JLS have delighted fans with probably the best news they’ll hear all week by announcing a massive UK comeback tour later this year.
And of course, they’re paying a trip to visit us here in Manchester.
You may remember the popular 00s boyband’s tour in 2021 was hugely-successful and proved to be one of the hottest tickets in town, with the quartet playing a whopping 29 dates at arenas across the UK and Ireland to more than 350,000 people at sold-out shows – and when something was so good the first time round, they might as well have another crack at it, right?
Aston, Marvin, Oritsé, and JB are back this autumn for the ‘EVERYBODY SAY JLS: The Hits Tour’.
Kicking off in Dublin on 20 October, the lads will take to the stage in several major UK cities such as Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham, and Liverpool, before they make their way over to see us in Manchester at the AO Arena.
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Newcastle, Leeds, Sheffield, and Nottingham are some of the other cities on the list, as well as two nights in London at the O2 Arena.
The suspense is over… 😂 We couldn't be more excited to announce another UK and Ireland arena tour later this year🙌🏾🙌🏾 Last time out was totally surreal and we’ve been eagerly awaiting the right time to do it all over again!! https://t.co/uJhlPb03Ytpic.twitter.com/6VlGaIxTdf
After stealing hearts on ITV reality singing competition X Factor, finishing runners-up, JLS then broke through in 2009 in the biggest way possible as their debut single ‘Beat Again’ shot straight tonumber one on the UK Top 40.
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Their chart-topping success then continued with the follow-up singles ‘Everybody In Love’, ‘The Club Is Alive’, ‘Love You More’, and ‘She Makes Me Wanna’.
Another five top 10 hits, a self-titled number-one debut album, three more top-three records, two BRIT Awards, and five MOBO Awards all came, before they said goodbye with their 2013 ‘Greatest Hits’ album.
Not all goodbyes are forever though, as the lads continued their own successful careers outside of JLS, and remained the best of friends, before reuniting for the first time back in 2021.
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And now, it’s time for their second comeback in 2023.
🆕 // JUST ANNOUNCED
🎤🎤🎤🎤 @JLSOfficial are ready to 'Beat Again' at AO Arena in November!
“We couldn’t be more excited to announce another UK and Ireland arena tour,” the boyband said in a statement.
“Last time out was totally surreal and we’ve been eagerly awaiting the right time to do it all over again, as playing live and seeing our amazing fans is definitely the best part of being JLS.”
JLS will stop off at the AO Arena in Manchester on Thursday 2 November 2023 as part of the ‘EVERYBODY SAY JLS: The Hits Tour’.
Tickets will go on general sale from 9am on Friday 3 March, and you can grab yours here.
Featured Image – Mark Hayman
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James Arthur to play massive Manchester show on UK arena tour next year
Emily Sergeant
James Arthur is the latest act to announce a massive UK arena tour, and he’ll be paying a visit to Manchester next year.
On the day that Manchester’s newest live entertainment arena,Co-op Live, is set to welcome one of the world’s current biggest pop star, Sabrina Carpenter, another major pop act is set to take to that very same stage around this time next year, as James Arthur has today announced a huge arena tour.
The former X Factor winner is heading out on an 11-date tour of the UK in early 2026, and that includes a visit to our city in mid February.
After performing in some of the UK’s biggest cities in the days prior – including London’s O2, the bp pulse LIVE in Birmingham, and shows in other northern cities such as Sheffield and Liverpool – the will 37-year-old singer-songwriter will stop off Manchester to close out his impressive tour.
He’ll be performing at Co-op Live on Saturday 21 February 2026.
The announcement of next year’s UK tour next year’s coincides with the upcoming release of Arthur’s highly-anticipated next studio album, PISCES.
In recent years, Arthur has cemented himself as one of the biggest names in contemporary pop and soul, amassing 11 Platinum hit singles, more 38 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and two UK number one albums along the way – including his most recent release, Bitter Sweet Love, which was celebrated with a sold-out UK and Europe arena tour, culminating in a historic performance in his hometown of Middlesbrough to an audience of 25,000 fans.
James Arthur UK arena tour dates 2025
3 February – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
4 February – Glasgow OVO Hydro
6 February – Newcastle Utilita Arena
7 February – Aberdeen P&J Live
10 February – Birmingham bp pulse LIVE
11 February – Bournemouth International Centre
13 February – Sheffield Utilita Arena
14 February – Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
16 February – Cardiff Utilita Arena
18 February – London The O2
21 February – Manchester Co-op Live
James Arthur is playing a massive Manchester show on his UK arena tour next year / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
With the upcoming release of PISCES on 25 April, Arthur is said to be ‘diving deeper into his personal struggles’ to create a collection of songs that is ‘as introspective as it is sonically adventurous’.
Tickets to James Arthur’s 2026 UK arena tour, including the Manchester Co-op Live gig on Saturday 21 February, go on pre-sale next Wednesday 19 March at 9am, and then on general sale on Friday 21 February at 9am.
Find out more and get tickets when they go on sale here.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
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Popular Manchester comedy festival returns with impressive lineup of local talent and ‘cult sensations’
Emily Sergeant
A popular comedy festival is returning to our city with yet another impressive lineup of local talent and ‘cult sensations’.
That’s right… some of the UK’s best comedy names are coming to Manchester.
Following the success of events held the last two years, renowned production company, A Lovely Time, has once again put together an absolutely jam-packed lineup of television names, internet sensations, hotly-tipped newcomers, and even critically-acclaimed comedians for a weekend full of comedy shows in the heart of the city centre.
Taking place at Fairfield Social Club – which is tucked away down at the Green Quarter – the weekend-long festival, aptly called A Lovely Weekend, will kick off on Friday 6 June.
You can expect three full days of laughter at the hands of an expertly-curated lineup, who’ll mostly be staging ‘work in progress’ shows and sets.
Popular comedy festival A Lovely Weekend is returning to Manchester this summer / Credit: Kristyna Baczyna | Caro Ferretti
This year’s festival is bringing 19 new shows to the mix, including the likes of Edinburgh Comedy Award winners John Kearns and Jordan Brookes, and local talent done-good Rachel Fairburn and Josh Jones, as well rising stars Sharon Wanjohi, Ayoade Bamgboye, and Molly McGuinness.
Plus, you can also catch cult sensations like Mark Silcox and the formidable Frankie Monroe, making for a truly unmissable weekend of comedy.
“It’s such an honour to bring this amazing lineup of comedians to Manchester, which is quickly becoming the most exciting city for comedy in the UK,” commented festival organiser John Stansfield ahead of this summer’s event.
Co-organiser Chris Cantrill, who is also a comedian himself, added: “As a comedy fan I have to say I cannot wait for this year’s festival. It feels positively decadent.”
A Lovely Weekend 2025 will take over Fairfield Social Club from Friday 6 – Sunday 8 June, and tickets are on sale now – with tickets to individual shows, and specific day and weekend-long passes all available to get your hands on.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd February 2023 
