The Stone Roses at Heaton Park. Image: Gigs and Tours
They can take away our pubs, gyms and cinemas. But one thing’s for certain, they can’t take away our music. And definitely not our memories.
Life’s hard at the min, right? That’s why it’s good to reminisce about the good times.
With such a rich creative history, it’s no surprise Manchester has been home to some of music’s greatest moments.
During a time when everyone is revelling in nostalgia – craving for live music – we’ve decided to look back at some of the most iconic gigs to grace the Manc stage.
The Beatles at the Oasis Club – 1962
Beatles ticket. Image: MDM Archive
The Oasis Club gig in 1962 was the first professional scheduled gig outside of Merseyside that The Beatles ever performed.
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They’d visited Manchester before, but this was the first time on official band business.
An entry ticket cost the equivalent of £3.60 in old money.
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Just before the gig, their new manager gave them a swift rebrand. He chucked out their scruffy jeans and leather jackets and got the boys suited and booted and looking the part – just as we recognise them now.
The owner of the Oasis Club at the time claims she doesn’t even remember the band. Back then, they were just another group of lads to play at the club.
Little did she know she’d helped plug the band’s success.
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David Bowie at B&Q – 1972
The Hardrock flyer
Okay, okay, it wasn’t a B&Q at the time. But let’s agree it’s an amusing thought.
Bowie played on the opening night of The Hardrock in Stretford, just around the corner from Morrissey’s house.
The venue was turned into the DIY store in later years. Now, the site on Greatstone Road is derelict.
Oddly enough, David Bowie died in the same month that the B&Q closed down in January 2016.
The Sex Pistols at the Lesser Free Trade Hall – 1976
The Sex Pistols at the Lesser Free Trade Hall
This Sex Pistols gig has been widely documented as changing the UK music scene forever.
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Only 40 people attended the show at the Lesser Free Trade Hall. Amongst the 40 people was a lesser known Morrissey, now with fire in his belly. He formed The Smiths shortly after.
Elsewhere in the crowd was a young Peter Hook who decided to form the band Joy Division that very night.
The bunch of students that organised the gig were also left wanting more. They got to work on forming their own band, Buzzcocks, after first seeing the Pistols.
Six weeks later, Ian Curtis, the Fall’s Mark E. Smith and a pre-Factory Records Tony Wilson all attended a second Sex Pistols show. They caused more ripples in this thriving local music scene that night.
To think, without the Pistols we could be without the Madchester scene that helped shape the city…
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True, some say Sex Pistol’s Johnny Rotten experienced a slight fall from grace owing to his Country Life butter adverts a few years ago. But we’ll let that slide.
Madonna at The Hacienda – 1984
Madonna at the Hacienda
This was Madonna’s first appearance in the UK. It was recorded live and broadcast on The Tube, a popular rock music TV show at the time. In the performance, Madonna can be seen prancing around the dancefloor between the iconic hazard painted pillars.
But some say that the pop star was actually shit. There were even accusations that she mimed. Her pop sound, flailing arms and swinging hips were lost on the punk rock music lovers in the crowd.
She left the venue shortly after her performance, despite reports that she was asked to sing again later in the evening. Wrong crowd. Sorry, Madge.
But the wider UK public received the performance well.
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Despite flopping with the Hacienda heads, Madonna has gone on to become one of the biggest pop stars in history. Props to her.
The Stone Roses at Heaton Park (The Reunion Tour) – 2012
The Stone Roses at Heaton Park. Image: Gigs and Tours
This iconic tour was the homecoming for The Stone Roses, nearly 20 years after their last tour.
They played three dates at Heaton Park in June and July 2012.
The shows became the fastest-selling rock gigs in UK history. A massive 150,000 tickets for the initial two shows sold out in 14 minutes.
Demand was that high that they added a third date to the bill straight away.
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This took ticket sales to 220,000 in just 68 minutes.
One Love Manchester at Old Trafford Cricket Ground – 2017
One Love Manchester. Image: Getty Images/Dave Hogan
The fundraising concert One Love Manchester was held two weeks after the Manchester Arena bombing where 22 lives were taken and 500 people were injured.
55,000 people attended the gig and more than £17m was raised through donations, ticket sales and fundraising.
Performances from Take That, Coldplay, Liam Gallagher, Black Eyed Peas and Justin Bieber were broadcast all around the world, along with video messages from other notable musicians such as Paul McCartney, U2, Rita Ora and Chance the Rapper.
It was the perfect tribute to the lives lost.
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What was the most iconic gig of your life? Let us know!
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A 5k charity event where runners dress up as Pitbull is coming to Manchester city centre
Danny Jones
Yep, you read it right the first time – a regular 5k charity run returns to Manchester this month, only this time, those taking part will be dressed up as Pitbull for some reason…
Don’t ask us, we just thought it was funny and it’s for a good cause, so why the hell not?
For a little context, this is the latest idea from Slow Run Club: a local running organisation that takes place weekly at three different locations across Greater Manchester.
We know ‘Mr Worldwide’ himself has been and gone, having played a couple of nights in Manchester earlier this year, but these lot have decided two nights of yelling ‘Timberrrr’ still wasn’t quite enough and asking those joining the October fundraising 5k to dress up like the one and only Pitbull.
In case you missed it when ‘Dale’ fever took over the city streets this past summer, bald caps, sunglasses, black felt goatees and drawn-on moustaches descended upon central Manchester as they have been all over the UK and beyond for his live shows.
Was it utterly daft? Yes. Was it still one of THE best gig crowds we’ve seen in yonks? Absolutely.
The 44-year-old Floridian rapper and resurgent pop star played multiple nights at the Co-op Live, and they were brilliant, but we’re not going to pretend that the best wasn’t seeing the sea of shiny bald heads and shades in suits and ties.
It’s rare that you see such a shared moment of abandoning inhibitions and embracing the silliness; it was genuinely so great to see, and it’s that same energy that these guys are trying to tap into. Put simply, it’s about letting go and dancing like no one’s watching.
Teaming up with fellow charity-focused running group, Run The Streets MCR, Slow Run Club (SRC)’s Pitbull fancy-dress-themed run is just the latest in a growing trend of alternative ways to get some exercise in.
After you’ve gone all ‘305’ at the Pitbull run, these Manchester runners are worth looking into as well.
Having done everything from the regular fancy dress Halloween runs to Oasis, Sabrina Carpenter, ABBA-themed runs, and many more, you’d be surprised how much you don’t care about what people think when you’re running around and dancing to tunes – especially when it’s for charity.
Once again, the Slow Run Club x Run The Streets MCR ‘Pitbull Edition’ 5k charity run takes place this month on Wednesday, 22 October, from 6:30pm onwards outside The Tap House on Circle Square, just off the Oxford Road Corridor, before setting off at a laid-back social pace.
This is the same place and time you’ll find SRC’s city centre regular meet-up every week; speaking to The Manc, founder Holly Spiers said: “We run from The Taphouse every Wednesday (just not usually dressed as Pitbull) and offer an inclusive pace as well as rest stops.”
Speaking of fancy dress, if you haven’t seen the group of four mates who made history at the 2025 Manchester Half, stop what you’re doing and read this:
These legends set an incredibly fun, wholesome and amusing world record at this year's @ManchesterHalf – all whilst raising money for @andysmanclubuk. 👏
Courteeners set for huge hometown event at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester
Danny Jones
The latest artist due to play Wythenshawe Park has been announced, with hometown heroes Courteeners set to take the stage in Manchester.
Now that is a big booking.
The Middleton-formed Manc band remain one of the biggest contemporary names to come out of Greater Manchester, and having already played to record-breaking crowds at Heaton Park, Old Trafford, and most venues in the region over the last two decades, this is just the next one to tick off.
Better still, they’re bringing some brilliant acts along with them for Live From Wythenshawe Park 2026, with the one-day festival becoming more established every year.
Courteeners, Wythenshawe Park, Manchester. Saturday 29th August 2026 +special guests @thevaccines(performing debut album 'What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?' in full),@thecoralband,Getdown Services & Girl In The Year Above. Tickets:10am Friday 24th Oct https://t.co/AYk3UlTdlkpic.twitter.com/vQAw2ZEpd0
Who is supporting Courteeners at Wythenshawe Park?
As well as openers, Getdown Services and Girl In The Year Above, who’ll be representing Bristol and the Irish delegation respectively, there’s no chance of the warm-ups not doing their job before the headliners get underway.
The two big support acts scheduled to join the St. Jude stars for the massive outdoor gig are none other than Merseyside veterans, The Coral, as well as fellow indie favourites, The Vaccines.
Get. IN.
As if that lineup wasn’t already one of the best Live From Wythenshawe Park has seen to date, the latter are set to play their debut album, What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?, in full – 2026 marks a whole 15 years since it was first released, if you can believe that.
You won’t be surprised to hear that their headline UK tour celebrating the same milestone has sold out pretty much across the board, with a second Manchester date added AND now an extra chance to see them live supporting Courteeners.
General admission for the show goes on sale 10am on Friday, 24 October 2025, with tickets available via Gigs and Tours.com as well as Ticketmaster; Courtneers are also donating £1 from every ticket sold directly to the Music Venue Trust, the UK charity protecting and improving grassroots music venues.
That’s what we like to hear.
Contributions like this really do go on to help keep local venues open, support up-and-coming new artists on tour, not to mention it serves as an investment in the future of live music in what is an increasingly challenging industry.
With Courteeners set to follow another big and even more iconic indie rock band already confirmed, Live From Wythenshawe Park 2026 is shaping up nicely.
Hannah Starkie -
23rd September 2020 
