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.
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’.
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.
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
Country star Tyler Childers is coming to town for his biggest Manchester show to date
Danny Jones
US country music star Tyler Childers is returning to Manchester for his biggest ever show in this city, and tickets go on sale very soon.
Fresh off the back of his new album, Snipe Hunter – which was only just dropped back in July – the 34-year-old singer-songwriter is riding a fresh wave of excitement after years of hard work within the genre, mixing in plenty of classic bluegrass and folk into his modern take on the classic American sound.
As one of the most-streamed and well-respected contemporary country musicians on the scene right now, the Kentucky-born solo star and understated acoustic guitarist often falls into that category of your favourite artist’s favourite artist.
Now Tyler Childers is coming to our most legendary arena as part of his UK and European tour early next year, and we’ll certainly be queuing online for tickets.
As far as AO Arena shows booked in for the new year go, we’re very excited about this one.
His seventh studio album has been well-received by his die-hard followers and newcomers alike, delivering that same traditional Appalachian storytelling and hard-bitten humour, as well as plenty of attitude and anecdotal idiosyncrasies, not to mention plenty of vocal range as always.
Having not long come back from a pilgrimage to India, Lawrence County king teamed up with legendary producer Rick Rubin (along with some help from Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn) to create one of his most eye-opening, broad and best records yet.
Post-release, the Associated Press went on to label him “one of country music’s most compelling and unpredictable artists”, and we tend to agree.
The LP immediately spawned plenty of fan favourites, and we certainly have ours – and the video has definitely had a hand in it:
It may just be his best work yet.
Experimenting with his current unique take on country rock sound more than ever, you couldn’t ask for a better time to go and see him live.
Once again, Tyler Childers comes to the AO Arena in Manchester on Sunday, 8 March 2026, with an official pre-sale available via Three+ from 9am on Wednesday, 10 September.
As for general admission, tickets go live at the same time on the following Friday (12 Sep); you can get ready to grab yours HERE.
We don’t know about you, but we’re very much enjoying our country moment at the minute…
Lil Baby cancels entire European tour including Manchester Co-op Live date
Daisy Jackson
A major act at Co-op Live has cancelled their gig today, just weeks ahead of their scheduled appearance.
Rapper Lil Baby has called off his entire European tour, which included a massive gig here in Manchester.
Fans have been notified via email that the shows will no longer be going ahead.
The Grammy award-winning artist was set to play the Co-op Live on Friday 26 September as part of his WHAM World Tour.
But Lil Baby will no longer be performing in Manchester – along with cancelled shows in London and across Europe – due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’.
A statement from AXS sent to fans said: “The event organisers have been in touch to let us know that due to unforeseen circumstances, Lil Baby’s performance has now been cancelled.
“We will be automatically refunding your tickets to the method of payment you used to buy your tickets, so you don’t need to do anything further.
“Thank you for your patience and understanding.”
Lil Baby has released four chart-topping albums, with his seminal album My Turn going seven-time Platinum.
Fans have been voicing their dismay at the cancellation of the tour, with one writing on X: “All rappers do is cancel SMH. Lilbaby cancelled tour cba.”
Another wrote: “Why the hell has lil baby cancelled his show.”
Someone on TikTok said: “I woke up to this email now my day is ruined cos Wdymm.”
And someone else posted: “I PURPOSELY TOLD MY PEOPLE NOT GOING ON HOLIDAY FOR MY BDAY BECAUSE LIL BABY PERFORMING IN LONDON ON 27 THE NEXT DAY! FOR HIM TO CANNNNCEEELLLLL 2 WEEKS BEFORE.”
Daisy Jackson -
6th May 2023 
