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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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Police tell gig-goers to ‘remain vigilant’ as Oasis Live ’25 hits Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Anyone lucky enough to be heading to Heaton Park for the Oasis Live ’25 gigs this summer is being told to ‘remain vigilant’.

Manchester is all set for a sensational summer of sound, as more than 300,000 music fans prepare to descend on our city to see a little-known band called Oasis (sarcasm detected) reform for the first time in over a decade.

And today is finally the big day after what has been a very long-time coming.

With the Gallagher brothers staging five nostalgia-drenched gigs at Heaton Park starting today (11 July), Greater Manchester Police (GMP) has now issued some important advice and information for gig-goers attending what is likely going to be one of the best live shows of their life, and what is sure to be a momentous moment for the city.

Stage times for Oasis at Heaton Park in Manchester have been confirmed
Oasis Live ’25 Manchester gig-goers told to ‘remain vigilant’ / Credit: The Manc Group | Simon Emmett (Publicity Picture)

GMP confirmed that it will be working with partners to ensure Oasis’ homecoming shows ‘pass by safely’ on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 July.

Planning has been underway within GMP over the past six months, alongside our partners at Manchester City Council, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), North West Ambulance Service (NWAS), Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), and many more.

Police officers will be present around the Heaton Park site, working with event security staff to ‘prevent crime and disorder’, while off-site patrols will also assist with traffic management and policing in the surrounding areas and the city centre.

Efforts are also underway to ‘minimise disruption’ in Manchester city centre and the surrounding areas, GMP confirmed.

“Our priority is to ensure everyone’s safety,” explained Assistant Chief Constable, Matt Boyle.

“We have worked closely with event organisers and partners to make sure the event is safe and enjoyable for those attending, whilst minimising any crime or antisocial behaviour impacts on local residents.

“We will have a large and highly visible policing operation in place in Heaton Park, the city centre, and on routes into and out of the venue to help people enjoy the event. We also have neighbourhood police officers and staff in place who are dedicated to dealing with local residents’ concerns. 

“Our advice to fans attending is to enjoy yourselves but to remain vigilant, keep your belongings safe, and report anything suspicious to police or security staff so we can act on it.”

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GMP’s advice follows of from Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) announcing its comprehensive transport ‘masterplan’ last week, and even more information being published earlier this week on all-important details such as expected stage times for the band and support acts, drinks prices, and hot weather warnings.

Heading to Oasis Live ’25? Everything you need to know about the gigs of the century is here.

The ULTIMATE guide to Oasis Live ’25 reunion tour at Heaton Park – tickets, times, setlist and more

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image – GMP

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Major Co-op Live concert cancelled with fans already inside venue

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Co-op Live is running a limited two-for-one offer on gig tickets

Major Co-op Live gig Jeff Lynne’s ELO has been cancelled this evening – after fans had already entered the venue.

Jeff Lynne’s ELO were set to perform the second of two nights at the huge Manchester venue tonight, as part of their final UK tour.

The Over and Out Tour should have been taking place on both the 9 and 10 July before heading to London’s BST Hyde Park Festival on Sunday.

But the show has been cancelled minutes before the legendary band were due to take to the stage.

Fans had already taken their seats inside the massive Co-op Live Arena when the news broke that the gig would not be able to take place ‘due to illness’.

77-year-old Jeff Lynne himself, who recently broke his hand in an accident, is said to be ‘devastated’ that he is unable to perform.

Jeff Lynne's ELO has been cancelled at Co-op Live
Jeff Lynne’s ELO has been cancelled at Co-op Live

A statement from the band said: “Unfortunately due to illness tonight’s (Thursday 10th July 2025) scheduled performance of Jeff Lynne’s ELO at the Co-Op Live will not be going ahead.

“Jeff is devastated he cannot perform this evening.

“More information will become available as soon as possible. For refunds please go to your point of purchase.”

According to fans, audiences inside Co-op Live were told the show was cancelled with just 45 minutes to go.

One person wrote: “The concert that never was. Cancelled with 45mins to go. Get well soon Jeff Lynne.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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