Audio

Watch the moment Nicki Minaj brings out Aitch as surprise guest in Manchester

At this point it's easier to report when he's NOT on stage.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 4th June 2024

Nicki Minaj was back at the Co-op Live last night, this time joined by Manchester rapper Aitch.

The Queen of Rap stunned fans when she announced the surprise special guest, with the sold-out crowd at the huge new arena issuing the loudest scream heard in M11 in years (no offence, Man City).

After bringing out Central Cee for her first night in the city, Nicki turned way more local for her second, rescheduled show.

The star had been promising an extra treat to apologise for the delays (… she got arrested in Amsterdam) and she definitely gave the Barbz what they were after.

Aitch performed his massive single Baby in front of the adoring crowd.

ADVERTISEMENT

He dressed up for the occasion too – Nicki Minaj gigs practically have a pink dress code requirement at this point and Aitch arrived in a top-to-toe pink tracksuit.

Watch the moment Aitch comes out as a surprise guest for Nicki Minaj here:

@aitchmedia

Bet that wasn’t on your 2024 bingo card.. nicki minaj had Aitch as a special guest at her show tonight in Manchester 🩷🎵 #aitch #nickiminaj #manchesterarena #barbs #gagcity @Aitch

♬ original sound – AitchMedia

The Moston-born star is a big fan of making a surprise appearance.

ADVERTISEMENT

He’s also performed surprise sets with Coldplay at the Etihad Stadium, N-Dubz at the AO Arena, and D-Block at Parklife festival.

That’s not to mention him popping up as a surprise headliner at Wireless several times, plus appearing in Iceland and Subway.

Rumours are swirling that he’ll appear at Parklife this year too, after DJ Fisher had to pull out for personal reasons.

ADVERTISEMENT

He made up part of a huge gig for Manchester, with the Pink Friday 2 World Tour landing here on both 30 May and 3 June.

All the hiccups with Nicki’s original date, which saw fans sent home after entering the arena, have been worth it.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

Audio

Co-op Live announce unreal trio of gigs as debut calendar hots up even more

Danny Jones Danny Jones Co-op Live gig calendar Manchester

Music fans, strap in because Co-op Live has just confirmed a frankly ridiculous trio of gigs, and all in the space of a few hours as their first year of events only gets tastier.

The brand-new music and entertainment venue, the biggest indoor facility of its kind anywhere in Europe, only opened back in April and has already attracted some ridiculous names but they’re not slowing down with the announcements. Not even one bit.

After barely taking a beat between welcoming the Eagles, Liam Gallagher, Smashing Pumpkins and The Killers just to name a few, Co-op Live has revealed that iconic 80s singer Cyndi Lauper would be coming to the arena early next year.

Then, before even getting the chance to catch our breath, they followed that up by revealing that hip-hop and R’n’B legends Lauryn Hill and The Fugees will be arriving in just a few months, along with rock and pop-punk veterans Sum 41 just a couple of later.

Insanity.

To make things even more special, not only will it be Cyndi Lauper’s farewell tour following a career spanning nearly 50 years but these will also mark Sum 41’s final ever shows after confirming their split ahead of their new album.

And there’s The Fugees – an equally legendary trio in their own right – who they have decided to extend their current ‘Miseducation Anniversary Tour’. It’s music Christmas all come at once.

It feels like we get a whole of new acts announced for Co-op Live pretty much every week but it’s so rare you get a run of gigs dropped on you pretty much in go. The atmosphere in the immensely impressive space hasn’t disappointed even once just yet either.

Exhibit A:

Read more:

Although you’ll have to wait until 9 February next year to scream your heads off to ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’ at the top of your lungs, Lauryn Hill and The Fugees arrive in Manchester on 12 October, while Sum 21 says their goodbyes just over a fortnight later on 28 October.

Presale tickets for all three events go live to Co-op members at 10am on Wednesday, 26 June and general admission will follow at the same time on Friday, 28 June.

At least in Lauper and Sum 41’s case, this is your last chance to see them live in Manchester, so don’t sleep on lining up for tickets in the morning.

You can book yours via Co-op Live’s events page HERE.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Press Images

Audio

Troye Sivan at AO Arena, Manchester – a celebration of self-expression

The Manc Audio The Manc Audio

In the seven years since Troye Sivan’s sexual awakening on 2018’s semi-explicit ‘Bloom’, the Australian has emerged as a sex-positive powerhouse.

He’s been soundtracking queer nightclubs across the globe with the dancefloor-ready earworm ‘Rush’ – the lead single from his third studio album ‘Something To Give Each Other’, itself a further step into self-embrace and expressionism and one that has seen Troye embark on a global tour endlessly spilling out online videos of brilliantly sexy and sultry dance routines and on-stage playfulness.

His Manchester outing at the AO Arena is no different, oozing with sensual choreography that wouldn’t be out of place on the Magic Mike Live stage, yet set to make those with a more reserved outlook blush.

But that’s largely the point here, the third step in a chronological journey that carefully treads from the self-questioning of ‘Heaven’ on his 2015 debut ‘Blue Neighbourhoods’ through to his unapologetic onstage gyrating, a symbol of his self-acceptance.

Anybody uncomfortable in tonight’s crowd is undoubtedly at the wrong show, an open celebration of all-round gayness and its culture.

It’s inherent in everything he says, informing the crowd that he made a b-line direct to Manchester’s iconic Canal Street the night before, and tantalisingly hinting that he may do the same after the show, before immodestly suggesting that this may cause some type of stampede.

Perhaps it’s the reason why the show both starts and ends unusually early, and why at just 17 songs, it’s one of the shorter headline sets an arena is used to.

It’s also telling that Troye doesn’t go further back than ‘Bloom’, with the title track, the anthemic ‘My My My!’ and the Ariana Grande-featuring ‘Dance To This’ just about making the cut.

The song choices are in-keeping with the mood of the evening, more mature and more adult than anything off his debut, or ‘Bloom’s retrospective numbers that failed to make the setlist.

Tonight is evidently an acknowledgement of lust, love and sex; a call to live in the moment and not to look back, and a hedonistic masterclass.

With that, each set piece is brilliantly positioned, the performance split into six acts each broken with Troye running off stage for an outfit change or for structures to be seamlessly assembled or disassembled.

Fan favourite ‘One Of Your Girls’ sees him don a lacey corset as he shares an intimate lap dance with one of his dancers, while the sultry ‘STUD’ glides like silk both in its vocal and on-stage performance.

But the biggest reaction is saved for the Charli XCX featuring (although sadly not on stage) ‘1999’, which rounds out the main set with a party befitting its lyrics, and gay anthem ‘Rush’ – complete with full dance routine and mesmerising light show to bring the decadent thrill ride to a close.

As Pride Month draws to a close, and with Salford’s Pink Picnic acting as the show’s pre-party for many, Troye Sivan delivers easily one of the biggest and most freeing celebrations of queerness Greater Manchester has to offer – via Perth, Australia, of course.

Read more

Featured image: Stuart Winecoff

More Audio

Audio

Manchester’s Block Party comes to the streets of Stockport town centre this summer

Affiliate

Band fronted by Liam Gallagher’s son announces headline gig at iconic Manchester venue

The Killers performing the Rebel Diamonds Tour which arrives in Manchester this week. Credit: Photo © 2024 Chris Phelps www.chrisphelps.com

Audio

The Killers at Co-op Live Manchester – still going strong after 20 years

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches