Wigan’s very own Lottery Winners have just announced their first solo headline stadium show right here in Greater Manchester, in yet another huge milestone for the Manc favourites.
Doing big arena gigs is one thing, but booking a full-on stadium date on your own patch is something else entirely.
Announced on Monday, 22 September, the ever-rising indie-pop four-piece are now set to play their biggest ever live concert at none other than Leigh Sports Village Stadium, where they’ll be welcomed back as hometown heroes helping put Wigan‘s music scene back on the map.
Better still, they even got a close personal friend to help them with the reveal…
Imagine a shock appearance from Robbie – that would go OFF.
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To be honest, we’re not ruling it out; as you can see in yet another amusing teaser video by the local band, they’re promising a number of special guests.
Already confirmed for the milestone live date are friends and long-standing collaborators Jon McClure with Reverend and the Makers, Frank Turner, plus fellow pop indie cult favourite Scouting For Girls, as well as another rising Wigan band in the shape of The Lilacs and a DJ set from Katie Owen.
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Frontman Thom Rylance goes on to joke that he’ll “even ask Boy George”, and while they might have duped us last time, we’re not entirely betting against him pulling it off this time.
Judging by the reaction ‘the Rev’ got here in Manchester back in January, you can bet on the atmosphere being nothing short of incredible.
You had to be there.
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Such a tune.
Speaking on the momentous occassion, lead singer and songwriter Thom said: “Leigh Sports Village (LSV) isn’t just another show for us, it’s a marker of everything we’ve worked for. From loading gear into pubs to travelling the world, every step has led here.
“To headline a stadium at home is rare, and we don’t take that lightly. This night will stand as proof of what’s possible when you keep on keeping on.
“Headlining LSV is special in itself, but doing it here in our hometown—surrounded by the people who’ve supported us from the very start—makes it truly unforgettable.
“The fact that we get to welcome legends and friends like Frank Turner, Reverend and the Makers and Scouting for Girls to our town feels incredible. It’s Leigh opening its doors to the world, and we’re proud to be the ones hosting.”
As for the former Take That star, he showed no hesitation in getting invovled with this little skit as the whole bunch of them are curently on the road as part of Robbie’s world tour, which visited Manchester just this past June.
Commenting on the announcement, the 51-year-old said: “I’ve completely fallen in love with The Lottery Winners, and even when the tour was just two weeks in, I had a pang of sadness that their tenure with me can’t last forever.”
We can’t wait to see what other surprises they have up their sleeves come next summer, with the gig scheduled for Saturday, 30 May 2026.
Presale tickets for the show go live this Wednesday, 24 September from 10am, and general admission will be available on Friday (26 Sep) at the same time, also from 10am.
Featured Images — Tom Oxley(press shot)/The Lottery Winners (supplied)
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Johnny Marr announces huge hometown show at Castlefield Bowl
Danny Jones
Johnny Marr is the latest act announced for next year’s Sounds of the City (SOTC), with the Manchester music legend set for a massive hometown show at Castlefield Bowl.
Not that we’re getting carried away or anything, but the SOTC 2026 lineup is already shaping up to be arguably one of the best ever.
With The K’s confirmed as the first band playing the annual outdoor festival in the city’s stunning amphitheatre, and other names now starting to fly in, the iconic Manc musician becomes number three on the roster.
Detailing his huge homecoming gig on Monday, 13 October, the legendary guitarist and songwriter is coming to Castlefield Bowl next summer.
I’m pleased to announce that I’ll be performing a hometown show at Castlefield Bowl on Thursday, 9 July 2026.
Presale begins Wednesday, 15 October at 10am BST, with general on sale from Friday, 17 October at 10am BST.
While he might be best known for his time with The Smiths, Johnny Marr has remained a noteworthy session player and featured artist alongside various artists ever since.
More importantly, he’s been releasing solo material for well over a decade now, with his recent Look Out Live! compilation record – made up of recordings from his London best of show – having only just dropped this past September.
Better still, he’s bringing fellow native indie and alternative band, Everything Everything, along for an all-Mancunian evening under what we hope will be sunny skies.
As big fans of both here at The Manc, we cannot wait for this one.
In case you missed the previous reveal, number two on the multi-date Sounds of the City lineup is another genre-defining name, as The Streets are set to play Castlefield Bowl once again, having last played the bucket list venue back in 2021.
As for ‘Moz’, the 61-year-old will be coming to the 10-day live event on 9 July, in between The K’s and Mike Skinner’s entourage.
Fans can land early access by signing up for presale via the official Johnny Marr mailing list from 10am this Wednesday, 15 October BST, while general admission tickets will be available from the same time on the following Friday (17 Oct).
Katy Perry at AO Arena Manchester – A nostalgic explosion of musical and visual vomit
Kristen MacGregor-Houlston
Katy Perry is here and you’re going to know about it. Like a punch in the face she’s blasted through Manchester on her The Lifetimes Tour and has three more dates to go including at the Utilita in Sheffield.
The wonderful team at the AO Arena kindly invited us down to experience (and it was an experience…) Katy Perry, whilst enjoying their premium offering at The Mezz, which is worth a visit in itself. More on that later.
Ahead of the show beginning there’s a mega buzz in the bowl, with Perry fans dressed up in an array of outfits matching an album ‘era’. I’m surprised there are so many young fans of Katy as she’s someone I grew up with, but perhaps that’s just me showing my age.
The stage takes the shape of a huge infinity sign, with a vast number of television screens adorning the back. The ‘theme’ of the show is meant to be video games, the purpose of which goes over my head and apparently many of the gig-goers too.
We are blasted with a visual cacophony of random animations, lights, acrobatics and structures that leave half the audience bewildered. It almost felt like Katy had asked ChatGPT to design her a show and she just said yes to everything it suggested. The storyline was bizarre and so many people around me were asking each other what was going on. In Katy’s defence though, she did describe herself as crazy and odd, so perhaps the whole show is reflective of this.
Madness aside, Perry still stuns with brilliant vocals and gets the whole crowd absolutely bopping to her classics like ‘Teenage Dream’, ‘Hot And Cold’ and ‘I Kissed A Girl’ – the audience went wild, and so did I.
There’s quite a lot of chat during the show too, which if you’re a die hard KatyCat you’d probably enjoy more than I did, who just wanted to sing and dance. Perry picked random fans from the audience to come on stage with her, and we shared some sweet moments with people who were absolutely besotted with her. One fan had even flown from Shanghai and had a custom coat with a huge train and message on for Katy.
As the show starts to come to a conclusion, Katy rides around the bowl on a giant (ugly) butterfly which also didn’t make much sense but it was exciting when she flew so close – she might be chaotic, but she is still a superstar.
The show closes on ‘Firework’, an absolutely sensational crowd pleaser that had every single person out of their seats singing and dancing which was a real sight to see. Her fans really really love her.
If you want to hear some nostalgic tunes, have a great song and dance whilst also feeling completely confused and bewildered, then this is the show for you.
About The Mezz at the AO Arena
The Mezz is the AO Arena’s new VIP bar and restaurant, unveiled last year as part of the arena’s £50m redevelopment.
The luxurious new space elevates the gig-going experience with five-star hospitality before, during and after every show at the huge venue.
For our Katy Perry visit, we had a fantastic host who took great care of my guest and I. We tucked into a delicious five course tasting menu, with the vegetarian options having been carefully considered rather than feeling like an afterthought.
If you’ve not been to the AO Arena recently, the whole concourse has had a facelift, giving an expensive and upmarket feel with an expanded food and drink offering and a smart layout. There’s a reason it is the home of great music and shows and acts love to come back here.
Danny Jones -
22nd September 2025 
