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

Did someone turn up the ‘Temperature’ or is it just me?

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia - 16th April 2025

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.

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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.

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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:

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  • 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.

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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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A candlelit Queen tribute concert is returning to Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones Queen by Candlelight Manchester tickets

Yes, you read that right: a candlelit tribute concert to the one and only Queen is coming to Manchester city centre.

In fact, it’s coming home, as this wonderful event started right here in 0161 back in 2021.

Concerts by Candlelight themselves host concerts up and down the country at various points throughout the year, but their much-loved ‘Queen by Candlelight‘ special knows all about lighting up Manc venues.

Having since gone on to become an internationally acclaimed live concert experience, we’re glad we still get to see the ‘Princes of the Universe’ on our doorstep.

candlelit concerts manchester queen tribute show
concerts by candlelight queen night
queen by candlelight
Credit: Concerts by Candlelight (supplied)

With the likes of Bridgewater Hall and the magical Manchester Monastery all having played host to the promotion on many ocassions, this time Queen by Candlelight is coming to the legendary Manchester Opera House in the new year.

One of our most historic and legendary theatres, it’s only fitting, really, that they be chosen to welcome a night of equally iconic tunes.

But it’s worth reminding more casual fans that these aren’t just British rock and pop anthems; Queen‘s discography is one that still has global recognition to this day.

That’s why this specific show has been taken to virtually every corner of the world, with the incredibly talented cast of singers and musicians delighting audiences in Dubai, Australia, New Zealand and New York, to domestic crowds here in town and down in London’s West End.

‘Queenies’ or ‘Darlings’, as Freddie Mercury used to call them, can expect all the big hits, from ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘We Are The Champions’, to ‘It’s a Kind of Magic’ and ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ and plenty more from the back catalogue.

Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store this coming January:

With tickets already flying out fast, we really would recommend securing your seats early before they inevitably sell out.

To quote the promoters themselves, “this spectacular celebration of Queen’s biggest hits is guaranteed to rock you.”

Coming to the Manchester Opera House on Tuesday, 6 January, you can book your tickets for Queen by Candlelight right HERE.

And if you’ve never been to one of their candlelit events before, you only need to see how much of a ball we had at their country event earlier this year to find out how much fun they are…

@the.manc

Looking for your next date night? Candlelight Concerts are back. 🕯️ It’s the perfect experience to get ready for the winter season.

♬ original sound – The Manc

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

Featured Images — Concerts by Candlelight (supplied)

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The Warehouse Project named one of the best nightclubs in the world

Danny Jones Danny Jones WHP top 30 best clubs in the world

Greater Manchester can add another big blue ribbon to its already richly adorned totem of music heritage, as The Warehouse Project has been named one of the best clubs in the entire world.

Not that we’re the least bit shocked, to be honest.

That’s right, our very own Warehouse Project – or WHP to use the more commonly thrown around shorthand – isn’t just the great successor to the likes of The Haçienda, Jilly’s Rockworld and many more Manc live music institutions, it’s become a raver’s rite of passage in its own right.

So it’s no surprise that it landed itself in the International NightLife Association’s best 100 clubs on the planet – but where exactly on the list did it land?

As you can see from the full NightLife International rankings for 2025, Warehouse Project didn’t just make it into the 100 club or even the top half; WHP broke into the best 30 clubs in the whole world.

Finishing in 27th position, specifically, Mayfield Depot‘s major tourist attraction was sandwiched between Ibiza’s Amnesia nightclub and the equally iconic Ministry of Sound in London.

Not bad company to keep, eh?

Writing in the caption, the organisation said: “From Ibiza to Singapore, Miami to Marrakech, and every nightlife capital in between, this year’s ranking showcases the venues that continue to elevate global nightlife with innovation, quality, and unforgettable experiences.”

“Cheers to all the clubs that made it onto the list”, they continued, thanking sponsors, artists and collaborators alike before adding, “Your commitment drives the industry forward.”

With the likes of Worried About Henry, Homobloc, Barry Can’t Swim, and the first-ever winter edition of Repercussion having already passed this year, the 2025 programme really has been electric.

But they’re not done yet; you can see the rest of what is on this year’s lineup down below.

The Warehouse Project 2025 – full calendar, lineups, tickets, stage times and more

One of the biggest dates on the current WHP calendar is, of course, their massive New Year’s Eve Party, which returns for 2025.

The team behind Warehouse is yet to respond to the prestigious international recognition, as they’re clearly still too busy putting on some of the best nights not just in town or the UK, but anywhere around the club.

You can get a closer look at the in-depth list of NightLife International’s top 100 clubs HERE.

Speaking of Manc nightlife, it’ll be interesting to see where a returning cult favourite will place itself on the leaderboard when it makes its full comeback very soon…

Read more:

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

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Press shots (supplied via WHP)

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