Live music is finally returning to Manchester as The Stoller Hall becomes the first venue in the city centre to launch a full live concert programme since March.
The 500-seat music venue has announced an exciting line-up of concerts – including a mix of in-person and online performances – this week, making it the first full programme of live music events to return to any music venue in Manchester since lockdown restrictions began back in March.
The concert series will begin this November – with performances streamed live for online ticket holders – as well as live shows for reduced capacity, socially-distanced audiences in the venue itself.
In response to global travel restrictions as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this concert series has been curated to explore the theme of travel, and will bring the world’s finest classical, jazz and folk music from around the world to audiences in Manchester, performed by leading local, national and international performers.
The Stoller Hall is also thought to be the first venue to launch a public concert programme with the support provided by the UK government’s Culture Recovery Fund.
Speaking on the launch of the concert programme, Fran Healey – General Manager of The Stoller Hall – said: “We’re fighting to return to a world-class live music experience in the face of this pandemic.
“With Tier 3 lockdown restrictions now in place in Manchester, we’re abiding by the strictest of COVID-safety measures [and] reduced capacity ticketing in our venue means that audiences will be treated to a very exclusive experience.
“Thank you to everyone whose generous donations have helped The Stoller Hall to stay on its feet since the pandemic began.
“Now the government’s Culture Recovery Fund grant has given us the means to move forwards, we will play our part by bringing some spectacular live music to our stages, supporting the cultural economy and returning world-class live music to the nation.”
The Stoller HallThe Stoller Hall
She continued: “Most of us aren’t doing much travel at the moment, so this programme will bring sounds from around the world to audiences, as well as music from the best of our homegrown talent. This is the first step on the road to recovery, and there’s a long way to go, but it’s a huge milestone,
“Not just for us, but for the whole live music industry.
“Our autumn-winter programme is always a busy one, but this year it will be more emotional than we could ever have imagined.”
So, what’s in store for audiences from next month then?
Launching The Stoller Hall ‘Broadcasts Series’ is a celebration of the best of British brass, as the British Horn Society present a recital by Ben Goldscheider and Huw Watkins streamed live on Sunday 1st November, and then on 18th November, British concert pianist Murray McLachlan – who has appeared as concerto soloist with many leading UK orchestras – will perform a live of Beethoven piano sonatas in honour of the composer’s 250th birthday year.
The Stoller Hall will be also hosting a series of three concerts with Manchester Camerata, and will be blending physical and virtual audiences to embrace the best of Manchester’s music scene within the programme.
Yesterday something special happened! ⭐️⚡️
Musicians, educators & performers – all together again! ❤️
Performing for both socially-distanced in-venue audiences and live stream ticket holders are 2019 Parkhouse Award winners, The Lux Trio.
The award-winning group – which was formed in Berlin by pianist Eunyoo An, violinist Jae Hyeong Lee and cellist Hoon Sun Chae – has performed all over the world and received an array of awards including the first price at Gasteig Musikpreis competition in Munich, the Alice-Samter-Stiftung Kammermusikwettbewerb in Berlin, and the Artsylvia Foundation chamber music audition in South Korea.
Their first album on the Korean label O’ New World Music was released in 2018, and they will be one of the first live European acts in The Stoller Hall programme on Thursday 26th November.
The European leg of The Stoller Hall’s world tour will take audiences on a journey through Polish classical music.
British violinist Jennifer Pike MBE – former BBC Young Musician of the Year award winner – will perform pieces celebrating her Polish roots, and Manchester Collective – one of The Stoller Hall’s ensembles in residence, known for creating intimate and captivating live music experiences – will perform work by remarkable Polish composer Górecki, for an exclusive audience in the venue only.
You can book tickets to events, find more information, and familiarise yourself with all COVID-secure procedures via The Stoller Hall website here.
Audio
Honorary Manc Ariana Grande announces huge world tour – but skips Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Ariana Grande has announced details of a huge world tour, but the honorary Mancunian will be skipping Manchester again.
The 32-year-old, Grammy Award-winning star has instead booked five nights at The O2 in London for her only UK stop on the tour.
Ariana Grande was made an honorary Mancunian back in 2017, in recognition of her work following the Manchester Arena terror attack.
She is the first person to have ever received this honour.
Since the atrocity in the city, which took the lives of 22 people, Ariana has only performed here twice more – once at the One Love concert she organised as a fundraiser for the victims and their families, and once as a headliner of Manchester Pride.
It’s been six years since her last tour, but Ariana Grande is now back, sharing details of her hotly-anticipated The Eternal Sunshine Tour next summer.
As well as her five-night residency in London, she’ll play four nights in LA and Brooklyn, as well as cities right across North America.
Ariana Grande has announced The Eternal Sunshine Tour
Her London dates will be her only European shows on The Eternal Sunshine Tour.
Eternal Sunshine was released in 2024 and was her seventh studio album, spawning singles ‘Yes, And?’, ‘We Can’t Be Friends’, and ‘The Boy Is Mine’.
Ariana Grande is now also an Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated actress thanks to her starring role in Wicked as Glinda the Good Witch.
Tickets for her tour will go on sale from Tuesday 16 September with an artist presale as well as an O2 Priority Presale. Remaining tickets will be available during the general ons-ale beginning Thursday 18 September at 10am.
Ariana Grande – The Eternal Sunshine Tour Dates 2026
A rising Manc musician is supporting a global popstar on tour in America
Danny Jones
Up-and-coming Greater Manchester musician Elliot James Reay, from just down the road in Bury, has just joined fellow rising solo artist and already established US superstar Benson Boone on his upcoming American tour.
Yes, a lad from Bury is opening for the bloke who belts out that ‘Beautiful Things’ tune that’s been stuck near the top of the charts for what feels like the last year.
Fittingly joining Boone for the US leg of his American Heart tour supporting his sophomore album of the same name, 23-year-old Elliot James Reay has already played a trio of shows warming up the crowds ahead of the headliner and is quickly gaining new fans across the pond.
Especially since his music harkens back to some of their most famous music icons of all time.
The youngster is still having to pinch himself at the mere notion of being on the road with such a big name so early in his career, posting on social media this week, “How do I explain this one to my friends back in Bury?
“A dream come true to be opening for Benson Boone in St Paul last night, I’m eternally grateful for the opportunity to sing to you all and thank you for all the love you gave me!”
Roy Orbison-obsessed Raey – who also takes plenty of look and feel from the likes of Elvis and Billy Fury, among other old school, soulful American singers – has gone from releasing covers on YouTube to dropping his first-ever EP back in June and now playing full Stateside stadiums.
What a whirlwind journey it’s been for the local lad already.
The Manc songwriter and guitarist featured as one of our artists of the month last December, and we’re glad to see he’s only gone from strength to strength.
It’s fair to say that he’s matured a lot in the time since then, let alone the last 12 months or so, and booking a slot as a support act for as big as Benson Boone is right now is nothing short of huge.
We said late last year, and we’ll say it again: we see a bright future ahead for this talented young Macunian, and we wish him all the best for the dozen or so remaining US tour dates.
If you haven’t listened to his stuff before, you can get a little taste with his latest single HERE.
Or, if you want to take our advice, why not watch a great music video filmed around some very familiar city centre sites down below?
He’s certainly got his own style, even if it his heavily inspired by some of the greats.
Emily Sergeant -
30th October 2020 
