Kings of Leon have announced a new run of UK shows as part of their 2024 world tour, and they’ll be coming to visit us here in Manchester.
Following on from the announcement of their brand-new album, as well as a headline performance at BST Hyde Park this summer, the beloved American rock band have now revealed details of their long-awaited Can We Please Have Fun World Tour that’s kicking off later this year, and are set to take to the stage at several major UK cities.
The multi award-winning Tennessee rockers’ UK and Ireland tour will officially open in Leeds on 20 June, all before they head on over to Birmingham, Bristol, London, Glasgow, Dublin, and Nottingham along the way.
Not only that, but alongside these shows, they’re also set to play down at Silverstone for the British F1 Grand Prix on 4 July too.
But what better way to end a show-stopping summer than here in Manchester?
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After taking in the sights of the rest of the country, the Followill clan will be stopping off in our city for a major gig at Co-op Live this July, and tickets are set to go on sale this week.
Kings of Leon have announced a huge Manchester Co-op Live gig on their 2024 world tour / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
As Manchester‘s newest – and soon-to-be the UK’s largest – live entertainment arena nears closer to officially opening its doors and welcoming visitors, Co-op Live has been slowly revealing the music acts set to grace the stage as part of its huge launch season jam-packed full of events.
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Bolton comedian Peter Kay will open the arena with a special show this April, and countless other major world-renowned artists have all been announced as performing throughout the rest of the year – including Eagles, Olivia Rodrigo, Jonas Brothers, Eric Clapton, Take That, Simply Red, Niall Horan, and so more.
Kings of Leon will be taking to the stage at Co-op Live on Wednesday 10 July as part of the Can We Please Have Fun World Tour tour.
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They’ll be joined by British indie rockers The Vaccines as the support act in Manchester.
Kings of Leon – UK and Ireland Tour 2024
20 June: Leeds – First Direct Arena
22 June: Birmingham – Utilita Arena
23 June: Bristol – Ashton Gate Stadium
30 June: London – Hyde Park BST
2 July: Glasgow – OVO Hydro Arena
4 July: Silverstone – British F1 Grand Prix
6 July: Dublin – Marley Park
8 July: Nottingham – Motorpoint Arena
10 July: Manchester – Co-op Live Arena
Tickets officially go on sale this week, with fans able to pre-order the album from the band’s store before 5pm tomorrow (Tuesday 27 February) to get early access to tickets, and Co-op members given additional presale access on Wednesday (28 February) at 9am, all before the rest go on general sale this Friday (1 March) at 9am.
The full 2026 MOBOs Fringe programme for the first-ever awards in Manchester has been revealed
Danny Jones
Now the BRITs have been and gone, it’s time to switch our focus to the next big awards show: the 2026 MOBOs, which is also coming to Manchester for the very first time, and they’re bringing the popular Fringe event along with it.
Get ready for more big showbiz hustle and bustle to hit the city centre before you know it; we, for one, are so ready.
Similar to the aforementioned BRIT Awards, the MOBOs also hold a regular ‘Fringe’ music, arts and cultural festival with each annual edition.
You can see the full range of this year’s largely free-to-attend MOBOs Fringe lineup and the extensive schedule in its entirety down below.
Manchester, it’s your time.
The full #MOBOFringe 2026 programme is here – nine days of music, culture, panels, parties and showcases across the city ahead of the #MOBOAwards on 26 March.
As you can see, there’s a lot on the cards this year, with different activities and activations happening all over central Manchester.
Featuring everything from exclusive live sets, sport and other entertainment, to various selectors and even a creative summit, it’s jam-packed with countless aspects beyond just that music that help make the industry as a whole tick.
Venues involved include The Whitworth Gallery, faithful Green Island Festival partners, the Niamos Centre, multi-purpose bars and events spaces like Side Street and Renae, as well as important music venues like The Deaf Institute and Aviva Studios – a.k.a. the home of Factory International.
Each hosting a variety of different dates over the course of its nearly week-long duration ahead of the MOBO Awards themselves, there’s something for everyone and anyone interested not just in Black music and entertainment but Black-British culture and more.
For instance, we already heard about the exclusive basketball match between Manchester and a fellow European competitor that just passed; you can see the full Fringe programme in more detail online.
Running from Thursday 19 to Tuesday 24 March, the event week is shaping up to be a cracker.
As for the inaugural Manc MOBOs ceremony at Co-op Live, it gets underway just a couple of days later on the following Thursday (26 Mar).
serving as the perfect way to close the Fringe and this year’s edition as a whole.
Tickets for the MOBO Awards Manchester debut are live as we speak, with general admission prices starting from less than £30. You can grab yours HERE.
As for those expected to be in attendance, the likes of Olivia Dean and local rapper Aitch have already been confirmed for the live music lineup, and to see the full list of nominees, look no further…
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via MOBO Awards)
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Manchester rock and blues veterans Proud Mary announce handful of reunion shows in 2026
Danny Jones
Veteran Manchester rock and blues band Proud Mary recently announced a limited run of UK reunion shows, including a fairly intimate hometown show.
The seasoned Northern outfit may have seen plenty of lineup changes and a long hiatus of sorts, but now they’re returning for just a small handful of comeback gigs across the country.
Ahead of their seminal debut album turning 25 years old this year, 2026 also seems them steadily creeping up on the best part of three decades as a group in some form or another.
For anyone uninitiated, the native 90s and early noughties name was the first band signed to Noel Gallagher’s Sour Mash Records in 2001.
Their first-ever LP, The Same Old Blues, still remains their most revered work to this day.
Dubbed by the older Burnage brother and legendary Manc musician as “a lesson in songwriting” in an interview with the NME way back when, they started out as long-time friends and turned into fellow studio peers.
As well as supporting the likes of Oasis, Neil Young, The Stereophonics, Paul Weller, Ocean Colour Scene, Ryan Adams, Noel’s High Flying Birds and more on various tours over the years, they also famously headlined Isle of Wight Festival in 2004.
Having collaborated with the likes of another Britpop legend, Gem Archer, as well as The Smiths’ Andy Rourke, not to mention gaining plaudits from so many other contemporaries, they’re likely one of your favourite bands’ old faithful bands.
It still sits as one of the biggest live highlights.
Moreover, in regional terms, rising local indie rock quintet Rosellas are also joining them on the road for all but one of the shows.
Unfortunately for us, it is their date at Manchester Academy 3 (sigh)…
However, we’re still getting a fairly nearby name, with fellow long-running Crewe icons The Train Set joining them here in 0161 on 16 May. You can grab your tickets HERE.
Both of the Manc bands have also featured in our artists of the month, by the way, in case you wanted to see who else was listed alongside them.
Emily Sergeant -
26th February 2024 
