Mr ‘Lucky Man’ himself, Richard Ashcroft, is bringing his long-awaited Wigan homecoming to Robin Park this weekend in what is set to be one of the biggest music moments the town has ever seen.
With the likes of Noel Gallagher and The Lathums kicking off the brand-new music series at the arena this week, Wigan natives are being treated to a total of five jam-packed nights (quite literally), but none bigger than their local hero and former Verve frontman, Richard Ashcroft.
The man behind ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ and arguably the best example of the ‘Manc Walk’ ever caught on film thanks to that iconic music video, he’s one of Greater Manchester’s most legendary musicians and with a double bill of shows at the Robin Park Arena, roughly 12,000 are expected to turn up.
So, whether you’re a Wiganer merely strutting down the road for it or heading into the home of pie barms and the almighty Ashcroft for the gig from elsewhere, we’ve put together a quick guide or all the important stuff you need to know.
Richard Ashcroft Robin Park tickets – are there any left?
If you’re looking to head to either of Richard Ashcroft’s two Wigan shows this weekend, there are still a decent amount of tickets left for both days.
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General admission standing tickets will set you back £66.45 each and you can buy in groups of six maximum. VIP, meanwhile, cost £122 and includes an exclusive area, seating section, a VIP bar; unique food vendors and premium toilet facilities.
Whatever kind of experience you want, you can grab yours HERE.
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Who are the special guests supporting Richard Ashcroft in Wigan?
Without a doubt, one of the best parts about the two Richard Ashcroft hometown shows is that you’ll be getting an entirely different set of support acts depending on which day you’re heading to Robin Park.
With three different warm-up acts before each headline gig, from artists all at different stages in their careers, you’re basically getting a mini-festival with each date.
Saturday’s support will come not only from rising local solo artist Maxwell Varey but two Scouse icons in long-standing veterans Cast – who supported Liam Gallagher on his Definitely Maybe tour – and Liverpool’s increasingly popular indie stars, Red Rum Club, who we interviewed not too long ago.
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As for those closing out the week, you’ll be treated to another blossoming Wigan outfit in the Stanleys, who we recently named on our list of new Manchester bands to watch out for, Welsh four-piece The Royston Club and more Liverpudlian royalty in The Zutons. Talk about getting your money’s worth.
Red Rum ClubCast supporting Liam GallagherThe ZutonsCredit: Press Image/Audio North/LouieTwnsnd (via Wikimedia Commons)
What are the stage times for the Robin Park music series?
Set times are always subject to change, of course, but one thing we can guarantee is that doors will open from 4:30pm and the curfew for the venue is 10:30pm.
That being said, judging by the previous Robin Park live gigs, you can do some pretty decent guesswork around when the supports will start.
Second support act Red Rum Club didn’t kick off until 6:20pm on Saturday, with main warm-ups Cast playing from 7:30pm onwards and Ashcroft taking to at 9pm on night one. You expect similar timings for night two.
Keep your eyes on the bands’ socials to find out more closer to the time.
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Predicted setlist
As for what you can expect the 52-year-old to play for his highly-anticipated Wigan homecoming, Ashcroft’s most recent shows have been pretty short shrift on the festival circuit and so on, but his equally huge show at Kew the Music 2024 in London gives a bit more of indication of the possible setlist.
Combining that show with the songs played during his last visit to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2022, we think this is a pretty good average setlist – even if the exact running order looks a bit different.
Space and Time (The Verve)
Sonnet (The Verve)
Surprised by the Joy
A Song for the Lovers
Break the Night With Colour
Velvet Morning (The Verve)
Music Is Power
Are You Ready?
Life’s an Ocean (The Verve)
Weeping Willow (The Verve)
The Drugs Don’t Work (The Verve)
Hold On
Lucky Man (The Verve)
Encore:
C’mon People (We’re Making It Now)
Money (That’s What I Want) (Barrett Strong cover)
Bitter Sweet Symphony (The Verve)
On a personal note, we’re also praying we get to hear ‘All My Dreams’ and it’s a severely underrated banger, in our opinion.
Wigan Wallgate and Wigan North Western are your two main train stations and can be easily accessed from Manchester Victoria, Oxford Road and Manchester Piccadilly, with journeys taking approximately 30-45 minutes total.
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Both stations are roughly a 23-minute walk to the venue via a well-lit road.
By bus
Thanks to the recently revamped Bee Network, it’s also super easy to get to Robin Park Arena via bus too – you can plan your full journey HERE.
Bus stops on the nearby Thomas Moore Road and Seven Stars Road are within just 10 mins away from the venue on foot and you can board any of the following routes to get there: 352, 375, 385, 601, 602, 603, 604, 610, 611, 640.
By car
If you’re driving, you can find a full list of directions depending on whereabouts you’re heading to the arena from on the Wigan Warriors website. You can drop people off around the front of the stadium by entering WN5 0UZ into your sat nav.
As for parking, there are spaces available in the Brick Community Stadium (WN5 0UN) car parks, which are located within a 14-minute walk away from the Arena.
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Car parks 1-4 will all be open for this event and should be accessed via Stadium Way. Stewards will be on hand to direct you on approach; accessible parking will also be available in car park three and all spaces are subject to a £15 charge per vehicle (pay by card only).
However, if you’re looking to park elsewhere, Wigan town centre has plenty of other designated parking that you can pre-book in advance in order to ensure a spot. There’s also free parking at any council-owned car parks on weekends – excluding Loire Drive (Robin Park Arena) car park and roadside parking.
And that should be just about everything for this gig guide and all the important bits you need to know ahead of Richard Ashcroft’s two massive shows at Robin Park and what a weekend it’s going to be for Wigan — what a few days it’s already been, even!
For those of you heading to the arena this weekend on either Saturday or Sunday, have the best time and make sure you soak in the memories of what will be a landmark moment in music history for the town.
Last but not least, for all other info on the biggest gigs, music news, venue info, interviews and more happening around the best region in the UK, make sure to keep tuned into Audio North.
Featured Images — Press Images (supplied)/Wigan Warriors
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Manic Street Preachers and Suede at Co-op Live, Manchester – stage times, setlists, and more
Daisy Jackson
Beloved British bands Manic Street Preachers and Suede are back on the road with another co-headline UK tour, including a massive Manchester date.
The two seasoned UK rock artists have teamed up for a huge run of live shows, which will bring them to the Co-op Live this week.
Both will be playing tracks from their newest releases – as well as a fair few of the hits.
The Welsh rock icons and the long-standing 1990s favourites from the London scene have more than 75 years of experience between them, with both outfits forming in the mid to late 80s.
This co-headline arena tour marks the biggest collaboration to date for both legendary bands and offers a unique opportunity to experience their renowned live performances.
If you’re heading to see Manic Street Preachers and Suede in Manchester, we’ve rounded up everything you need to know.
Manic Street Preachers and Suede UK tour dates
Wednesday 28 October – Glasgow OVO Hydro
Friday 30 October – Leeds First Direct Bank Arena
Saturday 31 October – Manchester Co-op Live
Tuesday 3 November – Cardiff Utilita Arena
Wednesday 4 November – Cardiff Utilita Arena
Friday 6 November – London The O2
Saturday 7 November – Birmingham Utilita Arena
Wednesday 11 November – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Thursday 12 November – Bournemouth International Centre
Tickets for Manic Street Preachers and Suede in Manchester
If you’ve not yet snapped up tickets to see Manic Street Preachers and Suede, worry not – there are still some on sale even this close to the show.
Floor standing tickets are available for £70.90 each, or seat are priced at £70.90 or £87.95 each.
You can see the latest availability and grab tickets HERE.
Stage times for Manic Street Preachers and Suede
Suede and Manic Street Preachers are on a joint tour and coming to Manchester. Credit: Publicity picture
Co-op Live hasn’t yet confirmed stage times for the show, other than the general admission doors will open at 6pm.
The bands are actually taking it in turns as to who plays first and who closes out the show – but apparently for Manchester it will be Suede first, Manic Street Preachers second.
Setlist for Suede
Disintegrate
Dancing With the Europeans
Trash
Animal Nitrate
We Are the Pigs
Personality Disorder
The 2 of Us
My City
Filmstar
Antidepressants
June Rain
She Still Leads Me On
Trance State
The Wild Ones
So Young
Metal Mickey
Beautiful Ones
Setlist for Manic Street Preachers
Motorcycle Emptiness
Ocean Spray
Faster
Decline & Fall
You Stole the Sun From My Heart
Everything Must Go
Walk Me to the Bridge
No Surface All Feeling
Autumnsong
A Design for Life
From Despair to Where
The Everlasting
Slash ‘n’ Burn
Your Love Alone Is Not Enough
La tristesse durera (Scream to a Sigh)
Die in the Summertime
You Love Us
If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next
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 1am 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.
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.
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 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.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Featured image: Supplied, Alex Lake @ TWOSHORTDAYS
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The Strokes at Co-op Live, Manchester – actually very hard to explain
Daisy Jackson
Manchester has waited a long, long time for this – The Strokes back on stage in our city.
I’ve been a fan of the band for as long as I can remember, but have never managed to catch them live, partly because they’ve left it TWENTY YEARS between shows here.
But back they are, with an enormous gig at the Co-op Live on their Reality Awaits tour.
The Strokes are known as one of the most solid indie bands of the 2000s, going triple platinum with their debut album Is This It and releasing massive anthems like Last Nite, Reptilia, and Someday.
They’re also known as a bit of an unpredictable live act – some will say they’re one of the best on the circuit, others will say they’re disappointing, and it really can depend on the night.
What they’re not known for is their audience interaction, so when frontman Julian Casablancas tries to have a bit of a chat with the audience, we all sort of stare blankly back at him. He’s speaking to us? What do we do?
“Wow, tough crowd,” he says, which is the first time I’ve ever heard anyone describe a Manchester audience as tough.
Then he turns back to drummer Fabrizio Moretti and says: “This is f*cking hideous, let’s play some songs.”
The setlist seems to get a shake-up every couple of shows, which is a nice surprise for us – and apparently also Julian, who regularly pops over to ask his bandmates what’s up next.
It doesn’t really matter that he’s not done his homework, because the second that drum kicks in, along with the impeccable guitar work of Schiltz, Fraiture and Hammond Jr., he snaps into action.
It’s impressive that their songs still have such singalong quality when Casablancas enunciates like a man with a dislocated jaw. For certain songs he’s so incoherent that if you weren’t a fan you’d walk in this room and wonder what the f*ck was going on.
But then, that’s sort of why us The Strokes fans love them so much. There’s a calamitous beauty to the work they put out and it’s so fun to belt out some words, even if they’re not the right ones.
I was hoping that seeing it live would sell that divisive new album, Reality Awaits, to me, but it didn’t. It’s too autotuney, too languid, and too often the victim of everyone’s toilet breaks.
Their earlier tracks still land best in a live setting, especially Reptilia, an absolute juggernaut in their back catalogue.
Rollercoaster set and tricky crowd interactions aside, we all had a great time – I’m just not sure I could say the same about Julian Casablancas.
Danny Jones -
20th July 2024 
