The 1975’s tour has seen some seriously memorable moments so far, including several special guest appearances, but seeing Tim Healy give a surprise performance has to be the jewel in the crown.
While the band might have formed in the Wilmslow and plied their trade in Manchester on their way to success, several members of the current lineup — including frontman Matty Healy himself — were born in Newcastle, so the gig at the Utilita Arena on Wednesday was very much a homecoming show.
With that in mind, when British TV royalty, Geordie icon and Matty’s old man, Tim Healy popped up on stage, the crowd understandably went wild.
There were no doubt plenty of confused faces when a trademark Matty monologue and sudden cut to black was followed by the bloke from Benidorm appearing up on stage, but there was also a scream bigger than any response Taylor Swift got.
Whipping out some significantly more dramatic thespian ability than the kind you’d associate with his Auf Wiedersehen, Pet days, albeit still fully aware of bizarre the entire spectacle was, he brought one of his son’s trademark digressions about method acting to a close.
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But better than that, the 70-year-old ended up staying on stage to perform his own low-key ‘All I Need to Hear‘ cover as the band played in the background. Surreal.
To be honest, it might just be the wholesomeness of it all, but we think we might prefer the older Healy’s version.
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Sing it, Tim!
Tim on stage for ‘All I Need To Hear’ tonight in Newcastle #The1975
Imagine bringing your dad onto the stage only for him to absolutely steal the show. Brilliant stuff.
Both he and Matty’s celebrity mum Denise Welch have been spotted at various shows as the band continue to perform their ‘At Their Very Best’ tour around the country, with various fans interacting with them in the crowd, but very few would have been expecting an impromptu song from one of them.
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Both are obviously more closely associated with TV, with Welch known for appearing on the likes of Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Loose Women and many more, but if we don’t up end up getting both of them on stage before this tour is over we’ll be genuinely fuming.
It also looks like the reaction meant a lot to him:
Thanks for all your kind messages after my surprise performance at Matty’s gig in Newcastle proud proud dad xxx pic.twitter.com/7izemLl9Id
Elsewhere in the show, The 1975’s Newcastle fans were treated to an equally ridiculous surprise appearance from Harry Styles. Well, not really…
In case you haven’t seen it already, the band conspired to prank the crowd by putting the former One Direction star’s name up on the screen, only to bring out Scottish singer Lewis Capaldi instead.
He obviously got just as lovely a reaction and fully leaned into bantering with the crowd — joking, “I know what you’re thinking: ‘Harry Styles‘ looks a bit different.'” — before performing a cover of ‘Antichrist’.
Featured Image — @.millr (via TikTok)/@evie_ire (via Twitter)
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The Warehouse Project named one of the best nightclubs in the world
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester can add another big blue ribbon to its already richly adorned totem of music heritage, as The Warehouse Project has been named one of the best clubs in the entire world.
Not that we’re the least bit shocked, to be honest.
That’s right, our very own Warehouse Project – or WHP to use the more commonly thrown around shorthand – isn’t just the great successor to the likes of The Haçienda, Jilly’s Rockworld and many more Manc live music institutions, it’s become a raver’s rite of passage in its own right.
So it’s no surprise that it landed itself in the International NightLife Association’s best 100 clubs on the planet – but where exactly on the list did it land?
As you can see from the full NightLife International rankings for 2025, Warehouse Project didn’t just make it into the 100 club or even the top half; WHP broke into the best 30 clubs in the whole world.
Finishing in 27th position, specifically, Mayfield Depot‘s major tourist attraction was sandwiched between Ibiza’s Amnesia nightclub and the equally iconic Ministry of Sound in London.
Not bad company to keep, eh?
Writing in the caption, the organisation said: “From Ibiza to Singapore, Miami to Marrakech, and every nightlife capital in between, this year’s ranking showcases the venues that continue to elevate global nightlife with innovation, quality, and unforgettable experiences.”
“Cheers to all the clubs that made it onto the list”, they continued, thanking sponsors, artists and collaborators alike before adding, “Your commitment drives the industry forward.”
With the likes of Worried About Henry, Homobloc, Barry Can’t Swim, and the first-ever winter edition of Repercussion having already passed this year, the 2025 programme really has been electric.
But they’re not done yet; you can see the rest of what is on this year’s lineup down below.
One of the biggest dates on the current WHP calendar is, of course, their massive New Year’s Eve Party, which returns for 2025.
The team behind Warehouse is yet to respond to the prestigious international recognition, as they’re clearly still too busy putting on some of the best nights not just in town or the UK, but anywhere around the club.
You can get a closer look at the in-depth list of NightLife International’s top 100 clubs HERE.
Speaking of Manc nightlife, it’ll be interesting to see where a returning cult favourite will place itself on the leaderboard when it makes its full comeback very soon…
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Press shots (supplied via WHP)
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Kendal Calling reveals fantastic 2026 lineup, including Biffy Clyro, Wolf Alice, The Kooks and more
Danny Jones
The lineup for Kendal Calling 2026 has been officially revealed in full, and let’s just say the list of headliners alone is absolutely box office.
It feels like we say this every year, but this could be one of their best to date.
With the likes of Scottish rock legends Biffy Clyro (after years of courting them), Mercury Prize-winning Wolf Alice, as well as indie veterans The Kooks and Two Door Cinema Club topping the bill on the main stage, next year’s Kendal Calling is shaping up to be a tasty one.
Next summer will mark the 21st year of the annual music and arts festival, and after a wonderful 20th anniversary edition in 2025, we have every faith the KC crew are going to nail it yet again.
Announcing a total of 120 acts – yes, this lineup is already STACKED – the roster is packed with everything from timeless indie stalwarts, Northern favourites, some pop surprises and plenty more.
For instance, we were genuinely buzzing to see not only the one and only Scissor Sisters, but also Gabrielle, and even noughties throwback, Vanessa Carlton.
We’re now hoping and praying she doesn’t pull out and quite literally travels ‘A Thousand Miles’ over to the Lake District.
After making their own comebacks this year, the likes of The Libertines, Deaf Havana, Hard-Fi and several others have joined the lineup, which is spread across more than a dozen stages, including non-musical acts and other bits of live entertainment.
We were very much spoilt for choice for our favourite festivals this year, but you only have to read our review of ‘KC20’ to know how much it meant to be there.
You can see the Kendal Calling 2026 lineup poster down below.
‘26's Adventure Revealed! 🙌 Like & RT for your chance to win VIP upgrades, boutique camping & a £200 bar tab!
Biffy Clyro, Wolf Alice, Two Door Cinema Club, The Kooks, Scissor Sisters, The Libertines & more head to the Lakes! pic.twitter.com/HoI0qpgrxQ
If you look closely, you can also see that there’s a special guest slot thrown in there, too, though we’re stumped as to even the slightest hint of who it could be.
We’re sure you’ll have your theories and guesses in the chamber already, but let’s just say that after seeing how well they’ve done with surprises in the past, we cannot wait.
Commenting on the drop, co-founder Ben Robinson said: “I’m so excited to reveal next year’s line-up! Our brilliant team has secured a line-up worthy of the jaw-dropping faith the Kendal Calling family puts in us each year.
“Selling 98% of the tickets before announcing a single artist is the biggest compliment we could ever receive, so here’s an early Christmas present to say thank you!”
Like the man said, most full weekend passes have already gone, but if this lineup tickles your interest, you can still register for the final release of Kendal Calling 2026 tickets right HERE.
Danny Jones -
27th January 2023 
