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Take That announce FOUR massive gigs at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena

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Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 22nd September 2023

Take That are back and they’re heading out on a massive UK tour next year, with not one but FOUR Manchester dates on the lineup.

The beloved Manchester boyband are absolutely no strangers to some of our city’s biggest stages, with several record-breaking tours having taken place within the past few decades – but now, the lads are back at it again and have just been revealed as the latest headliners in the Co-op Live’s massive opening season next year.

Eagle-eyed fans will know the band have been teasing their return for a little while now, and just yesterday, light projections of their iconic logo was beamed onto venues all around the UK to signal an announcement was imminent.

The Co-op Live was one of the venues to get itself a new Take That-themed accessory, so it wasn’t exactly hard to guess what was coming.

But what we didn’t know was that it wouldn’t just be one, but four massive Manchester dates.

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Take That’s 2024 ‘This Life On Tour’ tour has just been exclusively announced in the old-school way of live on BBC Radio 2 this morning – with Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, and Howard Donald all appearing on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show to confirm their long-awaited return.

It’s not just a tour the trio’s announced either, as they’ve also just put out a brand-new single today too, titled ‘Windows’.

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The track sees them reunite for their first original composition in over five years, and is said to tell the story of “emerging from the darkness into the light”, as it signals a new chapter for one of Britain’s best-selling bands.

The lads say their new music is ushering-in a new Take That era brimming with “energy, creativity, and a continued desire to challenge and surprise”.

As Manchester‘s newest – and soon-to-be the UK’s largest – live entertainment arena nears closer to officially opening its doors and welcoming visitors, Co-op Live has been slowly revealing the music acts set to grace the stage as part of its huge launch season jam-packed full of events – with beloved US boyband Jonas Brothers announced as the first headlining act back in July, and Eric Clapton later confirmed for his first Manchester gig in a decade.

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Current US megastar Olivia Rodrigo also has two nights booked in, Irishman and former One Directioner Niall Horan will be taking to the stage, and fellow Mancs Simply Red are also making a special 40th anniversary return.

And now, it’s Take That’s turn.

Take That will be taking to the stage at Co-op Live on 7, 8, 10 and 11 May 2024 as part of the ‘This Life On Tour’ tour.

The trio will be joined by Olly Murs as the support act in Manchester.

Once again, as part of the highly-anticipated £365 million venue’s “pioneering” partnership, Co-op members will get the chance to gain early access to tickets through a designated presale on Wednesday 27 September at 9:30am, all before the general sale takes place.

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General sale tickets are available through Co-op Live from 9:30am on Friday 29 September, and you can grab them here.

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Co-op Live is officially set to open its doors in April 2024.

Featured Image – Supplied

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Award-winning The Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon to kick off UK tour in Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Sunny Afternoon

Multi award-winning musical Sunny Afternoon is set to kick off its UK tour here in Manchester later this year.

Following a sell-out run at Hampstead Theatre, the musical production featuring all the hit songs by legendary rock band The Kinks opened to critical acclaim at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End, where it ran for two years ahead of its sensational UK and Ireland tour throughout 2016/17.

It also collected four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Music for Ray Davies, along the way.

Unfamiliar with the show?

Award-winning The Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon is kicking off its UK tour in Manchester / Credit: ATG Tickets

Set against the backdrop of Britain on the cusp of the rebellious 60s, Sunny Afternoon is described as being an ‘exhilarating and moving’ celebration of the music, life, and the band that changed it all, The Kinks.

Sunny Afternoon celebrates The Kinks’ raw energy, passion, and timeless sound.

Charting the ‘euphoric highs’ and ‘agonising lows’, the smash-hit production tells the band’s story through an incredible back catalogue of chart-toppers – including ‘You Really Got Me’, ‘Lola’, ‘All Day and All of the Night’, and of course, ‘Sunny Afternoon’ itself.

Sunny Afternoon
Sunny Afternoon
Tickets are on sale now from just £15 each / Credit: Kevin Cummins

Producers Sonia Friedman Productions and ATG Productions announced last week that the show would be returning for another UK tour later this year, and it’ll be opening right here on one of Manchester‘s most iconic stages.

The hit musical will open at Manchester’s Palace Theatre on 10 October 2025 and it will run right through until 18 October.

Sunny Afternoon has music and lyrics, and an original story, all by the band’s frontman Ray Davies, along with a book by Joe Penhall, direction by Edward Hall, design by Miriam Buether, and choreography by Adam Cooper.

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Tickets are now on sale from just £15 each, and you can find out more information and get your hands on them here.

Featured Image – Kevin Cummins

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Michael Ball and Alfie Boe at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist, and more for tour

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Michael Ball and Alfie Boe are bringing their Together At Home tour to Manchester, here’s everything you need to know for their AO Arena gig.

The boys are back in town, and by the boys we mean multi-million selling vocalists Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, who are heading to Manchester this month.

This duo are no stranger to each other’s company making six collaborative albums since 2016 covering songs from The Greatest Showman, The Lion King and New York, New York.

Their latest release ‘Together At Home’ which doubles as the name for the tour sees the pair back to their good old tricks covering hits like ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ and ‘Ferry Cross The Mersey’.

These two powerhouses know how to sing in style and that’s why they’ve chosen the impressive AO Arena to host their brand new show.

Michael Ball and Alfie Boe UK tour dates

  • Sat 29 March – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Sun 30 March – Bournemouth, UK – International Centre
  • Tue 1 April – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
  • Wed 2 April – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Fri 4 April – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
  • Sat 5 April – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena
  • Mon 7 April – Aberdeen, UK – P&J Live
  • Tue 8 April – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
  • Thu 10 April – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena
  • Fri 11 April – Birmingham, UK – BP Pulse Live
  • Sun 13 April – London, UK – The O2
  • Mon 14 April – Brighton, UK – Brighton Centre

Michael Ball and Alfie Boe tickets for AO Arena gig

Anyone looking at tickets for Michael Ball and Alfie Boe’s upcoming tour have plenty of opportunity to see these two singing their hearts out.

Fans of the duo better act fast as these tickets are very limited, starting from a reasonable £47.75 and reaching £98.75.

If you want to go all out on this occasion tickets are also available for The Mezz, which is the arena’s fine dining experience covering you before and throughout the show at a fixed price of £206.25.

All tickets and packages can be found HERE.

What are the stage times for Michael Ball and Alfie Boe in Manchester?

AO Arena has a curfew of 11pm meaning you’ll still be able to make it home and pop the kettle on before you get your forty winks.

Their support act comes in the form of another duo, however these two mighty performers are magicians rather than singers.

The Conjurors are a worldwide renowned act famed by audiences and A Listers for their talents which they will be showing off in Manchester on the night.

How to get to AO Arena

Tram

For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily it’s in Manchester Victoria Station and its integrated Metrolink stop.

Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Train

Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena wherever they are.

Bus

A variety of buses cover AO Arena and Victoria Station on their route such as the 2 bus which stops a one minute walk away from the venue.

A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.

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Getting there by car and parking

The Arena have their own official parking partners CitiPark with 958 spaces including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.

Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.

Walk/cycle

Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.

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About the AO Arena

The AO Arena has a few strict policies to keep gig-goers safe, so make sure to check entry requirements carefully before you travel.

For example, only one small bag per person is allowed, and bags like backpacks, travel cases and laptop bags are not permitted inside the arena.

All bags are scanned on entry to check for prohibited items like laser pens, flares, projectiles, weapons, drugs and alcohol, and even selfie sticks.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image: Publicity Picture (via Supplied)

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