When you think of Manchester one of the first things that comes to mind obviously after ‘best city in the world’ is one word: ‘music’.
Our capital of the North West has birthed some of the world’s greatest singers of all time and welcomed some of the planet’s biggest stars.
Manchester has many live music venues to host impressive gigs including stadiums, arenas, parks and a wide variety of performance spaces.
The real reason these artists keep coming back is because of you, everyone who shows up and shows out to every single tour and performance happening in our culturally rich city.
Although not 2008, here is Kylie in all her grandeur at AO Arena in 2014 / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
With a tour titled ‘KylieX2008’, the Aussie sensation made our heads spin around in 2008 as she graced the AO Arena for six nights of pop perfection from 11 July to 18 July.
Minogue has a special connection to Manchester and this arena specifically, performing here over 30 times to a total of 400,000 people.
Taylor Swift performing on the B-Stage at Etihad Stadium in 2018 / Credit: The Manc Group
‘Baby let the games begin!’ Swift opened her ‘Reputation Stadium Tour’ in 2018 while standing behind a backdrop of snakes, scales and reptile-like patterns.
The legendary pop star commanded the stage even walking through the crowd to greet fans with smiles and high fives, making sure to get up close and personal even in a venue this grand.
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‘Tay-Tay’s last visit to the North West saw her playing three nights of her monumental ‘The Eras Tour’ just a stone’s throw away at Anfield Stadium and who knows, maybe once the Etihad renovation is complete, she might be keen to make another appearance.
11. Oasis: 80,000 – Maine Road (1996)
In signature Liam style, the tambourine is in hand and ready to accompany both the brother’s vocals.In signature Liam style, the tambourine is in hand and ready to accompany both the brother’s vocals / Credit:Wikimedia Commons
The Burnage boys were always destined to be on this list in one way or another due to their incredible impact in pushing Manchester music and bands to the mainstream.
Singing hits from their well-known music catalogue, Oasis attracted 80,000 to Manchester City’s former ground in the mid-90s.
Unlike the tour taking place in 2025, tickets for this gig would’ve only set you back £17.50, you’d have been silly not to grab yourself one!
10. Drake: 94,000 – Co-op Live (2025)
Drake played four non-consecutive gigs at Co-op Live with roars from the crowd each night/ Credit: The Come Up Show (via Flickr)
Canadian rap heavyweight Drake played four huge Co-op Live dates as recent as last week and with two more on the way, with four nights of smash hits
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Also referred to as Champagne Papi, the hip-hop artist has played out four impressive nights at Co-op Live on a similarly impressive 360 stage which sees Drake getting up close and personal with fans.
His 2025 visit to the music capital of the North marks his largest scale gig to date and saw him sharing the bill with fellow Canadian performer PartyNextDoor.
9. Billie Eilish – 94,000 – Co-op Live (2025)
Global superstar Billie Eilish had the crowd hooked all four nights at Co-op Live / Credit: Lars Crommelnick via Wikimedia Commons
Bedroom-pop sensation turned global megastarBillie Eilish has visited Manchester three times through her rise to stardom with her most recent being at Co-op Live.
The American singer-songwriter played four non-consecutive nights of her current ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ tour, where she commanded 23,500 fans.
Eilish has a soft spot for Manchester as she debuted her single ‘TV’ at AO Arena in 2022 and brought out her brother and fellow musician Finneas as a special guest at her most recent city centre dates.
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8. Harry Styles: 99,526 – Old Trafford Cricket Ground (2022)
The former One Direction star Harry Styles spent two nights in June spreading the love with his mega ‘Love On Tour’ and the feeling was definitely mutual.
On 15 and 16 June the ‘Watermelon Sugar’ singer had nearly 100,000 devotees in the palm of his hand as he belted out some of his best solo numbers.
The Cheshire-born superstar even paused his show to find his primary school teacher who he’d been informed was in the crowd, thanking her for all her help and hard work while he was in education. Adorable.
7. Foo Fighters: 100,000 – Old Trafford Cricket Ground (2024)
The Washington-formed band put on two impressive nights where Mancs witnessed ‘music royalty’ on their ‘Everything or Nothing at All Tour’ in June.
As well as ‘The Pretender’ hitmakers, the sold-out shows were spoilt with not one but four support acts split across the two dates, including Wet Leg.
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On 13 June the rock champions even previewed an unreleased track ‘Unconditional’ for the first time, adding it to the setlist for the 15 June show too!
Foo Fighters played out to 100,000 people at Old Trafford Cricket Ground / Credit: The Manc Group / Publicity Picture (Supplied)
6. Spice Girls: 150,955 – Etihad Stadium (2019)
Etihad Stadium and Spice Girls spiced up our lives three times in 2019 with three non-consecutive performances from 29 May to 1 June.
This tour was missing one key ingredient, ‘Posh Spice’, who missed out on this string of shows for the first time in her career.
In addition to these four fierce ladies, another UK household act Jess Glynne joined them on the bill as a support act. The girls were met with raptures as they made their entrance to Manchester after 11 years since their last visit.
Just look at those iconic fits! Spice Girls performing at Wembley Stadium on the same tour that visited Manchester / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
In 2023 they brought their Music Of The Spheres world tour to Manchester from 31 May to 4 June for four nights of dazzling lights, wowed fans and of course incredible live arrangements.
Altogether, these shows brought together almost 200,000 attendees who had the opportunity to get involved with the show’s production themselves by cycling electric bikes and kinetic dancefloor which both helped power the stage.
The Coldplay lads in all their glory.An awe-inspiring crowd lighting up the already phenomenal Etihad Stadium.Coldplay performed four nights at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium in 2023 / Credit: Wikicommons / The Manc Group
4. Ed Sheeran: 218,639 – Etihad Stadium (2022)
Starting his musical career just over the hill busking in Hebden Bridge before becoming one of the UK’s most prominent and successful artists of all time.
In 2022, the ‘Galway Girl’ singer took to Manchester City‘s awesome stadium to play hits from his full discography titled ‘The Mathematics Tour’ in honour of his equation-themed album titles.
The one-man, one-guitar show attracted almost 55,000 people across four nights who watched the singing red-head belt out his bangers on a 360 circular stage.
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Ed Sheeran at V Festival in 2014, already a star in his own right / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
3. The Stone Roses: 225,000 – Heaton Park (2012)
The Manchester rock pioneers played a three-night hometown residency as part of their reunion tour following a 17-year concert hiatus.
Fans came in abundance to pack out to Heaton Park, a notorious music-hosting site which has hosted a plethora of acts as well as this formidable band.
Spanning from 29 June to 1 July, The Stone Roses played to a whopping 75,000 fans every night across the three sold-out Manchester shows at Heaton Park in 2012.
The Stone Roses performing at Fuji Rock Festival in 2012, the same year as their Heaton Park residency / Credit: Wikicommons Media
2. Oasis – 400,000 – Heaton Park (2025)
This year has seen some cracking live music events but none will ever be as monumental as the five nights the two Burnage boys and their troupe hosted this summer.
Liam and Noel Gallagher decided to get the band back together for a series of groundbreaking shows titled ‘Oasis Live ’25’.
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Each night drew in 80,000 avid bucket-hat wearing Oasis fans and the support acts were just as legendary with The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft and Liverpool lads Cast helping make history.
Oasis was one of the biggest dates in Manchester’s music calendar ever/ Credit: The Manc Group
In 2011, ‘The Flood’ boys put on a remarkable eight nights for nearly half a million lucky Mancs from 3 June till 12 June, making for a summer everyone could ‘Never Forget’.
However, they weren’t the only boyband gracing the Manchester City stadium as dance duo Pet Shop Boys supported them on their ‘Progress Live’ tour across the UK.
A fan-captured moment of Take That reunited amidst their eight show run at Etihad Stadium in Manchester/ Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Honourable mention:
One Love Manchester, 55,000 – Old Trafford Cricket Ground (2017)
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Even though this event may not be topping the attendance records, this concert was a special and remarkable moment in Manchester’s history.
Fronted by Ariana Grande, just two weeks after the Manchester Arena attack, Old Trafford Cricket Ground saw a multitude of artists coming together to celebrate the importance of music while paying respect to those affected by the events in the month prior.
BBC reported the ‘One Love Manchester’ live show had 14.5 million viewers at its peak with an average of 10.9 million worldwide and this benefit concert has since raised more than £10 million for the ‘We Love Manchester Emergency Fund’.
Featured Image – Eva Rinaldi (via Wikicommons)/The Manc Group/Lily Redman (via Wikicommons)
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Liam Fray says ‘yes’ to Courteeners supporting Oasis on tour amid rumoured 2027 dates
Danny Jones
Liam Fray has said that the Courteeners are ready to “answer the call” if/when it comes to supporting Oasis on their next big live tour, with rumours of dates for shows in 2027 ramping up.
The fellow Manc favourites were heavily suggested as potential support acts for the Live ’25 reunion gigs, but Cast and Richard Ashcroft were ultimately selected as the warm-ups for the world tour.
With that in mind, when asked if Courteeners would be ready to open up for Oasis on their still only hypothetical tour next year, Fray had a very quick answer:
Not to speak for the Middleton musician, but it’s a bit of a no-brainer, really.
As you can see, in a recent interview with Radio X host Johnny Vaughan promoting the indie rockers’ new single, ‘Plus One Forever’, the 41-year-old frontman made it clear that he and his bandmates would bite hands off if the other Liam and/or his brother Noel offered a slot to them.
The younger Gallagher brother definitely had plenty of fun teasing supports last time around, before making some fairly more obvious posts and then seemingly just announcing them on social media according to his own timeline.
LG does what he wants, after all.
As for the supposed ’12 nights at the Etihad Stadium’ reported recently, not to mention all the other sets across the country that would no doubt follow should they come to fruition, Fray could say little else other than simply “Yes” to the prospect.
Joking, “Well, it is from me – I don’t know if someone else has said no!”, there have been no other indications on this front, but it’s safe to say it’d be a huge booking for everyone involved and a HUGE crowd-pleaser; Liam looks to be working on one of his own, elsewhere, too…
The two lead singers have both graced the stage of the Emirates Old Trafford stadium at Lancashire County Cricket Club, as well as Heaton Park, respectively.
Liam noted that he was at Heaton Park himself for that unforgettable summer last year, and also praised Wigan’s very own Ashcroft for being “unbelievable” when he caught him at Wembley. Big shoes to fill. The question is, who would you like to see supporting Oasis on their possible tour dates in the future?
In the meantime, we’ll have to be satisfied with gearing up for the release of the highly-anticipated reunion documentary, with the title and a first trailer now revealed.
The Streets at Castlefield Bowl, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist and all you need to know
Lydia Mastrolonardo
The Streets are coming to Manchester this weekend to play their landmark album, A Grand Don’t Come For Free, on tour and in full for the first time in full since its release in 2004.
It remains one of the most influential albums of the 21st century, having had a huge impact on culture and UK music, and we couldn’t be more excited to FINALLY hear it in its entirety live and direct.
Speaking on the seminal release, frontman Mike Skinner says he “wrote it as a story from beginning to end, even studying screenwriting to shape it and without the faintest idea how people would react.”
Ahead of this bringing it back to the stage in its entirety, he said: “We’ve been looking for something bold to do with the live show, and we landed here: some tracks have never been played live, others haven’t surfaced in years.” With that in mind, we can’t wait for their 2026 Sounds of the City set. Speaking of…
The Streets at Castlefield Bowl for Sounds of the City
Are there tickets left for The Streets’ Manchester dates?
Skinner and his band are set to fill Castlefield Bowl, and we’ve been blessed with not one, but two nights at this iconic outdoor stage in the heart of the city, on Friday 10 July AND Saturday 11 July – lucky us.
While tickets for the first gig are all sold-out across the board, you can still grab general admission for the second show this Saturday; secure yours HERE.
Known for their lively stage presence, tongue-in-cheek demeanour and unwavering crowd engagement, Skinner and co’s latest visit is not one to miss lightly.
Oh, and if you too were ‘Prangin Out’ about the footy clashing, ‘Dry Your Eyes’ and fear not: you no longer have to choose, thanks to a welcome update ahead of England’s crucial World Cup quarter-final against Norway.
Saturday, August 1, 2026 – Scarborough Open Air Theatre – Scarborough
Friday, August 7, 2026 – Audley End Estate – Essex
Friday, August 21, 2026 – Earlham Park – Norwich
Saturday, August 22, 2026 – O2 Academy Birmingham – Birmingham
Friday, August 28, 2026 – Rock N Roll Circus – Sheffield
Thursday, August 5, 2026 – Depot Mayfield – Manchester
Yes, in case you weren’t aware, the gang are also playing The Warehouse Project as part of the WHP26 programme; tickets for that are also live.
Get them before they go!
Support acts and stage times for The Streets at Castlefield Bowl
For ‘Those That Don’t Know’, there are set to be some amazing support acts joining The Streets on tour. We are lucky enough to get rising Mancunian artist Antony Szmierek, as well as rap and grime MC CASISDEAD for the two days at Castlefield Bowl.
They’ve also kindly given us a very clear rundown of the stage times for each artist’s set, too:
Thankfully, bringing back an album to play start to finish means that we pretty much know almost for certain what they’re going to be playing. Here’s the tracklist as it appears on the original album:
Set 1: A Grand Don’t Come For Free in full
It Was Supposed To Be So Easy
Could Well Be In
Not Addicted
Blinded by the Lights
Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way
Get Out of My House
Fit but You Know It
Such a Tw*t
What Is He Thinking?
Dry Your Eyes
Empty Cans
That being said, we’re almost certainly going to get a few more hits as part of the encore, be it ‘Turn the Page’, ‘Who’s Got the Bag’ and ‘Let’s Push Things Forward’, just to name a few.
What would you most like to hear from elsewhere in their discography for the Sounds of the City (SOTC) double bill? Let us know in the comments.
Transport and travel advice
Getting to Castlefield Bowl
Castlefield Bowl (M3 4JR) is on Rice Street just down Liverpool Road, which cuts off the main Deansgate strip in the city centre, and you can enter Manchester’s much-loved outdoor amphitheatre via Duke or Castle Street.
Tram
It’s just a six-minute walk from the Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop, or ever so slightly further is the St Peter’s Square tram stop, where you can find regular trams running all over Greater Manchester from both. You can check the first and last trams from the stops HERE.
Train
The nearest station to Castlefield Bowl is Deansgate train station, being a mere six-minute walk or Manchester Oxford Road, which is only 15 minutes away, with Piccadilly and Victoria being slightly further afield but still not miles away, clocking in at just a few minutes from the gig.
Whichever route you choose, none are unrealistic – just be sure to check last train timings to not get caught short.
Bus
A variety of buses stop close to Castlefield Bowl on their route, such as the 33 or 33b, which stop just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE
Getting to Castlefield Bowl by car and parking info for The Streets
If you’re driving there, Great Northern Warehouse’s (M3 4EE) car park, as well as two other NCPs near Bridgewater Hall and on Quay Street in Spinningfields.
You can also park your car for free and get the tram to the gig from one of Greater Manchester’s 24 Park and Ride sites.
Walk/cycle
If you’re that bit more climate conscious, then there are plenty of options for you too. Why not use the TfGM journey planner to find the best cycle route for you?
If you’re up for saving some pennies, the planet and want to take in your surroundings on a summer evening, then walking is a great option to beat the queues. Even walking a portion of your journey may be a wise idea!
Just make sure you save some energy for an all-night party (here’s hoping England can take it long into the early hours).
If you’re wondering what the vibes have been like at SOTC 2026 so far, here’s a taster from night two…
Safe to say @wetlegband continue to 'level up' when it comes to live shows. 🔥
Thomas Melia -
2nd August 2025 
