Rock duo Royal Blood are back in Manchester this Friday after smashing the AO Arena in April last year and having not long dropped their new record, Back to the Water Below, on 1 September.
In fact, with their fourth studio album now out and four consecutive number-ones to their name, not to mention charting extremely well in the US and beyond, Royal Blood remain at the forefront of modern rock music all over the world.
With that being said, regardless of what music lovers might have made of that admittedly very awkward with the crowd in Dundee, they’re rockstars at the end of the day and die-hard fans wouldn’t have cared for more than five minutes before grabbing a ticket. Speaking of which…
Are there tickets left for Royal Blood’s O2 Apollo gig?
If you were looking to hop on the gig at the last minute, you’re in luck: although the show is technically sold out, there are some standing tickets up for grabs in both the stalls and in the circle seated section of the O2 Apollo — however, they are resales.
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The Brighton boys might be going for a bit of a smaller venue this time around but believe us, this place is already packed out and if you’ve ever been to a sold-out gig, you know it can be a proper cauldron.
You can secure a spot from £53.63 on Ticketmaster and, obviously, keep an eye on other reseller sites like Twickets and TicketSwap but, as always, we urge you to stay away from ticket touts — there’s no point in getting stung on a Friday night.
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Credit: Royal Blood (via Instagram)
Who’s supporting Royal Blood in Manchester?
As for Royal Blood’s support acts for the Manchester gig, you’ve just got one this time which, in our opinion, often means two very good things: firstly, that the one act the artist has chosen gone is so good they don’t need another warm-up and secondly, the sets usually last longer. Only good news.
On this occasion, the standalone support comes from Hastings-based three-piece HotWax, who are already making a name for themselves as one of the most exciting new names in the genre that you should keep your eye on.
The trio have been around since 2020 and literally just released a brand-new EP entitled, Invite me, kindly. If you’ve never come across them before, we can promise you at three things: lots of raw rock riffs that will have no trouble filling the room, plenty of harmonised vocals and some funky basslines — no wonder Mike and Ben like them.
Now, as for when you’ll be hearing these two brilliant bands, the Apollo’s doors open at 7pm on Friday, 21 October and the curfew is expected to be around 11pm as per usual.
The venue doesn’t usually announce the specific stage times until around 2pm the day of the event but we’ll update you as soon as we know more. That being said, you can probably expect Royal Blood to take the stage around 9pm.
It goes without saying that stage times are always subject to change, so make sure to keep an eye on both the band and the Apollo’s social media channels, as well as check the event page nearer to the time.
Setlist
Having not long wrapped up their North American shows, Manchester has the honour of being the first proper date on the UK leg of their tour (because of course it does) after just playing a handful of more intimate album launch shows back at the start of last month.
With that being said, Royal Blood could have changed up things since then but if we’re going off their most recent shows over in the States, Setlist.fm has the running order looking something like this:
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Mountains at Midnight
Boilermaker
Come on Over
Lights Out
Triggers
Trouble’s Coming
Typhoons
Pull Me Through
Little Monster (followed by drum solo)
How Did We Get So Dark?
Tell Me When It’s Too Late
Loose Change
Out of the Black
Encore:
Waves
Shiner in the Dark
Figure It Out
Travel and parking for the O2 Apollo
As for those of you who haven’t been to this legendary gig location before or might be travelling into town from elsewhere, it’s very straightforward to get there.
Your main train station is, of course, Manchester Piccadilly and the same goes for your nearest Metrolink tram stop. There are also plenty of buses from the city centre on the Bee Network, with 192, 201, 203, 204 and 205 all stopping right by the Apollo. You can check the TfGM website for more info and to plan your journey.
As for parking for those of you driving to the concert, there are two official car parks immediately adjacent to the building which will both cost £10.00 to stay there — strictly cash only and obviously on a first-come-first-serve basis.
With plenty of new tracks being played for the first time as well as the hits that put these two musicians on the map, this is sure to be an absolute rager of a gig in what remains one of our favourite venues.
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We’ll tell you another thing, there’ll be nothing disappointing or “pathetic” about the crowd’s performance here in Manchester, lads — you just make sure you put on a good show and we’ll do all the rest, don’t worry.
BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is returning to Greater Manchester next month
Thomas Melia
The BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is coming back to Manchester once again, and they’re bringing yet another phenomenal lineup with them.
National radio station and overall upcoming music connoisseurs, BBC Radio 6, are back with their music festival, and just like years previous, it’s taking place across Manchester.
Over the years, the festival has brought some of music’s biggest names to lots of local venues, putting on an array of brilliant live performances.
Last spring saw the arrival of rock band Gossip and Irish singer CMAT, both taking up residency in O2 Victoria Warehouse, Lily Fontaine of English Teacher at Band On The Wall, while DJ Seinfeld went B2B with Salute in Depot Mayfield.
Leading this glowing roster of performers is Ezra Collective, a Mercury award -winning band known for their brilliant jazz productions, and then from one Mercury-winning band to another, Lily Fontaine won’t be riding solo this year, instead she’s bringing all the crew with her, as English Teacher are set to perform at this huge festival.
Fat Dog, whose debut album is titled ‘Woof’, are joining in on the fun with Scottish band Mogwai also making a feature too.
There’s even a chance for an exclusive first listen too, as Kae Tempest will be debuting new material right here in Manchester.
Ezra Collective are performing at BBC Radio 6 Music Festival.English Teacher make a return to Manchester for this special event.Fat Dog are also playing the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival.
All performances will be taking place at a multitude of venues, like the previously mentioned O2 Victoria Warehouse, Depot Mayfield, and Band On The Wall, as well as loads of other events at entertainment bar, Yes.
Every highlight, alongside live and recorded live performances, will be taking place at MediaCityUK in Salford, in order to keep everything Manchester central.
BBC Radio 6 Music Festival is happening from 26 – 29 March 2025, with tickets going on sale from 6 February at 10am here.
Cyndi Lauper at Co-op Live, Manchester 2025 – tickets, times, setlist, and more
Thomas Melia
Cyndi Lauper is visiting the music capital of the north this weekend, and is bringing her lorry load of hits with her too.
Lauper is an absolute legend in the music industry and has established herself as a leading figure in dance and pop music, especially in the 80s, but now, the American musician is gracing the Co-op Live stage as part of her Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Farewell Tour, and it’ll surely be ‘A Night to Remember’.
The support act for the UK dates is still yet to be announced, however if the previous US shows were anything to go by, pop stars like Aly and AJ, Elle King, and GAYLE have all had the honour of the opening slot.
Are tickets still available for the Manchester show?
There are still a number of tickets left, and luckily enough, your options aren’t that limited either, so whether you feel like dancing on the sidelines, or being in the middle of the action, you’ll be able to have fun wherever you find yourself in this remarkable venue.
Tickets start from £57.50 each, and can be bought from Ticketmaster’s official website here.
What is the expected setlist?
She Bop
The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough
When You Were Mine
I Drove All Night
Who Let in the Rain
Iko Iko
Funnel of Love
Sally’s Pigeons
I’m Gonna Be Strong
Sisters of Avalon
Change of Heart
Time After Time
Money Changes Everything
Shine
True Colors
Girls Just Want to Have Fun
Cyndi Lauper is playing at Co-op Live this weekend / Credit: Flickr | The Manc Group
What are the stage times for Cyndi Lauper in Manchester?
Doors will open at 7:30pm, and Co-op Live is known for having a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning concert-goers can be safe knowing they won’t be pulling an all nighter to hear all the legend’s biggest tunes.
Although the venue hasn’t yet confirmed stage times just yet, it’s expected that Cyndi Lauper will take to the stage in Manchester around 9pm.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, luckily it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop, so you’ll just need to head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
If you’re driving, the postcode for your SatNav is M11 3DU, but limited parking available at the venue, and this must be pre-booked ahead of time.
Also keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide for event day – though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions) – Plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound) – Expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound) Plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post event to help safely manage crowds.
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walking or cycling
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through Beryl – with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination, and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner on the Co-op Live website.
In the meantime, you can also read our review of Kinky Boots, the musical with music by Cyndi herself, HERE – it certainly left us with a standout memory…