Andy Burnham has slagged off Liverpool while declaring Manchester as “the capital of the coolest music on the planet”.
And can you disagree? Manchester‘s music scene is as alive and thriving as ever in 2024.
While it may seem like a slightly unnecessary hit at our North West neighbours, the bold claims about our city’s musical excellence from the Greater Manchester Mayor haven’t entirely come out of the blue, as his comments are aimed at Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram ahead of the pair going head-to-head in another charity DJ battle tonight (2 February 2024).
In case you missed it, following what was the headline-grabbing showdown between the two Northern mayors last year here in Manchester, where both ended up claiming a victory, Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram announced last month that they would be going for round two.
This time around, Rotheram has invited Burnham over to his neck of the woods, and the pair will be taking to the decks at Camp and Furnace in Liverpool city centre.
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And of course, it’s all in the name of charity too.
Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram are going head-to-head in another charity DJ battle / Credit: Shaun Peckham
Liverpool and Greater Manchester will face off in what is being described as a “good natured music battle for a worthy cause”, with all the proceeds from the event going to local homeless charities.
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It’s not just the two mayors in action tonight either, as there’s also some local and international stars set to make an appearance too.
Rebecca Ferguson, Peter Hooton, and LFC and England footballer (and rapper) John Barnes are some of the names joining the so-called ‘home side’, while Stockport indie favourites Blossoms, former Coronation Street actress Sally Lindsay, actor and DJ Craig Charles, M-People’s Heather Small, and BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Nihal Arthanayake will be on our Andy’s team.
The two Northern mayors will face off in Liverpool at the start of next month / Credit: Supplied
Ahead of the mega showdown tonight, Burnham and Rotheram have been getting into the lighthearted pre-match spirit of firing joking insults at one another.
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Speaking to the BBC on Manchester’s chances of clinching the win ahead of the event, Mr Burnham said: “It’s going to be pretty easy for us, because obviously, Steve Rotheram has only got one band, whereas we’ve got a wealth of talent, and a wealth of musical riches to choose from.”
He then went on to claim that Liverpool is “the home of cheesy music”, in reference to its hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest last year, whereas Manchester is “the global capital of the coolest music on the planet”.
Of course, Rotheram hit back, and said the statistics were on Liverpool’s side.
The DJ battle will be streamed live online from 7pm tonight / Credit: Shaun Peckham
“Liverpool’s bands and artists have produced more number ones than Manchester’s,” he claimed. “We have had more weeks in the charts, more global fame, and we’re a Unesco World City of Music. We’ve had many decades of chart success in comparison with ‘Madchester’, we beat Manchester to hosting Eurovision, and – and this is a big ‘and’ – we produced the greatest band ever to walk the earth.”
The Manchester v Liverpool Mayors DJ Battle is happening over in Liverpool tonight from 7pm, and is also being streamed live for anyone unable to make it down.
You can tune in to watch the pair live in action on The Manc’s Facebook page here.
Featured Image – Shaun Peckham
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Ole Gunnar Solskjær says just three players have spoken to him since leaving Manchester United
Danny Jones
Club legend and ex-Manchester United player turned manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, has revealed that just three of his former players have been in touch since leaving Old Trafford.
Solskjær was sacked from the role as Man United head coach back in November 2021 after having been given the job permanently following an impressive winning run as interim manager.
The practically perfect start back at the helm of the club – where he starred as the ‘super sub’ during his playing days – was followed by a big slump, and the final decision was ultimately made in the wake of a 4-1 loss to Watford.
However, the ‘Baby-Faced Assassin’s’ popularity among the players and the fans alike was never in question, so it’s come as somewhat of a surprise to many fans that Solskjær has said only a specific trio of United players have got in touch with him since his dream job came to an end.
At least two of the names read out might not surprise fans, as not only was then-club captain Harry Maguire one of his first statement signings, but so was Bruno Fernandes, who now has the armband, and both have remained key players and leadership figures pretty much ever since.
Speaking to BBC Sport on the senior duo, Ole said, “For me, Harry has always been a leader and a fighter”, and never had any doubts about him deputising for him on the pitch, before going on to label both the centre-back and Bruno as “top human beings.”
As for the third, although Victor Lindelöf looks set to leave the club this summer, he’s actually been a long-serving squad member, having joined back in 2017 and been a seemingly popular figure around the dressing room, even if injury problems have sometimes hampered his minutes.
He also went on to discuss other matters regarding the club, including confessing that it’s “hard to watch” United amidst their present struggles, both under previous manager Erik ten Hag and now Ruben Amorim – even with a potential Europa League trophy consolation on the cards.
The retired striker also stated that he found the decision to let midfielder Scott McTominay go more than surprising, especially given the incredible performances he’s put on display since moving to Serie A.
Co-op Live has been named the number one arena in Europe following its debut year
Danny Jones
Despite a rocky opening month or so, Manchester’s Co-op Live made the ultimate instant recovery and has now been named the number one arena not just in the UK but all of Europe.
Manc music venues being best in class? Sounds about right.
Yes, even despite some obstacles, delays and early hiccups, Co-op Live‘s debut year as a live music and indoor entertainment venue has seen it beat out the likes of the long-established and iconic O2 in London to take the top spot.
The inaugural 12 months of the arena have not only seen it welcome all manner of music legends, as well as live sporting events such as the UFC and WWE, but the arena welcomed more visitors than any other venue across the continent during that time.
Names to have graced the industry-leading stage so far include Liam Gallagher, Stevie Nicks and Take That; Peter Kay, Elbow, Sabrina Carpenter, Paul McCartney, and so many more.
Commenting on the successful start, Tim Leiweke (CEO and chairman of the Oak View Groupbehind the venue) said: “Our ambition was to bring the world’s best music arena to one of the world’s greatest music cities and we are thrilled with the reaction from fans and artists alike over this past year.
“Co-op Live’s revolutionary acoustics investment has already attracted some of the world’s biggest artists and events to Manchester, with many more to come. And our sustainability commitment will ensure we remain responsible contributors to Manchester and the planet for years to come.
“We believe that amazing venues can transform cities for the better, and Co-op Live has done just that.”
It’s fair to say we’ve had some truly unforgettable nights in there already – and that’s just in the last month alone. Case and point:
With a continued commitment to achieving ‘Net Zero’ status too, the venue’s carbon reduction technologies, solar panels, heat pumps and rainwater harvesting, not to mention the recently refreshed CityLink walking in partnership with the Climate Pledge, are all things we can be proud of.
Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, went on to add: “We are delighted with the success of Co-op Live’s first year, and to see it taking the top spot off London.
“It shows Manchester is the home of live music in the UK, with Co-op Live bringing so many exclusives from artists like Bruce Springsteen to the city and Oasis playing massive hometown shows this summer – 2025 is going to be one of the biggest ever for our city’s music scene.”
Meanwhile, things are feeling less fortunate at the grassroots end of the spectrum, as the Music Venue Trust is imploring people to get behind a vulnerable Manc music institution.
Emily Sergeant -
2nd February 2024 
