Can someone please check on East 17, because their current promotional tour is so bizarre I feel like someone must have spiked my eggnog.
Not only are the 90s boyband legends currently promoting a new Christmas single they’ve made in collaboration with a vape brand (I KNOW), but they’re also doing a completely free tour of people’s doorsteps too.
The public will have the chance to book a free doorstep concert with East 17, who’ll rock up to sing Stay Another Day live and in person.
The trio are behind one of the country’s most popular festive tunes, which even beat Mariah Carey to the top of the charts the year of its release.
This year, they’re back in their giant white puffer jackets and hitting the streets around Greater Manchester, to serenade Mancs in their own homes.
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The stunt has been created in partnership with Ring, and anyone who manages to book East 17 for a performance will also win a Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus and a lifetime subscription to Ring Protect.
More tickets are being released each day, so you’ll need to have your wits about you to grab one.
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East 17 are doing free doorstep concerts this Christmas.
The band, which currently consists of Terry Coldwell, Robbie Craig and Joe Livermore, are also promoting this year’s festive single… which is about quitting smoking (?!?!).
Merry Quitmas tells the tale of a Santa Claus whose lungs are too knackered to do his present deliveries – much to the annoyance of Mrs Claus and the reindeer.
At one point, Father Christmas is chastised by Dancer.
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Lyrics of ‘Merry Quitmas’ include gems like this: “I thought smoking was amazing and I would always be tokin’. The cigarette it would be blazing, like Rudolph’s nose would be glowing.”
East 17 comforting an ill Santa Claus in their video for ‘Merry Quitmas’
The chaotic music video also features a host of celebrity lookalikes including Elton John, George Michael, Cliff Richard, Noddy Holder and Ed Sheeran.
East 17 have released the song with Riot E-Liquid, a vape brand, and will donate proceeds to cancer charities.
Speaking of their doorstep concerts, East 17 said: “It never gets old performing a song that means so much to us, especially around Christmas time, where Stay Another Day really took off.
“We’re so excited to hit the road with Ring to perform to several of our fans, right on their doorstep!”
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So I guess the only question left is for East 17’s management. And it’s this… ARE YOU OKAY?!
Green Island returns for 2026 with ‘best lineup’ yet, featuring A Guy Called Gerald, DJ Paulette and more
Danny Jones
Green Island Fest, a.k.a. one of our favourite live music events on the entire planet, is back for 2026 with its biggest and what is, arguably, on course to its best lineup to date.
And this is just the first wave…
The annual series of outdoor parties is about as literal as grassroots celebrations come, with the performances taking place at none other than Hulme Community Garden Centre.
After an incredible debut a few years ago, its popularity and overall reputation have only grown taller like the trees the punters will be in amongst when Green Island ’26 kicks off its first edition this summer.
In addition to continually platforming rising artists across multiple genres and other up-and-coming projects within the industry, they’re now attracting some serious real music legends, too.
As well as Moss Side and original Manc music tastermaker A Guy Called Gerald topping the bill, festivalgoers are set to be treated to a dedicated 808 State DJ set too, though it remains to be seen if others from the iconic collective will be joining Gerald on stage.
Fellow house and dance veteran turned radio host, DJ Paulette, will also be rolling through the sea of plants and ravers for the first time ever.
Split over three ‘chapters’ as always – June, July and the closer in September – this is perhaps one of the most electronic-driven lineups to date as they look to celebrate the city’s rich heritage within the genre, but as always, there’s so much more going on at Green Island.
With street food traders setting up next to the bushes and barrels of beer, the stages spilling out onto backstreets once again, and afterparties each month, festival season simply can’t come soon enough.
This year, not only are the organisers committed to making this an ‘anti-algorithm programming’ initiative, ensuring that they have full control over their acts, selectors and beyond, but they’re also looking to cater for all ages and better than ever.
With a brand-new family area and dedicated daytime programme curated by Z-arts, a nearby arts centre for children and families, ‘The Imaginarium’ is inviting families to “make, move, and explore together through nature-inspired creative activities.”
Promising a “relaxed, joyful space for curious minds and shared moments of creative play, expect drop-in art workshops, nature-inspired storytelling and magical nature adventures”, it’ll serve as a tangible reminder of how both music and the wider Community Garden Centre fit into the arts world.
It’s grassroots pioneers like these guys that make us truly proud of the Greater Manchester live entertainment sector and overall cultural scene, and we promise that if you’ve never been to Green Island Fest before, you WILL NOT be disappointed.
For those who fancy going on either 6 June, 25 July or 5 September, you can grab your tickets HERE.
Bad Bunny: What you need to know about the Super Bowl LX headliner before his big halftime show
Thomas Melia
Global superstar Bad Bunny is headlining the Super Bowl LX halftime show, and we’re giving you the rundown about the current reigning reggaeton artist.
Despite being world famous and hugely popular in Latin America as well as other Hispanic countries, not everyone had heard his name before now.
And since there seem to be more places showing the Super Bowl than ever in Manchester this year, we thought we’d give you a little explainer of his story so far and why you should care when he takes one of the world’s biggest stages.
So, if you’ve been wondering, “who is Bad Bunny?” – well, this is who…
Who is Super Bowl halftime show headliner, Bad Bunny?
Born in Puerto Rico, Benito Antonio – now more widely recognised by his artistic moniker Bad Bunny – is a fast-rising Spanish-speaking act who has transported modern-day reggaeton from Latin America to all new heights.
The Puerto Rican powerhouse has only ever visited the UK once, performing at O2 Forum Kentish Town in London seven years ago as part of his first-ever run of global shows entitled ‘La Nueva Religión’ (The New Religion) tour.
Since then, ‘El Benito’ has dropped seven full-length studio albums and nine musical projects overall, which have all helped establish him as a major force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
Bad Bunny is headlining the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show on 8 February / Credit: Press Shot via Apple Music(Supplied) / Unsplash via Naveen Venkatesan
Alongside his musical career, Bad Bunny has seen himself at the forefront of various pop culture moments thanks to his innovative fashion sense and notable charm.
Iconic moments Bad Bunny is known for
With his first album X 100Pre (an abbreviation meaning Forever) dropping back in 2018, Bad Bunny has spent almost eight years in the limelight, so it will come as no surprise that there are plenty of iconic moments you might remember.
Bad Bunny as a drag queen – To coincide with the release of his single ‘Yo Perreo Sola’ (I Twerk Alone), Benito stepped into unchartered territory, debuting three different Drag personas to combat toxic masculinity in the reggaeton music scene.
WWE – Benito is a huge fan of wrestling. He first appeared for a performance at the Royal Rumble in 2021, before returning later that year and teaming up with Damian Priest to take down The Miz and John Morrison.
VMA performance – The Latin multi-hyphenate made headlines in 2022 after kissing a male dancer on-stage. Both fans and media outlets stated the performance harked back to Madonna’s similar showcase two decades prior; you can watch Bad Bunny’s kiss HERE (skip to 2:50).
Met Gala – Well-recognised for its glamorous and glitzy outfits, the Met Gala brings together A-Listers for a showcase of all things fashion. Bad Bunny was styled by fashion house Jacquemus and wore a backless suit with a 26-foot train.
The Super Bowl is a huge accomplishment for all artists; now Bad Bunny joins the headlining roster / Credit: Jorge Rojas via Unsplash (Supplied)
SNL – The LATAM star has appeared on American comedy sketch-show SNL numerous times, both as an artist and as a part-time comedian. In 2023, Bad Bunny and Pedro Pascal became an overprotective aunty and mum duo and had crowds laughing uncontrollably.
Carpool Karaoke – James Corden’s nighttime show segment was welcomed into the reggaeton world courtesy of Bad Bunny. However, it’s his cover of ‘Break Free’ by Ariana Grande where he discusses it’s the first English-spoken song he ever learnt that had people falling in love with him.
Coachella – This desert-based music festival is known for its large-scale productions, and in the early summer of 2023, Bad Bunny became the first Spanish-speaking artist to headline this mega music celebration.
No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí – Translating to ‘I don’t want to leave here’, this was the title of his Puerto Rico residency. As well as creating lifelong memories for fans, this 31-date experience also boosted the economy of his home country.
What songs will Bad Bunny perform at his Super Bowl halftime show?
With 28 songs over one billion streams, Bad Bunny is going to have a tricky time deciphering which of his hits to include in his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show performance.
His most recognisable album is the beach-inspired Un Verano Sin Ti (A Summer Without You), which features six tracks with over one billion streams, so it’s safe to say this LP is guaranteed some love.
The latest addition to El Benito’s discography, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (I Should’ve Taken More Photos) might also steal the spotlight due to its focus on exploring traditional Puerto Rican sounds.
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And, after reconciling late last year, Bad Bunny might take his friendship with J Balvin to Super Bowl status, performing songs from their collaborative album OASIS as well as their Cardi B link-up ‘I Like It’.
Audio North‘s Bad Bunny Super Bowl setlist prediction:
NUEVAYoL
Tití Me Preguntó/ Me Porto Bonito/ Moscow Mule (Medley)
Dákiti
I Like It (With Cardi B and J Balvin)
La Canción (With J Balvin)
Callaíta (With Tainy)
Un x100to (With Grupo Frontera)
Baile Inolvidable
Super Bowl halftime show performances normally contain around 10 songs, and the setlist is being kept very tight-lipped as per usual; however, it’s always fun to throw out a prediction or two before the event on Sunday, 8 February.
Which special guests will join Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show line-up?
Bad Bunny has worked with a multitude of artists from reggaeton sidekicks to pop supremes like Jennifer Lopez, Dua Lipa and Drake.
Although it’s highly unlikely these big names will all be free at the same time, when it comes to ‘The Bowl’, anything is possible.
The ‘Tití Me Preguntó’ songwriter is heading to the UK for the second time ever in his career, for his Debí Tirar Más FotosWorld Tour, and he’s chosen Tottenham Hotspur as the location for this huge cultural moment.
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If you’re wondering where to get tickets, you have two chances to watch this superstar in his element as he’s performing on June 27 and 28; you can grab your tickets for either date HERE and HERE, respectively.
Hopefully, now you’ve discovered more about who this Latin American sensation is, so you’re not left completely clueless when the Seahawks and Patriots take a quick 15-minutebreak mid-game.
Daisy Jackson -
15th December 2023 
