Gigs & Nightlife

9 festivals up to an hour away from Manchester with tickets left

There's so much happening up north this summer.

Hannah Starkie Hannah Starkie - 4th June 2021

Lockdown restrictions are lifting and the sunshine is out. Summer is definitely getting closer now – and that inimitable festival feeling is finally within reach.

For most of us, raving in a big field with a thumping soundtracks alongside thousands of others is a distant memory – with the vast majority of large-scale events cancelled for well over a year.

But there’s hope for the future – and loads of mint day festivals have been pencilled in to take place in summer 2021 and beyond.

We’ve put together a list of the biggest events up to an hour’s(ish) drive from Greater Manchester. Here are some of our top picks that still have tickets remaining.*

Newsam Park, Temple Newsam, Leeds – Saturday 10 July

The brand-new open-air festival Newsam Park festival was due to take place in July last year – but was cancelled for obvious reasons. They’re having another go on Saturday 10 July with a scaled down version but packed with all the same big-name house and techno DJs.  

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On the former site of the Cocoon in the Park festival at Temple Newsham in Leeds, there’ll be two stages featuring the likes of Jamie Jones, Denis Sulta, Sven Vath, Mella Dee and Nightmares on Wax throughout the day.  

Tickets here.

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Acropolis, Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire – Saturday 31 July  

Aerial view of the grounds and ruins of Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire / Image: Acropolis

Another new one for 2021 is Acropolis which will make its debut at Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire on Saturday 31 July. 

The ruins of the castle will provide a moody and atmospheric setting for this techno-fuelled day. Alan Fitzpatrick, Eats Everything, Enzo Siragusa, Pawsa and Manchester’s own Mason Collective are confirmed to play, with support yet to be announced.  

Tickets available on Skiddle here.

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Mardi Gras, Roundhay Park, Leeds – Saturday 14 August 

Mardi Gras at Leeds’ Roundhay Park is yet another exciting new addition to the 2021 festival calendar on Saturday 14 August.

There’ll be two full-size festival production stages hosting everything from local acts to global names.  

The lineup is yet to be announced so keep an eye out for that. Tickets are already running low, get yours on Skiddle here.  

Retro In The Park, Burnley – Saturday 28 August  

After a bit of nostalgic house music? Burnley’s Retro In The Park festival should do the trick.

On Saturday 28 August, there’ll be three arenas of music at Towneley Park, each with a different vibe.

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The UK’s largest house classics event, Retro, will take over Arena 1, with Roger Sanchez and Graeme Park taking the headline spots. 

Some of best 90s artists will be taking the stage over in Arena 2. Think: N-Trance, Nightcrawlers and K-Klass.

Arena 3 will also see the Angels Reunion with Stu Allan, Rob Tissera and Matt Bell.  

General admission and VIP are still available on Skiddle here.  

Wile Out Festival, Burnley – Sunday 29 August  

Again at Burnley’s Towneley Park, Wile Out Festival on bank holiday Sunday is boasting a massive bass and house lineup featuring some huge artists like DJ EZ, Mistajam and James Hype on the main stage, alongside Sigma, Tom Zanetti, Flava D and Bad Boy Chiller Crew at the bass stage. 

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Sam Divine, Low Steppa and Huxley will also take on the Cuckoo Land stage to provide the house energy. 

This one’s on final release so be quick.  

Highest Point, Lancaster – 3 and 4 September 

People sat around the Highest Point festival sign /Image: Highest Point

Up in Lancaster, across two days on Friday 3 and Saturday 4 September, will be Highest Point.

Following the success of the 2019 weekender, the festival will return for another instalment at Williamson Park later this year.  

Friday will see DJ sets from Rudimental and Wilkinson, alongside performances from Becky Hill and Ella Eyre. Then, there’ll be tons more house and tech from the likes of Richy Ahmed, Josh Butler, Seb Zito, Monki and East End Dubs.  

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On the Saturday, Rag’N’Bone Man takes the headline slot and there’ll be music from Clean Bandit, plus cracking sets from Hybrid Minds, Friction and Dimension to make up the drum and bass offerings.  

Tickets on Skiddle here.

Mint Festival, Leeds – Saturday 25 September  

The crowd at Mint Festival / Image: Mint Festival

Another one just down the M62 in Leeds is Mint festivalon Saturday 25 September.

Now in its tenth year, the festival promises to be the biggest and best edition yet, at its new home of Newsam Green Farm, located just 10 minutes outside the city centre.

There’ll be four arenas of techno, house and tech house which will see Leeds’ faves Patrick Topping, Eats Everything and Darius Syrossian on the decks, alongside Amelie Lens, East End Dubs, Elliot Adamson and Enzo Siragusa.  

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Grab your tickets available here.  

elrow goes to the Midlands – 25 and 26 September  

Sandwell Valley Country Park in the Midlands will play host to the famous elrow on 25 and 26 September.

There’ll be the usual confetti, inflatables and carnival madness and whilst the lineup is yet to be announced, they always curate the biggest and best parties so it’s well worth grabbing a ticket here.

Cream Classical on the Waterfront, Liverpool – Saturday 18 September 

Liverpool’s iconic Pier Head will be home to “Cream Classical on the Waterfront” for an open-air event on Saturday 18 September. The show will bring together a 50-piece orchestra who will perform an extra special live set curated by K-Klass.

Between 12pm and 11pm, there’ll be sets from legends Basement Jaxx, Faithless, Seb Fontaine and Tall Paul.  

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Tickets on Skiddle here.  

Stay up to date with Manchester music and events with The Manc Audio.  

*Tickets available at time of publishing. 

Featured image: Elrow

Gigs & Nightlife

Moovin’ Festival 2024 – full line-up announced for Stockport’s much-loved festival as it hits major milestone

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Moovin Festival has announced its 2024 line-up. Credit: Supplied

Stockport’s proudly independent Moovin’ Festival is back on the farm this summer for its 10th anniversary edition.

The beloved local music event, which takes over Whitebottom Farm in the picturesque Etherow Country Park, has announced its full line-up for this year’s celebration.

Moovin’ Festival 2024 will include headline performances from Leftfield and legendary DJ Laurent Garnier, plus Sampa the Great, Erol Alkan, Crazy P, David Rodigan, Souls of Mischief, Mr Scruff, Greg Wilson, Jaguar Skills, Congo Natty, Ray Keith, DRS, Nicky Blackmarket, Nubiyan Twist, K Klass and many more innovative bands, DJs and live acts from across the spectrum. 

Taking place over the August bank holiday weekend, Moovin will also bring together up and coming local performers and events like circus performances, yoga sessions, holistic treatments, and ethically sourced cuisine.

Widely considered one of the region’s best music events, Moovin has gone from being ‘Manchester’s best kept secret’ to a staple in the calendar every year.

The festival pitches itself as an ‘exceptional celebration of sonic brilliance, eclectic music, and quirkiness, set in a beautiful and intimate environment’.

Moovin Festival has announced its 2024 line-up. Credit: Supplied
Moovin Festival has announced its 2024 line-up. Credit: Supplied

The packed line-up will take places in the stunning surroundings of the eco-friendly Whitebottom Farm, where spaces to be discovered include a hidden oasis adorned with lush trees, serene lakes, and a captivating gorge plus stages like the iconic Barn Stage, a spacious cow shed with cosy hay bales for relaxation.

The ‘adult playground of music and magic’ features state-of-the-art sound systems and a relaxed ambiance.

French techno legend and scene hero Laurent Garnier will be among the headliners – a rare chance to catch this pioneering artist who isn’t frequently touring these days.

He will be joined by Leftfield, fellow icons in the scene who have put out seminal albums, lay down heavy techno beats and have endless classic hits in their arsenal. 

Iconic hip-hop group Souls of Mischief and reggae legend David Rodigan, along with Afro beats pioneer and global star Sampa The Great are also on the bill for Moovin’ 2024.

Moovin regular and Hacienda legend Graeme Park makes a welcome return to celebrate 40 years in the scene, Congo Natty celebrates 30 years as a pioneer of the jungle revolution, Erol Alkan brings his raucous mix of indie dance sounds, Crazy P will play a DJ set that explores all forms of disco, and Prince Fatty & Horseman will lay down their dub sounds. 

Moovin Festival has announced its 2024 line-up. Credit: Supplied
Moovin Festival has announced its 2024 line-up. Credit: Supplied
Moovin Festival has announced its 2024 line-up. Credit: Supplied

The line-up continues with the captivating sounds of Nubiyan Twist, the infectious beats of K Klass, and the mesmerising performance artistry of Oh My God It’s the Church and their unique gospel sound.

Dub FX is set to deliver an electrifying performance that will keep the crowd moving, while Moovin residents DJ Paulette, Mr. Scruff, Krafty Kuts, Greg Wilson, and Jaguar Skills are back to showcase their unparalleled talents on the turntables as they traverse the world of disco, funk, hip hop, breaks, soul, jazz, and plenty in between. 

Fans of drum & bass and jungle music are in for a treat once more with heavyweight offerings from DRS, Ray Keith, DJ Randall, Nicky Blackmarket, Mark XTC, and many more.

DJ Paulette says: “Whenever I get to play Moovin Festival it’s a highlight of my festival calendar. As soon as I see the waterfall I feel like I’m home.The crowd is just beautiful and tech energy is electric.”

Groove Armada said: “At the bottom of a tree lined valley, a hay barn with a fat sound-system. A freewheeling crowd, no VIP red ropes, no hassle , just music and good vibes. 90s free party? No its the brilliant Moovin’ festival.”

And Graeme Park commented: “I absolutely adore DJing at Moovin’. It’s truly a unique and magical experience with totally incredible vibes!”

Tickets for Moovin’ Festival 2024 are on sale now here.

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Featured image: Moovin’ Festival

Gigs & Nightlife

A guide to the brand-new Co-op Live Arena: drinks prices, how to get there, capacity and more

Danny Jones Danny Jones Co-op Live Manchester guide important info

The brand spanking new Co-op Live Arena finally opens this week and while it might be a touch later than expected, it’s still a huge deal for Manchester and the region as a whole.

While the inaugural pair of shows by British comedy legend Peter Kay might have been postponed due to unexpected power supply problems, that’s exactly what test events are for and Co-Op Live is still due to open its doors to the public later this Saturday as they welcome The Black Keys.

Boasting a jam-packed and ambitious programme already, with shows lined up well into 2025, there’s a lot to take in and as always with new venues, it can be helpful to know all the important details before your first visit – and we’re all in that boat in this case.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you sorted with a whirlwind guide to the Co-op Live.

Everything you need to know about Co-op Live Manchester

Let’s start with why everyone’s getting so excited. Well not only is it going to become the UK’s biggest indoor entertainment venue and one of the biggest in Europe full stop, boasting a maximum capacity of 23,500 people but, like the newly opened Aviva Studios, it’s also set to bring huge revenue into the city.

All told, the total cost of the venue has clocked at approximately £365 million, making it one of the most expensive buildings to ever be erected in the region.

With the arena promising to rival not only the biggest and best venues in Manchester but the UK in general, they are looking to “change the way business is done within the music, sports and live entertainment industry“.

Attracting not only huge artists, comedians and other live acts but now even the likes of the UFC later this year, it really is poised to be an all-purpose entertainment space.

Who is Co-op Live backed by?

So who exactly is behind this huge new addition to the city? Well, there are a few big names involved, first and foremost the City Football Group (yes that one – they are neighbours after all).

Man City owner and UAE royal Sheikh Mansour has put forward the lion’s share along with the Oakview Music Group, co-founded by American music mogul and ex-Ticketmaster CEO, Irving Azoff.

Thirdly, another key investor who has played a big role in the marketing for Co-op Live, in case you haven’t already seen him in the promos, is Harry Styles.

Putting in an undisclosed amount into the building as a minority equity shareholder along with Emma Spring, co-director of his record label Erskine Records, Emma Spring, his brand alone is set to help rake in big sums for the venue.

The former One Direction star speaks ahead of Co-op Live opening to the public.

Those drink prices…

Yep, a lot of you will have surely heard about them already and if you haven’t about Co-op Live’s drinks prices yet, you might want to sit down for this one.

As confirmed by many accounts on social media, the cheapest pints available at the flashy new arena are £8.35 for a Grolsch, with Guinness, Asahi and Salfordian brewers Seven Brothers‘ IPA all setting you back £8.95. Double pints are priced at £16.35 and £17.45.

If you’re looking to save money with bottles or cans, you’ll still be paying around seven quid and wine will cost you £8.95 or £9.25 for 187ml or 200ml servings, respectively. A bottle of vino clocks in at £35 and sprits range anywhere between £9.50 and a whopping £17.40 for a tequila. Yikes.

You’re better off sticking to a soft drink at £4.80 for a pint and that way you can still save money in case you need a bite to eat, as pies are £8.25 and you’ll have to cough up £11.50 if you want a burger. We’ll let you draw your own conclusions on this front, though we’re sure we could make an educated guess.

Seating chart and venue map

co-op live venue
Seated for Peter Kay
seating plan co-op live
Standing and seated for Olivia Rodrigo
Credit: Ticketmaster

You’ll find the typical arrangement for seated events and standing gigs above but, like most modern event spaces like this, the ‘top-in-class’ venue will likely be able to shuffle into different configurations where needed.

As you can see, there a three main tiers – the ground floor standing area in the lower bowl, level one seating and the upper tier – and there are a total of 32 bars, restaurants and various lounges wrapped into the entire complex.

When it comes to how you get into the arena itself, guests are encouraged to consult their gate (A-G) allocation through their tickets on the dedicated Co-op Live app, which also includes all info regarding shows and the latest announcements from the venue.

Here’s a wider look at the lay of the land:

A rough guide to getting around Co-op Live (Credit: Supplied)

How to get to Co-op Live, parking and more

Tram

Now, as for how you’ll get to shows at Co-op Live, luckily it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.

Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad Campus stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus

If you want to take another new and improved arm of the Bee Network public transport system, not only is there a whole host of routes that drop you off close to the venue but there’ll also be a free shuttle bus from the city centre to and from events between 20 April-30 June 2024.

You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.

Better still, as part of Manchester City Council and TfGM embracing the new addition to the skyline, they’re also helping cover the costs of people’s journeys when using public transport.

Co-op Live and TfGM to offer FREE trams and buses to and from new arena for all event ticket holders

Getting there by car and parking

If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue but this must be pre-booked ahead of time. Parking will be released up to 4 weeks before the event and there are designated drop-off areas.

The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.

Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the Etihad Campus is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:

  • Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
  • Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
  • Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.

There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:

  • Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
  • Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Walk/cycle

Lastly, it’s also just a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.

Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the boke all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.

For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.

Co-op Live opening and closing times

While times will obviously change depending on the show, you can expect doors to open around the standard window between 6-7pm.

That being said, the venue is urging visitors to arrive at evening events in the main bowl no later than 9pm. As for curfew, Co-op Live gigs are due to finish by 11pm unless otherwise stated.

Accessibility info

One thing they’re taking very seriously at the Co-op Live is accessibility and after teaming up with disability charity Attitude Is Everything, you can find a full guide to access the arena HERE.

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Having installed lowered service counters, step-free access to all floors, a designated respite room, support for assistance dogs, hearing loops for those with aids/implants, ambulant seating and plenty more, they’ve got it covered so all you have to do is come along and enjoy the show.

Read more:

And that just about wraps up everything we can think when it comes to what you need to know ahead of Co-op Live’s grand opening at the end of this month.

It’s set to be a world-leading venue and we can’t wait to see it lit up in its full glory when the first acts roll through the doors of big shiny black box this weekend.

Speaking of, once the action is underway, there’ll be a lot of acts coming thick and fast. It’s a new era for Manchester’s live music and entertainment scene.

What’s on at Co-op Live, Manchester’s huge new arena with packed programme of gigs and shows
Here’s your guide to everything happening at Co-op Live so far – and there’s a lot of it.

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

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Co-op Live

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