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Tom Grennan confirmed as latest Castlefield Bowl act for Sounds of the City 2024
If you were wondering who the next artist was going to be, you just found what you've been looking for.
Indie pop favourite Tom Grennan has become the latest artists confirmed for next year’s Sounds of the City festival at Castlefield Bowl, set to play the large outdoor space on 7 July 2024.
The Bedford-born singer-songwriter has come along from playing small venues across the country and featuring on the FIFA soundtrack way back in 2017 and is now a chart-topping musician with two number-one albums to his name.
With that in mind, following his first successful run of headline UK arena shows back in March — which included a sold-out crowd at the AO here in Manchester — Grennan is now set to play the mighty Castlefield Bowl for the very first time as part of Sound of the City 2024.
Joining the likes of Hacienda Classical, made up of legendary Manc DJs Graeme Park, Mike Pickering and the Manchester Camerata, as well as electronic duo Jungle, the 28-year-old is just the third act to be confirmed for next year’s already impressive festival lineup.
Playing an identical show for Leeds’ parallel festival in Millenium Square on Saturday, 6 July, the two dates follow the announcement of his biggest-ever UK headline show to date, set to take
place at London’s Gunnersbury Park on Saturday, 10 August 2024. He’s even got Blossoms supporting.
Now a BRIT and Ivor Novello-nominated artist, not to mention a current number-one holder with his recently released third studio album, What Ifs & Maybes, it’s safe to say he’s flying high at the minute.
What better way to toast his success than with another sell-out Manc show — at the one and only Castlefield Bowl no less?
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Tickets go on sale at 9:30am on Friday, 6 October and given how big this lad has gotten over the past couple of years, we’d recommend you be quick because they’re going to go even quicker.
Selling over 180,000 tickets throughout his previous UK tour, the roughly 8,000 tickets that’ll be made available for this one, so best of luck if you’re a fan looking to get your hands on one.
When the time comes, you can try and grab yours from Gigs and Tours.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Image — Tom Grennan/@nicholasodonnell (via Instagram)
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James Blunt announces huge Manchester gig on new European arena tour
Daisy Jackson
Singer-songwriter James Blunt is heading back out on tour next year, and has announced a massive Manchester gig as part of his run of arena shows.
The singer, perhaps best-known for his iconic 2005 pop ballad ‘You’re Beautiful’, is hitting the road again in 2027.
The newly-announced European tour is in celebration of his new album Airplane Mode, which is set for release this autumn.
James Blunt will kick off his tour in Leeds next spring, before heading over for a night at the almighty Co-op Live in Manchester.
Then he’ll head to more cities including Newcastle, Birmingham and London.
His new album, Airplane Mode, is being released on 6 November and will, according to his press release, be ‘exhilarating’.
James has already released the first single, ‘Tastes Like Summer’, and ‘Weight Of It All’, with 10 more songs to come on the record.
Airplane Mode was recorded with James’ brilliant long-standing live band, who’ll be back on tour with him next year.
Speaking of the new album, and recording in Pig Music Studios, he said: “Somewhere back there, I lost my way, but found it again in a studio in Banbury.”
James Blunt will be at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester on 3 April, 2027. Tickets go on sale from 10am on 9 September.
James Blunt UK and Ireland 2027 tour dates
- 26 March – Leeds
- 27 March – Birmingham
- 28 March – Newcastle
- 30 March – Dublin
- 31 March – Belfast
- 2 April – Glasgow
- 3 April – Manchester
- 4 April – London
- 6 April – Cardiff
- 7 April – Bournemouth
- 8 April – Brighton
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Featured image: Supplied
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Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
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The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE
Featured Image: @samserved (via Instagram)
Danny Jones -
2nd October 2023 
