4 days Ago By [email protected] (Leena Sidat)
The Easter bank holiday weekend is finally here! Whether you’re gearing up for a weekend packed full of activity in the spring sunshine - when it’s willing to appear - or a more relaxed one, it’s set to be a great few days. To add to the excitement, tickets to a host of live shows in Manchester are on sale this week, so you can give yourself an extra treat over the bank holiday break. From The Divine Comedy - fronted by Neil Hannon - and The Maccabees, to Hacienda Classical’s return at Sounds of the City this summer, there’s plenty to look forward to.
Check out the full list below...
The Divine Comedy - The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester October 24, 2025 (Image: Rain Westenberg) A lot has happened to Neil Hannon since The Divine Comedy’s last studio album, the Top 5 ‘Office Politics’, in 2019. Their entire back catalogue was lovingly remastered and re-released in 2020, while a sensational ‘best of’ compilation, ‘Charmed Life’, also went Top 5 when it came out in 2022, accompanied by a suitably wonderful nationwide tour. More recently, Neil Hannon wrote all the original songs for the global blockbuster ‘Wonka’ - which was named by The Official Charts Co.
as the UK’s most popular film of 2024. And now, to celebrate the release of their new album, ‘Rainy Sunday Afternoon’, The Divine Comedy are set to tour the UK this October. Tickets are now on sale here .
The Maccabees - O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester August 21 and 22, 2025 (Image: Phil Sharp) Following the news that The Maccabees are reforming to headline London’s All Points East festival this summer, there was a wave of excitement amongst fans and media alike - a clear testament to the love still felt for a band that said an emotional, euphoric goodbye in 2017. And now, The Maccabees’ resurgence is set to continue with two shows in Manchester this August. Comprising lead singer Orlando Weeks, guitarists (and brothers) Felix and Hugo White, bassist Rupert Jarvis and drummer Sam Doyle, The Maccabees debuted in 2005 and constantly evolved over the course of four critically adored studio albums, from the fan favourite debut ‘Colour It In’ to their first #1 record, ‘Marks To Prove It’.
Continued critical acclaim included a Mercury Prize nomination for their third album, ‘Given To The Wild’, and the prestigious Ivor Novello for ‘Best Contemporary Song’ for ‘Pelican’ before winning ‘Best British Band’ at the 2016 NME Awards. Tickets are available here now. The Amazons - Albert Hall, Manchester October 25, 2025 (Image: Supplied/Press) Following their powerhouse collaboration with Royal Blood on ‘My Blood’ and the recent release of ‘Love is a Dog From Hell’, The Amazons have released their explosive new single ‘Night After Night’.
Loaded with thundering riffs and raw energy, the track is the latest taste of their forthcoming album ‘21st Century Fiction’, out May 9. Alongside this, the band will be hitting the road this autumn for a run of UK headline dates. An anthem of frustration and self-reflection, The Amazons drew inspiration from their time spent at Jumbo’s Clown Room in Hollywood, an old haunt of David Lynch and Charles Bukowski, which they shaped into a metaphor for the habits and routine that trap us all.
Lead singer Matt Thomson explains: “What interested us were the guys who’d go there all the time, who became part of the furniture, at the bar night after night compelled to be there, unable to break out. It’s easy to judge, but we all have our habits - some more visible than others. It’s only when we try to hop the fence that we realise how much of a hold they have over us.
” Tickets are on sale here now. Hacienda Classical - Castlefield Bowl, Manchester July 5, 2025 (Image: Dominic Simpson/Voodoo Imaging) Manchester’s iconic celebration, Hacienda Classical, is set to make a triumphant return to the historic Castlefield Bowl on Saturday, July 5, 2025 - marking its record-breaking ninth appearance at Sounds of the City. A groundbreaking musical project, Hacienda Classical fuses the spirit of the legendary Hacienda with the timeless sounds of classic dance tracks.
Resident DJ, Graeme Park carefully curates a selection of iconic anthems from the late 1980s and early 1990s, which are then re-imagined with orchestral arrangements by the Manchester Camerata Orchestra - resulting in an unmissable experience. Special guests including ‘the voice’ of M People, Heather Small, will join the show, along with house legends K-Klass performing a full live set, and DJ Paulette and Tom Wainwright as resident DJs for the night. Hacienda Classical co-curator Graeme Park will also take to the decks pre-show.
Tickets are on sale here. Mario - O2 Victoria Warehouse, Manchester May 3, 2025 (Image: Supplied/Press) Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling R&B singer Mario is heading out on a UK headline tour this spring in support of his brand new album ‘Glad You Came’. Kicking off in Leeds on April 26, Mario will perform six special dates across the country, concluding with a huge show at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse on May 3 - and will be joined by special guest Eric Bellinger on all dates.
With a dominant 2000s run, Mario’s hits include ‘Just A Friend’ and ‘Let Me Love You’ - the generation-defining serenade that spent nine weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned the singer widespread acclaim. His subsequent album, ‘Turning Point’, generated a ‘Best Contemporary R&B Album’ Grammy nomination, as well as two Billboard Awards, and is part of a robust catalogue that includes four debuts inside the Top 5 of Billboard R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, beginning with his gold-certified debut, ‘Mario’. Tickets are available here .
John Grant - New Century, Manchester October 6, 2025 (Image: Supplied/Press) Following the success of last year’s ‘The Art of The Lie’, 2025 is shaping up to be another busy and eventful year for John Grant. Having recently toured Australia, and with a US tour this month, Grant will embark on a 10-date UK and Ireland tour this October, which kicks off in Dublin and includes performances at the Troxy in London and Manchester’s New Century. Tickets are now on sale here .
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