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?!
Celebrate the Manchester music scene with the return of Independent Venue Week
Danny Jones
The Greater Manchester music scene is one of the best in the world, no question about it, and what better way to champion our incredible city than with the return of Independent Venue Week?
Indie Venue Week 2025 kicks off on 27 January and it isn’t just a national observance, this celebration takes place over in the States too and is all about not only spotlighting both new, up-and-coming artists but also grassroots music spaces that help platform them.
The week-long music celebration concludes with one last hurrah on Sunday, 2 February, and we can’t think of anything we’d love more than to start the month on the right – by which we mean supporting local businesses and immersing ourselves in as much live music as possible.
We love it when our fellow audiophiles all band together (pun very much intended).
A total of 212 venues are taking part across the UK this year, from the tightly-packed 18-cap that is Grayston Unity in Halifax to the much fully-fledged live music halls like Troxy in East London and, of course, there are plenty of Manc rooms on the list too.
From Manchester’s newest intimate gig space, The Rat and Pigeon, to recently reinvigorated institutions such as New Century Hall and Night and Day Cafe, not to mention local small show favourites like The Castle Hotel and Gullivers, there’s some serious heritage to be soaked up.
Here’s what we’ve got on around these parts:
The Rat & Pigeon – three-part gig series with Yasmin Coe, Martial Arts and Daffodils. (28-30th January)
YES – post-punk band Do Nothing, alternative indie pop duo, Ten Fé, and US rapper E L U C I D. (27 and 31 Jan, 1 February)
Gullivers – hosting Canadian singer-songwriter Julian Taylor. (30 Jan)
Night & Day Cafe – four different gig nights including Opus Kink, The DSM IV, Willie Watson, All Now and more. (28 Jan-2 Feb)
New Century Hall – shows by Lake St Drive, Kublai Khan and Cattle Decapitation. (28 and 31 Jan, 1 Feb)
Rebellion – an all-day black metal festival with Barshasketh headlining. (1 Feb)
But it doesn’t stop there, with tonnes of other shows around the North West region as a whole. You can find a full list of nearby events taking place during the week down below.
The best part about this week is that no matter if you’re based in the city centre or even just outside of Greater Manchester, there’s plenty of local talent to get stuck into.
It goes without saying that independent music venues are the lifeblood of the industry – don’t let anyone tell you any different – so supporting them not just during the week of Monday, 27 January and Sunday, 2 February but all year-round is paramount to keeping it alive and well.
You can find out more details and grab tickets for all the shows for Independent Venue Week HERE.
Bright Eyes are heading back to Manchester on their new UK and European tour
Danny Jones
Beloved indie veterans Bright Eyes are coming back to Manchester for the first time in more than three years as part of a brand new UK and European tour.
Formed back in 1995, the Omaha outfit has remained a cult favourite among music lovers all over the world, exciting fans with their latest comeback after an 11-year hiatus in 2020.
However, the Nebraska band have struggled with touring issues ever since, having to postpone a raft of shows during Covid and even after the pandemic was over, they had to cancel the remainder of their 2024 shows back following frontman Conor Oberst’s persistent vocal issues.
Bright Eyes confirmed that the lead singer had “developed a condition that is exacerbated by excessive singing” back in September, but with their new album finally out Oberst and co. are crossing back over the Atlantic to pick up where they left off.
JUST ANNOUNCED: We're delighted to share that @brighteyesband are coming to our venue on the 21st of June, following the release of last year's new album 𝘍𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘤𝘦, 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘴!
Releasing their fifth studio LP Five Dice All Threes towards the end of last year – their first new outing in half a decade – the long-standing group have already got back on the road in North America and are due to land in the UK this summer.
Kicking off a run of 16 continental dates at Rock City in Nottingham, Bright Eyes arrive in Manchester on Saturday, 21 June and are set to play the legendary Albert Hall – a venue singer-songwriter Oberst himself played as a solo act back in 2017.
The last Manc venue they played was the equally iconic O2 Apollo back in 2022 and while they might have been away for a hot minute, their die-hard fandom hasn’t gone anywhere.
As for the new self-produced record itself (recorded at Obert and Mike Mogis hometown studio), its been described as capturing an “uncommon intensity and tenderness, communal exorcism and personal excavation.”
Bascially, if you like the usual emotional introspection Bright Eyes deliver, this is more of it.
Daisy Jackson -
15th December 2023 
