The Hacienda will return to Manchester with a huge homecoming show this year, featuring a star-studded line-up that includes Ian Brown and Leftfield.
The legendary long-lost nightclub will be taking over one of the city’s biggest venues for the show, which will also bring together some of the club’s former DJs.
It’s the latest in a series of annual events at Depot Mayfield, with FAC251 The Hacienda promising an all-day club event across five rooms.
Taking place on Saturday 2 December, there’ll be performances from Manc legends and DJ sets from very familiar faces.
One of the event’s headliners is ‘godlike genius’ Ian Brown, former frontman of The Stone Roses, who will perform live.
Then techno legends Leftfield will bring their acclaimed live set, hot off the back of Glastonbury and two sold-out dates in Manchester in May.
Dance acts Inner City and Soul II Soul, plus Factory Records regulars A Certain Ratio, will also all be performing live.
Some of the world’s best DJs will be spinning tunes at Depot Mayfield, with the likes of David Morales, Roger Sanchez, Dimitri From Paris, Todd Terry and Kevin Saunderson all returning to FAC51.
The Hacienda returns to Manchester for a huge gig this winter. Credit: Dominic Simpson
The Hacienda always prided itself on its resident DJs, who helped define the club and shape its identity, and will bring some back together this December at the huge gig.
Mike Pickering and Graeme Park join forces for a rare special back-to-back set, joined by sets from Greg Wilson, DJ Paulette, Peter Hook, 808 State, K Klass, Justin Robertson, Jon Dasilva, Hewan Clarke, Tom Wainwright, Kath McDermott, Chad Jackson, Jason Boardman, Russ, Buckley, Guy Williams, Jason Boardman, James Holroyd, Herbie Saccani & Mark XTC.
About returning to Depot Mayfield in December, Peter Hook commented: “After a wonderful occasion last year and on our previous visits, we are delighted to reaffirm that The Hacienda’s lifelong legacy is still alive and kicking especially following our recent success dancing in the rain at Castlefield Bowl.”
Meanwhile Graeme Park added; “I’m already beyond excited about The Haçienda returning to Depot Mayfield this December. Last year’s event was absolutely epic and the line-up this time promises to make this another huge party. I’m also looking forward to DJing with Mike Pickering for the first time since April 2022. So come on then Manchester! You will not be disappointed.”
As with The Hacienda’s previous Depot Mayfield appearances, demand is expected to be high.
An Oasis lookalike competition is happening in Manchester city centre this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Manchester, we’ve made it.
It was only a matter of time, but after celebrity lookalike competitions absolutely took the world by storm last summer, with droves of Timothée Chalamet, Paul Mescal, and Pedro Pascal wannabes gathering in the streets of New York and London over several different weekends, Manchester is finally getting in on the action this year.
And of course, what else could be more fitting on the weekend Oasis returns to their hometown than a Gallaghers Lookalike Competition?
In case you (somehow… really, how?) hadn’t heard, Liam and Noel have finally buried the hatchet and reformed as Oasis for the first time in more than a decade – with the long-awaited Live ’25 tour getting underway in Cardiff over this past weekend.
Now that Cardiff is done and dusted, the brothers – along with more than 300,000 fans – are returning home and will be descending on Manchester’s Heaton Park from this Friday (11 July) for five nostalgia-drenched gigs full of iconic tunes.
Anyone heading to the second Oasis gig on Saturday 12 July, or even anyone who isn’t, is invited to practice their best Gallagher impressions and make their way over to St Peter’s Square in the heart of the city centre to take part in a lookalike competition that’s bound to get plastered all over social media.
The competition is being hosted at The Manchester Shop – the legendary local gift emporium on the ground floor of Affleck’s – from their dedicated stall at the MCR Live ’25 pop-up markets in St Peter’s Square, which is set to see hundreds of Oasis fans gather to soak up to atmosphere during the day, before journeying over to Heaton Park.
An Oasis lookalike competition is happening in Manchester city centre this weekend / Credit: Stefan Branding (via Wikimedia Commons) | Flickr
At the markets – which are part of the wider MCR Live ’25 events – you’ll also find local makers, artists, and indie traders gathering for a celebration of sound, style, and city pride.
But we have no doubt the Gallaghers Lookalike Competition is going to draw in crowds.
“Think you’ve got the swagger of Liam? Or the scowl of Noel? Prove it at our Gallagher Brothers Lookalike Competition,” event organisers wrote on social media.
So, no matter whether you’re ‘mad fer it’ or you just fancy a bit of a laugh ahead of what is one of the most important gigs of the century so far, make sure to dig out your parkas and tambourines, come dressed to impress, and get ready show off your best Gallagher vibes.
Prizes, tunes, and Mancunian mayhem are ‘guaranteed’.
You’ll even get ‘extra points’ for donning bucket hats, and Manchester City tops too, as well as for having sideburns and big thick eyebrows.
So if reckon you got what it takes, or just fancy watching the madness unfold, then head down to St Peter’s Square this Saturday 12 July from 1pm.
Featured Image – Simon Emmett (Publicity Picture)
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Stereophonics have announced another UK tour this winter, including a massive Manchester gig
Danny Jones
British rock legends aren’t waiting around for long as after wrapping their most recent raft of shows, Stereophonics are getting straight back on the road at the end of the year for a UK winter tour, with big gigs in Manchester, London, Glasgow and more.
With tours in Australia and the US also coming in the interim, not to mention having just played multiple festivals right off the back of their own springtime shows, they’ve got to be one of the busiest and hardest-working bands around right now.
The legendary Welsh group released their new album, Make ‘Em Laugh, Make ‘Em Cry, Make ‘Em Wait – which happens to be their 13 studio LP to date – back in April, and haven’t wasted any time in touring it, nor the all-time classics that have made them such a much-loved named here in the UK.
Now, though, fresh off a huge sell-out crowd at Finsbury Park down in the capital, lads are gearing up for more domestic shows,
Legendary Welsh band Stereophonics announce a UK Arena Tour for December 2025.@coopuk members get first in line for tickets Find out more: https://t.co/amNXniakHf Co-op Member Presale: 09:30 9 July 2025 General Sale: 09:30 11 July 2025 pic.twitter.com/BXLs7ZXftU
Their latest record went to number one back in May, which is then the ninth time they’ve achieved the feat, and the Cynon Valley veterans seem to show absolutely no signs of slowing down whatsoever.
We’ll Iechyd da to that.
Other shows here in the North of England include South Yorkshire’s Utilta Arena (our friends over at The Sheff will be buzzing with that one), as well as a Liverpool date at the M&S Bank Arena.
Earlier this month, the band also played another showstopping headline set at this year’s Isle of Wight festival, with music outlet Rolling StoneUK dubbing the band’s set as “the highlight of the night” that “upheld every expectation” for 55,000 festival goers.
It was much the same story at Finsbury this past weekend, too, which has already seen the likes of Fontaines D.C., Slayer, and soon Drake arrive for Wireless Fest 2025.
Making their Co-op Live debut when they arrive in Manchester this winter, Stereophonics are to play the world-leading arena on 12 December.
Official Co-op members get the first lot of early access via the venue’s presale window, which opens from 9:30am on Wednesday, 9 July, but general admission tickets will be available from the same time on the following Friday (11 July).