The first acts for this year’s BBC Radio 6 Music Festival lineup have been announced with Young Fathers, Gossip and The Smile, featuring Radiohead legends Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, all confirmed as the headline acton an absolutely stacked roster.
With the lineup being announced live on-air by Lauren Laverne earlier this week, the headliners are set to play the iconic old Warehouse Project venue across the three days.
Other big names include Hak Baker, Jordan Rakei and DJ Seinfeld, as well as rising local artists Porij, Witch Fever and the DJ collective Not Bad For A Girl.
There will be further shows like BBC Music Introducing night at Band on the Wall and a debut appearance at YES for the ‘New Music Fix Live’ at YES, as well as club nights at Band on the Wall, Archive and Depot Mayfield.
There are also ‘Morning After Mix’ Live events set for Saturday and Sunday dates at RAMONA, with 6 Music host Jamz Supernova broadcasting her show live from the venue on Saturday 9 March (1pm-4pm) — including a live DJ set from Konny Kon (Children of Zeus) — and Cerys Matthews presenting from RAMONA on Sunday (10am-1pm), also featuring a live DJ set from Femi Koleoso of Ezra Collective.
Speaking on their headline slot, Young Fathers said, “A 6 Music stage has been given to us and the door of endless possibilities has been opened. Beyond anything else, it will be a night to celebrate a wide mix of folk coming together. GERONIMO!”
Another act who is beyond stoked to be playing the festival is CMAT, who added: “My performance at the 6 Music Festival will be the best show you’ll see in your whole entire life! Expect camp, gay people, energy, country music as well as mediocre guitar playing from me and very good guitar playing from other people.”
With shows starting from as early as 10am and running all the way up to 3am the following morning, the four-day festival, which starts on Thursday, 7 March and concludes on Sunday, 10 March, is practically going be non-stop music from some of the biggest and best up and coming artists all weekend.
You can find the full lineup, schedule and stage splits across the multiple venues hosting this year’s festival HERE.
Tickets go live from 10am on Thursday, 18 January and, unsurprisingly, they’re set to fly, so grab yours HERE whilst you can.
Featured Images — WFUV Public Radio (via Flickr)/Gossip (via IG)/The Smile (via IG)
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Soft rock heroes Foreigner announce UK tour including big Manchester gig
Thomas Melia
Foreigner are bringing their soft rock classics over the waters and to the UK as they embark on a new tour which features a Manchester stop.
Formed in the 70’s, Foreigner are a British-American rock band known for their catalogue of soft rock, including hits like ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ and ‘Cold As Ice.’
These rockers have gained a newfound following of late thanks to their music making an appearance in an array of yet more contemporary TV shows like Stranger Things, Euphoria, Wednesday and more, having been heard in plenty of films over the years.
This UK tour marks the band’s return to Manchester after four years – and no, you’ve not got ‘Double Vision’: they are in fact revisiting the same iconic arena they played back in 2022, AO Arena.
The band may look a little different on their next visit as Kelly Hansen, former vocalist of Foreigner, has stepped down after 20 years and has handed the reins over to the equally impressive Luis Maldonado.
This newest gig announcement, set for 2026, will celebrate a landmark 50 years since the band formed back in 1976, and you can expect to hear all their greatest hits.
Foreigner are no strangers to the charts with a chart-topping album and single as well as five Top 40 hits and five Top 40 albums – I guess you could call them the ultimate ‘Juke Box Hero’.
The band were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame back in 2024, and to celebrate, they played their timeless classic ‘I Want to Know What Love Is’ with pop singer Kelly Clarkson performing alongside.
Whether you’re there for ‘Urgent’, ‘Double Vision’ or ‘Waiting For a Girl Like You’, the New York-formed rockers will be smashing out their variety of anthems at AO Arena next year.
Now, Foreigner are coming back to Manchester and the AO Arena on Thursday, 18 June, with tickets for the gig going on presale this Wednesday, 3 September at 10am GMT.
As for general admission tickets, they will be available from the same time on Friday, 5 September – you can get ready to grab yours right HERE.
They’re not the only rock legends booking big Manc arena gigs recently, either.
Featured Images — Press shot (supplied)/Jim Geuther (via Vinyl Records Gallery)
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Aussie punk rockers and cult favourites Amyl and the Sniffers announced biggest Manchester gig yet
Danny Jones
Australian pub rockers and punk outfit Amyl and the Sniffers have announced their biggest Manchester headline show to date, and we CANNOT wait.
In case you hadn’t guessed, we’re pretty big fans here at The Manc Group.
The cult favourites have made a big splash on the music scene over the past couple of years, playing big festival slots at the likes of Glastonbury and R&L Fest 2025, winning over new fans in the process. We had a feeling they were bringing some big to our shores…
I mean, you could argue they made it fairly obvious where it was going to be held, but it was still a cool little teaser campaign, nevertheless.
That’s right, Amyl and the Sniffers have booked the O2 Victoria Warehouse – an ideal venue for any heavy gig – later this year, following the big poster going up outside the venue in Trafford Park last week.
Fronted by frenetic frontwoman Amy Taylor, they’ve grown a strong following outside of their home country of late, not only winning multiple Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Awards but picking up gongs from the NME, Kerrang and more since 2022.
They received plenty of accolades for their sophomore record, Comfort To Me, and collected even more for their latest album, Cartoon Darkness, which they’ve been touring pretty much ever since.
It’s that same project that they’re bringing to Victoria Warehouse this autumn, with the punchy ‘U Should Not Be Doing That’ performers almost nailed on to sell out the 3,500 capacity venue.
Tipped as a ‘one-night only’ experience, with support from Floodlights and The Menstrual Cramps, this should be a tasty one.
Aussie rock and indie really is having a moment right now, with the likes of Spacey Jane and Royel Otis both set for big Manc gigs this year too.
The early access window opens from 10am this Wednesday, 3 September, with general admission tickets live from the same time the following Friday (5 Sep). Besides the sold-out Ally Pall show, this is their very LAST headline gig of the year, don’t miss it.
You can get ready to grab yours for 22 October right HERE.
In the meantime, why not watch the moment Amy joined Fred Again in the flesh for a live set over in Sheffield last month?
Danny Jones -
18th January 2024 
