Pop icons S Club will kick off their 25th anniversary reunion tour right here in Manchester this week.
The group, better known to many as S Club 7, will be heading out as a five-piece after the tragic death of bandmate Paul Cattermole.
But Jo O’Meara, Rachel Stevens, Jon Lee, Tina Barrett and Bradley McIntosh have promised that the show will be a fitting tribute to Paul, renaming it The Good Times tour in his honour.
They’ll play two nights here in Manchester, at the AO Arena – the first is Thursday 12 October, the second Saturday 21 October.
S Club are best-known for chart-topping pop songs like Reach, Bring It All Back, Never Had a Dream Come True, Don’t Stop Movin’ and Have You Ever.
Their very first show back together on The Good Times tour will be in Manchester this week. Here’s what you need to know.
Tickets for S Club’s 25th anniversary tour
S Club 7 in their heyday. Credit: Publicity picture
At the time of writing, there’s still some very limited tickets on sale for S Club’s Manchester dates.
On Thursday 12 October, you can still get seated tickets for £72.50 including booking fees, but everything else is sold out.
Meanwhile tickets for Saturday 21 October are a similar story – there are just £72.50 seated tickets left at this point.
Remaining S Club tickets are available through See Tickets.
Support act for S Club at Manchester’s AO Arena
S Club have chosen a band with an ‘amazing vibe’ to support them on their The Good Times Tour.
Now United are an international pop group formed by S Club creator Simon Fuller.
The group initially consisted of 14 members from 14 different countries but is now running as a seven-piece.
In a clip posted on Instagram, Bradley said: “We have got some news for you. For quite some time a lot of you out there have been asking who will be the supporting artist on the tour.
“We’ve found a band that have got such an amazing vibe and we think you guys are gonna love them. We love their music, we love their style… we just think these guys are so much fun.
“And we want you to check them out. So, here they are… Now United.”
Setlist for S Club at Manchester’s AO Arena
S Club will kick off their reunion tour in Manchester. Credit: Publicity picture
As Manchester will be the first city to welcome S Club on their The Good Times tour, we’re a bit in the dark about what they’re planning.
Their setlist is more than likely to include their hits from the nineties and noughties, as well as new music, like their latest single These Are The Days.
We’ll update this article as soon as we get a whiff of what their setlist might be.
Stage times for S Club
The AO Arena hasn’t yet confirmed stage times for either of S Club’s shows.
But we do know that doors will open at 6pm, and curfew is likely to be around 10.30pm.
Again, we’ll update this article as soon as stage times are announced.
Olivia Dean has announced a special intimate show in Manchester
Danny Jones
Soulful singing sensation Olivia Dean has set the UK music scene alight by announcing a number of intimate shows up and down the nation, including one right here in Manchester.
The fast-rising solo artist, who blends everything from pop and jazz to neo-soul as well as R’n’B, is one of the best and up-and-coming artists in Britain right now, with her highly anticipated sophomore album, The Art of Loving, set to release at the start of autumn.
As well as releasing her smash hit new single ‘Nice To Each Other’, the 26-year-old recently delighted even more music fans by joining Sam Fender on stage in London for a live twist on his track ‘Rein Me In’, which was instantly adored by millions and has now been shared as an official studio version.
Safe to say she’s flying high right now, and the second LP isn’t even out yet, which makes this small handful of gigs even more special and tickets super sought-after.
Revealing just seven pared-back shows across the country, Olivia said on her socials: “The art of loving in person! We’re doing some intimate shows, playing some songs acoustically and talking about making the album”, which is due to release on Friday, 26 September.
Partnering up with music shop chain and independent artist champions Rough Trade for the event, she’s set to play the just over 500-capacity gem that is Manchester’s Gorilla.
Other gigs up north include Liverpool at The Jacaranda and over at The Wardrobe in Leeds, where beloved local legends Crash Records will be helping host the show.
With the debut single already out, along with an already viral music video and accompanying dance alongside it, there’s plenty of excitement surrounding this project.
We’d pay virtually anything to see Olivia Dean and a group of backing singers do this at an intimate gig in Manchester.
We think we speak for pretty much everyone when we say that not only are we excited to hear The Art of Loving once it’s out, but hear it live and in this special acoustic format
Playing smaller acoustic album launch shows is nothing new, but they are sometimes the only chance fans will get to hear their favourite musicians play their songs in such a way, so Olivia Dean die-hards are understandably going to be scrambling for these tickets.
Once again, her second album is available to pre-order now, and tickets for her show on Friday, 19 September, will go live tomorrow (Wednesday, 5 June) at 10am.
You can get ready to grab yours HERE, and for now, why not read our review of the last time she came to Manchester for what was a truly magical headline slot?
Rising Manc star Lusaint and more to serenade cricket crowds at The Hundred 2025
Danny Jones
The Hundred crowds inside Emirates Old Trafford are in for a real treat as rising Manchester star, Lusaint, is set to join the lineup of live music acts playing the 2025 tournament.
We’re so excited about this up-and-coming local singer and the rest of the live music lineup on show at this year’s competition.
Ahead of the fast-paced, family-friendly format returning to Emirates Old Trafford this August, the bands and musicians offering yet more entertainment on matchdays have now been announced, along with details of more activities for all ages.
The Hundred Final at Lord’s in London will be headlined by solo singer, Perrie (a.k.a. Perrie Edwards, formerly of Little Mix), and the Manchester games are boasting some great names too.
In addition to Perrie, other big names signed up for 2025 are the likes of York four-piece Glass Caves, Bristol experimental live-looper, Bexx, as well as the best of soul and R’n’B in Brighton, Iyamah.
But we can’t lie, naturally, it’s all about whose playing The Hundred fixtures at Old Trafford that we’re most fussed about.
Following past years where the competition has seen the likes of Zara Larsson, Rudimental, Bastille and Jax Jones; Raye, Becky Hill, Everything Everything and Self Esteem, they’ve managed to pique our interest yet again.
Really channelling the platforming power of the BBC Introducing partnered stages for the latest edition, Lusaint was the first name to catch our attention for obvious reasons.
She featured on our Manchester artists of the month list not too long ago, and if you haven’t given her music a try before, now’s the perfect time before seeing her in person at The Hundred – worth the ticket price on her own, if you ask us.
Better still, she’s not the only name we’re excited about seeing this summer, as joining the live music lineup in Manchester is native hip-hop, grime, soul and afrobeats musician, Prido, whose storytelling style has been making waves not just within the genre but across the city.
For instance, his last live set for BBC Introducing at Reading Festival 2024 saw plenty of attention online, and he’s definitely one to watch, even if you don’t manage to catch him at the cricket. Aimei 媚 and Lowes complete this year’s lineup and are set to take the stage throughout August.
Manchester Originals women’s player Sophie Ecclestone said: “The live music at The Hundred is one of my favourite things about playing in the competition. It brings an extra element to The Hundred which is different to other forms of cricket.”
With early bird tickets available from just £5 for under 16s and for £17 adults, it’s no surprise that 9,000 have already been sold for the Originals‘ derby against Northern Superchargers on Sunday, 17 August.
You can find out more information on what else is in store at The Hundred 2025 beyond the live music lineup and grab your tickets for Manchester HERE.
You can read our review of her recent show HERE.PerriePridoJust some of the names that make up The Hundred live music lineup for 2025. (Credit: Press shots/Audio North)
Daisy Jackson -
9th October 2023 
