The time has finally come for Courteeners to take to the stage for their massive summer homecoming gig, back in the fields of Heaton Park.
The Middleton rockers will be taking up the Friday night slot before Parklife kicks off, performing on the festival’s main stage.
The concert will celebrate the 15th anniversary of the band’s seminal debut album St Jude, back in the city where it all began.
Courteeners will be playing through that iconic debut in full, alongside all their biggest hits from their six studio albums.
It’s not the first time Courteeners – fronted by Liam Fray – have performed in Heaton Park. In fact, this is the third time they’ve gigged on this patch of home turf.
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St Jude was produced by Stephen Street and spawned anthems including Not Nineteen Forever, What Took You So Long?, and No You Didn’t, No You Don’t.
It recently broke records by reaching number one upon its release, becoming the album with the longest time between release and charting at number one in history – hitting the top spot a staggering 14 years, 9 months and 14 days later.
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Speaking about the special St Jude Heaton Park show, Liam Fray said: “They grow up so fast. Can’t believe our darling St. Jude is 15 next year.
Courteeners celebrating their number one album in Mr Thomas’s Chop House. Credit: Instagram @what_liam_saw
“Think it’s time for a celebration and we all know that great things come in threes….The Star Wars Trilogy, Sooty, Sweep & Soo and now, here we are, with the third instalment of ‘Courteeners at Heaton Park’. June 2015. June 2019 and now June 2023 …
“This time, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of its release we’ll be playing ST. JUDE (in full) PLUS (of course) THE HITS.
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“I can’t think of any better way to celebrate than to make the pilgrimage to Heaton Park with like-minded souls and lose ourselves like it’s 2008. And, because we’re good like that, we’ve remastered the original album.
“GOD BLESS THE BAND. GOD BLESS THE FANS. OMNE TRIUM PERFECTUM.”
Here’s everything you need to know if you’re heading to see Courteeners at Heaton Park.
Who’s supporting Courteeners at Heaton Park?
DMA’s. Credit: Publicity picture
This is massive – there are FOUR acts taking to the Parklife main stage at Heaton Park before Courteeners pop up, creating what’s essentially a mini Manc festival.
First up will be a DJ set from Katie Owen, who’ll get the vibes going from the second the doors open.
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Then you can sink your teeth into this lot…
Brooke Combe
Scottish singer-songwriter Brooke Combe will be the first live singer to hit the stage this Friday.
She’s a multi-instrumentalist with a seriously powerful voice, and is tipped for very big things indeed.
The Snuts
Indie rockers and festival favourites The Snuts are next up, showcasing songs from their two studio albums, including their debut W.L. which shot straight to the top of the UK Albums Chart.
They’ve supported huge names over the years, including Kings of Leon, The Kooks, and Louis Tomlinson.
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DMA’s
This Aussie three-piece will be back in town this week, showing off music from their latest album How Many Dreams? as well as their three previous records.
Their gigs in Manchester always have an air of a homecoming show about them. It doesn’t really make sense – they’re half-a-globe away from their actual home – but this bunch of Aussies have adopted that very distinctive Manc swagger, down to the waterproof parkas they all wear on stage.
It’s not looking good if you’ve not managed to get tickets so far – Courteeners looks to be completely sold out.
There are a few tickets floating around on resale sites, but make sure you’re buying from a reputable site and not about to get ripped off.
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What are the stage times for Courteeners and support acts?
Stage times are always subject to change, but this should be the rough times that you can stick to on Friday night.
Doors open 4pm
DJ Katie Owen – 4pm – 5.30pm
Brooke Combe – 5.30pm – 6pm
The Snuts – 6.20pm – 7pm
DMA’s – 7.30pm – 8.20pm
Courteeners – 9pm – 10.45pm
How do I get to Heaton Park?
Courteeners. Credit: Michael Clement
The area around Heaton Park is expected to be extremely busy for Courteeners, with around 40,000 people descending on the park for the gig.
This is TfGM’s advice if you’re one of them.
Metrolink
A six-minute service will operate pre and post-event to stops near the venue on the Bury line.
Please use Heaton Park for travel to the gig and Bowker Vale for travel post-event.
The last tram to the city centre from Bowker Vale will depart at 1.07am. While, the last tram to Bury from Bowker Vale will depart at 00.21am.
For the safe management of crowds exiting the concert, Heaton Park will close at 9pm on the Friday.
Buses and bus diversions
Due to the road closures and traffic around the site, a number of bus services will be diverted on Friday. Services 66, 90 and 94 will be on diversion all day on Friday, whilst diversions for services 41, 59, 135 and 156 will be implemented from 6pm until 2am.
If you plan on taking the bus, don’t forget that you can search your service and plan your journey on our bus webpage.
For more information about fares on buses in Greater Manchester, visit our Get On Board webpage.
Driving
There is a strictly-enforced residents parking only zone around the Heaton Park area.
All drop-offs and pick-ups will be directed to the Sainsburys car park on Heaton Park Road (postcode for sat navs M9 0QS).
If you have no alternative but to drive to the event, use one of 24 Park and Ride sites on the network and complete your journey by tram to Heaton Park or Bowker Vale.
What’s the expected setlist?
Courteeners have done a couple of warm-up shows before their Heaton Park gig, so we’ve got a bit of an idea of what to expect.
And yes, as mentioned already, you’ll get to hear all of that brilliant St Jude…
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Aftershow Kimberley Cavorting Acrylic Kings of the New Road Please Don’t No You Didn’t, No You Don’t Bide Your Time Fallowfield Hillbilly That Kiss Yesterday, Today & Probably Tomorrow How Come Smiths Disco It Must Be Love Are You in Love With a Notion? The 17th Hanging Off Your Cloud Modern Love Not Nineteen Forever What Took You So Long?
Beat-Herder Festival 2026 – the wonderfully weird festival we can’t stop coming back to
Emily Johnson
Another weekend done in the magical, mystical world that is Beat-Herder.
For one weekend every year, a farm in Clitheroe transforms into what the organisers describe as “a place full of beats and barminess” – and honestly, they couldn’t have summed it up any better.
Big enough to keep you discovering something new all weekend, yet small enough that you’ll keep bumping into the same friendly faces, Beat-Herder strikes the balance perfectly.
Every corner has something different going on, every stage has its own personality, and every sound system is absolutely dialled in.
Where else can you go for a swim, get a tattoo, pop into church, visit Paris and dance until sunrise? No, we’re not describing a chaotic stag-do… we’re talking about Beat-Herder.
Every stage deserves a mention, but a few really stood out this year.
Julie’s Barn, a.k.a. ‘Gay Paris’, remains one of the festival’s best-kept secrets. Hidden away in the woods, it’s worth every wrong turn trying to find it.
A glowing dancefloor, disco balls hanging from the trees and a crowd that somehow never seems to leave. We even stumbled across a secret ‘Samurai Breaks SSBB’ set that had the place bouncing all the way through until sunrise.
Credit: The Manc Group
Over at Stumblefunk At The Factory, Breakage delivered one of the sets of the weekend. The bass rattled the roof, the crowd never stopped moving, and the whole place felt like it was about to lift off.
It’s also home to one of Beat-Herder’s many weird little surprises, with hidden missions and the chance to spy on other festival-goers. If you know, you know.
The Garage is another annual favourite. DJs squeezed into the front seat of a car while everyone else danced on the bonnet of old scrapped cars, bouncing to the bass that rattled from White Noise Audio’s soundsystem. It’s those ridiculous little details that make this festival unlike anywhere else.
Then there’s Beat-Herder’s Got Talent, which has become a non-negotiable part of our weekend. The winner earns a slot on the main stage, so every act gives it everything. This year’s line-up featured everything from incredible harmonica performances and live bands to rap duos.
But one contestant completely stole the show.
She walked on stage, admitted she wasn’t sure her talent was quite as impressive as everyone else’s, and the crowd fell silent. No instrument. No backing track. You could hear a pin drop. What on earth was this contestant about to do? And then she proceeded to fit her entire fist in her mouth.
If that doesn’t sum up Beat-Herder, we’re not sure what does. The wonderful woman didn’t win the contest unfortunately, but let’s hope she can get booked for next year, ey?
One of this year’s new additions was The Dub Tub, which quickly became one of our favourite discoveries. Artists like Woody Cook swapped high-energy sets for slower, dub-inspired sessions, creating the perfect place to reset before diving back into the madness.
Oh, and of course, in true Beat-Herder fashion, the DJs were performing in a bathtub, of course.
And speaking of madness… all the classics are still there. The famous tunnel leading to hidden stages, the weird and wonderful walkabout performers, the random discoveries you’ll never find on a map, the hidden swimming pool, fancy dress costumes, and the constant feeling that you’re about to stumble across something completely unexpected.
Massive credit has to go to everyone behind the scenes. From the organisers to the volunteers and crew, everything runs incredibly smoothly, despite how wonderfully chaotic it all feels. Beat-Herder, you’ve done it again; roll on 2027.
Meet the team that reimagined The Horse and Jockey into a gastropub masterpiece
Lydia Mastrolonardo
The Horse and Jockey is a historic neighbourhood pub that has forever been a cornerstone in the heart of Chorlton, with its iconic Tudor exterior and outdoor seating looking out onto The Green.
Since the team behind the well-known and loved The Black Friar and Leo + Roobs in Salford, headed by Managing Director Neil Burke and Executive Chef Ben Chaplin, reopened the pub in October 2025, we have since seen some significant changes.
Positioning themselves as Chorlton’s first-ever proper gastropub, they’ve expertly balanced maintaining the pub’s character and restoring the cosy indoors while catering for Manc foodies, with an ever-evolving menu consisting of fresh local produce as well as a wide selection of Joseph Holt award-winning beers.
Credit: Bigger Boat Hospitality
We’re not the only ones who have noticed the hard work these two have put in – the transformation has led to the Horse and Jockey being crowned as one of the best local boozers at the Pub and Bar Awards.
Today, we had a chance to talk with Ben, who is the mastermind behind their delicious dishes and makes it all possible…
For anyone who doesn’t know you, give us a little bit of background on your career as a chef thus far?
“I started in the kitchen when I was 15 and worked my way up through different kitchens. Ended up working for Aiden Byrne, who remains the youngest person ever to achieve a Michelin star at 22. I worked for him for about nine years, ran one of his pubs for him and helped develop Manchester House.”
“I then went off and worked as head chef at Australasia for two years and 20 Stories for another three years before meeting Neil. Together we opened The Black Friar in 2021, Leo + Roobs in 2024, now the Horse and Jockey and are 100% looking for more venues.”
How would you sum up the Manc food scene at the minute?
“Very diverse. Within the industry side of it, it’s difficult with a lot going on with VAT and wages, but there are some great venues doing some great food even just in Chorlton alone, and there is a lot of choice – I actually think it rivals London.”
This has become a staple of their annual calendar of events. See more from this year’s edition HERE.
We already know you’ve worked wonders bringing The Black Friar back to life and taking it beyond just a pub – what lessons have you taken from that experience to the Horse and Jockey?
“I think not just the Horse and Jockey but one of our values as a company for Bigger Boat is we are ‘yes people.’ So trying new things and not just saying no to something because we don’t want to do it, saying yes first and trying to find a way to achieve it.”
“It’s something that we don’t just do here, but we do it at the cafe, The Black Friar, and we’re going to do it going forward, opening more and more places.”
If you could describe how the approach is different between the two venues, what would you say?
“The spaces in The Black Friar allow us to do a lot more events; we obviously have a bigger outdoor area, so that leads to us being able to sell different areas for different events. We don’t have that as much here, and this is more of a neighbourhood, local pub, serving gastro-style food.
“The Black Friar we can go from events to weddings pretty seamlessly – we do a lot more there as there’s space for it and even more to come.”
They’ve even started doing a picnic basket offer. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
What is your favourite dish on the menu?
“We change the menu so often here (the Horse and Jockey) following the seasons, often changing a dish a week. However, right now my favourite is probably our lamb rump with a red pepper and harissa hummus with a hazelnut and sesame seed dhukka.”
And if you could sum up the food in three words, what would they be?
“Evolving, tasty and bold.”
These two truly know what they’re doing with these restorations, and we can’t wait to experience what else they take over in the future.
Don’t believe us? Go on down and try it for yourself.
You can read our full review of the food and drink from when they first reopened the gorgeous suburban, village-style spot down below.
Daisy Jackson -
8th June 2023 
