It’s that time once again, Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram are going head-to-head in another DJ battle for charity.
Following what was the headline-grabbing showdown between the two Northern mayors last year here in Manchester, where both ended up claiming a victory, Burnham and Rotheram have announced they’re going for round two next month.
And it’s all in the name of charity, of course.
This time round, the Mayor of Liverpool City Region has invited the Greater Manchester Mayor over to his neck of the woods, as the pair will be taking to the decks at Camp and Furnace in Liverpool city centre on Friday 2 February.
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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Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram are going head-to-head in another charity DJ battle / Credit: Supplied
It’s not just Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram that you’ll get to see in action on the night though either, as there’s also some local and international stars set to make an appearance too.
Ticketholders will be treated to the musical stylings of singers Rebecca Ferguson and Peter Hooton, alongside LFC and England footballer (and rapper) John Barnes for the so-called ‘home side’, while former Coronation Street actress Sally Lindsay, M-People’s Heather Small, and BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Nihal Arthanayake will join the Greater Manchester team.
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“We’re coming back, but this time, we’re heading over to Liverpool,” Andy Burnham said ahead of the DJ battle next month.
“I was so proud of what we achieved with our DJ battle last year, using the power of music and friendly rivalry to unite behind one powerful message, that homelessness has no place in Greater Manchester. It’s going to be bigger and better this time round, as we spread the fundraising and ramp up the noise over in Liverpool.”
The two Northern mayors will face off in Liverpool at the start of next month / Credit: Shaun Peckham
The first in-person DJ battle between the two mayors in Manchester back in December 2022 ended up raising over £25,000, and even won ‘Leading Live Event of the Year’ at the 2023 This is Manchester Awards.
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“I’m really looking forward to welcoming Andy and the rest of the Greater Manchester contingent to Liverpool,” added Steve Rotheram, “We’ve shown time and again that nowhere can throw a party quite like our area, and we’ve got a fantastic lineup of famous faces joining us on stage for what promises to be an evening full of fun and great music.
“Most importantly though, it’s all in aid of a cause that’s very close to all our hearts, and together, we’re showing that the North West will always stand united in support of those who need it most.”
Proceeds from the night will be distributed between the Liverpool City Region and Greater Manchester charities, and all funds will support initiatives to tackle homelessness and end rough sleeping.
Early-bird tickets for the DJ Battle 2024 are now on sale here.
Featured Image – Shaun Peckham
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Niall Horan is heading back to Manchester with a massive arena show just announced
Daisy Jackson
Niall Horan will be back in Manchester this year on a huge newly-announced European arena tour.
The former One Direction star (and chart-topper in his own right) has just announced his Dinner Party Live On Tour tour.
The tour comes in support of his upcoming fourth solo studio album, Dinner Party, which promises to be ‘cinematic and organic’.
Niall Horan will be performing at the Co-op Live in Manchester this September, along with gigs in other UK cities including Sheffield, Glasgow, and Newcastle.
He’ll then head right across Europe, playing music from his multi-Platinum-selling songbook.
Niall first shot to fame as one-fifth of One Direction, but has one of the group’s strongest solo careers, with three chart-topping albums and massive hits like Slow Hands, Heaven, and Our Song.
Niall Horan is heading back to Manchester with a massive arena show just announced
He’s also worked on some exciting collaborations with the likes of Anne-Marie, and most recently Myles Smith.
£1 from every ticket sold for Niall Horan’s Dinner Party tour will be donated to the LIVE Trust, which is dedicated to protecting, expanding, and supporting grassroots music across the UK.
Niall Horan will be at the Co-op Live in Manchester on Friday 25 September.
Tickets will go on sale from 10am on Thursday 2 April HERE.
Yard Act announce handful of new headline shows ahead of 6Music gig in Manchester
Clementine Hall
Yard Act are back as they announce first round of UK headline dates since 2024, including a show right here in Manchester – but not before their BBC 6Music Festival gig later this week.
We are so, SO back.
It’s been a few years, but Yard Act have just announced a limited run of domestic shows for later in the year including their homecoming gig at the O2 Academy in Leeds on Friday, 6 November.
But after playing over in Yorkshire, the lads will be performing shows at the O2 Victoria Warehouse on the following Friday (13 Nov).
Yard Act completed the touring for their critically acclaimed second album, Where’s My Utopia?, with a victory lap back home at the 5000 capacity Millennium Square in Leeds in August ’24.
It was a record that brought a stark change of pace to the acerbic, post-punk of their debut, embracing something altogether more playful and bringing a different energy.
It shifted the dynamic on stage too, with the addition of dancing backing singers and additional musicians and openly challenged listeners to reconsider who they thought Yard Act were.
Since then, the band have been keeping busy writing and recording their third studio LP, as well as heading out across the UK and Europe with The Hives – oh, and that intimate one-off show at Blackpool Tower last May.
Following a lengthy stint in the studio, the band now look to this coming autumn for three big UK dates and we cannot wait. We spoke to them a little while back and know how much big stuff they’ve got further pipeline; you can see the interview HERE.
Booking just three headline slots, the handful of tour dates are as follows:
06 Nov – Leeds
13 Nov – Manchester
26 Nov – London
Tickets go on artist presale from 10am on Wednesday, 25 March before hitting general sale at 10am on Friday, 27 March. Sign up to grab yours right HERE.
As for those wanting to find out more about this year’s 6Music Fest, you find the full lineup and more down below.
Emily Sergeant -
12th January 2024 
