Manchester Theatre News & Reviews

The Best Manchester Gigs This Week

With over 4000 shows listed on Manchester Theatres, it can be hard to decide which show to go and see - as you will probably know if you are one of the 200,000 members who receive our Sunday night "What's on in Manchester over the next seven days" e-mails [subscribe here].

Additionally, you can also find our top theatre shows, classical concerts, comedy gigs and tribute shows here...

Our Top 30 What's on in Manchester Gigs This Week

Bastille

Dan Smith's multi-million selling R&B tinged UK chart-topping pop rockers combine glossy '80s synth textures and arena-friendly choruses such as their UK no.2 hit singles "Pompeii," and "Of The Night".

JLS

The X Factor runner-ups have gone on to sell millions of records and score five UK no.1 singles with "She Makes Me Wanna", "Everybody in Love", "Beat Again", "The Club Is Alive" and "Love You More" among other hits.

Five

"Slam Dunk (Da Funk)" as, after 25 years apart, one of the most successful and iconic boy bands of all time are finally back together again with the return of Warrington rapper Jason "J" Brown.

Lorde

The international chart topping New Zealand pop star boasts husky tones and a radiant feel to her music which has produced hits like "Royals", "Green Light", and "Team".

The Offspring

Pretty Fly (for white guys), the international chart-topping 1990's Californian punk rockers return.

Mac DeMarco

Two shows from the Canadian indie icon and self-produced multi-instrumentalist who describes his blue wave, slacker rock sound as "jizz jazz".

Howard Jones

The Southampton-born, Cardiff-raised synth-pop icon returns to the city where he started his music career while studying at the Royal Northern College of Music in the 1970s.

Russell Watson

The Salford Tenor has gone from singing before Manchester United home games to being the UK’s most prolific classical recording artist and the first to top the charts in both the UK and USA at the same time.

BC Camplight + Badly Drawn Boy

A homecoming for the Manchester-based Philadelphian lo-fi rocker Brian Christinzio featuring support from Bolton folk star Damon Gough, aka Badly Drawn Boy.

Nia Archives - Up Ya Archives

A night curated by one of the most exciting and compelling new artists in the UK making cutting edge lo-fi jungle music.

Nicola Benedetti

Described by The Times as "The country’s favourite violinist", Nicola Benedetti performs romantic classics, virtuoso party pieces and even folk music from her native Scotland.

Brand New

Long Island rockers who have earned critical recognition as one of the most influential emo bands with Top 40 hits like "The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows" and "Sic Transit Gloria... Glory Fades" perform in Manchester for the first time since vocalist Jesse Lacey was accused of sexual misconduct with underage fans.

Ash

Platinum-selling, chart-topping Northern Irish rockers best known for their 1995 hit "Girl from Mars", as well as UK Top 10 singles "Goldfinger", "Oh Yeah", "Shining Light", and "A Life Less Ordinary".

Levellers

Celebrating 30 years since their only chart-topping albm, Zeitgeist - which spawned hits Hope St, Just the One, and Fantasy - the legendary Brighton anthemic folk punk rockers return with their crusty hippy idealism and left-wing politics which has served as a lightning rod for kindred spirits since the late 80s.

Dodie

Dorothy Clark is a piano and ukulele playing folk pop singer-songwriter, author, and YouTuber from Epping, Essex, who reached no.3 in the UK album charts with her 2021 debut ‘Build A Problem’.

The Fray

Colorado pop rockers The Fray are best known for their multi-Platinum selling hits "How to Save a Life", "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and "You Found Me".

Joy Crookes

Mercury and BRIT Award nominated London neo-soul artist Joy Crookes weaves through topics such as mental health, relationships, and politics all with grace and sensitivity.

Baxter Drury

The son of the late rocker Ian Dury, Baxter Dury's idiosyncratically louche music is a universe of late-night London meet-ups, shuffling basslines and comedown disco tunes.

Alessi Rose

Described by NME as the "Derbyshire Olivia Rodrigo", Derby indie pop rocker Alessi Rose began uploading videos to YouTube when she was 13 and has gone on to support Tate McRae and Noah Kahan.

Blood Orange

New York-based London indie rocker Devonte Hynes started out as a teenage punk in the Test Icicles before releasing two orchestral acoustic pop records as Light speed Champion and embarking on a solo career under the moniker Blood Orange, which has seen him compared to the likes of Kendrick Lamar and D'Angelo.

Alex G

Previously known as "(Sandy) Alex G", and dubbed as “America’s greatest living songwriter” by The Fader, Frank Ocean-collaborator, Pennsylvanian indie folk singer Alex Giannascoli, delivers intimate lo-fi pop.