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.
Loyle Carner announces special headline show at The Warehouse Project 2024
Danny Jones
The Warehouse Project lineup just keeps getting better as Loyle Carner has just been announced as the latest addition to the 2024 calendar.
One of the biggest hip-hop artists in Britain, Loyle Carner is heading back to Manchester just a few months on from smashing his outdoor gig at Castlefield Bowl to play an even more iconic local venue.
Set to land at Depot Mayfield this autumn, the show has been specially curated by the London-born rapper himself, featuring some of his favourite up-and-coming artists and putting on a much later performance than you’d be treated to at one of his usual tour shows.
Loyle until late followed by more music, DJ sets and partying until the early hours. Need we say more?
The 29-year-old won’t be taking to the stage until around 11pm and, in many ways, most of the fun is still yet to come longer after he exits the stage.
As you can see, the poetic musician is set to be joined by Brighton-based and thisisnq-managed duo, Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn, but that is just the tip of the iceberg.
The Concourse stage will also hosted by Deviation with Benji B & Judah, Children of Zeus, and a number of other special guests – you’ll just have to wait and find out who they are like the rest of us.
But perhaps the biggest artist crashing the lineup is the legendary Yasiin Bey: real name Dante Terrell Smith, a.k.a. the iconic Brooklyn rapper, actor and hip-hop icon formerly known as Mos Def.
Yes, this night will see the old school collide with the genre’s next generation for an unforgettable night over in Mayfield and you do not want to miss it.
We also just can’t wait to see the Manc crowds giving off this energy again:
Pre-sale for Loyle Carner at WHP goes live on Thursday, 5 September from 10am, with general admission available from the same time on the following Friday, 6 September.
Sign up for early access online and you can be ready to grab your tickets for what we’re sure will be another magical night of live music Manchester show HERE.
And if you want to know what we made of his last visit to 0161, you can read all about it below.
Featured Images — Sirus Gahan/Jody Hartley (supplied)
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Three legendary Manchester venues to be ‘resurrected’ for special Halloween club night at Victoria Baths
Emily Sergeant
Three of Manchester’s most legendary old nightclubs are to “resurrected” for one night only this Halloween.
Returning for a “fright night of thrills” after a sell-out debut in 2023, this is your chance to travel back to a time when South, Jilly’s Rockworld, and The Tiger Lounge were still standing, as the three iconic venues will unite for The Silence of the Baths: Back from the Dead.
Manchester icon Clint Boon will be joined by Mikee Diablo and Max Oblivion for the one-off event at Victoria Baths in October.
The stunning Grade II-listed building is set to “show its darker side”, as the pool halls, Turkish Baths, and labyrinth of spaces undergo an epic Halloween makeover – with 100 spine-tingling skeletons, nine-foot high unearthly ghosts, a cauldron of 1,500 bats, and 500 watchful eyes.
Three legendary Manchester venues are to be ‘resurrected’ for a special Halloween club night at Victoria Baths / Credit: Chris Payne (via Supplied)
In case you’re unfamiliar with the three venues, Jilly’s Rockworld was institution with a reputation that went way beyond the city before it closed in 2010, while The Tiger Lounge was described as more of a movement than a club night, and the nights at South were often deemed “unforgettable”… and now, they’re back for more.
The trio of DJs will “manifest the spirit of Manchester’s past club scene” in a silent disco from the balcony above the Sports Hall on the night, each with their own channel.
While you relive your youth and dance the night away, a selection of “terrifying elixirs” will be bubbling on the Victoria Baths’ bar to choose from, including beers, spirits, and creepy cocktails, and for those with the ‘monster munchies’, there’ll also be plenty of tuck-shop style snacks to tuck into.
Fancy dress is encouraged, and there’ll be ‘spooky swag bag prizes’ for those who impress.
Tickets are now on sale for the special one-off spooky event / Credit: Chris Payne (via Supplied)
The Silence of the Baths: Back from the Dead will take over Victoria Baths on Saturday 26 October, with doors creaking open from 7pm, and tickets are now on sale here and setting you back £16 each (plus a booking fee).
The event sold out last year, so early ticket purchase is recommended.
All ticket purchases for Halloween events support the work of Victoria Baths Trust to preserve Victoria Baths, so that communities can continue to enjoy this inspiring building.