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Sam Fender, Billie Eilish, and The Killers announced as Reading and Leeds 2023 headliners

Reading and Leeds Festival 2023 takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend, and tickets go on sale next Monday at 9am.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 9th December 2022

Sam Fender, Billie Eilish, and The Killers are all set to perform headline sets at Reading and Leeds Festival 2023.

The first wave of acts has just been announced, and it looks like it’s going to be an awesome weekend.

There’s been lots of rumours circulating about who will be playing, but Greg James put these rumours to bed on the BBC Radio 1 Breakfast Show this morning, The Hoot reports.

Taking to the main stage next year as his first time headlining a major festival will be Tyneside indie favourite Sam Fender, US pop megastar Billie Eilish – who this year became the youngest Glastonbury headliner ever – and indie rock legends The Killers.

Other headliners include Oxford rockers Foals, Scottish singer songwriter Lewis Capaldi, and American pop band Imagine Dragons.

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And it doesn’t just stop there either.

Sam Fender, and Billie Eilish have been announced as Reading and Leeds 2023 headliners / Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Also performing at the festival is British MC Loyle Carner, Isle Of Wight indie-rock duo Wet Leg, and dance heavyweight Becky Hill.

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Also confirmed for the 2023 festival is Bicep, Central Cee, Chase Atlantic, Declan McKenna, Don Broco, Eliza Rose, Georgia, Inhaler, LF System, Lil TJay, Lovejoy, Meekz, Nessa Barret, Nothing But Thieves, Shy FX, Slowthai, Songer, Steve Lacy, The Snuts, Tion Wayne, Trippie Redd, Yung Lean, and You Me At Six.

More than a 100 artists are expected to grace the stages at Bramham Park and Little John’s Park next year.

Further exciting announcements are expected to come over the following months.

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Reading and Leeds Festival 2023 takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend / Credit: Reading and Leeds

As always, Reading and Leeds Festival 2023 will once again be happening over the August Bank Holiday weekend between Friday 25 – Sunday 27 August, with tickets set to go sale next Monday 12 December 2022 at 9am.

With a lineup like that, and even more to come, we expect they’re going to fly off the shelves, so make sure to get your alarms set ready.

Read more:

Grab your tickets here on the Reading and Leeds Festival 2023 website here.

Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons

Audio

Sean Paul and Ashanti at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and more

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Why have one music legend when you can have two? Sean Paul and Ashanti team up for their ‘Bring It Tour’ at AO Arena in Manchester.

AO Arena is about to become a noughties haven as two musical greats have come together for a joint tour like no other – Sean Paul and Ashanti.

Sing a vocal run or two with the airy and light vocal tones of Ashanti and her hits like ‘Happy’, ‘Foolish’ and ‘Baby’.

Or maybe you’ll let Sean Paul do the talking as you boogie and dance the night away to tracks like ‘Mad Love’, ‘No Lie’ and ‘Got 2 Luv U’.

Sean Paul and Ashanti UK tour – Manchester gig guide

Sean Paul and Ashanti are coming to AO Arena in Manchester for the 'Bring It Tour'
Credit: The Heart Truth (via Flickr)/ Mozart Diensthuber (Wikimedia Commons)

Whatever you’re planning on doing while you watch these masterminds perform, you’re guaranteed a night that covers all the bases.

Sean Paul and Ashanti UK tour dates

  • Fri 11 April – Aberdeen, UK – PJ Live (Sean Paul ONLY)
  • Sat 12 April – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena 
  • Sun 13 April – Leeds, UK – first direct Arena 
  • Tue 15 April – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
  • Wed 16 April – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
  • Fri 18 April – London, UK – OVO Arena Wembley (Sean Paul, Ashanti and Big Joe)
  • Sat 19 April – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena 
  • Sun 20 April – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
  • 22 April – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena 
  • 23 April – Brighton, UK – Brighton Centre (Sean Paul ONLY)
  • 24 April – Bournemouth, UK – BIC (Sean Paul ONLY)

Sean Paul and Ashanti tickets for AO Arena gig 

Just like Ashanti’s 2002 hit, you’d have been ‘Foolish’ not to get tickets when they first came out, however, there’s still a chance for you to ‘Get Busy’ like Sean Paul’s ‘02 throwback.

There’s a limited run of tickets left throughout the venue, including standing, seated and even an option to watch the show from ‘The Mezz’ if you’re after a VIP experience – All HERE.

Sean Paul and Ashanti setlist 

There’s no official setlist yet, however, if you consider the past selection of hits from their previous separate gigs, fans are in for a jam-packed night.

Sean Paul:

  • So Fine
  • Get Busy
  • Ever Blazin’
  • Cheap Thrills
  • Baby Boy
  • Bailando
  • Hot Gyal Today
  • Infiltrate
  • Breathe/ Make It Clap
  • Give It Up To Me
  • Got 2 Luv U
  • Mad Love
  • No Lie
  • Boasty
  • Love Me Ladies
  • Tip Pon It
  • Volcano
  • Bring It
  • Greatest
  • I’m Still In Love
  • Light My Fire
  • Punkie
  • Rockabye
  • Like Glue
  • Deport Them
  • Trumpets
  • She Doesn’t Mind
  • Temperature

Ashanti:

  • Happy
  • Rock Wit U (Awww Baby)
  • Mesmerise
  • Only U
  • Baby
  • Southside
  • Down 4 U
  • Body On Me
  • What’s Luv?
  • Ain’t It Funny
  • Always On Time
  • Foolish

What are the stage times for Sean Paul and Ashanti in Manchester?

AO Arena has a curfew of 11pm; anyone attending this link-up of a lifetime can enjoy their night knowing they’ll be ‘Ever Blazin” after a full night’s sleep.

Doors for the ‘Bring It Tour’ are scheduled for 6pm with a kick-off time of 7pm, with no confirmed or mentioned support acts as of yet.

Sean Paul and Ashanti are coming to AO Arena in Manchester.
Credit: Egorushka/Npu3pak (via GoodFon)

How to get to AO Arena

Tram

For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.

Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Train

Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena wherever they are.

Bus

A variety of buses cover AO Arena and Victoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.

A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.

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Getting there by car and parking

The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.

Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.

Walk/cycle

Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through 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.

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About the AO Arena

The AO Arena has a few strict policies to keep gig-goers safe, so make sure to check entry requirements carefully before you travel.

For example, only one small bag per person is allowed, and bags like backpacks, travel cases and laptop bags are not permitted inside the arena.

All bags are scanned on entry to check for prohibited items like laser pens, flares, projectiles, weapons, drugs and alcohol, and even selfie sticks.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image — Publicity Pictures (Supplied)/Audio North/GoodFon

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Indie icons The Kooks have announced a huge Manchester gig on UK arena tour

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The Kooks have announced a huge UK tour including a Manchester gig

The Kooks have announced a huge UK arena tour, which will see the indie icons performing here in Manchester this autumn.

The new tour, which features their biggest-ever headline show, has been announced in support of their upcoming seventh studio album, Never/Know.

And The Kooks will be supported by a big North West name for their tour – Breakthrough Act of the Year, The K’s.

The Kooks are icons of the British indie music scene, releasing their breakthrough album Inside In / Inside Out almost two decades ago, spawning huge hits like Naïve, You Don’t Love Me and She Moves In Her Own Way.

The group’s newly-announced major UK tour features a stop in their hometown of Brighton.

The Kooks will be performing at The Co-op Live in Manchester, as well as venues in Cardiff, Newcastle, Birmingham and London, this autumn on the Never/Know tour.

The Kooks will play Manchester on their new UK tour
The Kooks will play Manchester on their new UK tour. Credit: Maria Villanueva
The Kooks will play Manchester on their new UK tour
The Kooks will play Manchester on their new UK tour. Credit: Jordan Munns

Their album of the same name is slated for release on 9 May, which has already featured springtime anthem Sunny Baby.

Speaking about the single, frontman Luke Pritchard said, “We’re told how bad everything is at the moment; everything’s sh*t; the world’s sh*t.

“And I was like, I’m just going to refuse to not let these be the best years of life, because I’ve got a young family. It’s about me getting to a balanced life; having a family. It’s a love song about someone making me fall back in love with myself.”

The Kooks will play at Co-op Live in Manchester on Friday 3 October, with general release tickets on sale at 10am on Friday 25 April HERE.

The Kooks 2025 UK tour dates

  • Friday 3 October – Co-op Live – Manchester
  • Saturday 4 October – Cardiff Utilita Arena – Cardiff
  • Sunday 5 October – Brighton Centre – Brighton
  • Thursday 9 October – Newcastle Utilita Arena – Newcastle
  • Friday 10 October- Birmingham Utilita Arena – Birmingham
  • Saturday 11 October – The O2 – London

Read more

Featured image: Party in the Paddock and Renae Saxby

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