Eric Cantona has announced he’s heading out on a tour of the UK this year – and, of course, he’ll be playing a gig in our city.
Sure, he may be known as a Manchester United all-time great, and one of the best players in the history of the Premier League, but when ‘The King’ rocks up to see us in Manchester once again in a couple of months time, his reason for visiting won’t have anything to do with football on this occasion.
That’s because, in case you didn’t know, Cantona is a rockstar star… genuinely.
If this is the first you’re hearing of the legendary striker’s career pivot, then you may have missed the fact that he released his debut EP, I’ll Make My Own Heaven, to critical acclaim in 2023, along with two accompanying singles, and even played the whole album to a sold-out crowd at The Stoller Hall last October to celebrate.
Eric Cantona has announced a gig at Manchester’s Palace Theatre as part of his 2024 UK tour / Credit: Manchester United | Eric Cantona (via Instagram)
And while the words ‘Eric Cantona‘ and ‘singing’ might come as a bit of a shock to you – and rightly so – we had a listen to his two singles, which are titled ‘The Friends We Lost’ and ‘Tu Me Diras’, and we can’t lie, they’re actually pretty good.
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Besides, the 57-year-old Frenchman has always been more than a sportsperson, as he’s not only an actor on stage and on screen – most famously for acclaimed directors, Alain Corneau and Ken Loach – but he also paints, writes poetry, and has picked-up photography too, not just as post-career hobbies, but as so much more than that.
Cantona says his outside-of-football passions stem from “the absolute necessity” to express himself creatively – and music is no different to that.
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Globally celebrated icon Eric Cantona announces a new tour for April 2024 across the UK and Ireland, marking his return to the stage following last year's debut sold-out success in London and Manchester.
This is why the honorary Manc is heading out on a tour of the UK this April, and will be gracing Manchester Palace Theatre‘s stage as part of that – with tickets officially going on general sale this Friday.
Eric Cantona – ‘Cantona Sings Eric’ UK tour dates 2024
Wednesday 10 April – Liberty Hall (Dublin)
Friday 12 April – O2 Academy (Glasgow)
Saturday 13 April – Music Hall (Aberdeen)
Sunday 14 April – O2 City Hall (Newcastle)
Tuesday 16 April – O2 Academy (Leeds)
Wednesday 17 April – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire (London)
Thursday 18 April – Wulfrun Hall (Wolverhampton)
Saturday 20 April – Palace Theatre (Manchester)
These new tour dates follow last year’s debut sold-out success in London and Manchester, which saw Cantona take to stage solo with just himself and a modest piano and a cello to “stamp his mark on new artistic heights”.
Presales for ‘Cantona Sings Eric’ start tomorrow (Wednesday 24 January) at 10am, with additional presales running throughout this week, all before general on-sale begins this Friday 26 January at 10am.
Halestorm announce HUGE Manchester gig and new album this year
Thomas Melia
Award-winning American rock band Halestorm have just announced their latest album as well as a slate of UK tour dates, and they’re stopping off in Manchester later this year.
The four-piece consists of siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale alongside guitarist Joe Hottinger and bass player Josh Smith.
This post-grunge and heavy metal-influenced collective is no stranger to regular slots on big stages, known for playing up to 250 shows a year as headliners and as support acts – impressive stuff from a prolific band who are approaching their fifth studio LP.
Lead vocalist Lzzy Hale from the band Halestorm coming to Manchester this year.Credit: Sitro47 (via GoodFon)
They also became the first female-fronted band to win a Grammy in the ‘Best Hard Rock/ Metal Performance’ category back in 2013 with ‘Love Bites (So Do I)’. There’s just no stopping them.
With that in mind, Halestorm are bringing their ‘balls to the wall’ and in-your-face live performances across the Atlantic once again, stopping off in various cities including London, Birmingham and, of course, the de facto music capital of the North, Manchester.
These rockers have chosen none other than AO Arena to play ‘The nEVEREST Tour’, which is set to be nothing less than a fiery spectacle.
The group last touched down in our city back in 2022 on their ‘Back from the Dead’ tour in this very same arena to a roaring crowd of fans, which they’re nailed on to attract once again this year.
Halestorm always do things big, that’s why this tour coincides with the announcement of their new album ‘Everest’, which drops this August, giving fans plenty of time to learn all the words and get in all the head-banging practice they need.
Just look at how many tour dates they’ve got coming up in Europe and the UK alone.
We are SO excited to announce The nEVEREST WorldWide Tour coming this fall!!!
On-Sales begins Friday, May 2nd but varies by territory. Check local listings and subscribe to our newsletter for more pre-sale and on-sale information at https://t.co/9Qhzd42L52. pic.twitter.com/LW8Bhc7DTQ
Halestorm have caught plenty of attention over the years too, sharing the stage with fellow heavyweights like Alice Cooper, Joan Jett, as well as Heaven & Hell, just to name a few.
Expectations will be high as this lot are known for having the ability to dominate any sold-out stage with their serious stage presence; they will definitely deliver on the night.
Halestorm are coming to AO Arena in Manchester on 24 November 2025 with Three+ pre-sale starting from 6 May, AO Arena pre-sale from 7 May, and tickets going on general sale from Thursday 8 May – 10am across the board.
Featured Images — Publicity Picture (via Supplied)
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Burna Boy at Co-op Live – tickets, times, setlist and more for ‘I Told Them…’ tour
Thomas Melia
Nigerian superstar Burna Boy is heading to Manchester for one night only, performing all the hits right here at the lovely Co-op Live.
Burna Boy, a.k.a Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, has been steadily making a name for himself in the music industry for just over a decade, thanks to the release of his debut LP L.I.F.E back in 2013.
During his time as an artist, he has seen periods of quick-fire growth, with many standout tracks like ‘Last Last’ and ‘We Pray’, as well as a feature on UK rapper Dave’s tune ‘Location’, just to name a few.
Ogulu is a lover of collaborations too. His list of featured tracks is stacked with a roster of UK talents, including R’n’B favourites Jorja Smith and Mahalia, right through to pop powerhouse Ed Sheeran.
His prolific discography – littered with fellow artists and singers known for pushing the envelope – makes perfect sense, as this Nigerian star doesn’t stick to just one genre; instead, his particular brand of music has been dubbed ‘Afro-fusion’.
The contemporary West African icon not only utilises elements of Afrobeats, but he also makes sure to blend R’n’B, hip-hop, dancehall and lots more.
Safe to say we and millions of others around the globe are big fans.
With that in mind, Burna Boy’s latest visit, not just to Manchester but for a Co-op Live debut, is a highly anticipated one. For those of you who are heading to the arena, here’s everything you need to know.
Burna Boy at Co-op Live – all the important info
Credit: Publicity Image (supplied)
Burna Boy UK tour dates
Mon 21 April – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Fri 11 to Sun 13 July – London, UK – Finsbury Park (Wireless Festival)
That’s right, we’re the lucky ones, as not only is Burna Boy’s Manchester gig just one of two UK shows, but it’s also the only headline date this year, as the 33-year-old will be playing Wireless Fest 2025 this summer down in the capital.
Burna Boy tickets for Co-op Live gig
You’ll be glad to hear that the show isn’t quite sold out just yet. Those who are interested in attending Burna Boy’s only UK arena stop on his ‘I Told Them…’ tour can choose from a range of tickets.
The star has options for standing, lower seating and upper seating all on offer ahead of his exclusive arena gig at Co-op Live, starting from £82.05.
Grab your coveted tickets before it’s too late and see for yourself whether you ‘Want It All’ on the front row or prefer ‘Sittin’ On Top Of The World’ – HERE.
In case you need any more convincing, these were the scenes over Paris way…
Im surprised nobody has shared this Epic moment from Burna’s boys Paris show.
I wonder what it must feel like as an artist to have this amount of people screaming something you created back at you.
There’s no official setlist published, however, these tracks are based on his performance at the Stade de France in the suburb of Saint-Denis last week, as per Setlist-fm:
7 Seconds
(Youssou N’Dour cover)
Level Up (Twice as Tall)
Tested, Approved & Trusted
For My Hand
On the Low
Cheat on Me
Big 7
On Form
Alone
Talibans II
Location (Dave track)
4 kampé II featuring with Joé Dwèt Filé
Laboratoire (WeRenoi cover)
Laho featuring Shallipopi)
Kilometre
City Boys
Bundle By Bundle
It’s Plenty
Update
Ye
Last Last
You can expect to hear his most recent single for sure.
What are the stage times for Burna Boy in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you’ll be able to stay right to the ‘Last Last’ song of the night without welcoming in the next day.
Doors for the ‘I Told Them…’ tour are scheduled for 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 8pm with no confirmed support act, however, DJ Shayne Given will be taking over the arena’s exclusive ‘Backstage Club’ after the show (tickets are required).
You can purchase both after-party tickets and early access HERE.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, luckily it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
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Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 01:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time and there are designated drop-off areas.
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The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day – though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live; be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
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Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Emily Sergeant -
23rd January 2024 
