Yes, whether you only know ‘Africa’ or not, we refuse to let the news that American rock legends Toto are coming back to Manchester for the first time in half a decade pass you by.
The 1970s and 80s pop-rock icons are still one of the most commercially successful and beloved band groups to ever come out of the US, and that’s saying something, so it’s safe to say their return is a pretty big deal in our opinion.
Known for hits like ‘Hold The Line’, ‘Rosanna’, ‘I’ll Be Over You’, oh, and of course ‘Africa’, they’ve always firmly been in that category of bands that you know way more of their songs than you think.
Set to land at the equally legendary AO Arena early next year, the venue is kicking off its 2025 calendar of shows in style.
🎉 TOTO announce their upcoming 2025 tour, which see's the group head to Manchester's AO Arena on Tuesday 4th February 2025. 🎸 The tour also features a Special Guest performance from Christopher Cross! ✨
Now active for nearly half a century (albeit across a total of three spells and numerous different lineups when it comes to live performances) their longevity is up there with some of the very biggest and best names in music.
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With a whopping total of 14 studio albums to their name, well over 40 million albums sold worldwide since 1977 and an estimated 1,253,376 daily streams of ‘Africa’ on Spotify alone, they’ve done it all.
Beyond that, they’re littered all over movie soundtracks, influenced countless acts across the globe that came after them and were probably at least one of your relatives’ favourite bands at one point or another.
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Polishing off their ‘Dogs of Oz’ tour for the remainder of 2024, the LA-formed outfit will be taking a short break before gearing up for a world tour consisting of 20 tour dates and just four here in the UK.
Fortunately, one of them just so happens to be in Manchester on Tuesday, 4 February. Phew.
It may only be guitarist and singer Steve Lukather left when it comes to original members, but it’s still great to see them going strong.
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It’s also been five whole since they last played Manchester at Bridgewater Hall, so to experience the veterans back on an arena stage will be special, to say the least.
Better yet, with fellow contemporary Christopher Cross – best known for ‘Sailing’, ‘Ride Like The Wind’ and ‘Never Be the Same’ – joining them as a special guest, this is set to be a real throwback show that fans are sure to lap right up.
Tickets for Toto at the AO Arena go on sale this Friday, 13 September at 10am. Be ready to ‘Hold The Line’ and grab yours HERE. See what we did there?…
Oasis, Joy Division and New Order named as 2026 inductees into world-famous Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Emily Sergeant
It’s official – three of Manchester’s most iconic bands are joining history.
That’s because it’s been announced today that both Oasis, and Joy Division/New Order (as one act) are being inducted into the world-famous Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 cohort, which is not only a huge deal for the bands individually, but also for our city’s music legacy.
It would not be an understatement to say that these past few years have been some of the biggest in Oasis‘ career, given the fact that they played all across the world 2025 on what is one of the biggest reunion tours of all time – including five nostalgia-drenched gigs in Manchester’s Heaton Park last summer.
But despite everything they’ve done over the past three decades, this could still be one of the iconic Manchester band’s greatest achievements.
Announcing Oasis’ induction this week, a statement on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame website reads: “Oasis are one of the most successful and influential acts of all time. Exploding out of the 1990s UK music scene, they reclaimed big, brash, hook-filled rock & roll with their anthemic sound, cool swagger, expertly crafted lyrics, and electrifying live performances – eventually selling over a hundred million records.
“Their songs have become England’s go-to anthems, sung in unison by fans at sporting events and social gatherings and inspiring countless bands.”
The Gallagher brothers reunion last year was also noted by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as being one of the key reasons for their induction, proving that the band’s influence ‘remains as strong as ever’.
I wanna thank all the people who voted for us it’s a real honour ever since I was a little kid and singing in the shower I’d dream about 1 day being in the RnR hall of fame it’s true what they say anything is possible if you have a dream LG x
It’s not just celebration for Oasis, of course, as two of Manchester’s other most revered bands, Joy Division and New Order, have also been chosen as 2026 inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
A statement on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame website about Joy Division and New Order’s joint induction reads: “Joy Division and New Order were postpunk pioneers and electronic dance-floor innovators, inspiring thousands of bands and becoming a beacon for millions of listeners.
“Spearheading the late 1970s Manchester music scene, their story is a remarkable tale of revolution, metamorphosis, and influence.
“Their dark and droning transmissions ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and ‘Blue Monday’ were foundational to both dance music and alternative rock, and they still resonate deeply with outsiders and adventurous souls.
“They were innovative musicians who created something revolutionary and massively influential – not once, but twice.”
The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on 14 November at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Featured Image – Jill Furmanovsky (Publicity Picture)
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Morrissey claims sole credit for The Smiths’ iconic Salford Lads’ Club photo shoot idea
Danny Jones
Morrissey is once again raising the issue of credit and disputes over The Smiths’ legacy, as the controversial former frontman has now claimed that their iconic photo shoot outside of Salford Lads’ Club was entirely his idea.
The 66-year-old lead singer turned solo star from Urmston is no stranger to sparking debates and attracting controversy, and it seems his latest is to do with one of the most iconic images in British music history, let alone just Greater Manchester.
The Davyhulme-born bard and divisive artist goes on to claim that the other co-founding members of the iconic Manc band initially viewed as more of his “lunacy” – the suggestion seemingly being (as it often is with Morrissey) that they simply didn’t understand the ‘genius’ at the time.
Many of his most die-hard fans still believe that most don’t and never will.
He even jokes that, in another life, it could very well have been something entirely different and random, such as the Kellogg’s factory in Trafford, basically suggesting that other members would have simply followed suit.
In his words, he argues that “now millions of people come from all over the world to be photographed on that very spot, it is claimed as a Smiths idea. It wasn’t, it isn’t, and it never shall be.”
Once again, this is by no means the first time he’s called into question, ‘who did what’ and/or who owns what bit of intellectual property; in fact, there was apparently another one of these instances with Johnny Marr only recently.
‘Moz’ and Marr have been at loggerheads pretty much ever since the group disbanded back in 1987, and still look to be far away from seeing eye to eye on virtually anything.
Danny Jones -
10th September 2024 
