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Sophie Ellis-Bextor is switching on the lights at this year’s Blackpool Illuminations

The performance from Sophie Ellis-Bextor comes fresh off the back of her recent Worthy Farm set at Glastonbury.

The Manc The Manc - 14th August 2023

Popstar Sophie Ellis-Bextor is switching on the lights at this year’s Blackpool Illuminations, it has been confirmed.

The Murder On The Dancefloor singer will perform on the Tower Festival Headland on Friday 1 September, before pulling the switch to trigger the magic Christmas lights switch on that thousands look forward to each year.

Her special appearance will mark the crescendo of a day full of events that will also include a Nickelodeon float parade, live entertainment, a light show, and fireworks.

Sharing the news online this afternoon, the Visit Blackpool tourist and marketing board tweeted: “Delighted to announce Sophie Ellis Bextor is this year’s Switch-On star, who will perform an exclusive set and turn on the iconic Blackpool Illuminations on Friday 1 September!”

Fans of the star have been quick to react, with one person replying: “I am literally soooo happpyyyy”

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The performance from Sophie Ellis-Bextor comes fresh off the back of her recent Worthy Farm set at Glastonbury, which saw her take over a Sunday afternoon slot on the Pyramid Stage.

However, fans were left outraged when her Glastonbury set wasn’t shown during live coverage on BBC One or uploaded to iPlayer afterward.

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Image: Wikipedia

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As a result, it seems like the opportunity to see her in Blackpool has left followers more excited than ever at another chance to see the singer in action.

Sophie Ellis Bextor first shot to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of the indie rock band Theaudience, before achieving success as a solo artist in the early noughties with the hit single Murder On The Dancefloor.

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She has since released a total of seven UK albums. Her music is a mixture of mainstream pop, disco, nu-disco, and 1980s electronic influences, with Bextor being adopted in recent years as a favourite of the LGBTQIA+ community.

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Featured image – Wikimedia Commons

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Olivia Dean at Albert Hall – star stuns in every way in Manchester

Abbie Bartlett Abbie Bartlett Olivia Dean at Albert Hall in Manchester with stunning silk silver dress on and six person band

24-year-old neo soul singer Olivia Dean was in Manchester last night performing her Mercury prize-nominated album effortlessly with a voice and style made for the stage.

Fans of the star have watched her go from strength to strength over the past year, from being nominated for three Brits, performing at Coachella and now preparing for this year’s Glastonbury festival.

As someone who frequents gigs like they’re going out of fashion, it’s a bold statement but I think this may be one of the best I’ve ever experienced, and Olivia Dean can only be described being a star.

Before we dive into the performance, it’s only fair to take a minute to shoutout what an incredible venue for music the Albert Hall is. The former Methodist hall projects and echos acoustics perfectly and the raised stage and balcony area mean everyone in the building has a good view.

It’s no surprise that given her recent success the show at the Albert Hall was a complete sell-out, appearing on stage in a stunning floor-length silk dress the sea of fans filled the venue with admiring applause.

Olivia looked stunning in a floor length dress.
The crowd was mesmorised.

With a seven-piece band behind her, the star jumped straight into an atmospheric UFO before a cheery ‘How are we Manchester?’ and raising a can of Red Stripe. She quickly follows with Ok Love You Bye – a track that gets the whole crowd singing along and contemplating their past love decisions (maybe that last bit was just me).

The singer seamlessly glided through her set with ease, tambourine in hand, wowing fans with gorgeous melodies and relatable lyrics.

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Gracefully sitting at the piano the room fell to silence as we heard Everybody’s Crazy and I Could Be a Florist, I’d predict I wasn’t the only person crying at this point.

As the evening rolled on and the songs kept coming the genuine talent Olivia has, not just as a singer but as a lyricist, had the crowd hooked on her every word. Of course she ends with Dive, the standout track from the album that perfectly depicts how it feels to fall in love.

Olivia Dean 2024 setlist

  1. UFO 
  2. Ok Love You Bye
  3. Echo
  4. Danger
  5. Cross My Mind
  6. Be My Own Boyfriend 
  7. What Am I Gonna Do on Sundays?
  8. No Man 
  9. Messy
  10. Touching Toes 
  11. Everybody’s Crazy 
  12. I Could Be a Florist 
  13. Ladies Room 
  14. Reason to Stay 
  15. The Hardest Part
  16. Carmen

Saying her goodbyes with a ‘I’ve had such a lovely evening’ and telling the crowd how happy she is to be back home in the UK after recent shows in America.

Experiencing Olivia Dean at Albert Hall felt genuinely special, the star is destined for a life time of deserved fame but her voice was made to be experiences in an intimate venue. The opportunity to enjoy her talent in such a perfect venue was nothing short of a divine evening.

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2024 Manchester Marathon raises £29 million for local economy and over £3.7m for charity

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester Marathon raises millions for city economy and local charity

Just under a fortnight on from the 2024 Manchester Marathon and the numbers are finally, with the annual race generating nearly £30 million for the local economy and raising over £3.7m for charity.

This year’s Adidas Manchester Marathon saw record numbers of runners and spectators as over 30,000 took part in the popular race, up by roughly 6,000 from 2023, and more than 125k turned up to line the streets of Greater Manchester.

As a result, these huge crowds spent upwards of £29.2 million at business around the city centre and around the 10 boroughs last weekend, serving as one of the most significant contributions to the local economy on the annual calendar.

Not only was this an approximately £8m increase on last year’s tally but, most importantly, a sizeable chunk of that went straight into both regional and national charities.

The 2024 adidas Manchester Marathon was a spectacular day for the city and its economy.

Beyond the boost to local vendors, the hospitality sector and retail businesses, over £3.7 million were allocated to charities such as Alzheimer’s Charity, Cancer Research UK, British Heart Foundation and The Christie. 

Over £32,000 was also raised for the Trafford Active Fund, with £1 from every paid entry to the Adidas Manchester Marathon and Manchester Half donated directly to the initiative that benefits local sports clubs and organisations through Trafford Council.

Better still, with City of Trees selected as the chosen ‘Green Runner’ charity, the eco-friendly drive saw roughly 7% of participants opt out of receiving either a finisher t-shirt, medal or both.

The money saved in production goes towards maintaining woodlands and wildlife across Greater Manchester.

Fundraising from the Manchester Marathon is one of it’s biggest upshots.

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This year’s Manchester Marathon also helped produce some of the highest number of passengers on public transport in the city’s history, with a over 175,000 journeys made on Metrolink alone – the highest number of journeys ever recorded on a single day.

This was a 20% increase on 2023’s race day (145k), spotlighting how the event continues to be more environmentally conscious as years go by.

With the 2025 adidas Manchester Marathon confirmed to be taking place on Sunday, 27 April next year – and over 12,000 places already sold – the city can already look forward to reaping the economic and social benefits of hosting one of Europe’s largest, flattest, friendliest and most-loved marathons. 

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Featured Images — Adidas Manchester Marathon/The Manc Group

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