Top 10 Gigs
I have been working through my top ten songs by various artists and bands. There's more on the way in that regard. For this list, I wanted to run through my top ten gigs, though. I have been going to gigs for over fifteen years, and have seen some great shows in tiny rooms, academies, arenas, stadiums and even festivals. Narrowing it down to ten favourites was hard, but here you are!
I'd love to hear what your favourite gigs are. Let me know in the comments below.
10. Gerry Cinnamon: O2 Academy Birmingham, March 2019
When Gerry Cinnamon announced his March 2019 tour, it was set to end with a show at the O2 Institute in Birmingham on March 31st. Due to popular demand, the venue was upgraded to the O2 Academy, a venue three times the size.
We managed to get tickets to this gig from a lad on Twitter, who'd bought two. His plan was to take his brother, thankfully for us, his brother had the same idea. After a train ride into Birmingham, £40 exchanged and some top-class blagging from my mate, with the venue's security guard (the tickets had names on, and neither of us has the surname Hunt). After a convincing story involving our new mate, a fake girlfriend, a fake argument and the nightclub Snobs, we were in. What happened next can be described best in one word. Carnage.
A 15-song setlist that featured a new song, 'Canter', which would go on to be the lead single from Gerry's second album, The Bonny', a cover of 'The Night Visiting Song', which I completely forgot about! Ending with a cover of 'Discoland'
We'd done standing gigs before, but this one was unlike anything our teenage minds or bodies had experienced before. For an hour and fifteen minutes, there was no let-up. Before he'd even walked on stage, the room shook; the standing section that night is something I'll never forget.
My overriding memory of that gig is how hot it was and the lad behind me who lit a flare as Gerry walked on stage. That was the starting gun for the other two thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine people in attendance, and me. Gerry was in party mood, as was Birmingham.
Looking back at that show now, we were very lucky. Gerry Cinnamon has headlined arenas, festivals and football stadiums in the years since then. I don't think we will ever see him in a venue that small ever again
The setlist that night included the criminally underrated 'War TV', a rendition of 'Keysies', and a version of 'What Have You Done' that commanded a takeoff.
I was unsure about seeing Gerry before this gig. I went in with virtually no expectations, and it blew me away. It's left a lasting impression, a reminder of what music is and can be. There are nine other gigs on this list, if we were ranking solely on the crowd. This one would be in a league of its own. I've never been in a crowd like the one in Birmingham that night since.
Three thousand people, singing, dancing, jumping in tandem with a Scottish fella with an acoustic guitar, a loop pedal and a bass drum. What a man and what a night.
9. The 1975: NEC Birmingham, February 2024
The 1975 re-wrote what an arena show could be on their 'At Their Very Best' and 'Still At Their Very Best' tours in 2023 and 2024. I saw the 'At Their Very Best' tour in Liverpool, from the seated section, after watching the band's performance at Reading the year before.
'Still At Their Very Best' I watched from the standing section at Birmingham's NEC, a more polished affair, that took the best bits from the previous tour, including the house stage design, and removed some of the weirder elements, i.e., Matty Healy eating a raw steak.
Across the set, the band dipped into an extensive discography, including nine tracks from 'Being Funny in a Foreign Language', which made up the first part of the setlist. We got the brilliant song/band status update 'The 1975', the 80s indebted pop dance banger 'Happiness', the sequel to 'Robbers', the shoegaze inspired 'About You', and a brilliant version of 'All You Need to Hear' with Matty's dad, Tim Healy.
Mixed in with these tracks were classics like the criminally underrated 'A Change of Heart', the aforementioned 'Robbers' and 'fallingforyou'.
The middle of the set, 'Matty's Nightmare' saw a tease of a new, still-unheard 75 song, the Real World version of the hauntingly brilliant, 'I Like America & America Likes Me' and then 'Jesus Christ 2005 God Bless America' with Polly Money taking lead vocals. Quite the juxtaposition, from a song indebted to SoundCloud wrap, and Kanye autotune, straight into a country song. Only The 1975, eh.
The second part of the set is where things take a turn, though. It's a wall-to-wall bangers. The 1975 have quite the discography. You get 80s power pop, 'If You're Too Shy (Let Me Know)', Psychedelic Fur like indie bangers, 'It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)', snarling state of address 'Love It If We Made It', punk 'People' and one of the greatest love songs of recent memory 'Somebody Else'. You even get Britpop-meets-Radiohead with 'I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)'.
Visually, the show was spectacular; everything fell into place, from the introduction with the band walking into the house, switching on the lamps dotted around the stage, to the clips of newsreels, viral videos, podcasts and quotes from other musicians, including Noel Gallagher, interspersed with snatches of static, flashing on vintage TVs stacked on stage. The coronation...an XL bully ban...conflict in the Middle East... It feels like a reflection of the national psyche. It was an attack on all senses in the best way.
The show was the band's UK show before the Glastonbury show in 2025, and it felt like a farewell and almost a victory lap. Look at what we've done.
Arena shows were changed on this tour, and The 1975 accepted themselves as the biggest band in Britain. A masterclass in indie pop, punk, self-awareness and showmanship. A truly exceptional show.
8. The Killers: Co-Op Live Manchester June 2024
It took me a long time to see The Killers, but boy was it worth the wait. The band headed to Manchester on their 'Rebel Diamonds' tour to celebrate twenty years since the release of their first single.
The show was my first at the Co-Op Live, and we were sat in the gods, and yet it didn't matter. Twenty of the finest indie songs of the last two decades will do that for you. The Kilers have so many bangers, in fact, you were half disappointed when they wheeled out a brilliant cover of Erasure's 'A Little Respect', could you not have done another one of yours, lads?
Alongside the heavy hitters, 'Somebody Told Me', 'Smile Like You Mean It', 'Jenny Was A Friend of Mine', 'When You Were Young', 'All These Things That I've Done' and of course 'Mr Brightside'. The band played some underrated gems, 'A Dustland Fairytale', a tribute to Brandon Flowers late mother, they opened the show with the best song from 'Sam's Town', the beautiful 'Read My Mind.
We were even treated to Liam Gallagher's favourite Killers song 'Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll', the band performing it for the first time in five years. Noel's favourite is 'All These Things That I've Done' btw!
Two newer songs, the New Order-inspired 'Your Side of Town' and the Erasure-inspired 'Boy', were played just before 'A Little Respect', a sly joke from the boys from Vegas.
I also need to mention the support band on the night. Travis, who played a set containing all of their classics, including 'Why Does it Always Rain on Me', which they got a whole arena to sing. 'Sing', 'Closer' and 'Flowers in the Window' also featured. 'Side', which was a song The Killers used to cover in the early days, made for a brilliant full-circle moment, and a great story for Fran Healy to tell the crowd.
The Killers ended the show with the 50/50 version of 'Mr Brightside', which turned the indie banger into an 8-minute epic, with the verses repeated again. Being in the room, hearing that song live is something special. For my generation, that song is ingrained within us; it's been there forever. First hitting the Top 100 when I was four and never dropping out, there's a timeless quality to that song. In terms of live moments, there are very few on this list that top those eight minutes.
The fact that I was sitting in the gods only adds to it. For most of these other gigs, I've been standing, or they have been in small venues that feel intimate. What The Killers did that night took skill and real showmanship. I was closer to the back wall than the stage, and yet I might as well have been standing next to Brandon Flowers and the rest of the lads. With some brilliant songs and some Vegas showmanship, The Killers delivered one of my best ever gigs.
7. Arctic Monkeys: Old Trafford Cricket Ground, Manchester, June 2023
Another masterclass in delivering hit after hit. Playing to a sold-out crowd in the Manchester sunshine, Arctic Monkeys dipped deep into their discography for their first-ever stadium tour.
The support bands that night were The Mysternines, who played a very good show, but it was The Hives who made a lasting impression. A 9 song setlist, where two songs in the front man of the Hives smashed his eye with a microphone. What did he do? Carried on of course, and they were brillaint.
Definitley the funniest support band I've ever seen. Before launching into their hit 'Hate To Say I Told You So', the band asked the 50,000-strong Manchester crowd "if they liked Arctic Monkeys", and then "if they liked Oasis", before offering to play an Oasis cover. When the crowd naturally cheered. The band's frontman, Pelle Almqvist, said, "Too bad, here's one by The Hives. It was a really memorable show, and the atmosphere by the time the band left the stage was elevated to a level. They'd set the bomb to 'Tick Tick Boom'.
Once the Monkeys arrived, the crowd was at fever pitch.
Opening the show with 'Fluorescent Adolescent', the bar was set high early, and from there on in, they sauntered through hits old and new. The big question for the band on this tour was, how would the new songs fit in? 2018's 'Tranquillity Base Hotel & Casino' and 2022's 'The Car' had really divided the fan base, and even those of us who liked the albums were a little apprehensive about how they would sound live.
What on earth were we worried about! The set didn't slow down from there though 'Brianstorm' 'Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair' 'Crying Lightning' 'Snap Out of It' 'Teddy Picker' all followed at frightening speed, the band knew the audience and they played like it was one of their first ever gigs, giving us newer fans a taster of the early stuff.
'Four of Five' began the middle section of the gig, and the song takes on a new sense of urgency live. It was one of my set highlights, and I wasn't the only one enjoying myself. The crowd took to it, too. The song began a section of Monkey's deeper cuts, 'Cornerstone' followed, and I was definitely glad to hear that. It is easily my favourite Arctic Monkeys song, and I still believe it's the best song Alex Turner has ever written. Hearing it live was a spine-tingling experience; the 50,000-strong crowd chanting those lyrics back to Alex was one of the set's high points.
My Propeller' and 'Suck it & See' were welcome additions to the set; it was great to see that the band were not afraid to play some deeper cuts. Not always relying on the hits made from a welcome change of pace.
They are also great songs; 'My Propeller' provided a dark gothic edge that we didn't really get from any of the other songs. 'Suck it & See' is one of the best love songs the band have ever written, and it got a great reception.
'AM's' tracks got a great reception throughout the gig 'Arabella' was met with screams and cheers, and they didn't forget the guitar solo. 'Why Do You Only Call Me When You're High?' was given a lounge sheen and piano solo. 'Do I Wanna Know' is still one of the best songs of the last fifteen years and a true live stomper.
'Mardy Bum' got arguably the best reception of the night; it was a brilliant move for the band to bring it back. It had been 15 years since the band had last played it as a full band before this tour, and it still brings the house down. Its relatable lyrics about young love resonate with nearly every member of the audience. A true universal anthem.
'There'd Better Be a Mirrorball' was the first time 'The Car' got an outing as an orchestral masterpiece, making the crowd stop and watch in awe. The band had us in the palm of their hand. Alex swaggered around like the very best frontman, ever. It was a perfectly timed moment played as the sun began to set over the Northern City. If the album hadn't landed with everyone, this moment might have made some give it another chance.
'505' was the penultimate song of the main set. What can I say about this song that hasn't been said a 1000 times before? It is still one of the band's best, and the crowd definitely agreed with the lyrics being belted back at full pelt, and mosh pits opening up.
It was a celebration of just how far the band had come and one for all the fans. 'Body Paint' from 'The Car' was chosen to end the show. Highlighting the band's confidence in these new songs and playing them side-by-side with '505', they showcase Turner's lyricism at its finest, despite the songs' 15-year gap. This song also saw the band go very '70s' with long guitar solos and an extended outro. 'Body Paint' isn't going anywhere; it will be in the setlist for a very long time. I, for one, don't mind that. Seeing it live was probably the gig highlight for me. The whole thing was breathtaking.
I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor' got a huge reception. It might not have been played at the ferocious pace as it once was, but each member of the band played a blinder, and the 50,000-strong backing vocalists, well, I'd like to think we did our job! 'R U Mine' ended the show, and as you'd expect, carnage would ensue. It was always going to get that reaction.
The band had taken us on a trip through the back catalogue and given fans one of the best stadium shows they will ever see. Songs from 'The Car' had become stadium anthems in their own right and stood up alongside anything else in the band's eclectic discography.
Arctic Monkeys drove 'The Car' into the club with the stadium acts now; they have to be in the conversation as one of Britain's best bands ever. They have to be.
6. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: Cannock Chase June 2022
This gig is a really special one for me, for one main reason. Location.
Oasis has played a massive role in my musical journey. They’ve introduced me to countless other amazing bands and artists. Their songs have soundtracked some of my best memories with friends and family, and they’re one of the main reasons I started this blog.
So when it was announced that Noel Gallagher would be playing Cannock Chase in 2022, getting tickets was a no-brainer. We’d seen him live before, in Birmingham and in his hometown of Manchester, but this time was different. This time, he was performing on my doorstep, in a unique venue: an open-air stage nestled in the heart of the forest, shaped like a natural amphitheatre, as part of Forest England’s Forest Live concert series.
The show itself felt like a momentous one, personally, though. I travelled with a family member and a couple of friends, who are all massive Noel fans, loving his work with Oasis and the High Flying Birds. We all bumped into people that we knew, though, old school friends, work colleagues. This was a special moment for us all. These things don't happen around here. ForestLive shows happen every year, but it's a rare occasion for someone like Noel Gallagher to turn up.
The set was a real mixture of songs from both his Oasis and his High Flying Birds days. 19 in total, including 7 Oasis songs. Ending of course with 'Don't Look Back in Anger'. He also played 'Talk Tonight', 'Half the World Away' and 'Stop Crying Your Heart Out'.
His solo classics 'If I Had a Gun' and 'AKA What a Life' slotted in alongside the heavy hitters perfectly. The first part of the set was dedicated entirely to his eclectic solo career, from the 70s-inspired 'Blackstar Dancing' through to the glam like 'Holy Mountain' and the New Order meets Blondie banger 'She Taught Me How to Fly.'
Outdoor gigs can often feel massive and disconnected. I remember seeing the Courteeners at Heaton Park in 2019, and feeling a million miles away from the band on stage. Noel's Cannock Chase gig felt intimate, and it sounded incredible.
I've done more intimate, I have definitely done much bigger, I have had one-off moments at gigs, but this one had everything. Watching Noel and the band sing 'Don't Look Back in Anger' in the middle of a forest we used to go to as kids, a place we went on school trips, near where I learnt to ride a bike, a place already associated with so many memories, was definitely one of the most special moments I've had at a gig.
5. Courteeners: Manchester Arena, Manchester, December 2019
The context around this gig is vital. We'd already seen Courteeners that year, at the band's biggest headline show, in Heaton Park. Backed by a lineup of James, DMAS, and Pale Waves. However, the band were also assisted by the Manchester weather, and it rained a lot. Heaton Park was a mud bath, the day was vile, and I remember feeling a million miles away from the stage. My Adidas trainers still bear the scars of that day. My mate Archie had the right idea with his Doc Martens.
We'd hyped Heaton Park up in our heads. It was going to be our Spike Island, an indie pilgrimage, a huge day and night out in Manchester, the first of many. One of those things came true. It would be the first of many, but it was not the indie pilgrimage I thought it would be.
When the band announced an arena show for later in the year, we hesitated buying tickets, but I'm glad we did. We got to see a near-perfect 25-song setlist complete with a string section, with all the classics, some underrated gems, 'Beautiful Head', 'That Kiss' and 'You Overdid it Doll'.
Oh, and we even got an impromptu cover of 'Live Forever'. A song not on the printed setlist, a song that a guitar tech had put on Liam Fray's monitors for a laugh.
The show, similar to the Gerry Cinnamon one, had moments where it didn't let up. They come on to Oasis's 'Morning Glory', the crowd bouncing before they've even set foot on stage and chanting for frontman Liam like some form of religious mantra. They crashed into 'Are You In Love With A Notion?' and the arena is on its feet, where it remains for the rest of the set as the likes of 'Cavorting' and 'Small Bones' delight the sold-out crowd. Flares are lit in the standing area where there's a swaying mass of bodies moving together in their hundreds, and the atmosphere feels electric, a celebration and a release.
It's worth mentioning as well that this show took place in December, so I think we were all very much in the festive spirit. At times the crowd threaten to drown out the band, and at points Liam gives in and lets the audience take over, like on 'Bide Your Time'. 'The Opener' is the band's love letter to the city, and as he sang "I was made for this place, I was made for you", 21,000 people agreed with him.
The whole set jumped around the band's career, and would see them play four songs from a forthcoming record, More. Again.Forever', including the already fan favourite 'Hanging Off Your Cloud', played solely by Liam on an acoustic guitar.
With an encore that featured 'Not Nineteen Forever' the eternal teenage anthem, and a song about sciving, written when Liam worked at Fred Perry in the city centre, 'What Took You So Long' the room shook, a finale that proved the band as hometown heroes, and for us two who'd stood at the back at Heaton Park caked in mud, proved that Courteeners are still one of our favourite bands.
It also taught me a vital lesson, a lesson best said by Alex Turner: "Anticipation has a habit of setting you up for disappointment". I walked into the Manchester Arena that night with zero expectations, and I watched one of my favourite bands play an absolute blinder. Whereas a mere six months before, I made a journey up to Manchester expecting Spike Island v2.
4. Blossoms: Edgeley Park, Stockport, June 2019
Blossoms described their 2019 show at Edgeley Park, the home of Stockport County FC as "our era-defining moment of the early years. We're going into the third record, so this is signing off the first two albums with a huge party in your back garden."
It was our second gig in a week, having seen Courteeners in the mud at Heaton Park just seven days before we basked in the Stockport sunshine and watched one of the best indie performances we'd ever seen. This gig holds a few special memories for me. I went with my mate Archie whose from Stockport, and his mate Dylan who grabbed his ticket on the morning of the gig.
I'm not from Stockport, but the whole day felt like a moment for the town. I watched Archie and Dylan bump into old school friends in pubs, takeaways, on the street and at the gig itself. There was a real sense of, these are our boys, and they've come home.
The band are the towns biggest cultural ambasdors, the signs welcoming people into Stockport read ‘Welcome To Stockport’ road signs helpfully include ‘Home Of Blossoms’ underneath. The band themselves take their name from The Blossoms pub just a stones throw from Edgeley Park. It was all a very local affair.
Every word of Tom's, from references to a school prom at Edgeley Park to the areas of town from which they come and his customary introductions of the band, is met with a deafening roar as is Charlie's Grandad's impromptu appearance to encourage us to shout louder before the encore. They used to joke about performing here, when they were playing gigs in pubs around Stockport.
In terms of the show itself, it was a victory lap, the final one of the 'Cool Like You' era, an era that the band don't look back too fondly on.
The show kicked off with a burst of energy: the glistening pop-rush of ‘At Most A Kiss’ and ‘I Can’t Stand It’ instantly set the tone for the night. The stadium exploded, fans unleashed flares, coloured smoke drifted across the pitch, and you could feel the anticipation fizzing. Tom Ogden’s first words, "Good evening Stockport, we are Blossoms from Stockport" were full of hometown pride.
Bathed in neon lights, Tom struck his best Jarvis Cocker-inspired poses as the band powered through a slick set. Their songs balanced euphoria and melancholy, with choruses so catchy they stuck with you long after the final note.
When the band played the Brill Building-inspired ‘Honey Sweet’, ‘Love Talk’, and ‘How Long Will This Last?’, you could see older couples in the crowd nuzzling and swaying together. Then, as the opening chords of the anthemic ‘Your Favourite Room’ rang out, Tom encouraged the crowd: “I want to see you on everyone’s shoulders. You can do it.” Suddenly, the stadium turned into a human jenga tower of fans, all reaching for the sky.
The party atmosphere ramped up with a run of crowd-pleasing covers. After the wistful close of ‘Between The Eyes’, Blossoms teased New Order’s ‘Blue Monday’, sending a ripple of excitement through the audience. A familiar acoustic segment followed, with Tom offering the opening lines of Babybird’s ‘You’re Gorgeous’ and Oasis’s ‘Half The World Away’, each time, the crowd eagerly took over, belting out the rest.
The biggest surprise of the night was a debut David Bowie cover, a one-off that’s never resurfaced in their setlists since. The finale was pure euphoria: ‘There’s A Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls)’ began as a terrace-choir a cappella, the crowd’s voices echoing around the stadium before Blossoms unleashed the triumphant synths. The closing track, ‘Charlemagne’, brought a shower of pyro and ticker tape, and even got its own a cappella moment as the band paused to soak it all in. To witness 20,000 people sing a chorus about a canonised European emperor, it was clear: Blossoms had become true rock stars.
Across the day their had been performances from Fuzzy Sun, The Blinders, Cabbage, and final The Coral. The last being pick of the punch playing all the classics 'Jacqueline', 'Bill McCai', 'Pass It On', 'In The Morning' and their parting shot 'Dreaming Of You'. For the relativley young crowd in attendance these songs still really hit home, The Coral are one of the most underappreicated bands from Britain.
I've seen Blossoms since Edgeley Park, including their huge show at Wythenshawe Park in 2024, but Edgeley Park will alwys be in a league of it's own, with the 2021 Manchester Arena show coming in a close second. I watched the band come home, and I got to share that day with two of my mates from Stockport, the town embraced me on that day.
Everything was perfect, the weather was goregous, our posistion on the pitch perfect, the setlist imaculate, the surprise cover was unexpected, and the setlist is still one of the best the band have ever performed. Sometimes there's just magic in the air and that night there most certainly was.
3. Stereophonics: Civic Hall Wolverhampton March 2013
I've seen Stereophonics numerous times, in venues of different sizes. This one was comfortably the best though. My second time seeing them, and only my second concert ever, I got to watch the band play a 23 song setlist in a venue that holds just 3000 people.
Hours before the show started Wales had beaten England in the rugby, and that seemed to add fire to the belly of the beast. The show was a real mix of songs, nearly all of the tracks from 'Grafiti on the Train' which was the bands latest record at that time. These were littered throughout the set, alongisde numerous classics from the bands ilustrious career.
Including 'The Bartender and the Thief', 'Pick a Part That's New', 'Vegas Two Times' as well as some underrated bangers, 'Bamk Holiday Monday' and 'Live n Love'.
The show was a masterclass in crafting a setlist, showcasing a new record whilst also playing all of the fan favourites. Take the encore for example, the band opened it with 'No One's Perfect' an acoustic ballad, from their then new record, before launching into 'Have A Nice Day' and then bringing the house down with 'Dakota'.
Stereophonics shows are always full of range, and classic songs, this one just felt special due to the album it was promoting, the band chose to play the short film that had been recorded alongside the album on the screen as the songs played, the size of the venue, and the back catalogue that they dipped into, not just playing the hits but chucking in some curveballs.
2. Blur: Ziggo Dome Amsterdam June 2023
Story time, I booked this gig in an annoyed mood. Me and the lads had tried and had been unsuccesful in trying to get tickets for Glastonbury 2023, in both the general sale and resale. After some sulking. I did some digging. Blur were touring, Wembley was on the cards, and then it wasn't. Tickets were sold out. Dublin, Malhaide Castle, tickets were available but travel and accomodation was going to cost us a small fortune.
Where else could we go. Amsterdam, so that was that we booked flights from Manchester and a relativley cheap hotel and went for it. The show was one of the only Blur shows inside on the 2023 reunion tour. Taking place in the largest arena in the city, which albeit was probably only half full.
Not that we cared.
We were treated to a 24 song setlist that spanned the bands career. A setlist that contained two new songs, from their then forthcoming album, 'The Ballad of Darren', 'St Charles Square' and one of my favourites 'The Narcissist'. A live debut, yes a live debut in 2023 of the b-side 'All Your Life'.
A lot of stuff from 'Modern Life is Rubbish' including 'Villa Rosie', 'Chemical World' and 'Advert'. 'Trouble in the Message Centre' from 'Parklife' and the bands tale of wife swaping 'Sterotypes'.
We didn't get 'Country House' but other than that everything was there. From 'There's No Other Way' through to 'Beetlebum' the show didn't let up. Even when the pace slowed down it was for the band to play 'Coffee & TV' , 'End of the Century' and 'Chemical World'
'To the End' and 'Sing' were to of my highlights, 'Song 2' brought the rather passive dutch crowd to life, creating a swirl of mosh pits and younger fans jumping. An encore of 'Girls & Boys', 'Tender', 'The Narcissist' and 'The Universal ended the show, a perfect moment for the band. Blur reunited for the right reasons, being in Amsterdam that night you could tell that.
This was four mates getting back together, to make an album about the times in which they are living ina and to give those songs a run out again. For the five of us in attendance, it was a chance for us to see a band that we never thought we'd see. We also got three days in one of Europe's best ever cities. All because I went in a sulk!
Special Mention: We Are Manchester, Manchester Arena September 2017
We Are Manchester was a show we never have had to attend. On May 22nd 2017, a suicide bomber walked into the foyer of the Manchester Arena at the end of an Ariana Grande concert, and detonated an explosive device killing 22 people, and injuring countless more.
The event shook Britain to a core, it was the first suicide bomb attack since 7/7 in 2005, and an attack that targetted young people, music fans, families. One of the most horrifying moments I remember watching and hearing about.
We Are Manchester, was the first gig back, in a re-worked, refurbished Manchester Arena. A benefit show to raise money for a permanent memorial for the victims, overseen by the Manchester Memorial fund. The show was the second beneift gig, following on from Ariana Grande's One Love Manchester show in the June.
With the help of Simon Moran, Melvin Benn and Scooter Braun, Ariana managed to get an all-star bill which included Justin Bieber, the Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Miley Cyrus, Mac Miller, Marcus Mumford, Niall Horan, Little Mix, Katy Perry, Take That, Imogen Heap, Victoria Monét, Pharrell Williams, Robbie Williams and Liam Gallagher.
During the concert, the British Red Cross received a staggering £2.35 million in donations for the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund. By the next day, the British Red Cross announced it had received more than £10 million since the attack. These funds have made a significant difference in the lives of those affected. Grande also donated all proceeds to the fund from a re-release of her single 'One Last Time' and a live audio version of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' that she performed during the concert.
The concert, a global event, was attended by 55,000 people and broadcast on TV and Radio stations across the UK, including on the BBC. It is also broadcast in 38 countries across the globe, showcasing the widespread support and solidarity for Manchester.
We Are Manchester featured an all star Manchester bill, and marked a new start for the arena.
The night started with Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, reading the names of the 22 victims.
He was followed by the poet Tony Walsh, otherwise known as Longfella, whose moving poem ‘This Is The Place’ was widely shared following the attack. The poet led a ‘one minute noise’ in the arena, as opposed to the traditional one minute’s silence.
Rick Astley then gave a cover rendition of the Foo Fighters track ‘Everlong’.
The grime artist Bugzy Malone was next on the stage.
The Stockport-native band Blossoms were also at the show, opening with ‘At Most A Kiss’. They were then joined by James Skelly of The Coral to perform ‘Dreaming of You’.
Manchester band the Courteeners were greeted with rapturous applause when they took to the stage, with frontman Liam Fray calling Manchester, “the centre of the universe”.
A last minute addition to the lineup, Peter Kay recalled his close relationship with the venue after working there as a steward in the ‘90s. He then told the crowd, “We must not let the terrorists win.”
He then introduced headliner Noel Gallagher as “Mr Manchester himself, all the way from London.” Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds played a combination of their own tracks and Oasis classics, including ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’, which became a rallying anthem in the aftermath of the attack.
Addressing the crowd, Noel said, “If anyone here ever doubted that Manchester is the greatest city in England… there was a minute’s silence and one girl broke the silence and started to sing and it’s amazing how everyone rallied around that song that I’m about to sing.
“It’s become some kind of anthem of defiance. And every time you sing, we win, so keep on singing.”
The show was one of the best gigs we've ever been to. Seeing three of our favourite bands: Blossoms, Courteeners, and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, on the same night was unforgettable, and we even left as new Rick Astley fans. But it was so much more than just a gig. It was a city standing tall in the face of atrocity, doing what Manchester does best. We sang, danced, jumped, and cheered, remembering the lives of 22 amazing people. It was a night of celebration and tribute, as Manchester honoured those lives in the most heartfelt way and the arena opened a new, hopeful chapter in its story.
1. Oasis: Heaton Park, Manchester, July 2026
The one we never thought would happen. A concert that I'd spent hours thinking about, a concert where I'd devised setlists in the back of sixth form study rooms, where me and my mate had planned which body part we'd sell to get tickets, planned which line up of Oasis we'd get. All with blind optimism. It was never going to happen. We'd have to settle for the brothers solo.
And then.
August 25th 2024. Just after we'd finished watching Blossoms perform their biggest career show at Wythenshawe Park. We were met with this on the screen.
It can't have been on the screen for more than 15 seconds but that's all fans needed. After seeing it, the cheer was immense. It was as if Blossoms had walked back on stage.
Reading Festival where Liam Gallagher had been performing got the same announcement. Just after Liam had departed the stage. Featuring some musical backing, from The O’Jays, the song of choice being 'Give the People What they Want.'
Following the gigs, social media blew up. Media publications began to report on the videos. It wouldn't take long for more news to come out of the Oasis camp though.
The video played in Reading and Wythenshawe that had been shared unofficially by those who stood in the fields. Got an official release. Through three different channels. Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher and Oasis.
August 28th 2024 rolled around, and 'The Great Wait Is Over'
A tour was announced with dates at Heaton Park, Wembley, Croke Park, Cardiff’s Principality Stadium and Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
We somehow got tickets through the pre-sale, four of us were heading to the final night in Manchester. After watching Cast, and Richard Ashcroft. Oasis took to the stage at around 20:15 and quickly got the party started. Opening with 'Hello' before quickly breaking into 'Acquiesce', the song sees both brothers take on vocal duties. Hearing Noel sing the chorus of "Because we need each other/ We believe in one another." After Liam had absolutely smashed the verses, it was just one of many standout moments. 12 months ago, this reunion didn't seem possible, and to watch both of them on stage together on the last night in their hometown is an experience I'll never ever forget.
The setlist didn't let up, though. 'Morning Glory' and 'Some Might Say' were tracks 3 and 4, and again both received rapturous response from the 80,000-strong crowd. 'Bring It On Down', the punkiest song of the setlist, was dedicated to the thousands of fans who defied the rules put in place by Manchester City Council and would not be deterred by a metal fence.
Not only did these fans have a song dedicated to them, but cameras had been placed on the hill and throughout the concert, we would go live to Gallagher Hill. The band also had 1000 Gallagher Hill t-shirts printed for those who were watching. Some say there were up to 10,000 people on the hill that night, alongside the 80,000 people within the park itself.
After a couple of small dedications, first to the current Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, and then to the wonderkid Phil Foden. Both of whom were watching the gig from the VIP section, Liam ordered the crowd even the Man United fans to join in with the poznan for 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' in a rather weird but beautiful moment, the 80,000 strong crowd turned around to face away from the stage, friends embraced arm in, new friends were made as strangers united with one sole purpose. Jump.
It felt as if the show shifted gear at that point; the crowd somehow seemed to find another level, as did the band. Simply put, it was one of those special concert moments.
'Fade Away' was dedicated to the people of Manchester. 'Supersonic' felt more cutting than I'd ever heard it before. Having both Noel and Bonehead playing the guitar parts and Gem Archer playing the supporting role adds a real meatiness to the songs that was missing quite often from the brothers' solo tours. One of the real highlights of the gig.
The song came second in the Battle of Britpop, 'Roll With It' brought the first part of the setlist to an end, a song at first I was a little bit annoyed was on the setlist. However, after watching footage and being at the show last night. I can see why the band decided to include it, the song is a real crowd pleaser and a fan favourite. Like with many Oasis songs. 'Roll With It' has a whole new dynamic when performed live. Liam then left the stage and let his older brother take over vocal duties for three songs. Two of the band's most beloved B-sides, and the only song from the post-2000s era in the setlist.
'Talk Tonight' came first. One of my favourite Oasis songs, and one of the moments of the gig. Just as Noel began to play the opening chords, the heavens opened. It was Manchester after all, and it was destined to rain at least once. Dampen spirits it did not, in fact, I'd argue it did the opposite. The rain seemed to ignite the crowd again.
The next song was dedicated to The Royle Family. After a few boos from the Manchester crowd, Noel quickly clarified that he meant the family from the beloved British sitcom, not the actual Royal Family. 'Half the World Away' has since become one of Oasis’s most cherished songs. It remains a staple in Noel’s solo setlists, was famously featured in a John Lewis Christmas advert, and, of course, serves as the iconic theme tune to The Royle Family. Heaton Park last night sang it like their lives depended on it. Which caused Noel to appear a little teary-eyed on stage.
Oasis stuck mostly to their 1990s material for the Live 25 tour, only including one song from the post-2000 era, a choice I think was correct, however, a choice that some have believed was the wrong thing to do. 'Little by Little' was the perfect choice for the song to remain, though, live, it eclipses the studio version; the song feels more powerful, more euphoric, perfect for a show of this size and magnitude.
Liam returned to the stage, with the rain now really coming down, to blast through some of the finest tracks off of 'Be Here Now' starting with 'D'You Know What I Mean' a song released when Oasis were on top of the world in 1997, and with the concerts that they have been playing so far on this tour, they have gotten back to the top.
The band were all in exceptional form, Joey, the new drummer, is great, Andy Bell is holding it all together, Gem Archer has been around the Oasis camp and both brothers' bands after the breakup, Bonehead is the glue that holds the dynamic together, bridging the gap between old and new. Liam is in the finest voice I've ever heard him in. I thought last year's 'Definitely Maybe' tour was good, this is exceptional, and Noel, well, his voice has never faded away, his guitar playing is brilliant, and he's managed to pick up the lead guitar role despite saying in numerous interviews that he thought he'd lost the ability to. It's truly something to see.
'Stand By Me' followed, and performed with a live band, it has a real driving force. 'Be Here Now' often gets overlooked due to its length and the quality of some songs, 'Stand By Me' though is still a majestic affair, festooned with visuals of family snapshots throughout, one of the underrated moments of the concert.
Both brothers take vocal duties on 'Cast No Shadow', a song that neither of them could nail without the other, despite both trying. The version performed in Manchester was perfect. My favourite song of the night came next, in the form of 'Slide Away', a song dedicated to the "love birds" by Liam Gallagher. The song that I and thousands of others believe is Oasis's finest moment. That night reinforced that thought. With both Liam and Noel sharing vocals, Noel's guitar was rapturous, and the whole thing felt almighty. Being in the field last night, hearing it was truly special, and the crazy thing was. We all knew there was still more to come.
Whatever' and its orchestral refrain echoed around Manchester, despite being over 30 years old and a lot of the crowd not being born when it was originally released, you can barely hear the band over the 80,000-strong crowd bellowing the song back at the brothers Gallagher.
'Live Forever' was the penultimate song of the main set, dedicated to all of the people who "aren't here but are here." It's one of those moments that I don't think any of the crowd will forget. The whole moment felt significant, in a concert full of moments, every person will have had their own moments at the show, 'Live Forever' was one of mine. I just stood completely still and watched in awe. The hours of waiting, the Ticketmaster queues, the solo gigs, the long car journeys, the train stations, the support bands (good and bad), the warm flat pints, the mud, the rain, all of it was worth it. All of it!
That song and the band are embedded within me as a person and into the other three people I was with. Oasis has defined multiple generations, and has become embedded into the national psyche, love them or hate them. They're part of the furniture.
'Rock n Roll Star' was the final song of the main set, the song that is still Liam Gallagher's manifesto 31 years later. He still means and more importantly, believes every single word, when the crowd sang the chorus lines back to him, "tonight I'm a Rock n Roll Star." Liam responded with "Yes, you fucking are." He was right, we were all Rock n Roll Stars, in that moment.
The band then left the stage, but everyone knew it wasn't over. There were four songs left to play. After a few minutes, Oasis re-emerged minus Liam, and Noel was going to get his second moment of the concert.
First performing arguably the best song he's ever written, and definitely the best song he wasted as a B-side, 'The Masterplan'.Taking the moments before to introduce the band, "Mr Gem, Mr Andy Bell, Mr Joey Waronker and the man who needs no introduction but is getting one anyway, Mr Bonehead."
Before performing 'Don't Look Back in Anger', Noel thanked the people of Manchester. “For the last ten days, the eyes of the world have been on this city of Manchester, and I just want to say to all Mancunians, you’ve done yourself fucking proud. “We’ve got people coming in from all over the world… what I can say by staying in the city is you’ve still fucking got it, Manchester."
Liam earlier made his own heartfelt thanks saying: "It’s been amazing being here the last fucking ten days, you’ve actually blown whatever brain cells I had left, they’re well and truly gone.”
'Fade Away' had been dedicated to the people of Manchester, but 'Don't Look Back in Anger' was their moment. The song in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena attack became an anthem of defiance, a symbol of strength, healing words by one of the city's finest songwriters. I've heard the song performed in Manchester before, but not sung by 80,000 people who were in fine voice. It was special.
In tribute to those who lost their lives in the Manchester Arena attack in 2017, bees gathered across the screens. The bee became the symbol of the city, following what happened. The band know just how much the song means to the city.
Liam returned to the stage for the final two songs, first 'Wonderwall', another song that has become ingrained in society. A song we love to hate, but last night even the most hardcore Oasis fan was singing along to it, like they were a teenager at their first party.
The glorious epic swirl of the everlasting 'Champagne Supernova' brought the show to its end. A grand closer to what had been for many, including me, the best gig they'd ever seen. Despite its nonsensical lyrics, the song seems to take on a different meaning for everyone in the field, cinematic and euphoric; it was the perfect climax to 2 hours of hit after hit.
Heaton Park was a show I thought I'd never get to see, and to share it with the people I did, and to hear the songs that soundtracked my teenage years with both brothers on stage for the first time, is something that will stick with me forever.
Oasis quite simply had to top this list.
Thank you ever so much for reading.