get your hands on a couple of tickets to the upcoming Drake gigs in Manchester HERE.

And anyone after getting the best ‘Views’ and a premium seat for the Champagne Papi’s special Manchester tour dates can find all available dates and tickets HERE.

Drake ‘Some Special Shows 4 U’ setlist

Drake tickets Manchester
Drake last touched down in the UK on his 2019 Assassination Vaction Tour.
Co-op Live Manchester
Now, the rap royalty is taking on 23,500 venue, Co-op Live.
Credit: The Come Up Show (via Flickr)

After almost two decades racking up an impressive collection of hits, it’s no surprise that this setlist is quite a lengthy one.

Drake is known to tweak and fine-tune his setlists depending on each city, like his recent three-day headline slot at Wireless Festival, which saw a new roster of hits each night.

The Canadian rapper recently played a huge headline gig in Birmingham, and these were the tracks that played out. Hopefully, a lot of these will get a performance in Manchester when he visits Co-op Live.

  • Gimme a Hug
  • Marvin’s Room
  • Teenage Fever
  • Passionfruit
  • Jungle
  • What Did I Miss?
  • Headlines
  • Know Yourself
  • Nonstop
  • Sicko Mode
  • No Face
  • Circadian Rhythm
  • Laugh Now Cry Later
  • God’s Plan
  • In My Feelings
  • Nice for What
  • Controlla
  • Find Your Love
  • Hold On, We’re Going Home
  • One Dance
  • Blue Green Red
  • Who Told You
  • CN Tower
  • Something About You
  • Spider-man Superman
  • Die Trying
  • Somebody Loves Me
  • OMW
  • Girls Want Girls
  • Fancy
  • Love Me
  • Hours in Silence
  • Rich Baby Daddy
  • You Broke My Heart
  • Knife Talk
  • Rich Flex
  • IDGAF
  • Hotline Bling
  • Nokia
  • Yebba’s Heartbreak

Who is supporting Drake at Co-op Live?

With so many songs to get through, it’s no real surprise that there’s just one support act for ‘Drizzy’s Co-op Live debut, and it’s a pretty popular compatriot of his.

Fellow Canadian, PartyNextDoor, is joining the rap heavyweight on tour for all of his UK and European tour dates, best-known for tunes like ‘Break From Toronto’, ‘Not Nice’ and his numerous tracks with the 38-year-old friend and regular collaborator.

Teaming up with Drake for their first-ever joint album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U – which lends its name to this tour – you can

His name is often stylised in all caps, but we feel that’s almost like internet shouting, so we’ll just share one of those aforementioned features instead.

They’ve been working together in some capacity for more than a decade now.

Don’t worry, if you haven’t heard much of him before, there’s very little shouting – though you will likely recognise his soft R’n’B vocals.

What are the stage times for Drake in Manchester?

Doors for each of Drake’s ‘Some Special Songs 4 UK’ tour with PartyNextDoor will open from 6:30pm with no official start time listed yet.

That being said, you can expect the pair to spend a fair amount of time together on the stage.

Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you can hear all 40 songs on the Canadian performer’s setlist without having to say ‘Hold On, We’re Going Home’.

Drake tickets Manchester Co-op Live
Drake is bringing the ‘Some Special Songs 4 UK’ tour for four nights in Manchester.
PartyNextDoor Manchester tickets Co-op Live
PARTYNEXTDOOR a.k.a. Jahron Anthony Brathwaite
Credit: Supplied

How to get to Co-op Live concerts

Tram

For those of you heading to Co-op Live, luckily, 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 until 01:00 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 ticket.

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; there are also 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 come 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 via 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.

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Featured Images – Press shots/The Come Up Show (via Flickr)/et al (via Flickr)

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