Last night we had to bid an emotional farewell to one of the true GOATS of the rock and pop-punk scene, and also a big part of our childhood and adolescence, as Co-op Live Arena hosted Sum 41 for their last-ever Manchester show on their final world tour.
Sum 41 have been going since 1996, which for those who’ve always had a penchant for thrashy guitars, pounding drums, devil horns and bleach-blonde haircuts, probably explains why they’ve managed to play a part in many people’s youth and formative music years over multiple generations.
The Canadian outfit announced their split after 27 years back in May 2023, much to the heartbreak of their fans all over the globe, but we’d like to think of this conclusion not as a break-up but more of a long goodbye, as by all accounts the members left on stage still have a lot of love for each other and us.
Put simply, they’ve just come to a natural conclusion and after the best part of three decades of jumping up and down, shredding guitar solos, touring the world and some very well-known ups and downs, they’re tired – but thankfully not so exhausted that they couldn’t give us one last party. Exhibit A:
Now, if you’re thinking this was just the crescendo and that they saved the best songs, lights and effects for last, you’re dead wrong.
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All Killer, No Filler was Sum 41’s highly-anticipated debut way back in 2001 and even to this day, with eight studio albums to their names, a cult favourite 1998 demo tape and a compilation album of their Solid Gold Hits, that title still sums up – pun obviously intended – what they’re all about.
Even with members coming in and out of the band, record label rivalry, frontman Dereyck Whibley’s very widely publicised battle with boozing, his path to reaching an incredible 10 years of sobriety and alarming revelations in his new memoir, they never put out a bad record despite the ups and downs.
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Whibley, 44, said as much on stage too; we lost count of how many times he ended one of their many standout tracks by shouting “STOP!” and a sudden cut to black but also the number of moments in which he paused to reminisce and say thank you to the Sum 41 family.
For a man who literally paid £41,000 (of course) to get back his first guitar decades after it was stolen from his house, brought it out on stage, and played the oldest of the old Sum 41 tracks to a delighted Manchester crowd inside the Co-op, taking the time to be nostalgic clearly means a lot to him and us.
Some start.Lots of bells and whistles.Our review of the final ever Sum 41 live show in Manchester. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Whether it was old favourites like ‘The Hell Song’ and ‘Motivation’, the ever-underappreciated middle years of ‘Underclass Hero’ or their heavier metal era, their first-ever EP Half Hour of Power or their most recent and still celebrated singles like ‘Dopamine’ and ‘Landmines’, it all felt intensely reflective.
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It also surprised us just how much of their music we retained even after all this time, as we’re not going to pretend that we’ve been across every release over nearly three full decades of their career, but one thing we will tell you is that no matter how old their audience has grown they haven’t forgotten the words.
More importantly, we loved that although there was a mixed-age crowd and even some very young kids in the stands clearly brought along by the parents who grew up on this stuff, as far as we could tell the main mosh pit was full of late 20s to 30-somethings rolling back the years just like the band on stage.
In a current music moment where a fair few bands have recently cancelled shows or the entire remainder of their tours due to fatigue and various other reasons, there was something about a bunch of middle-aged men still dressed as punks and giving every last ounce of their energy on their umpteenth gig that brought a smile to our faces.
Deryck is still fit and fighting.Pyros instantly improves any rock show.Vocals didn’t disappoint even after all this time, guitar and drum solos were on point and who doesn’t love fire?
For this particular music fan, Sum 41 is genuinely one of the earliest music memories I can recall: sitting cross-legged in front of a big old Panasonic box telly with my brother and watching the iconic ‘In Too Deep’ video and both nodding our heads to that timeless riff as if to confirm it was the coolest thing ever.
Seeing them live at the end of their journey felt super emotional and rather full circle too. I have no interest in rolling out in the ‘it’s not a phase’ meme on this occasion and I won’t dare spoil much more of this very special show in case you’re heading to another date, just make sure you stick in there until the very end as you’ve done so faithfully for all these years.
Sum 41 managed to turn their Co-op Live debut but final Manchester gig from a bittersweet goodbye that we’d been dreading for months into a fond farewell where we had to remind ourselves, ‘Don’t be sad it’s over, just be glad that it happened’ and that we were alive to be part of it.
On that note, we have nothing left to say other than ta-ra, thank you for the memories and for playing such a big role in so many people’s early years spent dreaming of being a rockstar.
The Sum 41 live audience made it a night to remember.There were some very real tears around us.We hope to see you again someday.
The UK’s much-loved ‘day rave’ with Vicky and Jon McClure returns to Manchester for New Year’s Eve
Thomas Melia
One of the UK’s most popular new club events and pioneering ‘day rave’ is returning to Manchester this New Year’s, featuring founders Jon and Vicky McClure, as well as some very special guests.
The Line of Duty star and Reverend and the Makers frontman started the parent-friendly event back in January of this year as an alternative day out for those looking to have a party and still manage an early bedtime. Since then it’s gone on to become a real phenomenon and is only getting bigger.
With Vicky swapping UK dramas and crime thrillers for the discotheque and ‘Big Jon’ switching lanes from his usual rock, indie and alternative roots to favour timeless dance tracks to still get people up on their feet, Day Fever has gone down a storm all over the country.
With their first year coming towards a close, they now look set for arguably their biggest day rave to date as Day Fever will be hosting a special New Year’s Eve for their final hurrah of 2024 right here in Manchester city centre – and no, you don’t need to be able to stay up until midnight.
The two McClures – unrelated, by the way, they just share a name and a fantastic taste in music – and the rest of their crew will be partying between 3-8pm for a much more tame and friendlier night (day) out, commanding the decks alongside some other special guests.
Not only does this alternative way to party promise a more responsible curfew, meaning clubbers don’t have to worry about missing the last train home but it’s also geared towards over 30s whilst still being super inclusive.
This day-time clubbing event is designed to reminisce on the old days and all those dance-filled memories of evenings spent out on the tiles, just minus the late-night finish – and hopefully the hangover but that’s down to you really, isn’t it?
In their words: ‘There’s no dress code, no egos—just pure positivity’; there’s nothing we love to hear more than the sweet relief of not having to get dolled up for a big night when we just can’t be bothered.
With New Century Hall hosting the Day Fever once again for their first-ever NYE party here in Manchester, along with two other events being held simultaneously in Edinburgh and Birmingham, you can get all your partying done way with plenty of time to get cosy in bed before the calendar turns over.
Just in time to watch Jools Holland’s famous Annual Hootenanny, as they put it.
Jon McClure and Vicky’s co-star, Martin CompstonVicky McClure leading the dance routines
This is guaranteed to be an evening to remember for everyone in attendance, especially when you’re joined by stars of stage and screen who will be powering you through with some proper dance bangers as they have done all year long.
The New Year’s Eve party isn’t just the last dance of the year either, it’s also effectively the prequel to next year’s raft of shows as Day Fever has already announced more than a dozen big dates in January and February.
This batch of 2025 dates sees the gang taking on lots of other cities, including North West neighbours Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds and Hull over in Yorkshire, two Newcastle shows and plenty more.
So, if you’re feeling those clubbing blues, that pesky seasonal affective disorder or just still not booked up for NYE 2024, why not make the most of this day-time opportunity?
Tickets for both the New Year’s Eve and the rest of their 2025 events are available on the official Day Fever website HERE.
Oh yeah, and help get Rev to Christmas number one – it’s for a good cause and they deserve it!
Sean Paul and Ashanti are hosting a massive Manchester show in 2025
Danny Jones
The one and only Sean Paul is coming to Manchester next year and we’re about to be smashing that buy ticket button it’ll be left sticking like glue.
A terrible pun, we know, we’re just very excited.
Better yet, he’s bringing a fantastic co-headliner along with him as fellow noughties and R’n’B throwback Ashanti will be sharing the stage too.
Landing at the AO Arena in spring 2025, they’ll be upping the ‘Temperature’ ahead of the summer and just in time for the festival season to start getting underway.
Having both enjoyed the scene for many years back in its 2000s heyday and each still boasting their own long-serving fan bases no matter how long it’s been, we wouldn’t think of this as a Sean Paul headline gig with a support act but two very special guests doing what they do best.
The Jamaican-born rap, reggae and dancehall artist as well as all-round popstar needs no introduction really but we’ll give him one anyway: you have to pronounce his name funny and he’s best known for countless club classics like ‘Got 2 Luv U’, ‘Get Busy’ and ‘Gimme The Light’, just to name a few.
Coming back to Manchester for basically a celebration of what many still revere as one of the golden eras for the genre will no doubt be an unbelievable night and playing the AO Arena after all this time is no mean feat.
General admission goes live from 10am, Friday 20 December but presale will be available for Three mobile users who want exclusive early access from Wednesday onwards from the same time.
The ‘Bring It’ Tour comes our way on 13 April 2025, with other dates including Leeds, Birmingham, Cardiff and a massive London show with Fat Joe joining too.
You can get ready to grab your tickets for Sean Paul and Ashanti’s AO Arena date HERE.
Danny Jones -
29th October 2024 
