But the insane clip inspired a wonderful moment at the band’s huge reunion gig at the AO Arena in Manchester last night.
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Two fans in the crowd apparently shouted ‘Merry Christmas’ at JLS every time there was a quiet moment, until JB caved and recreated the original.
throughout the whole of the JLS gig tonight @jckhrkn and I yelled “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!l” at every quiet moment and then omg at the end they made JB say it 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/MwhCORH7wL
An old indie favourite is heading back to Manchester for a ‘Best Of Tour’ at a brilliant venue
Danny Jones
Time to roll back the years as old-school indie favourite The Pigeon Detectives are coming back to Manchester for a special show at one of the most stunning venues in the city.
We swear, if we could find our old iPod, their tracks would still be all over it.
Coming back to another part of the North that always showed them plenty of love, The Pigeon Detectives will be playing a special ‘The Best of Tour’ in line with their latest record, Still Not Sorry.
The Manc gig comes as the Yorkshire lads announced just six UK headline sets to support the album release, but let’s be honest, they were never going to skip 0161, were they?
UK TOUR! NEW RECORD! On Sale Friday 2nd May, but get pre-sale NOW when you buy a best of record (with 3 new tracks) or t-shirt from here: https://t.co/a1q44LYbD6 see you in Autumn! pic.twitter.com/HWA9ITS9Ii
— The Pigeon Detectives (@pigeonsofficial) April 25, 2025
With only half a dozen domestic dates confirmed so far, including the likes of Manchester, a homecoming night in Leeds and up in Glasgow, this really does feel like a return that long-standing fans won’t want to miss.
The new LP, which is a greatest hits compilation featuring the very best tracks from their discography that stretches over two decades, drops next month and we’re very ready to pump some adolescent nostalgia into our ears.
And best of all, they’ll be playing all the cult favourite Pigeon Detectives tracks at the simply stunning New Century Hall, marking just their second visit to the venue.
Boasting the food and beer hall downstairs as the ideal pre-gig location, not to mention a sprung dancefloor and those iconic, mesmerising lights, it’s a nigh on perfect space for live music.
We’re not exaggerating when we say we’ve had some of our best gigs in recent memory here.
Speaking in a lengthier statement on social media, the boys from Rothwell wrote: “If a band is lucky (and hardworking, and fairly decent at what they do!) there comes a time in their career when they realise that the journey they started as mates messing about on guitars has culminated in a hefty bunch of songs that people actually care about and connect with!
“At this point, the only logical next step is to take a breath, reflect back through the archives and assemble a ‘Best Of’ album. We’ve reached that point, Pigeon Heads!”
They describe the project as a collection of songs and memories that chart their career from their humble beginnings in Leeds to their “adventures around the globe”, where they have been fortunate enough to “some of the biggest stages on the planet.”
“As a band it’s always felt like we had to do things the hard way, even with an amazing set of supportive fans”, they go on to add, “but we just kept on writing songs, kept on playing gigs and kept on being The Pigeon Detectives. Us against the world. We weren’t sorry then, and we’re Still Not Sorry now!”
Maybe it’s our age showing but those last few lines alone have got us feeling all teary-eyed.
Loyle Carner announces THREE massive Manchester gigs to follow Glastonbury headline slot
Daisy Jackson
Loyle Carner will perform three huge gigs in Manchester as part of a newly-announced UK tour, chasing his headline Glastonbury slot.
The groundbreaking British artist will be heading to the O2 Victoria Warehouse later this year alongside shows in cities including London, Glasgow, Newcastle and Birmingham.
Loyle Carner has also confirmed today that a brand new album is on the way – hopefully! is set for release on 20 June.
It’ll give fans a week to listen and love his new music before he headlines The Other Stage at Glastonbury festival on 27 June.
He’s already released two surprise new songs – ‘all i need / in my mind’, as his new chapter sees him explore fatherhood, childhood and alternative music.
Loyle Carner has sung, produced and ‘accidentally’ formed a band for this latest release, which includes audio clips of his son.
Loyle Carner first emerged in 2013 with his A Little Late EP, followed by his debut album Yesterday’s Gone in 2017, with plenty more releases in the years since.
He’s been shortlisted TWICE for the Mercury Prize and has scored BRIT and NME Award nominations too, as well as 1.1 BILLION streams.
You’ll recognise his face from campaigns with global brands like YSL, New Balance, and Nike, not to mention his sold-out shows including Alexandra Palace, Wembley Arena and the Royal Albert Hall in his beloved London hometown alone.
Loyle Carner will perform at the O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester on 23, 24, and 24 November 2025.
Tickets will go on sale at 9am on Friday 2 May – you can get tickets HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
25th November 2021 
