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
Peter Kay announces four intimate charity shows in Greater Manchester – but only for these postcodes
Emily Sergeant
Peter Kay has just announced four intimate shows to raise money for a very worthy cause… but you can only get tickets if you live in these particular postcodes.
Comedy legend Peter Kay is set to return home to the Bolton Albert Halls for four very special hometown shows in this summer, marking his first performances at the venue more than two decades.
Taking to the very stage where he recorded the UK’s biggest-selling stand-up DVD, it’s set to be a proper nostalgic homecoming for one of Britain’s most beloved comedians.
The summer shows – which are taking place from 9 – 11 July 2026, even including a matinee performance – this is a rare chance for local fans to be part of something incredibly special, with all funds raised going to Bolton Hospice.
But, there’s a bit of a catch… you’ll only be able to get tickets if you live in Bolton (and some parts of Bury), as it’s strictly limited to BL postcodes.
Peter Kay Live at the Bolton Albert Halls – 2026 Dates
Thursday 9 July (Evening)
Friday 10 July (Evening)
Saturday 11 July (Matinee)
Saturday 11 July (Evening)
Tickets officially go on sale Friday 24 April at 10am, and you can get your hands on them here.
Featured Image – Supplied
Gigs & Nightlife
Fans stunned as indie band The Reytons announce Co-op Live gig
Daisy Jackson
The Reytons have just announced their biggest shows to date – and fans can’t quite believe the size of venue they’ve gone for in Manchester.
The indie group will be playing at Co-op Live later this year as part of their very first world tour.
It’s comfortably the biggest indoor music venue in the UK, and will be the largest gig on the entire tour, which also includes shows at Alexandra Palace, plus venues across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
The Reytons have most recently been out touring with a headline slot at Tramlines Festival in Sheffield, as well as pulling Gary Neville up to play with them on stage.
The Rotheram-formed group recently announced their fourth studio album ‘A Love Letter To A Broken Town’ – due for release in July.
Frontman Jonny Yerrell said: “I honestly feel like this album is the best we’ve ever done!
“A lot of bands and artists like to change direction later in their careers, but that’s just not us. We absolutely love the style of music we make, the social commentary aspects and the people who turn up to jump around with us. Why would we change?
“Expect more, just bigger and better with a few surprises on the side!”
This latest announcement for The Reytons sees them booking an incredibly ambitious jump in venue size – the 23,500 capacity Co-op Live, compared to last year’s 5,000 capacity Aviva Studios.
And now a load of fans are bickering online about whether they’ll be able to sell it out, with one person writing: “Everyone said they wouldnt sell out sheffield arena, clifton park, tramlines or wembley arena… they sold out all 4. I know 3 are local shows but people will travel to see them as well as proven by the Wembley gig.”
Another said: “People will follow them, doesn’t matter where they go. When it sell out, ill make sure to come let you know.”
Even their own press release described it as an ‘against all odds’ rise to success, describing the band as ‘UK music’s biggest underdogs’.
Tickets for The Reytons world tour, including their Co-op Live gig in Manchester, will go on sale at 10am on Friday 24 April HERE.
Thomas Melia -
4th July 2025 
