The Jockey Club Live will be making a return to racecourses across the north this summer, with a jam-packed line-up of open air summer concerts.
In the north, we’ll be looking forward to gigs from Craig David, Sugababes, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, and Pete Tong, plus an epic Faithless DJ set from Sister Bliss across some of the UK’s finest racecourses.
The Jockey Club Live is an event series that combines live music and racing, drawing in more than one million people across 120 concerts since its launch in 2014.
Haydock Park, Aintree, and Carlisle Racecourses will be hosting these huge gigs, kicking off in May with the Sugababes.
Now back with the original line-up of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhan Donaghy, the girl band will be bringing their massive noughties hits to Aintree, from ‘Push the Button’ to ‘Freak Like Me’.
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Dickon White, regional director of Jockey Club Racecourses North West said: “Sugababes are one of the UK’s most iconic bands and we can’t wait to welcome them. Alongside Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics, we have a stellar line-up of music nights ahead so I am firmly looking forward to the summer!”
Sugababes said: “We had such an amazing time playing festivals last year, we can’t wait to kick off the season with you all at Aintree Racecourse on 19th May!”
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Up next will be Pete Tong in June, with a brand new show bringing together the worlds of classical and club music.
Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics will see the legendary DJ team up with the 65-piece Essential Orchestra, conducted by Jules Buckley, alongside incredible visual effects.
Expect to be dancing in the fields of Aintree to hits like ‘Right Here, Right Now’, ‘Galvanise’, ‘Sing It Back’ and ‘Insomnia’.
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Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics. Credit: Ash Youd
Dickon White said: “Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics is going to transform the Red Rum Garden into the White Isle for one night only! We can’t wait to welcome the show to Aintree Racecourse in June for what will truly be an unforgettable summer evening.”
Pete Tong said: “Dust off your raving shoes! Myself and Jules Buckley are so excited to be bringing the orchestra and Ibiza Classics to Aintree Racecourse in 2023. I guarantee the energy is going to blow the place apart!”
The legend that is Craig David is next on the bill, taking over Haydock Park 23 years after the release of his critically acclaimed album, Born to Do It.
His triumphant return will bring him into the north west in June for what promises to be an iconic night. \
Molly Dingwall, general manager at Haydock Park Racecourse said: “Craig is one of the icons of the UK music industry and a real voice of a generation–we’re so excited to have him at Haydock Park this summer for a show that’s sure to be a highlight!”
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Craig David at Jockey Club Live. Credit: Angela Smith
Craig David said: “From my TS5 shows in Ibiza to sets at festivals like Glastonbury, there is nothing quite like an outdoor summer show! I can’t wait to bring the party to Haydock Park in June with my live band–bring it on!”
Moving into July and it’s another music heavyweight taking to The Jockey Club Live stage at Carlisle Racecourse.
A Faithless DJ set is set to take Cumbria back to the heyday of 90s and noughties electronic music, thanks to hits like ‘Insomnia’ and ‘God is a DJ’.
Sister Bliss, firmly considered a musical force in dance music, will be handling the decks.
Helen Willis, general manager at Carlisle Racecourse said: “We’re delighted to welcome Sister Bliss to Carlisle Racecourse for a Faithless DJ Set. Faithless are one of the most iconic giants of electronic music and we know fans will be dancing the night away to their biggest hits and more on Saturday 8 July.”
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Sister Bliss said: “Summer outdoor shows are some of my absolute favourites and the crowd response is always remarkable. We have a spectacular show planned so can’t wait to see you all there!”
And finally, it’s the great Nile Rodgers & CHIC returning to Haydock Park in August, for a night filled with funk, pop and all things disco.
Nile Rodgers & CHIC at Haydock Park. Credit: Supplied
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee has been a pioneer of the music industry and has helped to create some of the world’s most famous and respected songs.
Molly Dingwall said: “Nile Rodgers & CHIC put on the most incredible live show–their catalogue of unrivalled hits saw that Aintree Racecourse were all on their feet and dancing last summer. Due to phenomenal demand, we had to bring them back to Merseyside!”
Nile Rodgers said: “I’m so excited to come and see all our friends in the North West on Friday 11 August. Aintree last summer was a real highlight for us all so we can’t wait to continue the Good Times at Haydock Park!”
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Tickets are available now through The Jockey Club Live here.
The full Jockey Club Live line-up across the North West
11 May – Sugababes at Aintree Racecourse
16 June – Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics at Aintree Racecourse
24 June – Craig David at Haydock Park Racecourse
8 July – Faithless DJ Set at Carlisle Racecourse
11 Aug – Nile Rodgers & CHIC at Haydock Park Racecourse
Featured image: Supplied
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Wolf Alice announce massive Manchester gig as part of new European tour
Get ready to lose your marbles, Manchester, because Wolf Alice aren’t just back with more music and a brand new but they’re playing a massive show right here in the city centre.
The beloved British alt and indie rock outfit is one of the most talented groups of musicians to come out of the country in some time, earning countless nods for their debut LP and winning the Mercury Prize award for their sophomore outing back in 2018.
Now eyeing up album number four and having dropped a smash-hit first single, which has already been met with even more acclaim (why break the habit of a lifetime?), they’ve got us even more excited with the announcement of a huge headline date here at the AO Arena.
The Clearing for the amount of limbs in that standing section couldn’t be big enough.
Set to return to Yorkshire later this year as part of the touring cycle for their long-awaited studio comeback, The Clearing, the Wolf Alice Manchester gig is one of a select few UK arena dates confirmed, such as an equivalent over at Leeds’ first direct arena.
The four-piece, fronted by Ellie Roswell, will also be playing a handful of intimate domestic shows.
Due for release on August 29, 2025, we already know the next project is going to be another brilliant entry by the multi-BRIT and NME Award winners.
Written in their native district of Seven Sisters in North London and recorded in LA with Grammy-winning producer Greg Kurstin, the album is being branded a “bold, emotionally rich evolution of their sound.”
“It’s a record that radiates ambition, confidence, and an unfiltered sense of self—arguably their most cohesive and timeless work to date.”
Better still, to help support the grassroots venues that helped them while coming up, £1 of every ticket from this show and other domestic arena shows on the soon-to-be fully confirmed European tour will be donated to fundraising efforts.
What do you make of their new direction?
General admission tickets for Wolf Alice at AO Arena are available on Friday, 23 May from 10am.
It goes without saying that the demand for these things will be massive, so we’d get in that online queue as quickly as possible. The support act(s) haven’t even been revealed yet either.
You can also sort yourself out with exclusive early access by signing up for the AO pre-sale window on Wednesday, 21 May at 5pm; Three Mobile members will have an earlier opportunity also from 10am earlier the same day.
Get ready to grab your tickets for Friday, 28 November HERE.
A popular festival full of pop-up live music, performance, food, drink, and family fun is back in Swinton later this month.
Returning to the Salford town for the third year running at some of Swinton’s favourite venues and well-known locations, Swinton Sounds – which is a collaboration between Salford City Council and From The Other – is all about celebrating the local area and its vibrant community.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians and DJs in a programme curated by the team behind the Sounds from the Other City festival.
Local venues including Swinton Grand Palais, The Swinton Hop House, and The Wobbly Stool, as well as Swinton Square, and the beautiful Victoria Park, are just some of the places residents can head to around town to catch all the action.
Swinton Sounds is back later this month / Credit: Salford City Council
Kicking off on Friday 30 May and running through to Sunday 1 June, Swinton Sounds will launch at the historic Grand Palais with a dancefloor-filling set from Untold Orchestra, with unique takes on dance songs from all the best decades, so expect disco, funk, soul, and lots of shuffle-inducing surprises.
Some of the other stand-out musical performances across the weekend come from the likes of Soul artist Yemi Bolatiwa, Ghana-born, Manchester-raised contemporary guitarist and composer Rory A. Green, and R&B, Gospel, and Neo Soul fusing singer-songwriter Kiké.
Away from the music, festivalgoers will also be able to catch a visually-striking performance piece from the UK’s leading makers and creators of outdoor arts, theatre, and spectacle in the public realm, Walk the Plank – inspired by the nesting birds found around the waterways of Salford.
Throughout the weekend, local venues will welcome a lineup of Greater Manchester’s best musicians / Credit: Supplied
Craft-based family fun will also be provided by Manchester’s Little Artists, while Swinton’s-own Arts Let Loose will be inviting kids to dance and create to music under UV lights.
Clay and craft workshops for the all the family will come courtesy of Clay Life, and Salford Mad Pride will be in town to promote creativity, arts, nature, and community connection for wellbeing, all while celebrating the unique talents of those who struggle with mental health.
If you’re feeling a bit peckish, Fratellis will be providing the pizza, and local bars, The Wobbly Stool and The Swinton Hop House will be running pop-up bars.
Further refreshments will be served from The Hive community hub.
There’ll also be lots of food and family-friendly entertainment over the three days / Credit: Supplied
“Swinton has plenty to celebrate, and has the potential to be one of the best places to live in Greater Manchester,” commented Councillor Jack Youd, who is the Deputy City Mayor at Salford City Council.
“Local people have told us they want to see a more vibrant Swinton, with more going on and more reasons for people to visit and spend their leisure time in the area, so this exciting weekend of activities is part of a programme of events developed in response to that community ambition, and it’s a great opportunity for people to explore the town and experience something new.”
Swinton Sounds will take over Swinton for three days at the end of this month from Friday 30 May – Sunday 1 June, and all events are free to take part in.
Daisy Jackson -
6th April 2023 
