Manchester musician Robbie Cavanagh is set to release his third studio album at the end of this month – and he’s announced a homecoming gig at Band on the Wall to celebrate.
The artist, recipient of the Bob Harris Emerging Artist Award, will be performing at the iconic gig venue on Thursday 18 May.
It’s ahead of the release of Tough Love, which is due for release on Friday 26 May. Robbie and his band have announced a pair of very special live shows, the first of which will be in the newly-refurbished Bar room of Band on the Wall.
This homecoming gig will be a celebration of his history with the city, from trips to see the family’s beloved Manchester City to discovering the joys of live music around our many gig venues.
Robbie now lives in the city centre and is a familiar face on the stages of The Blues Kitchen, The Castle and Gullivers, alongside a whole host of other venues he has performed in regularly over the past 10 years.
Robbie, who has lived and worked around Manchester his whole life, says he’s a devotee of ‘real music’. That means great musicians, real instruments, and performances packed with emotion.
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He says he’s in the game to create ‘fine dining music’.
‘Tough Love’ will come as a grittier and stronger-minded letter to himself and to anyone who may need a touch of tough love.
Robbie has written his album over the last five years, creating a record of ‘country tinged americana with british blood running through its veins’.
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Robbie Cavanagh
While creating this latest release, he went on a journey of self-reflection and maturity, which is reflected in each track.
It’s a contrast to his previous 2017 album ‘To Leave/To Be Left’, which grappled with emotions of loss and self-pity from leaving or being left behind.
Over the years, Robbie Cavanagh has received huge nods of approval from the likes of Bob Harris on BBC Radio 2 (“One of my absolute favourite UK grassroots artists”) and BBC Radio Manchester, Absolute Country Radio and Chris Country Radio.
He and his band have also taken to the stage at festivals like Kendal Calling, Wilderness, Black Deer, Cornbury, Silverstone Woodlands, Americana Fest UK & USA, British Country Music Festival, Maverick, and Buckle & Boots.They’ve performed in the UK, Europe and USA alongside artists including The Shires, Us The Duo, Charlie Winston, Wildwood Kin, Ferris & Sylvester, The Wandering Hearts, Mary Gauthier, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Fiona Bevan, Cale Tyson, and Aaron Lee Tasjan.
After their show at Band on the Wall, Robbie and his band will make their way down to London to perform at Pizza Express’s intimate underground live venue in Holborn, a very special show hosted by ‘Nashville Meets London’, on 24 May.
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Tickets for Robbie Cavanagh’s gig at Band On The Wall on 18 May are on sale now with See Tickets.
Robbie Cavanagh 2023 tour dates
18 May – Band On The Wall, Manchester
24 May – Nashville Meets London
9 June – Thorington Theatre, Suffolk
23 July – Coolham Music Club
25 August – The Long Road Festival, Lutterworth
3 September – The British Country Music Festival, Blackpool
Plus more UK live dates to be announced for autumn 2023.
Featured image: supplied
Audio
Rap duo D-Block Europe add second Manchester arena date due to ‘phenomenal demand’
Danny Jones
London-based rap duo D-Block Europe have just added a second Manchester arena date due to “phenomenal demand”, with two other UK cities also getting extra shows.
The Lewisham-rooted hip-hip group, who have continued to skyrock in popularity over the past year or so, saw their Manc gig sell out in just a matter of hours.
With that in mind, the show has gone from an already impressive booking in the shape of their Co-op Live debut, to D-Block Europe playing two consecutive nights at the largest indoor entertainment venue in all of Greater Manchester.
Quite the achievement for a band already coming off the back of a huge 12-month period.
Updating fans on social media, the trap specialists said: “Ya’ll went so crazy we had to run it back. New dates just dropped, grab your tickets before they’re gone again.”
Comprised of two equally talented MCs, Adam Nathaniel ‘Young Adz’ Williams, and Ricky Earl Banton – a.k.a. ‘Dirtbike LB’, D-Block Europe have already landed some seriously big hits and collabs.
Working with the likes of Central Cee on ‘Overseas’, 9Goddy, Aitch, AJ Tracey and more, D-Block have racked up more than 10.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and much like their name would suggest, have garnered a solid following over in mainland Europe too.
Grime, garage, trap and everything in between – the British hip-hop scene is in a good place.
Best known for a tracks like ‘Kitchen Kings’, ‘Make You Smile’, recent release Ski Talk and more, fans will be looking forward to hearing plenty of tracks in real ‘Life’.
For instance, it might be a joint feature, but their verses on Cassö and soul singer Raye‘s track ‘Prada’ helped make it the one-time summer smash it was.
Banger.
They might be riding a wave right now, but its worth noting the boys have been at this for well over a decade now, and with a growing connection to Manchester, we’re glad to see them landing premier venues like this the Co-op.
Obviously, tickets are already on sale for the second date on 10 December, and even if disappear just as quick, be sure to keep an eye out for resale tickets for the Tuesday and Wednesday night gigs.
Ocean Colour Scene announce big Manchester show on special anniversary tour
Danny Jones
Veteran UK rock band Ocean Colour Scene (OCS) are hopping on the booming anniversary tour bandwagon and coming to Manchester for a big arena gig next year.
The key Britpop figures who also dipped their toes in everything from indie to shoegaze and the so-called ‘baggy pop’ era, are soon to celebrate 30 years since their seminal sophomore studio LP, Moseley Shoals, which dropped all the way back in April 1996.
As a key part of the 90s rock movement in this country, the record was not only an impressive follow-up that avoided the pitfalls of second-album syndrome, but features some of the group’s most beloved tracks, such as ‘The Riverboat Song’, ‘The Circle’, and most iconic of all: ‘The Day We Caught the Train’
For those of you who remember its release, it may seem hard to believe that it’s been that long, but if the Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour has taught us anything, it’s that those formative tracks NEVER get old.
The years may have passed…But their fandom still thrives.Credit: Dave Briggs (via Flickr)/Brian Sweeney (supplied)
Coming to the legendary AO Arena (not for the first time), Ocean Colour Scene will no doubt be tapping into that same old ‘Madchester‘ scene that helped fill their crowds in these parts back in the day.
Speaking on the upcoming tour, frontman Simon Fowler said, “It’s hard to believe that Moseley Shoals turns 30 in 2026. We owe so much to that album, so it’s exciting to be able to look forward to this very special anniversary and celebrate with our amazing fans at some of the UK’s most prestigious venues.”
There are a few Northern dates for us to make the most of here in England, too, including not just Manchester but Bradford and Newcastle as well.
You can see the full list of domestic dates for the Ocean Colour Scene Moseley Shoals 30th Anniversary Tour down below:
As you can see, perhaps one of the things we’re most excited about with this one is the support act, as fellow cult favourites The Enemy will also be joining as special guests on the road.
General admission tickets for OCS’s tour go live at 9am on 17 October, but those keen on presale can secure early access through the venue the day prior, and Three+ members can do so from as early as next Wednesday (15 Oct); get ready to grab yours HERE.
They’re not the only long-standing favourites of the decade who are toasting a big milestone with even bigger venues next year, either.
Daisy Jackson -
6th May 2023 
