Still riding the high from their flawless performance at Neighbourhood Weekender last Sunday, indie four-piece The Lathums teased a very special announcement – and it didn’t disappoint.
On Monday, the band revealed they’ll be headlining the Empress Ballroom at Blackpool’s famous Winter Gardens on Saturday 9 April 2022 and tickets are on sale right now.
Performing beneath the delicate chandeliers and ornate ceiling of the world famous ballroom, the show is intended to be a ‘seaside celebration’ of the band’s stellar progress over the last two years.
Though, the choice of venue is no accident. They’ll be joining the ranks of fellow Manchester bands Oasis and The Stone Roses who have also performed in this iconic setting over the years – and not to mention the Rolling Stones, too.
But the boys are no strangers to Blackpool themselves. Their last visit in October 2020 was to play a unique live-streamed show in Blackpool Tower’s Circus Room. It pulled in more than 4,000 views and even got the band trending on Twitter.
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The Lathums played a special live-streamed gig at Blackpool Tower last year. Credit: The Lathums/Twitter
For this latest Blackpool date, they’ll have support from Jamie Webster. The singer-songwriter from Liverpool burst onto the scene with his debut album ‘We Get By’ last year, reaching number six in the Official UK Album Charts.
Jamie’s folk-fused style landed him the title of being the first ever number one in the Official UK Folk Charts, too.
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This Blackpool announcement also comes ahead of The Lathums’ debut album ‘How Beautiful Life Can Be’ which is due for release on Friday 24 September.
The band say the album is a story of resilience, youth, and a brother and sisterhood told through 12 uplifting and optimistic tracks. One of which lead singer Alex Moore wrote with his mum during lockdown.
We’ll have more on the album in the coming weeks. But for now, tickets for The Lathums Empress Ballroom show are on sale from today.
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It’s expected to sell out extremely quickly, so grab them quick here.
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For more Manchester music and events, head here and don’t forget to follow The Manc Audio to stay up to date.
Featured image: The Lathums
Music
Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to | November 2025
Danny Jones
Well, well, well – it’s nearly the end of the year, and we’re on to our second-to-last round of local music artists based in and around Greater Manchester that are getting us excited for this year.
2025 has been ‘the year’ of many bands, some of whom are still well and truly riding the wave of popularity from the previous calendar, to be honest. But it’s also been unreal for new releases and ones to watch.
Never more so than here in our region, as we Mancunians – whether through birth, relocation or eventual adoption (if you love this place, it’ll love you back) – remain the most prolific musical hub in the UK, perhaps on the planet.
Squirm at our sincerity/perceived hyperbole all you want; we mean it, and we have five more artist suggestions for you to prove it. Let’s get stuck in.
Greater Manchester music you need to check out
1. TTSSFU
We’re kicking things off in Wigan this month: the first of our monthly artist picks is the curiously named TTSSFU, which is the stage name of 21-year-old native, Tasmin Stephens. The guitarist for fellow local band, Duvet, this new project has quickly caught our attention for all the right reasons.
It’s been labelled as DIY shoegaze, and while we don’t disagree with the description one bit – even the fairly melancholic, introspective, longing, ‘tragic youth’ content of the lyrics sort of fit that mould – but it doesn’t quite do the heavily textured sonics and techniques justice.
While singles like ‘Forever’ feel more like a familiar indie-girl alt-pop track (it actually made us think of Hazel English meets Soccer Mommy, specifically), that’s one note in the wide wall of sound she builds in her recent release, Blown. We’d suggest ‘Call U Back’ and ‘Being Young’ as stops two and three.
Now, if it’s more of those shoegazey influences that you want, Pins have been going at it since 2011 and arguably feel a little less abstract/more subtle in their approach, but they still deserve way more credit for the nevertheless impressive and experimental work they’ve been doing in the genre for over a decade.
Hot Slick, which dropped during the pandemic, was their most electronic and quite literally digital outing to date, and while admittedly not our favourite, it did show they had plenty of room and keenness to push in different directions, and it looks like it could be paying off at the start of this next chapter.
They returned this past September with their newest single, ‘I’ll Be Yours’, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed diving back into their world and seeing what else they have in their locker. That mini-marching drum on its own has gotten stuck in our heads, but we still love listening to ‘LUVU4LYF’ and their tune with the one and only Iggy Pop. Yes, really…
There’s always something fascinating about musicians who’ve actually been around for donkey’s years but have never made little more than a relatively small catalogue, especially when they’re this good. Proud Mary should tell you everything you need to know from their name alone, but it comes in spades.
A Manchester-born blues and folk rock band formed in 1998, we’ll confess we never stray too far from their self-titled debut – which is now approaching its 25th anniversary and is delightful from start to finish – but there is still a very rich albeit short discography to be enjoyed here.
If you’re just looking for the most well-known tracks, you can’t go wrong with ‘Very Best Friend’, but we also like a couple from their last album, Songs From Catalina, like ‘Space and Places’, and ‘Hats Off’ could trick anyone into thinking it was classic bluegrass straight from Kentucky – only it’s Manc.
Never gets old this one.
4. pyncher
Our penultimate pick for November’s artists of the month is the promising alternative quartet, pyncher. We’d heard smatterings of them throughout this year, but having finally now sat with their debut album, Every Town Needs A Stranger, we’ve fallen headlong into a full-on love affair.
Starting out as another underground post-punk outfit looking to make their mark in an increasingly saturated sect of the current British alt-rock scene, it’s their punchy, straightforward but satisfyingly jangly, irreverent style that not only puts us in mind of contemporaries like Seb Lowe, but has totally won us over.
The swagger feels VERY rock and roll, the vocal delivery almost feels like it takes the piss out of polished singing, and as for recommendations, ‘Back to the Country’ is the perfect introduction to their sound; ‘Dirty Feet’ almost starts like an alternative guitar-driven skat and feels very post-modern, and ‘Steely Dan’ might be our most replayed song of the last few weeks full stop.
5. Still Blank
Lastly, we’re pleased to report that the Spotify algorithm properly did its job this time by suggesting not only related groups/similar-sounding acts on the artist’s radio, but actually giving us one that we became so quickly enamoured with that we dove right down deep into the rabbit hole.
We’re talking about Still Blank, whose unique blend of laid-back yet soulful vocals, layered guitars and pedals, with drowny ambience, nods to everything from The Durutti Column and Radiohead – ‘Arpeggi’, specifically – to early New Order and more, it’s a dreamy, synth-soaked mix we can’t get enough of.
Set up by multi-talented Jordy from Hawaii and guitarist Ben, who’s from right here in 0161, we could genuinely and wholeheartedly recommend every song on their debut record for a different reason. The more we listen to it, the more we struggle to land on any real semblance of our favourites; it’s nigh on impossible because.
Along with pyncher, this might be one of the most perfect debuts we’ve had the good fortune of coming across in god knows how long. For once, we’ll save you the lengthy, verbose descriptions – just listen to it and prepare to have little else in your ears for the foreseeable.
We hope you enjoyed this latest round-up of Greater Manchester music, both new and old, and you can rest assured we’ll be back again for one final edition for 2025 at the same time next month.
And, as always, please do give us your own suggestions in the comments, as we’re always on the lookout for exciting talents worthy of making the monthly Audio North list.
You can see who we picked out last month down below.
Evanescence announce biggest-ever Manchester gig
Danny Jones
Noughties rock chart regulars Evanescence have just revealed their biggest-ever date in Manchester, set to make their Co-op Live debut next year.
Famous for the go-to karaoke crowd pleaser and ever-anthemic ‘Bring Me To Life’, the American band, which began way back in 1994, are still going strong over three decades in.
With lead singer and keyboardist Amy Lee herself not only known for her incredible vocals, but a solo career that has seen her develop a fervent cult following of her own, they’ve remained a familiar name in the US and global rock scene ever since their 2003 debut album, Fallen.
Now well and truly veterans of the genre and the live touring circuit, Evanescence are returning to the UK for an extensive leg on the European tour, including their first Manchester gig since 2018. This is how they teased the announcement earlier this week:
The Arkansas-formed five-piece has seen multiple different lineup configurations over the years, with co-founder and renowned songwriter Ben Moody leaving right after that aforementioned first record, but they still nevertheless incredible live sets.
For instance, the last time they came to town was for their ‘Synthesis Live’ tour at the O2 Apollo, which saw them reimagine some of their biggest hits with a full orchestra and new electronic elements.
In truth, many come to see them live for Lee alone, but with contemporary pop-rock artist Poppy and alternative alt-rock rapper k.flay (real name Kristine Meredith Flaherty) joining them on the road, there’s all the more reason for even the most casual fans to come along for the ride.
This time around, though, British members of the ‘EvClub’ will have just four domestic opportunities to see them here at home, with us here in Manchester being joined only by Birmingham and London, as well as over in Leeds.
Our resident rock queen over at The Hootwill be buzzing. You know who you are…
They transformed the rock landscape with their blend of metal & symphonic, piano-driven melodies.https://t.co/9ynwATVg2B@coopuk members get first in line for tickets. Co-op Member Presale: 10:00 3 Dec General Sale: 10:00 5 Dec pic.twitter.com/ufEbjNLMK9
Thu, Oct 1 Barcelona, Spain – Palau Olimpic Badalona
Fri, Oct 2 Madrid, Spain – Palacio Vistalegre^
Sun, Oct 4 Lisbon, Portugal – MEO Arena^
As always with the leading indoor entertainment arena, official Co-op members can get in line first for early access from 10am this Wednesday, 3 December, whereas general sale will go live at the same time the following Friday (5 Dec).
The group has also partnered with PLUS1so that £1 from every ticket sold will support organisations providing humanitarian aid and medical relief to those in need around the world. Class.
You can get ready to grab your tickets for the first-ever Evanescence show at Co-op Live in Manchester next autumn right HERE.
Hannah Starkie -
10th September 2021 
