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?!
The tour announcement comes ahead of the release of her third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, which is pencilled for release on 17 May.
Billie Eilish and her co-writer and producer brother Finneas have earned dozens of awards for their music since she burst onto the scene with Ocean Eyes in 2016.
Among those awards are nine Grammys, three Brit Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and even a couple of Oscars (for her songs on James Bond’s No Time to Die, and then the Barbie soundtrack).
Billie announced her latest huge tour this afternoon, which includes dates across the USA, Europe, and Australia.
This is the third huge act to be announced at Co-op Live today alone, which has also added Janet Jackson and Craig David to its bill of events.
The 23,500-capacity venue is set to officially open to the public on 1 May after a few delays, with both Peter Kay and the Black Keys rescheduled to later dates.
Billie Eilish will perform at Co-op Live in Manchester on 19, 20, 22, and 23 July 2025.
Tickets will go on general sale on 3 May 2024 at 12pm through See Tickets here.
Co-op Members can have early access to tickets from midday on 30 April 2024.
Craig David announces gig at Manchester’s Co-op Live as part of UK tour in 2025
Danny Jones
UK R&B, garage and pop legend Craig David is heading back out on tour next year as has revealed the soon-to-open Co-op Live Arena as the location for his Manchester date.
The ‘7 Days’, ‘Fill Me In’ and ‘DNA’ singer has been well and truly on the comeback over the past few years and as one of the biggest British chart-toppers of the noughties, we are loving having Craig David back smashing the live music circuit.
Announcing his latest ‘Commitment’ tour in early 2025, the 42-year-old becomes the latest name to join the long list of people queuing up to play Manchester’s newest and biggest indoor venue, Co-op Live.
Craig David confirms Co-op Live Arena date for Manchester return.
Set to kick off a run of just under a dozen initial domestic shows in Leeds before heading to Manchester on Friday, 14 February and closing out the schedule at the O2 in London on 20 February, it’s sure to be a popular tour.
Better still, he’s bringing an equally nostalgic name along with him for the ride as fellow 2000s hit-maker Lemar has been confirmed as his special guest and main support act.
Lemar played a pair of 20th anniversary shows here in Manchester city centre in April 2023 and is also joining boyband JLS on their ‘Summer Hits’ tour this July – including a special gig at Barton Airport.
General admission tickets for the gig go on sale this Friday, 3 May at 10am with pre-sale available to Co-op members from the same time this Wednesday.
Daisy Jackson -
15th December 2023 
