Local musicians can take half-price taxis home after their gigs in Manchester, thanks to a new partnership between GigPig and Uber.
The three-month pilot scheme, which has drawn support from Night Time Economy Adviser (and boss of Parklife and Warehouse Project) Sacha Lord, has been created to help late-night workers get home safely.
It follows on from the Get Me Home Safely campaign, which called for safe, affordable transport home, backed by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
That campaign initiated by Unite Union said that those who work late at night shouldn’t need to dip into their earnings just to get home at the end of the day.
The GigPig and Uber partnership will be available to all artists registered on the GigPig platform in the city, offering 50% off rides home when performing at gigs that finish after 11pm.
It’s hoped it will save them thousands of pounds in transport costs.
Live music marketing platform GigPig has partnered with more than 750 artists and facilitated hundreds of gigs int he city each week.
A three-month pilot scheme offering local musicians half price transport home after late-night gigs is being launched in Manchester, thanks to a partnership between live music marketplace GigPig and Uber.
Two Manchester-based DJs have thrown their support behind the partnership. Joe Roche said: “Currently cash flow and cost issues for our sector are being felt across the board, and it’s nice to see GigPig identifying the issue and helping beyond the traditional means.
“This initiative addresses an all too familiar concern. There’s nothing worse than being on your feet for up to 14 hours on a Saturday doing consecutive gigs if you’ve got invoices which hadn’t been cleared beforehand – the walk home is completely out of the question and your bank balance is in bits. “
DJ Fry Ups, who secured a residency at Box in Deansgate via GigPig, added: “The majority of my gigs finish after 11pm, so I welcome this initiative. Not only will it help reduce costs but it’s also fantastic to know that myself and other artists will be able to get home via a trusted mode of transport afterwards.
“Safety and affordability are key considerations for me when taking on any gig and I know can be barriers for many others. I hope it’s the catalyst for more artists feeling confident to book even more gigs in the city.”
Michael Forster, CEO of GigPig, said: “At GigPig we support artists all the way. We know safety is a top concern for many artists and we’re pleased to be able to play our part in helping them access safe and affordable transport options home. The nature of gigging means that artists are often out late at night and we’re committed to implementing ways to support them to feel safe when travelling.
Incredible feedback from @djeeanmathews in response to our partnership with @Uber.
“Manchester has a vibrant night time economy which is dependent on artists performing in a variety of venues – footfall in bars, pubs, restaurants and clubs are all boosted by live music. We are sure this pilot partnership will be well received by the artists who are doing a brilliant job entertaining audiences across the city.”
Andrew Brem, General Manager, Uber UK said: “We are delighted to be partnering with GigPig to help its music artists get home after late night concerts and gigs. Safety is a top priority for Uber, and with millions of trips happening regularly on our platform across the UK, we want to help everyone, no matter where they are going, get home at the touch of a button.”
Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, added: “Manchester has recently been crowned the UK’s Capital of Nightlife, by the Sunday Times. We’ve always been proud of our music scene and the city is known for it, globally.
“I’m delighted to support the incredible initiative and partnership between GigPig and Uber. We need to support our up and coming artists, to which the expense of travel can be a barrier. This initiative will pave the way for the next generation of artists.”
The GigPig platform, which gives artists free access to find, play and get paid for gigs in venues of all sizes across the UK, represents more than 3,000 live music performers and more than 750 in Manchester alone.
If the pilot scheme in Manchester is successful, it will be rolled out to all 12 major cities where GigPig operates across the UK.
Featured image: Unsplash
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Manchester crowned one of the world’s best cities for music lovers
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has been crowned one of the world’s best cities for music lovers, even beating out New York along the way.
If there’s one thing Manchester is known and loved for over anything else, it’s music.
From Oasis and Joy Division, to Happy Mondays, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, The 1975, and even more modern-day acts, there’s no end to the amount of talented artists this city has produced or been home to over the years, all contributing to Manchester being one of the most prestigious music cities there is.
The city’s live music scene has always been thriving, and that continues right through to this very day, as you’ll see big-name musicians including Manchester as a destination in their UK tour schedules more often than not.
This summer is all set to be a sensational celebration of sound, as not only is an immersive art trail, Music for the Senses, taking over the city from this week, but this year’s annual Manchester Day will be music-themed too, marking one of the biggest years for Manchester music in a long time.
Manchester has been named one of the best cities in the world for music lovers / Credit: Manchester City Council | Eldhose Kuryian (via Unsplash)
Oh, and there’s also the small matter of Oasis reforming for a UK tour, including a run of gigs at Heaton Park this month.
So it’s no surprise that Manchester has been named one of the best cities in the world for music lovers, especially as the IFPI Global Music Report has revealed that the UK has the third largest music market globally – with the music industry’s contribution to the UK economy being £6.7 billion on average.
Taking this recent report into consideration, the experts over at SeatPick have collated data to uncover the best UK cities for music lovers, analysing factors such as the number of concerts, homegrown talents, music businesses, and the total number of music venues, to reveal each city’s overall music score out of 10.
Coming in at second place with a music scene score of 8.97/10 is Manchester.
2025 is all set to be a sensational summer of sound in our city / Credit: Supplied
“Manchester remains one of the UK’s most iconic music cities and with 1,204 concerts between 2025-2026, 116 live music venues, and 380 homegrown acts, the city’s live music offering is as strong as ever,” SeatPick said of its findings.
“2025 is shaping up to be a historic year for Manchester, with Oasis reuniting for the first time in over a decade, with a massive comeback show at Heaton Park – the very spot where they played their last hometown gig in 2009.”
While Manchester may have missed out on the UK’s top spot, with that title going to London, in the global rankings, our city has claimed an impressive sixth place, beating out New York’s influential music scene.
Liverpool and Leeds are two of the other northern cities in the UK’s top 10, taking fifth and sixth place respectively.
“Cities which have a larger number of music businesses are key in creating the perfect city for music fans, as this impacts the city’s cultural, economic, and social vibrancy,” explained Gilad Zilberman, who is the CEO of SeatPick.
“A thriving music scene within a city means it can provide more artistic expression, support a wider range of genres, and enrich the cultural landscape, as well as attracting creative talent.”
Featured Image – Alex Bracken (via Unsplash)
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British rock and mod icon Paul Weller stars in advert for new Oasis x Bohemians football kit
Danny Jones
The music and football shirt crossovers just keep coming thick and fast – and that’s just Oasis alone, as Bohemians FC have released a new collaboration with the legendary Britpop band, looping in none other than Paul Weller for the grand unveiling.
Bohemians share a strong connection with the Gallagher brothers due to their Irish roots, as do Manchester and the ‘Emerald Isle’ in general.
However, it doesn’t get much bigger than Oasis and with the Live ’25 reunion shows now just days away (we can hardly believe it either), Bohemians have decided to hop on the bandwagon too and steal some of that ‘band with the three stripes’ buzz for themselves.
Not to be too keen, but can we have 10 of them, please?…
Is this another instant hit? We’d say so, yeah.
Shot by Jamie Goldrick to the sound of cult favourite Definitely Maybe track, ‘Married with Children’, the Oasis x Bohemians kit reveal video was filmed at Cross Guns Snooker Hall: the oldest snooker club in Dublin City, which still remains an important community cornerstone.
As well as starring UK rock and mod culture icon, Paul Weller, perhaps the best bit about the FAI Cup shirt and this whole partnership is the charitable element behind it.
Just like with their Fontaines shirt, which helped supply medical aid across Palestine, the limited edition jersey will help generate crucial money for two key causes.
The first of which is the domestic non-profit organisation, Music Generation Ireland, the country’s national music education programme, which helps children and young people access vocal and instrumental tuition locally.
Secondly, funds will also be diverted to the Irish Community Care Manchester, located along Stockport Road in Levenshulme – further strengthening the mutual support between us Mancs and our cousins across the water.
You can get a close look at the Oasis x Bohemians kit design down below.
A closer look at our 2025 FAI Cup Shirt, a very special partnership with Oasis.
— Bohemian Football Club (@bfcdublin) July 1, 2025
The special edition and highly exclusive shirt is already available, with stock already disappearing rapidly thanks to Bohs die-hards, Oasis fans and footy kit connosieurs alike.
With the Burnage boys getting their seismic comeback shows underway with two nights at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff this Friday and Saturday (4-5 July), before heading for a double bill at Croke Park in Dublin this August, the excitement across the globe is already palpable.
Every single teaser trailer and social media post sends fans bananas, and god knows what the scenes are going to be like when they finally head to Heaton Park for the run of five homecoming nights.
Daisy Jackson -
16th June 2023 
