Irish rock pop band The Script have been confirmed as the latest artists set to play Co-op Live arena as they prepare to make their Manchester return later this year.
Announcing the Co-op Live gig as part of their upcoming Satellite world tour, in support of their new album which is set to drop in just a few months’ time, the noughties and 2010s hit-makers will be coming to Manchester’s newest venue this fall.
With the trio having not long lost their lead guitarist and best mate Mark Sheehan during their run of Greatest Hits shows, this will be the first full tour they are set to play without him in the lineup.
Having gone back and regrouped, made a new record and now dropped their latest single ‘Both Ways’ at the same time on Friday morning, it’s full speed ahead for the boys with a massive world tour now on the horizon, including 20 European dates.
After being reduced to just two of the original found members, frontman Danny O’Donoghue and drummer Glen Power, the Dubliners have since doubled, inviting bassist Ben Sargeant and guitarist Ben Weaver to join the band earlier this month. They’re also still out on tour with pop legend Pink.
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Their new album, Satellite, will mark their seventh studio LP and the first material released as a four-piece and is scheduled for release on 16 August, promising to deliver a whole new energy from the band.
Taking inspiration from the likes of The Black Eyed Peas and Bruno Mars, bassist Glen admitted that the sound “maybe not what people might expect from us but we’re The Script, and now we have something to prove: that there’s life and light after the darkness. It’s why we’re coming fast and strong with that one.”
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Lead singer Danny added: “The album cover is silhouettes of me, Glen and Ben Sargeant, our bassist, who’s been with us from the beginning. Then we have a hooded silhouette, because the air of Mark is still there.
“He always will be, but it’s also giving a tip of the hat to the future. It’ll never be the same Script. We’re just trying to get on and do what it is that we all feel is the next right thing to do and that’s to keep making more great music.”
As for the show itself, The Script arrive at Co-op Live on 30 November – the final show of their UK leg and over two years since their last visit to Manchester at the AO Arena.
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For those looking to grab tickets, fans who pre-order Satellites from the band’s official store before5pm on Tuesday, 21 May will receive access to an exclusive pre-sale for tickets for the UK and Irelandtour dates.
Pre-sale opens at9:30am on Wednesday, 22 May and general admission tickets go live at the same time on Friday, 24 May. You can grab yours HERE.
We’ve had the luxury of popping along to the brand-new arena a few times now and we have to say, it didn’t disappoint.
Catfish and the Bottlemen stun fans with surprise Heaton Park gig
Danny Jones
Whilst most of their followers have been fretting that they were getting ready to break up again, Catfish and the Bottlemen have just stunned everyone by announcing a surprise gig at Heaton Park in Manchester.
Out of nowhere.
The Welsh rockers have been back touring together this year after a three-year hiatus, playing multiple festival sets and headline dates at the likes of Cardiff Castle and released their first new music back in February – much to the delight of fans all over the country – and now they’re coming back to 0161.
Set to play the biggest stage in Manchester next summer, just less than a month before Heaton Park erupts into bedlam for the Oasis 2025 shows, Catfish and the Bottlemen will make their Manc return on Friday 15 June.
Now, don’t get us wrong, this is wonderful news if it all goes ahead as planned, but it has to be said that there is some hesitation coming from interested gig-goers – ourselves included.
Catfish have caught a lot of flack recently for cancelling their Australian tour on the day it was meant to start along with the entire run of US shows “due to artist illness”, with little detail given to fans other than how to sort their refunds. But it gets worse…
They also cancelled their Dublin gig at the RDS Simmonscourt just 15 minutes before doors were set to open and with fans already waiting outside the venue. Again, not the best look.
Perhaps more concerningly, even at some of the shows that have gone ahead this year, there have been concerns raised around the nature and quality of their performances, as well as the wellbeing of charismatic if albeit a bit chaotic frontman Van McCann.
The Oasis reunion shows have also put a bit of a spanner in the works when it comes to their upcoming London shows next year too, as both bands are set to play the capital on the same day. It remains to be seen how many of those tickets will now be put up for resale.
We’re reserving judgment for now but you can understand some of the reticence.
Nevertheless, we’re not going to pretend that we’re not absolutely buzzing to hear this news and we’re hoping that this massive Manchester show goes ahead and off without a hitch.
They last came to town in 2019 when they played the AO Arena and played one of their final shows before the split just down the road at Neighbourhood Weekender back in 2021, so it’s fair to say it’s been a while. Keep everything crossed, Catfish fans.
General admission goes live next Friday, 4 October at 10am but you can access pre-sale, which starts at the same time on Wednesday, 2 October, by signing up via the mailing list.
You can grab tickets for Catfish and the Bottlemen at Heaton Park, Manchester HERE and good luck to us all.
Featured Images — Press Images (supplied)/Silly Little Man (via Flickr)
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Fontaines D.C. announce massive Manchester gig at Wythenshawe Park
Danny Jones
Undoubtedly one of the most exciting bands on the planet right now, Fontaines D.C. have just announced one their biggest headline dates yet as they are the latest act set to take Manchester’s Wythenshawe Park stage.
Fontaines already have a sell-out Manchester show coming up at Aviva Studios (arguably the biggest acts that have played the new arts venue yet) but now they’re set to level up to one of the biggest stages in the region next summer.
That’s right, following in the footsteps of legends such as Noel Gallagher, New Order, Johnny Marr and the likes of Blossoms earlier this year, the Dubliners are the first artist to be named as part of Live From Wythenshawe Park 2025.
Not even remotely exaggerating, this is going to be utterly enormous.
Landing in Manchester for the massive outdoor gig on Friday, 15 August – 2025 being just the third year of the now must-not-miss annual event – the young post-punk and alternative rockers are effectively skipping several steps on the gig venue ladder to play the huge summer festival.
The announcement comes fresh off the back of the release of Romance, the band’s biggest record to date. Produced by James Ford and met with incredible responses from fans and reviewers alike, it’s categorically one of the albums of the year.
Elton John recently declared that they are “the best band out there at the moment” and with NME dubbing them as “the defining band of their generation”, not to mention massive sets at Glastonbury’s Park Stage and Reading and Leeds, this date shouldn’t really come as that as much of a surprise.
That being said, what we couldn’t have predicted was how amazing the support acts were going to be, as warming the all-day festival crowd up will be none other than critically-acclaimed Belfast rap trio, Kneecap, and Leeds’ Mercury Prize-winning indie outfit, English Teacher.
Fontaines will be smashing an already seismic gig at London’s Finsbury Park next July, but then they’ll be bringing their unreal live atmosphere to Wythenshawe Park just a month later, and with Kneecap in tow too, you can guarantee a big Irish delegation will be turning up for this one.
General admission for Fontaines D.C. Live From Wythenshawe Park goes live next Friday, October 4 at 9am but you can access pre-sale, available from the same time on Wednesday, 2 October,by signing up for the mailing list.
You can get ready to grab your tickets HERE and, as always, good luck with securing these ones!