Art & Culture

Inspiring new 360° immersive David Bowie experience to open in Manchester

'David Bowie: You’re Not Alone' opens at Aviva Studios later this year.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 17th June 2026

Music lovers will get a glimpse inside the mind of a creative genius when a new immersive experience opens later this year.

Factory International has this week announced its programme of events for the upcoming autumn-winter season, and by far one of the stand-outs on the list has to be the return of Lightroom for a new 360° experience called David Bowie: You’re Not Alone – which is set to immerse audiences in the iconic performances and creative mind of one of the world’s most visionary and influential artists.

Bringing together a wealth of visual material from a wide range of sources, the experience combines rare performance footage, photography, drawings, lyrics, personal notes, and audio recordings from the late Bowie himself. 

You’re Not Alone will showcase some of Bowie’s landmark performances that redefined popular culture, using a mix of iconic, rarely seen, and even never-before-exhibited material.

Selected from thousands of hours of film in the vaults of the David Bowie Archive in New York, you can expect to see everything from Space Oddity and Diamond Dogs, through to Heroes, Black Star, and more.

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Each track has been newly reconfigured by multiple Olivier and Tony award-winning sound designer, Gareth Fry, to utilise Lightroom’s specialised spatial audio system.

The 360° experience is set to be both a multimedia spectacle and an intimate self-portrait in one, giving audiences a unique insight into Bowie’s perspective on the subjects that were most important to him, like theatricality, spirituality, songwriting, and the transformative power of creativity.

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David Bowie: You’re Not Alone is being made in close collaboration with, and has been authorised by, the David Bowie Estate.

It’ll run at Aviva Studios from 8 December 2026 through to 10 January 2027.

Featured Image – Supplied

Art & Culture

Local music student issues appeal over stolen saxophones just months after graduation

Danny Jones Danny Jones Stolen saxophones missing in Manchester

A local music student has issued a heartbreaking appeal after two of his saxophones, one of which possessed a deep sentimental attachment, were stolen in Manchester not long after graduating from his degree.

Conor Parker-Delves, who only recently finished his undergrad degree at the Royal Northern College of Music, has dreams of performing professionally, but a sad twist of fate now means that he’s currently without the key tool he needs to make a living.

Having worked so hard up to this point in completing his studies, the 22-year-old was left gutted when the pair of extremely valuable instruments were stolen from his car after parking it in the Longsight area.

The still green graduate believes the items were originally kept at an address just south of Whitworth Park, along with some of his other stolen belongings, which he says were nearly resold on the high street in Moss Side.

sax bag
saxophone stolen in longsight
saxophone case
Credit: Handouts (via Conor Parker-Delves)

What’s more is that one of these saxes belonged to his late granddad on his mother’s side, who sadly died when he was very young, and he’s been proudly playing it throughout his childhood. A gut-wrenching loss not just for him but for his family.

Speaking to The Manc, he said: “I have played on that sax ever since his passing and have kept the legacy alive. Losing this sax means losing him, and I am going to fight against this as hard as I can for as long as I can.”

A worn silver Selmer Mark VI alto saxophone (serial number: 240580) and a tenor sax of the same brand (SN: 91928) are estimated to be worth a combined £12,000 – funds a fresh graduate like Conor simply doesn’t have.

Given the connection to his grandad, it’s safe to say that he’s not ready to give up and say goodbye to the priceless heirloom, and being stuck without any means of playing is just cruel.

Unfortunately, Greater Manchester Police have already closed the case despite a “promising lead” that looks to have been exhausted, and now he’s been left with no other option than to issue a renewed appeal to the public.

It may only be a slim chance, but the London-born aspiring musician is hoping that the woodwind duo can be recovered, acknowledging that it is “much easier for the saxes to be handed in if they are come across” rather than be replaced.

Things are hard enough for artists these days as it is, especially those who have already spent their time and money uprooting their lives and moving to a big new city like Manchester.

We encourage anyone with any potentially useful information to get in touch and/or report to GMP online, via the non-emergency 101 number, or get in touch with Crimestoppers anonymously.

Fingers crossed we can get the tools of Conor’s craft and his grandfather’s before him back safe and sound – can you help?

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Conor Parker-Delves

Art & Culture

Cult-classic musical Hairspray to kick off UK tour in Manchester next year

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

An undeniable cult-classic of a musical is set to kick off its next UK tour right here in Manchester next year.

That’s right, you can’t stop the beat… or Hairspray The Musical from heading back to our city.

There’s no denying that Hairspray is known and loved by millions worldwide since it first opened on Broadway all the way back in 2002, and has had audiences tapping their feet on the West End and in countless other cities and countries across the globe ever since.

The eight Tony Award wins and the record-breaking 11 Olivier Award nominations prove that all too well, as does the smash-hit success of the 2007 film adaptation too.

Cult-classic musical Hairspray will kick off its UK tour in Manchester next year / Credit: Supplied

After a triumphant return to the stage in 2024, it’s now been announced that Hairspray The Musical is heading out on a major national tour of the UK and Ireland once again in 2027 – with theatre lovers able to get their hands on tickets when they go on sale today (6 July).

Oh, and what better way to kick things off than right here in Manchester?

In case you’re unfamiliar, the timeless story of Hairspray centres around heroine Tracy Turnblad, who has “big hair, a big heart, and big dreams” and wants to dance her way onto national TV, and into the heart of teen idol Link Larkin.

When Tracy becomes a local star, she is able to use her newfound fame to fight for liberation, tolerance, and interracial unity in Baltimore.

But the real question is, can she win equality – and Link’s heart -without denting her ’do?

An all-time favourite.

Audiences in Manchester will be the first to hear some of musical theatre’s most well-known songs, including ‘Welcome To The 60s’, ‘You Can’t Stop The Beat’, and ‘Good Morning Baltimore’, before it heads out to other major cities across the country.

Liverpool, Bradford, York, and Sunderland are just a few of the fellow northern cities where the tour will be stopping off at in 2027.

The show’s original production team of Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale, and Laurence Myers will return, alongside Brenda Edwards and Paul Kerryson as directors.

Meanwhile, choreography will come from Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie, and music is provided by the Academy Award, Tony, and Emmy-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

The all-singing, all-dancing show is taking to the Palace Theatre stage / Credit: Pamela Raith

Hairspray The Musical will take to the stage at Manchester’s Palace Theatre from 2 – 19 July 2027.

Tickets are going on general sale today at 10am, and although prices haven’t been revealed yet, it’s expected they’ll be available in a range of prices so it’s affordable for everyone looking to make the most of the all-singing-all-dancing experience.

Book your tickets HERE.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE

Featured Image – Pamela Raith (Supplied)

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