Kendrick Lamar crashed the internet this morning when he dropped his new album Mr Morale and the Big Steppers.
Now it looks like he might be about to crash it again.
The Californian rap superstar has confirmed he will be performing across the globe as part of his Big Steppers World Tour, and Manchester is lucky enough to be getting a visit.
Fans will be treated to the artist’s first live performance in four years when Kendrick returns to the city in November.
One of just seven planned stops on the UK leg of his tour, he will appear in Manchester on 16 November for one night only before jetting off abroad.
With support from Baby Keem and Tanna Leone, Kendrick will take his latest thorny opus – a double album that features everyone from Kodak Black to Sampha and Portishead’s Beth Gibbons – out on the road later this year.
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Image: Spotify
Tickets will go on general sale from Friday 20 May at 10am via livenation.co.uk
Kendrick Lamar’s last album DAMN debuted at No. 1 in the US and managed to go triple platinum in just over a year, which is no mean feat.
Understandably there has been a huge amount of anticipation surrounding his new release, which finally dropped today leaving fans across the globe reeling.
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The Pulitzer prize-winning rapper’s fifth album has a lot to live up to, even more so as his last planned release with longtime label Top Dawg Entertainment.
Described as a “deeply uncomfortable” work byPitchfork Media, it has already spurred fans online to create somewhat patronising guides on how best to listen to the album.
The full set of UK tour dates for the Big Steppers World Tour are as follows:
Wed Nov 02– Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro Thu Nov 03 – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena Fri Nov 04 – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena Sat Nov 05 – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena Mon Nov 07 – London, UK – The O2 Tue-Nov 08 – London, UK – The O2 Wed Nov 16 – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
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.
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.
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.
Georgina Pellant -
16th May 2022 
