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Stunning North West festival Highest Point adds more acts to huge line-up

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Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 9th February 2023

Highest Point festival has just added a raft of new artists to its line-up for its 2023 festival in the grounds of Williamson Park.

Joining already-announced headliners Bastille, Anne-Marie and Hacieenda Classical will be the likes of Sub Focus, Sigma, Friendly Fires and Freya Ridings.

Half of the Highest Point tickets have already sold even before the Lancashire music event dropped the full line-up for its weekend of music, food and activities.

Set to take place between 11 and 13 May, the festival will bring together more than 100 artists and some of the biggest names from pop, indie, funk and soul.

Joining the line-up this week was Lost Without You singer Freya Ridings, just in time to debut her new album Blood Orange.

Dance floor icon and Coronation Street legend Craig Charles is also joining the Highest Point bill with his Funk and Soul night, headlining The Woods stage.

Anne-Marie. Credit: Publicity picture
Bastille. Credit: Sarah-Louise Bennett
Freya Ridings. Credit: Publicity picture

Also added to the festival’s list of artists are indie band Friendly Fires, British drum and bass DJ duo Sigma, drum and bass legend Sub Focus, DJ Mag Breakthrough winners Girls Don’t Sync alongside the legend that is Skream, plus Manchester-based indie band, The Lottery Winners, known for their top 40 hits Young Love and Hawaii.

Hacienda Classical will open the festival on the Thursday night, with their first live performance since their sold out performance in 2018.

Bastille will also be taking to the main stage performing their hit singles like Pompeii and Happier on the Friday night.

Saturday night will be headlined by ten-time BRIT-Award nominee Anne-Marie, known for her chart-topping singles Ciao Adios and 2002.

Highest Point Festival
Highest Point Festival. Credit: Robin Zahler

Other acts joining the festival line-up include Radio 1’s Danny Howard & Charlie Tee, DJ Paulette, Gok Wan, House Gospel Choir, Elvis Fronted Nirvana, Toploader, General Levy and The Cuban Brothers with Guilty Pleasures taking over The Woods on the Saturday. Chris Hawkins (6 Music) will be hosting The Dell Inn, a pub in the woods, in collaboration with Manchester Union Brewery.

The Dell Inn, soon to be everyone’s favourite festival pub, will be the home of comedy, poetry slams and acoustic sets across the weekend, as well as opening its door, or branches, to some well-known stars. This is one of the many changes the festival has made this year as part of its ambitions to become bigger and better, as well as Bushrocker Hi-fi roots reggae takeover at the Waterfall and a new look to the much-loved Sundial stage.

Highest Point spans across six stages in the beautiful 54-acre grounds of Williamson Park, with music running alongside a premier regional street food and craft beer offering.

Festival Director, Jamie Scahill, said: “We are always looking for new ways to make Highest Point bigger and better every year so there will definitely be a few changes this year. The team behind the festival are working really hard to make this year the best one yet with new and exciting experiences added to the festival, as well as a much more diverse lineup of acts.”

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Tickets for Highest Point festival are available via Skiddle’s website, costing £145 per adult. Day tickets are also available from £39.50 per adult for Thursday, and Friday and Saturday tickets each costing £69.50 per adult.

HIGHEST POINT 2023 LINEUP

Hacienda Classical / Bastille / Anne-Marie
Arielle Free / A Little Sound / Charlie Tee / Chris Hawkins / Craig Charles / Cuban Brothers / Danny Howard / DJ Paulette / Elvana / Freya Ridings / Friendly Fires / General Levy / Girls Don’t Sync / Goddard / Gok Wan / Guilty Pleasures / House Gospel Choir / K-Klass / Lottery Winners / Skream / Sigma (DJ set) / Sub Focus (DJ set) / Toploader / Turno / AMA / Beth / Bklava / Buckrocker Hi-Fi / Eldon / Emily Makis / Funkademia / Ki Creighton / Matt Thiss / Matrefakt / Mike Garry / Murphys Law / Nathan X / Nico Balducci / Phoebe Hall / Pirate Copy / Sam Redmore with many more…

To buy tickets for Highest Point 2023, visit: skiddle.com/festivals/highest-point-festival

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Lewis Capaldi announces huge outdoor Manchester gig at Wythenshawe Park next summer

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Lewis Capaldi has announced a run of huge outdoor shows next summer, and he’ll be stopping off here in Manchester.

After unprecedented demand saw one of the biggest-ever rushes for tickets across both pre-sale and general sale earlier this year, Lewis Capaldi is currently blazing through a triumphant 200,000-ticket sold out 17-date UK arena tour as we speak – and is set to take to the Co-op Live stage for two huge Manc gigs this weekend.

But he shows no signs of slowing down soon, as he has today announced his biggest ever UK and Ireland headline gigs for next summer.

Wythenshawe Park is fast becoming one of Manchester‘s go-to outdoor gig venues, and Lewis’s visit next summer is only helping the reputation, as the Scottish 28-year-old will be headlining the park for one night only next August.

The announcement of the run of summer outdoor shows comes amid Lewis’s first return to touring in two years following his triumphant Glastonbury 2025 return after an extended break to take care of his mental health break, and following the release of his comeback track ‘Survive’, which shot to the top of the UK charts and became the fastest-selling single of 2025.

The response to Lewis’s current tour has been ‘electric’, according to critics, who have been unanimous in their praise for him.

Prior to his comeback, Lewis played a run of Scottish warm up shows in May that saw him return to the stage as a guest of mental health charity CALM, in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Week.

Lewis Capaldi – Summer Outdoor Gigs 2026

  • Wednesday 24 June – Marlay Park, Dublin
  • Friday 26 June – Thomond Park, Limerick
  • Sunday 28 June – TX Maxx presents Live at Powderham, Exeter
  • Tuesday 30 June – Blackweir Fields, Cardiff
  • Saturday 4 July – American Express presents Roundhay Festival, Leeds
  • Saturday 11 July – American Express presents BST Hyde Park, London
  • Thursday 20 August – Vital, Belfast
  • Saturday 22 August – Wythenshawe Park, Manchester

With no pressure and no level of expectation, the shows allowed Lewis the space to gauge his comfort and emotional response before returning to the spotlight – a move which ended up proving nothing short of a triumph.

Lewis Capaldi will be coming to Wythenshawe Park in Manchester on Saturday 22 August 2026, and tickets go on pre-sale this Thursday 18 September at 9am, before general sale commences the following day (Friday 19 September), again at 9am.

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Get your tickets here.

Featured Image – Supplied

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Manchester will host the 2026 MOBO Awards, with city-wide takeover planned

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The MOBO Awards are coming to Manchester

Manchester will be the host of the 2026 MOBO Awards for the very first time, as the influential awards heads north for its 30th anniversary celebrations.

The MOBO Awards are the biggest celebration of Black music and culture in Europe, and has travelled the length and breadth of the UK since 2009.

But this is the first time Manchester will have the honour of hosting the MOBO Awards, for an unforgettable night at Co-op Live of live entertainment, tributes, recognition and celebration.

It’s yet another major cultural event choosing our city and putting Manchester on a global stage, following the MTV EMAs last year, the upcoming Brit Awards, and the Chanel Metiers D’art show.

Set to take place on Thursday 26 March, the MOBO Organisation’s 30th anniversary celebrations will also include a city-wide takeover of the city.

MOBO is working with Manchester City Council to deliver the MOBO Fringe Festival, a week-long celebration of music, culture and creativity.

That’ll include industry panels, talent showcases, live performances, workshops, and loads more, all designed to engage the local community and the next generation of talent.

When a similar event was hosted in Newcastle last year, it attracted thousands of attendees and delivered an estimated £1m plus in combined economic and social impact for the city and wider North East region.

Manchester will host the 2026 MOBO Awards, with city-wide takeover planned
Scorcher at MOBO 2024. Credit: Nick Redman

MOBO will be welcoming back both Prostate Cancer UK and got2b as returning partners, with the former sponsoring the Best Male Act category, raising lifesaving awareness of Black men’s higher risk of prostate cancer and campaigning to fight health inequalities across the UK.

Kanya King CBE, founder and CEO of MOBO Group said: “For 30 years, MOBO has been more than an awards show – it has been a movement, shaping culture, championing creativity, and opening doors for generations of talent.

“This milestone is a reminder that when you celebrate culture, you don’t just preserve history – you shape the future.

“Three decades on, the MOBO Awards remain a powerful reminder of how music can inspire, unite, and transform lives. Manchester has always been a city of music and movement, and now, together with MOBO, we will write the next chapter of cultural history.”

Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “We’re honoured to have been chosen by MOBO to host their awards in what is such a special year for them as they mark an incredible 30 years of celebrating Black music and culture.

The MOBO Awards are coming to Manchester
The MOBO Awards are coming to Manchester

“As a proudly diverse city that is known the world over as a city of music, creativity and talent, the MOBOs and Manchester are made for each other.

“We have a lot of expertise as a city in delivering world class events with a global reach, and together with our partners at Co-op Live and across the city we’re determined to do everything we can to support MOBO in making sure next year’s event hits all the right notes and is the very best one yet.

“Recognising and supporting emerging talent and our grassroots music scene in Manchester is also really important to us and we’re looking forward to collaborating with MOBO on the MOBO Fringe Festival which is set to provide some amazing and unmissable opportunities for young musicians and others to gain experience, learn from, get involved in and enjoy.”

MOBO has been proudly celebrating and elevating Black music and culture for 30 years, across genres including rap, hip-hop, R&B, soul, grime, drill, gospel, jazz, reggae, African music, electronic, alternative, and beyond.

Notable winners over the years have included Stormzy, Little Simz, Rihanna, Central Cee, Beyonce, Jay Z, RAYE, and Janet Jackson, along with countless rising stars.

It’s expanded beyond music and celebrated excellence across the arts too, honouring talent including Idris Elba, Steve McQueen, and Damson Idris.

The MOBO Awards will take place in Manchester on Thursday 26 March 2026 at Co-op Live.

Fans can register now at mobo.com/awards to be the first in line for updates and priority access when tickets go on sale in December.

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Featured image: Nick Flynn

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