It’s been a decade since Girls Aloud went on a hiatus that seemed like it may never end, but end it has, and The Girls Aloud Show has touched down for three nights in Manchester.
A lot has happened since the girl band formed on Popstars: The Rivals way back in 2002, including the tragic death of band member Sarah Harding at just 39 years old.
Girls Aloud promised that this huge arena anniversary tour would honour their late bandmate, and if Sarah was into 10/10, near-flawless pop concerts, they’ve done her justice.
It’s plainly obvious that hours and hours of rehearsal have gone into The Girls Aloud Show. They don’t put a foot wrong in the AO Arena, even if those silly inflatable red dresses played up again.
Even when a song falls a little flat, their performance sails on the wings of the choreography (their all-male troupe of dancers are phenomenal) and the production, and minor imperfections are quickly glossed over by the rest of the girls’ glorious pop catalogue.
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‘Now look over here! Look at the shiny costumes and the harmonies here!’ they seem to say whenever the audience gets fidgety, quickly moving onto another chart-topping banger.
There are a lot to get through – the gig is split into four acts, with a setlist that includes Love Machine, Biology, Something Kinda Ooooh, and Jump, and costumes that range from skin-tight glittering bodysuits to full-length gowns that may have been pinched straight out of The Supremes’ wardrobes.
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Girls Aloud performing in Manchester at the AO Arena. Credit: The Manc Group
The second act, which harks back to their slightly more urban debut album, is a personal highlight. I’ve long maintained that Sound of the Underground is one of the greatest pop songs ever written – but chuck in four scantily clad pop starlets riding airborne motorbikes and it just gets even better.
Did I walk in thinking I knew all the words to every Girls Aloud song ever released? No I did not, but these catchy little bops are apparently neatly filed in my brain ready to come tumbling out with a single wink from Cheryl Cole.
I know everyone has a favourite girlband member, and on stage each one plays to their own persona, whether that’s the impeccably graceful Nicola or the effortlessly cool Kimberly.
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And while on paper Cheryl is the most successful of the lot, this is now 2024 and I think we can all agree that Nadine Coyle is CARRYING this tour. She is an actress. She oozes charisma and camp, beaming the whole time, and looks like she is having the time of her life. It’s totally infectious and the crowd laps her up.
Sarah Harding is incorporated into the Girls Aloud tour throughout the show. Credit: The Manc Group
Of course, it’s a bittersweet celebration without Sarah. She is woven into the fabric of this band and into their live tour too. As hits like Can’t Speak French and Something New play, the original music videos play behind them. And with songs like A Whole Lotta History and I’ll Stand By You, her vocals take the lead along with a moving montage of the young late star, to rapturous applause.
If you’re surprised that Girls Aloud sold out this many arenas in this day and age, you are grossly underestimating the hold they had over British women in the noughties. We all used to buy false eyelashes modelled on their eyes, for god’s sake (personally, a big fan of Kimberley’s), and washed our hair with shampoos with their faces on the bottles.
21 years later and this is proven to be timeless pop music, and the styling of several acts of the show reflects that. Parts feel like they’re from a different era, from the tiny feather bustle stuck to Nadine’s sparkling bodysuit to the dancers in top hats and tails.
And things never feel more ageless than with The Promise, which closes the show.
Some of us may remember the music video, where all five Girls Aloud members time-travelled back to the 1960s, their makeup taking some influence from Twiggy and their hair growing exponentially larger (this was surely about the same time that Cheryl got her L’Oréal contract). The essence of that has been brought to their live show.
They shimmy behind microphone stands and perform choreography with their arms in sparkling gowns.
And then comes the real tear-jerker – this song was always Sarah Harding’s to own, and no one could quite fill those shoes. So instead of replacing her verse, she remains the star.
Sarah’s face beams across the arena, and her original vocals bellow over a tearful crowd, while the other girls turn to watch their late friend shine once again.
The night wraps up in an explosion of colour and sparkle. A properly fitting way to honour Sarah.
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Girls Aloud have two more shows in Manchester at the AO Arena to come – read our full gig guide here.
Girls Aloud setlist
Act I Untouchable The Show Something New Love Machine Can’t Speak French Biology Whole Lotta History Act II Wake Me Up Sound of the Underground Girl Overboard No Good Advice Graffiti My Soul Long Hot Summer I’ll Stand by You (Pretenders cover) ACT III Sexy! No No No… On the Metro Jump (For My Love) Call the Shots Something Kinda Ooooh Encore: The Promise
Featured image: The Manc Group
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Manc music legend Peter Hook is running his fourteenth Great Manchester Run for charity
Emily Sergeant
Manchester music icon Peter Hook is taking on an incredible endurance challenge for charity next month.
The Great Manchester Run is coming up next month on Sunday 18 May, with thousands of runners taking up the 10K or Half Marathon challenges either for their own personal achievements, or in the name of a number of worthy causes.
First staged in 2003 as a legacy event following the Manchester-hosted Commonwealth Games in 2002, the 10K has grown to be one of the largest in Europe, and in recent years, it has evolved to include a popular half marathon too.
35,000 runners are taking on the challenge this year, with 100,000 supporters set to line the streets… and one of those runners is none other than the legend himself, Peter Hook.
Incredibly, this is the fourteenth time the former bassist and co-founder of two of Manchester’s biggest bands, Joy Division and New Order, has taken part in the Great Manchester Run.
And it’s also the fourteenth time he’s raising money for The Christie Charity in the process.
Manc music legend Peter Hook is running his fourteenth Great Manchester Run for charity next month / Credit: Wikipedia Commons | Great Run Company
Hooky, as he’s affectionately known by friends and fans, took on his first run in 2006 and has continued over the years raising money for The Christie Charity – which supports the work of The Christie hospital in Manchester.
Peter’s relationship with The Christie and its charity started when he lived in Withington for many years and saw patients going into the hospital for treatment, and sadly things became very personal when two good friends, as well as family members were treated there – his former manager Tony Wilson, musician Dave Dee, and his aunt and father-in-law.
“I love running as it clears my head, and I can’t think of a better cause to run in support of,” Peter Hook explained ahead of the Great Manchester Run next month.
“The feeling of hope and solidarity on the day is fantastic and the sense of achievement when you finish is second to none, so I’m extremely proud to be representing The Christie Charity and supporting the wonderful work it does.”
Josh Hughff, who is the mass participation events officer at The Christie Charity, added: “Hooky is one of our longest standing event participants and we’re delighted he has chosen to support us again this year.
“He knows better than most just how important the work of The Christie is and how crucial charity fundraising is, as it allows us to fund life-changing and life-saving projects that will benefit cancer patients both now and in the future.”
You can cheer Peter Hook and all the other runners on when they take part in the Great Manchester Run on Sunday 18 May.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Central Cee at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist, and more for ‘Can’t Rush Greatness’ tour
Thomas Melia
Alright. UK rap act Central Cee is bringing his usual charm and witty bars to Co-op Live for a night of rap caviar, fully catered for by the Shepherd’s Bush native.
Cee, a.k.a. ‘Cench’, has been gaining traction since dropping freestyles on social media before eventually releasing his breakout hit ‘Day in the Life’ back in 2020.
This gig will be packed with everything from a stellar setlist to a powerful stage presence from the London MC, you’ll be up on your feet from the first song right through to the encore.
Don’t fret because this guide will have you covered with everything from A to B to make sure your night is nothing less than ‘5 Star’.
Central Cee at Co-op Live gig guide
Credit: Press Shot (supplied)
Central Cee UK tour dates
Fri 18 April – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Sat 19 April – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Thu 24 April – London, UK – The O2
Sun 27 April – Glasgow, UK – OVO Arena
Are there tickets left for Central Cee at Co-op Live in Manchester?
Tickets for this show aren’t ‘Limitless’ but there are still a handful of tickets left for this highly anticipated UK arena tour, including Cench’s Co-op Live date.
Fans can pick from a range of seating and standing options starting at £42.50 and reaching £81.95, so you’re really getting lots of value for your ‘GBP’ – I’ll stop now, I promise…
Anyone looking at grabbing a ticket or two can take a pick from their limited selection HERE.
Central Cee setlist
Limitless
5 Star
Day in the Life
6 For 6
Cold Shoulder
Ruby
Commitment Issues
Loading
St. Patrick’s
Ten
Straight Back To It
Gbp
Obsessed With You
Did It First
Me & You
Mrs
gen z luv
Now We’re Strangers
LET GO
Doja
Truth in the Lies
Overseas
Must Be
CRG
UK Rap
Sprinter
BAND4BAND
No Introduction
What are the stage times for Central Cee in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning concertgoers can get ‘Straight Back To It’ the following day without having to stay up all night to hear the rapper’s huge tunes.
Doors for the event will be open from 6.30pm, with those famous drill beats filling the massive Co-op Live venue from 8pm onwards.
There are currently no confirmed support acts as of yet, but with Cench appearing in the hometown of Manc rapper Aitch, who knows, maybe the pair will work it out on the remix and squash their squabble once and for all?
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, luckily, it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Getting there by car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the southwest corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Daisy Jackson -
24th May 2024 
