Richard Ashcroft – former lead singer of Wigan band The Verve – has pulled out of Tramlines Festival after it became a pilot event for government testing.
The musician was due to play a headline slot at the Hillsborough Park festival later this month – which has been permitted to take place at full capacity as part of the government’s Events Research Programme.
But on Monday (July 5), Ashcroft confirmed he would not be playing the event.
The singer shared a screenshot of an announcement revealing Tramlines was going ahead but appeared to cover up his own face from the image.
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“Apologies to my fans for any disappointment but the festival was informed over 10 days ago that I wouldn’t be playing once it had become part of a government testing programme,” he wrote.
“I had informed my agent months ago I wouldn’t be playing concerts with restrictions. The status of the festival was one thing when I signed up for it, but, sadly was forced to become something else.”
He also added the hashtags #naturalrebel and #theydontownme.
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Messages sent from Ashcroft’s official Twitter account also confirmed that the singer would not appear at Tramlines.
A spokesperson said: “Richard wishes to confirm that in spite of the publicity issued by the tramlines organisers he is not appearing at the tramlines festival on July 24.
“He does not understand why he is billed as appearing. Once he was advised that he could only appear subject certain government restrictions he immediately advised the organisers that he would not appear under those circumstances.
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“He apologises to all of his fans for the confusion but that was not of his making.”
All restrictions on mass gatherings including festivals are set to end on July 19 – four days before the first day of Tramlines.
However, the festival will still form part of the Events Research Programme as the government looks to trial the use of the NHS app for COVID-status certification on a larger scale “to inform how crowds can return to live events safely”.
According to the Tramlines website, all ticket-holders will be required to show proof of a negative COVID result from a lateral flow test taken within the previous 48 hours, or two vaccination doses, with the second received at least 14 days before.
There will be no social distancing or mask-wearing requirements at the event.
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The festival will also feature Dizzee Rascal, The Streets, The Kooks and Blossoms.
In March, Ian Brown also pulled out of a festival over government restrictions – claiming he would no longer play Neighbourhood as he “refused to accept vaccination proof as condition of entry.”
The former Stone Roses lead singer was replaced by the band James.
A bar in Manchester is throwing a 2000s-themed Myspace party
Georgina Pellant
A Manchester gaming bar is throwing a 2000s-themed Myspace party this week, taking it back to a time when studded belts were all the rage and angsty bands like Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, and Taking Back Sunday ruled the airwaves.
Staff at Pixel Bar are getting ready to relive their Myspace Scene kid days with a free-to-enter ‘Myspace social’, which will take place on Tuesday 4 October at the Northern Quarter gaming bar.
Promising a night full of emo, pop punk and scene classics, if you regularly find yourself listening back to old Brand New songs and fingering packets of blue-black hair dye in Boots, this is probably a party for you.
Throughout the night Pixel Bar will be running a 40% industry discount on food and drink for partygoers, as well as hosting games of beer pong and giant Jenga.
Dressing up is not mandatory but it is encouraged, and its bar staff will be going all out in their best emo and Scene kid get-ups – so expect to see a lot of kohl eyeliner, sweeping fringes, and maybe even a few pairs of fingerless gloves.
Sharing the news of the upcoming party on social media, Pixel Bar wrote: “We’re officially bringing Myspace back!
“Head down next Tuesday for our Myspace special. Mega industry discount with 40% off food and drink!
“@camthedj is spinning all the Scene/Emo tracks bringing back the emo fringe.”
Originally hailing from Leeds, Pixel Bar opened its second site in Manchester at the end of 2021 and became an instant hit with the city’s gaming community.
Selling 18 different gaming-themed cocktails, with choices like ‘Jigglypuff’, ‘Princess Perch’ and the ‘Yoshi’s Island Iced Tea’, plus a selection of ‘magic potion’ shots promising do deliver ‘full health’ and ‘stamina’, it has quickly become a haven for gamers.
The bar also has a signature cocktail called ‘Who’s that Pokemon?’ – a combination of vodka, lemon juice, soda and your choice of flavoured syrup.
Elsewhere, you’ll find the newest PlayStation 5, Xbox X Series, and Nintendo platforms, arcade games, high-spec PCs and a downstairs club room playing early 00s pop punk until the early hours.
Oasis’ Bonehead reveals he has been given the all-clear following cancer battle
Danny Jones
Music lovers everywhere, rejoice, as Oasis‘ former guitarist ‘Bonehead‘ has revealed that he has been given the all-clear following his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
The 57-year-old – real name Paul Benjamin Arthurs – announced the uplifting update via social media on Friday morning, confirming he had a “full scan 10 days ago” and that the cancer is now gone.
Absolutely mint news.
Update on my cancer; I had a full scan 10 days ago and it’s all clear, it’s gone. Thank you so much all of you for the messages I’ve had throughout , you’ve helped more than you know. Thank you especially to the team at @TheChristieNHS , into recovery now and see you all soon x
Bonehead was diagnosed with tonsil cancer back in April and kept fans in the loop with intermittent posts informing them on how his treatment was progressing, confirming that he had finished his final round of sessions back in June.
The last we heard was a tweet informing his followers that he was feeling “feeling ok” following the radiotherapy treatment in May but that he, sadly, still wouldn’t be able to make an appearance at Liam Gallagher’s highly-anticipated Knebworth homecoming gig.
Regardless, Gallagher was the first to voice his support back and one was no different this time around, taking to Twitter to celebrate the wonderful news.
YES BONEHEAD WE KNEW YOUD KICK ITS ARSE SOOOOO FUCKING HAPPY GUINNESS LG x
Besides behind the rhythm guitarist and occasional keyboardist, Arthurs was one of the band’s founding members all the way back in 1999. He ultimately left in 1999 whilst they were recording their fourth album, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, stating that he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Bonehead thanked his followers for their messages of support throughout his journey, insisting “you’ve helped more than you know”.
He also gave a special thank you to “the team at @TheChristieNHS“, Manchester’s specialist cancer treatment hospital, one of the biggest in Europe.
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Withington is the largest single cancer treatment centre on the continent and one of the leading facilities for cancer research, care and radiotherapy in the UK.
The Manc -
6th July 2021 
