Electronic giants The Chemical Brothers make their long-awaited return to Manchester — their musical and spiritual home — this weekend, where they are set to play a massive gig at the AO Arena.
Forming amidst their days at the University of Manchester back in 1989, DJing duo Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons made their way up through the underground music scene of 0161, picking up records at the likes of Eastern Bloc in NQ and went on to become one of the biggest names on the planet.
Considered absolute titans of the dance and big beat genre, you’d struggle to find anyone who doesn’t know The Chemical Brothers and at least half a dozen of their classic tunes whether they realise it’s one of theirs or not.
Boasting a huge influence and nothing short of legendary status, their Manc homecoming has remained one of the biggest dates on the city’s music calendar and since thousands of locals will be going along to their AO Arena gig, we thought we’d provide you with everything you need to know as per.
If you’re looking to be part of what will undoubtedly be one of the biggest and best nights of live music in Manchester this year, let alone this month, then you’ll be pleased to know that there are still some tickets left to see The Chemical Brothers on Friday.
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With the cheapest tickets available from £38.80 for seated including venue fees and service charges, as well as the last few standing spots from £57.50, you pretty much have you pick of the bunch when it comes to where you want to be in the Arena.
You can grab your Manchester Chemical Brothers tickets HERE.
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Credit: The Chemical Brothers via Instagram
Support act
The Chemical Brothers have such a massive discography and legendary status that they don’t really need a support act to get people warmed up for their high-energy sets, but it’s always nice to throw someone into the mix as a bonus.
So, with that in mind, the electronic icons have brought along indsutry fellow veteran James Holroyd, a.k.a. ‘Boggy’, along with them on this UK tour as they have on many down the years, safe in the knowledge that he’s another DJ whose career was forged here in Manchester.
With an influence reputation almost as storied as their own, Holroyd — one of the original residents at the long-standing ‘Bugged Out’ club nights which have often been hosted at The Warehouse Project — will getting the party started in 0161 as he’s done many times before.
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Boggy playing Escape to Freight Island in 2022Credit: Skiddle/Escape to Freight Island
The Chemical Brothers’ Manchester stage times
Doors to the AO Arena open at 6pm and you can expect standalone support act James Holroyd to take stage around 7:15pm and play a fairly lengthy set.
Like at most venues, the headline act at the Arena is expected to start playing around 9pm, so you’ve got plenty of time to stock up on food and drink, grab some merch or nip to the toilet before the main event.
As always, the curfew is around 11pm, so you can expect a long old night of lights, dancing and nostalgia. As for what happens after, who knows? These guys are absolute local heroes around here when it comes to the Manc music so don’t be surprised if you hear of an after-party — just make sure you let us know!
Setlist
Now, it goes without saying that The Chemical Brothers full collection of songs is absolutely massive, with 10 studio albums to their name following the release of their latest record, For That Beautiful Feeling, their first in four years.
With that in mind, Tom and Ed could very easily decide to play absolutely everything or switch up their running order with a few more tracks from the new album but, according Setlist.fm and their most recent gigs, here’s what you can expect to hear on the night:
Everyone we know that has ever had the good fortune of seeing The Chemical Brothers live can vouch for how good a live show they put on and we expect Friday, 27 October to be no different.
We also had the immense pleasure of chatting to one half of the group earlier this year, discussing everything from how they got their start, the reaction to the new album and some of their favourite Manc music venues and memories.
You can read our full interview with Ed Simons down below:
We had the honour of chatting with @eddychemical, a.k.a. one-half of @ChemBros, about the new album, their upcoming arena tour and all things Manchester. 🧪🎶
Jewish leaders call for cancellation of huge Fontaines D.C. gigs in Heaton Park
Daisy Jackson
Jewish leaders have expressed ‘profound concerns’ regarding the two enormous Fontaines D.C. gigs taking place in Heaton Park next summer.
The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region has called for the shows to cancelled.
They said that ‘the safety of our community must be paramount’.
Irish rockers Fontaines D.C. have been outspoken at their concerts in the past in their support for Palestine, displaying ‘Free Palestine’ messaging on huge screens across the globe.
Now, the JRC has publicly expressed concerns about ‘the potential consequences of inflammatory rhetoric from the band’.
They added: “At a time of heightened antisemitism, the comments and chants associated with the band risks importing tensions from the Middle East into the UK, with Jewish people here becoming the targets.”
Fontaines D.C. are set to play two massive shows at Heaton Park next summer, on 3 and 4 July.
Manchester City Council has stressed that they will be working closely with members of the Jewish Representative Council as event management plans are developed, and added that ‘partners from the Council, emergency services including Greater Manchester Police (GMP), and event organisers, will comprehensively review the plans in place ahead the concerts’.
In a statement, the JRC said: “The JRC has registered our profound concerns with Manchester Council regarding Fontaines D.C.’s forthcoming concert at Heaton Park and has called for it to be cancelled.
“Despite our representations, it appears the concert will be going ahead. We expect and will be working with the council to ensure robust and adequate safeguards are in place to protect the Jewish community.
“We have no objection to Heaton Park hosting concerts.
“Our concerns are not about legitimate political expression but the potential consequences of inflammatory rhetoric from the band.
“At a time of heightened antisemitism, the comments and chants associated with the band risks importing tensions from the Middle East into the UK, with Jewish people here becoming the targets. The safety of our community must be paramount.”
A Manchester council spokesperson said: “We understand the very real concerns that members of our Jewish community have in the wake of the horrific antisemitic terrorist attack at Heaton Park Synagogue last year and a wider rise in antisemitism. Our thoughts remain not just with those who lost their lives and their loved ones but with the whole Jewish community.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with them in saying there is no place for antisemitism or discrimination of any form in Manchester and continue to work with the police, communities and other partners to provide reassurance and support.
“On the specific concerns expressed by some members of the Jewish community in relation to the two Heaton Park concerts in summer 2027, addressing these concerns will be front and centre in preparations for these events. We have met recently with members of the Jewish Representative Council and will continue to work closely with them as we develop event management plans.
“Partners from the Council, emergency services including Greater Manchester Police (GMP), and event organisers, will comprehensively review the plans in place ahead the concerts. This is standard practice for all major events in the city and is there to ensure events take place safely and successfully.
“In advance of the concerts, as with any other large-scale events, a thorough risk assessment of every aspect of the event will be carried out, focused on ensuring the safety and security of the event, its attendees and the wider community.
“The organisers, City Council and GMP will put in place suitable and proportionate mitigations and assurances to make sure that the concerts are delivered in full compliance with the licensing conditions. Organisers would also be happy to meet with concerned parties to help address any concerns. They are clear that discrimination or intimidation, including antisemitism, have no place at their events.”
Manchester’s beautiful winter Teepee is back, with free pints this weekend and live music every day
Daisy Jackson
Nothing heralds the arrival of the autumn/winter seasons quite like the appearance of The Oast House’s beautiful winter Teepee.
The popular seasonal space is officially reopening its doors this weekend, and inside you’ll find roaring fires, a giant disco ball, live music, and plenty of pints to keep the colder months feeling a little less grim.
After giving its beer garden a major glow-up this spring and hosting a summer packed with live music, The Oast House is bringing back one of Manchester’s favourite winter hangouts – and it’s kicking things off with a proper belter of an opening weekend.
We’re talking twinkling fairy lights, faux fur throws, and a dedicated bar pouring Staropramen fresh from the tank, all inside its massive winter Teepee.
And there’s even better news for the first few through the door.
To celebrate the Teepee’s return, The Oast House team will be cracking open a full tank of fresh Staropramen on Saturday 10 October, with free pints up for grabs for the first 440 guests.
There’ll be live music every night in the winter TeepeeManchester’s cosiest venue is back
The Teepee will be keeping things lively seven nights a week throughout autumn and winter, with The Oast House’s much-loved Open House programme moving indoors for the season.
Expect everything from Bandeoke and Musical Bingo to Retro Sounds and Oast Acoustic sessions, meaning there’ll be something different on the cards every night of the week.
The venue’s free monthly live music festival, Oast House Live, isn’t going anywhere either. It’ll continue inside the Teepee on the last Saturday of every month, bringing even more live music to the heart of Spinningfields.
Of course, it wouldn’t be The Oast House without a menu worth getting stuck into.
The kitchen will be serving up its 12-hour-brined rotisserie chicken, alongside a line-up of tempting sides like Ziggy Fries tossed in chicken salt and chicken butter, cheddar and onion slaw, and charred corn on the cob drenched in house-made Scotch bonnet butter.
Food in The Oast House Winter TeepeeThere’ll be 450 free pints given away on SaturdayRotisserie chicken
And if you’re after something a bit different, the house-special ‘addictive’ Chicken (T)oastie is one you won’t want to miss.
Sundays are all about the roast, too, with the kitchen dishing up its signature rotisserie chicken alongside chicken-butter roasties tossed in chicken salt, all the trimmings and bottomless house chicken gravy.
Basically, if you’re after somewhere to escape the cold without sacrificing a good night out, you know where to head.
The Oast House and its Winter Teepee are open daily from 11am until late throughout the season.
The Oast House Winter Teepee opens Saturday 10 October, with free Staropramen pints for the first 440 guests.
For more information and to book your table, head HERE.
Danny Jones -
26th October 2023 
