THE BEST OF MANCHESTER

MANCHESTER’S gig and festival circuit was visited by some massive names in 2019. There was the return of Ariana Grande at the new Manchester Pride Live; Heaton Park hosted another huge Parklife line-up as well as homecoming shows from Noel Gallagher and the Courteeners; and stadium acts including Muse, Metallica and The Spice Girls packed out the Etihad.

It’s a tough year to follow, but 2020’s musical calendar is already shaping up nicely.

From long-awaited reunions to some of the hottest new talent in the world landing on our doorstep, here are some of the biggest dates for your diary.

Lana Del Rey Manchester Arena, February 26 Her sixth album Norman F ***** g Rockwell has been declared by many a critic as one of 2019’s best albums.

And 2020 will find Lana Del Rey on a victory lap of the UK as she promotes her latest release on a tour that includes her biggest Manchester show to date at the Arena.

Supergrass

O2 Victoria Warehouse, February 26 and 27

Supergrass are reforming after nine years for a world tour calling in Manchester in 2020.

Gaz Coombes, Mick Quinn, Danny Goffney and Rob Coombes announced their comeback in September as they took to the stage for a surprise greatest hits set at Glastonbury Pilton Party.

It was their first gig in nine years, and will be followed by a string of shows across the UK, Europe and North America in 2020 - including two at the O2 Victoria Warehouse.

Lewis Capaldi

O2 Apollo, March 2 and 3

The Scottish singer has made a huge name for himself in 2019 - and not only for his music.

As well as scoring chart success and a Grammy nomination, he’s become just as famous for antics like trolling Noel Gallagher on stage at Glastonbury and treating fans to free Greggs after his shows.

The Who

Manchester Arena, March 16

The Who returned with their first album in 13 years in 2019 and will follow it up with a tour in 2020.

Roger Daltrey, Pete Townshend and co are hitting the road again and will play at Manchester Arena to promote WHO, their first full-length release since 2006’s Endless Wire.

The UK arena tour kicks off in Manchester and will see them perform songs from the new record, along with back catalogue classics such as Pinball Wizard, My Generation and Behind Blue Eyes.

Blossoms

Manchester Arena, March 28

Just a few years ago, the biggest venue Blossoms had ever played was the Edgeley scaffolding yard where they rehearsed.

Since then the Stockport band’s meteoric rise has seen them sell out ever-bigger venues, including their hometown’s Edgeley Park stadium this summer.

Now they’re set to play their biggest headline show to date at Manchester Arena in 2020, with a set drawing from new album Foolish Loving Spaces, which is out on January 31.

Fans can expect more of the Talking Heads influence of lead single Your Girlfriend, blended with inspiration from U2 and Primal Scream, and a euphoric, gospel sound to some of the 10 tracks.

Elbow

O2 Apollo, April 1, 3 and 4

After headlining Sounds of the City at Castlefield Bowl last summer, Elbow are back on home turf with a threenight residency at the O2 Apollo.

Guy Garvey and co’s latest UK tour comes in support of their recentlyreleased eighth studio album Giants Of All Sizes, which includes the singles Dexter & Sinister and White Noise White Heat.

Avril Lavigne

O2 Apollo, April 2

Straighteners and khol sticks at the ready - the Sk8r Boi star is coming back to Manchester for a sold out show.

The Canadian singer behind noughties smashes including Complicated now has six studio albums under her studded belt including her latest, Head Above Water, which she’s taking out on a world tour.

Her Apollo show is one of only two UK dates the eight-time Grammynominated singer is playing. Will we get to delight in more awkward backstage fan photo opportunities? We can only hope.

Snoop Dogg

Manchester Arena, April 12

Snoop Dogg is heading to Manchester on his I Wanna Thank Me Tour - joined by West Coast hip hop royalty Warren G, Tha Dogg Pound, Obie Trice and D12.

The tour comes in support of his 17th album of the same name, which features songs including Trey Songz, YG, Wiz Khalifa and Swizz Beatz.

Fans can also look forward to some of his greatest hits from his 26-year career including Signs, Drop It Like It’s Hot, Snoop’s Upside Ya Head and Wet, to name a few.

Pussycat Dolls Manchester Arena, April 14 After THAT performance on The X

Factor, The Pussycat Dolls are back together and heading out on their first live tour for more than a decade.

Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, Ashley Roberts, Jessica Sutta and Carmit Bachar will be regrouping to perform their pop hits such as Don’t Cha and When I Grow Up.

It will be the first time they’ve toured together since 2009’s Doll Domination tour, where they were supported by none other than Lady Gaga.

Originally created as a burlesque troupe, The Pussycat Dolls went on to become one of the best-selling girl groups of all time, clocking up record sales of 54 million worldwide.

After splitting, the band members went on to pursue solo careers, with Nicole a regular face on the judging panel of the UK version of The X Factor.

Harry Styles Manchester Arena, April 25

Time for the supermarkets to start banning kiwi sales again - Harry Styles is coming back to Manchester.

It’ll be a homecoming of sorts for the Holmes Chapel singer, nearly two years after his last show at the venue, when fans camped outside the arena for four days before he stepped on stage.

On his previous tour, which called at Manchester’s O2 Apollo, Asda halted the sale of kiwis to under-25s after fans threw them on stage during his song, Kiwi.

The former One Direction star released his self-titled debut album in 2017 to critical acclaim, and has earned yet more with newly-released follow-up, Fine Line.

He’ll be joined on the UK leg of his tour by rising pop star King Princess.

Bon Iver

Manchester Arena, April 30

Bon Iver are returning to Manchester for their first show since 2012.

Justin Vernon and co are heading back out on tour in support of fourth studio album i,i.

Fans can look forward to the first live outing of singles including Hey Ma, U (Man Like) and Jelmore, as well as back catalogue classics like Skinny Love, Holocene and 33 GOD.

The Killers

Emirates Old Trafford, May 30

The Killers are coming to Manchester in May to perform a stadium show at Emirates Old Trafford.

Brandon Flowers and co will play at the home of Lancashire Cricket, supported by Stockport’s very own Blossoms.

It’s part of their stadium tour to promote new album Imploding the Mirage - the follow-up to 2017’s Wonderful, Wonderful.

Dua Lipa

Manchester Arena, June 1

Global pop sensation Dua Lipa releases her second album, Future Nostalgia, in 2020, with a European tour to go with it.