Manchester music promotors Open Beat have revealed the details for their first round of shows taking place later this year – and they’ve got a whole host of emerging Manchester-based talent to showcase.
Born from a love of the city’s music and everything it has to offer, Open Beat have spent two years developing a brand-new platform for up-and-coming musicians from in and around Manchester to play live and get their music heard.
Their inaugural series of events, ‘Open Beat Presents’ kicks off in August, with four initial dates taking us through to the end of the year.
The first, on Friday 20 August, will see The A.V. Club, The Demo and Rivet City take to the stage at the legendary Night & Day Café.
Warrington band The A.V. Club take inspiration from the soundtrack from hit Netflix show Stranger Things to create their own blend of modern indie-pop. Whilst the indie-rock sounds of The Demo and Rivet City will provide some variety to the night.
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Some of Manchester’s biggest bands came through the Night & Day Café in their early years. So much so, the iconic venue has become somewhat of a rite of passage for new bands nowadays, making it the ideal venue for an Open Beat evening.
Next up, on August bank holiday Monday, will be a specially curated lineup from Manta at another iconic Manchester venue. This time, it’s Oldham Street’s The Castle Hotel that will open up its intimate setting for an evening of live music where you can really get behind these amazing new artists.
The Manta & Friends showcase will feature a selection of the best emerging artists from international music college BIMM Institute. Newcomers Sweets, Sam Brockett and Bluloom will join Manta for an exciting mix of music styles.
On Saturday 30 October, a Halloween special will take over Northern Quarter venue Off The Square.
The all-Manc lineup will see a headline set from Kosmonauts. Since their debut release in 2017, Kosmonauts have become known for their energetic style and honest “real-talk” song writing.
Pre-COVID, they had a strong run of sold-out shows and landed supporting slots for some big bands. Now, it’s their time to shine again.
Foxglove. Image: @ianthe.w/IG
They’ll have support on the night from Foxglove, a quirky four-piece who have already proven to be breath of fresh air, alongside Kestrel Palace, who will complete the bill with his thought-provoking lyrics and Oasis-inspired vibe.
The fourth gig remains under wraps for now. But we can tell you it’ll be held Gorilla in December. Organisers are promising a huge headliner for this one to close this first round of gigs, though. Keep your eyes peeled for another announcement very soon.
However, alongside their Open Beat Presents series, they will also be putting a special freshers all-dayer edition at Hatch on Thursday 23 September, in association with BIMM Institute.
There’ll be loads of live music from artists who are set to play in the Open Beat series. So, expect the return of Manta, The Demo and Foxglove. Plus, Minerva Daisy and Kid Blue will also appear, with music from Unity Radio and BBC Radio 1Xtra DJ Jermaine Lee throughout the day, too.
All the usual independent Hatch food and drink vendors will be on hand to keep you topped up throughout the day. Tickets for this one are on sale here.
Head over to Open Beat’s Instagram here to stay up to date.
Featured image: Graham Binns
Gigs & Nightlife
Manchester City Council green-light new venue at Medlock Square, with Mamma Mia! The Party to open the immersive space
Danny Jones
The smash-hit ‘Mamma Mia: The Party’ is set to land in Manchester next year as the maiden event of another brand-new space set to open as part of the upcoming Medlock Square development.
Etihad Campus has seen a lot of moving pieces over the past few years, be it the building of Co-op Live, the ongoing expansion of Man City’s home ground, the soon-to-launch hotel attached to the stadium and now Medlock.
But those in control of the land are content with stopping there; this looks to be just the start of a whole new evolution for the East Manchester area, with an as yet untitled new immersive arts, experience and events venue also set to join the new slate of projects.
You see another glimpse of the purpose-built mini arena, of sorts, down below.
With plans having now been approved by the City Council, the ‘immersive’ space will be situated between the Etihad, Co-op Live and Medlock Square itself, holding up to 600 guests per performance.
Currently set to open in late 2027, following the rest of the square’s launch window being fully rolled out, we still don’t know the name of this next addition, but the structure itself will dovetail with the surrounding buildings and areas as part of seasonal activations, live shows and sports screenings, as well as pop-ups, brand collaborations and more.
Looping back, the interactive, multimedia extravaganza that is ‘Mamma Mia! The Party’ will finally be making its Manc debut as part of the 10th anniversary of the all-singing, all-dancing and even all-dining in-demand production.
As per an official press release from the Medlock Square media team, the show will combine “live music, theatre, food and storytelling” and “offer visitors an unforgettable night out.”
The original UK production at The O2 in London has now surpassed more than 1,500 performances, with a total of 700k guests attending these shows in 110 countries across the globe. Safe to say it’s rather popular.
As for Medlock Square and the surrounding Etihad Campus, Manchester City supporters have also been given another look at the soon-to-open, immersive hotel tie-in experience.
With a skywalk, rooftop bar, a new MCFC shop and various other bits set to spill out onto Medlock Square, it all feels like a period of wholesale changes over in the blue half of the city – especially with the football club bidding farewell to their manager Pep Guardiola after more than a decade.
Following the new and improved North Stand being named after him in the first of many tributes, the City Football Group (CFG) are also set to commission a statue in his honour over the coming months.
Meanwhile, Medlock Square is also due to open later this year, although an official completion date has not been confirmed.
You can stay up to date with all the latest on Mamma Mia! The Part’s Manchester shows right HERE.
Not forgetting a brand-new women’s football facility, too, there is so much stuff going on over at the Etihad that it can be hard to keep track, but here’s the latest look at some of the rooms set to feature in the hotel of the same name.
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (CGIs via Medlock Square)
Gigs & Nightlife
Disney On Ice is returning to Manchester this winter on latest UK arena tour
Danny Jones
Whether you’re looking for something to give your children a thrill, or you’re a fully fledged ‘Disney adult’ yourself, you’ll be glad to hear that the smash-hit Disney On Ice show is coming back to Manchester city centre later this year.
Returning globally for its 45th anniversary and celebrating over three and a half decades here in the UK, Disney On Ice is set for its 16th edition here in Manchester this winter.
Bringing iconic characters, storylines and scenes to life with incredible choreographed ice-skating routines, as well as all-singing-all-dancing musical numbers, you won’t find many more spectacular family-friendly live shows than this one.
Well and truly a staple of the annual entertainment calendar around the globe, these performances attract millions every year, and now thousands more will get to watch the latest version at the AO Arena.
As written on the social media post confirming the next batch of dates, the venue wrote: “Follow the quest for Tinker Bell through the dazzling worlds of Coco, Moana, Frozen, and Beauty and the Beast.
“Experience thrilling skating and memorable moments from Aladdin, Toy Story, and The Little Mermaid. Watch Stitch crash the action with mischievous surprises. It’s non-stop fun for the whole family!”
Dubbed ‘Discover The Magic’, this upcoming iteration of the Disney format is said to be all about “celebrating love and bravery”; expect more than 170 dazzling costumes made by over 100 artisans using thousands of yards of fabric, adorned with hundreds of thousands of hand-set Swarovski crystals.
One of the most impressive parts about these performers – besides their obvious gifts for music and movement – is how quickly they change outfits, transforming in under 30 seconds before stepping back out onto the impressively designed stage, which is estimated to weigh in excess of 12,000 pounds.
You can take a glance at the scenes from their most recent spring tour of a similar name down below.
Such an impressive display all-round.
You can find the full list of UK shows here – we’ve highlighted all the Northern ones for you:
Disney On Ice UK tour dates – winter 2026/27
Birmingham bp pulse LIVE: Oct 28 – Nov 8, 2026
Newcastle Utilita Arena: Nov 11 – Nov 15, 2026
Nottingham Motorpoint Arena: Nov 19 – Nov 22, 2026
Aberdeen P&J Live: Nov 26 – Nov 29, 2026
Belfast SSE: Dec 3 – Dec 6, 2026
Sheffield Utilita Arena: Dec 9 – Dec 13, 2026
Manchester AO Arena: Dec 16 – Dec 20, 2026
London The O2: Dec 24 – Jan 3, 2027
With the likes of other big Disney Concerts and the Entertainment group productions coming to Manchester over the next year or so, including the recently announced Worlds Collide UK crossover tour, there are plenty of opportunities to immerse yourself in all kinds of classic movie magic.
The pre-sale opens from 10am this Friday, 12 June, which you can prepare for now; as for general admission, tickets will be available from the same time on the last Friday of the month (26 June).
All-new VIP magical passes have also been added for the very first time this year, meaning guests of all ages can enjoy all the glitz and glamour possible.
Whatever package you and/or the kids fancy, you can get ready to grab yours right HERE.
For anyone interested in seeing other animated and digital favourites brought to life in the flesh right here in the city centre, this one might interest you, too…
Calling all self-declared otakus, cinephiles and gamers – this one looks right up your street. 🎼
Hannah Starkie -
10th June 2021 
