City centre grassroots music venue The Yard has just announced its new outdoor festival, where you can expect lots of impressive local live music.
Independent and grassroots music venue, The Yard, is known for hosting some of the best gigs, creative events and live music in the city, and this festival is no different.
Titled ‘Stranger Ways’ – if you don’t get that reference, then we don’t know what to tell you – anyone attending can expect to hear music that champions Manchester’s indie spirit, with a lot of local talent represented in the lineup.
Alex Spencer is set to headline day one of Stranger Ways Festival.The Yard is a brilliant venue known for hosting a variety of live music events.Credit: Supplied
This talent has seen praise from the likes of Lady Gaga and The Coral, even getting his track ‘Nightmares’ featured in EA Sports FC25 (FIFA).
They’ve seen massive success this year playing at the Isle of Wight Festival earlier this summer and supporting ‘Every Breath You Take’ penman Sting in Cardiff.
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Another of our picks for Manc artists of the month for June, Arkayla. Named after “a terrible Oasis demo” from 1991, the band will be stopping by to sing a couple of their hits, too.
The band are already making waves, quite literally, receiving plays from one of the biggest rock radio stations in the UK, Radio X.
Wigan band The Lilacs are set to headline day two of Stranger Ways Festival.Arkayla are one of the headliners for The Yard’s new outdoor festival.Credit: Supplied
And of course this festival falls during Oasis’ massive reunion tour, so it would be rude not to have a tribute act, or two, performing at this outdoor festival – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Carpets and The Oasis Experience.
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Now, as far as tribute bands go, that’s up there with one of the best and quietly clever names we’ve heard since we came across, well… Stranger Ways.
Speaking of Oasis, every ticket purchased for The Yard’s outdoor festival, Stranger Ways, gets entered into a prize draw to win tickets for one of the Burnage boys’ Wembley gigs with an overnight stay.
Stranger Ways Festival is taking place at The Yard across 19 and 20 July – To access the full lineup and grab your tickets, you can find everything you need to know HERE.
Anyone who has managed to bag themselves those precious Oasis tickets is in luck too, as if you can show proof on arrival to The Yard, you can guarantee yourself free entry.
Featured Images – Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)
Gigs & Nightlife
Fall Out Boy announce huge Manchester gig on Twilight of the Punks Tour
Lydia Mastrolonardo
The Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum rock group, Fall Out Boy, have announced a stop over in Manchester as part of the biggest global tour of their career to date.
The Twilight of the Punks 2027 tour announcement follows the release of the bands newest song ‘ACES,’ marking the end to their long-awaited return to music production.
The band began subtly hinting at a tour earlier last month, sparking excitement among fans worldwide.
‘ACES,’ produced and mixed by Neil Avron, channels the nostalgic, unmistakable energy of the band’s early days, as a nod to the sound that solidified the band within the pop-punk scene all those years ago. It also marks a particularly special time for the band as they celebrate their 25th year together.
And now Fall Out Boy are celebrating the milestone with a 15-date live tour across Europe and the UK, including a night at Co-op Live in Manchester.
That’s all before completing the tour in North America next summer, including a landmark hometown stadium performance at Chicago’s legendary Soldier Field.
Fall out Boy will be joined by special guests A Day To Remember and Neck Deep on all European dates.
For those of you that aren’t familiar – A Day To Remember are an Floridian rock band specialising in metal-core and pop-punk music.
Neck Deep are a Welsh pop-punk band that will be bringing some of their hits such as ‘Wish You Were Here’ and ‘In Bloom,’ to the stage next summer.
Fall Out Boy will perform at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Thursday 3 June 2027.
Tickets will go on presale tomorrow from 12pm midday, before general sale begins on Thursday 12 November from 12pm HERE.
Fall Out Boy UK and Ireland tour dates in full
Sunday 30 May 2027 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
Tuesday 1 June 2027 – Dublin, 3Arena
Thursday 3 June 2027 – Manchester, Co-op Live
Saturday 5 June 2027 – London, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Soopa Hooch are on the hunt for the UK’s next big DJ to support Girls Don’t Sync member at XLR
Lydia Mastrolonardo
It’s no secret that Manchester has gained a surplus of aspiring DJs in recent years – well now it’s time to put those skills to use and show the rest of the UK what Manchester is made of.
Soopa Hooch has just launched Soopa Charged Sounds, an exciting competition, aiming to uncover emerging talent across the UK, offering one lucky winner the opportunity to perform at XLR, supporting member of Girl’s Don’t Sync, Gaia Ahuja aka G33.
Not only would the winner gain the platform to showcase their skills but they would also gain a year’s supply of Soopa Hooch drinks and a home DJ set up – now have I got your attention?
Come on, it seems only right that a Mancunian should win considering the event would be hosted inside our very own iconic nightclub, XLR Manchester.
So, if it’s always your job to supply the music wherever you go, you’re the friend that never fails to know the track ID or you simply practice in the safety of your bedroom – this is your time to shine. Dust off those decks, brush up on your mixes and get applying.
Soopa Hooch, the wild, bolder cousin of the classic Hooch, is an 8% ABV sparkling vodka mix available in five different flavours – Blue Raspberry, Twisted Tropical, Electric Lemonade, Darkest Berry and Cherry Cola, providing the perfect flavour for every kind of playlist.
Sam Watson, Brand Manager at Soopa Hooch and Hooch, commented: “We know there’s a huge amount of undiscovered DJ talent out there, whether they’re creating mixes at home or already making waves in their local scene.
“We’ve launched Soopa Charged Sounds to give that talent a platform to get their skills heard, and we can’t wait to shine a light on DJs who are bringing energy to pre-drinks and parties across the country.”
Soopa Hooch are on the hunt for the UK’s next big DJ. Credit: The Manc GroupThe chosen DJ will support Girls Don’t Sync member G33 at XLR. Credit: Supplied
Think you or someone you know has what it takes? Simply create a 15-20-minute mini mix and submit it via the Soopa Hooch website to enter by Thursday 26 November 2026.
The mixes will be reviewed by a panel of experts, from regional DJ radio stations up and down the country, on the following five key criteria: creativity, originality, ability, energy and overall suitability. Five finalists will then be announced on Sunday 20 December, before the lucky winner is crowned on Thursday 28 January 2027.
The Soopa Charged Sounds winner will then swap their bedroom desks for the big stage, for a live performance at XLR nightclub, on Friday 26 February 2027.
Thomas Melia -
4th July 2025 
