As we approach the long-awaited Easter bank holiday weekend, we’ve got some exciting news to share. Festival season is officially round the corner following the announcement of the first wave of guests for this year’s Happy Place Festival with Fearne Cotton, along with a whole host of great gigs to look forward to. From Stereophonics guitarist Kelly Jones to Scottish breakout star Dylan John Thomas, read on for the full line-up of shows and tickets you can snap up this Easter and beyond. Kelly Jones - The Hall at Aviva Studios, Manchester May 18, 2024 (Image: Supplied/Press) Due to overwhelming demand, Kelly Jones has added an extra Manchester date to his
UK tour this May. The performances will coincide with the release of his brand-new studio album ‘Inevitable Incredible’, set for release on May 3, with the latest single ‘Turn Bad Into Good’ out now. The shows will see the singer-songwriter perform the eponymous forthcoming album in its entirety, with two performances per evening. This will be the fans' first time to experience the album in a live setting following its release. Tickets are on sale here. Happy Place Festival - Tatton Park, Cheshire August 31 and September 1, 2024 (Image: Supplied/Press) Much admired and loved award-winning podcaster, best-selling author, long-standing broadcaster and founder and creator of the Happy Place brand, Fearne Cotton has announced the first wave of household names and talent who will be joining her at this year’s Happy Place Festival at Tatton Park. Esteemed guests including Dawn O’Porter, Jason Donovan, Olivia Attwood, Denise Van Outen, Rob da Bank, Roxie Nafousi, Michelle Elman, Ugo Monye, Jambo Dragon, Richie Norton, Kirsty Gallagher and Donna Ashworth will feature as part of the festival line-up, taking part in a variety of talks, workshops, live podcasts and DJ sets. Tickets are on sale here. Dylan John Thomas - O2 Ritz, Manchester December 13, 2024 (Image: Supplied/Press) After hitting number two on the Official Independent Album Chart , #21 in the Official Albums Chart, and with over 16 million streams with his self-titled debut, Dylan John Thomas has now announced details of his biggest UK and
Ireland headline tour to date.
music was Dylan’s escape during a childhood in which he was raised in a foster home, and classic songs by the likes of Johnny Cash , Simon & Garfunkel and The Beatles soon inspired him to pick up a guitar and write his own songs too. All these years later, his songs echo such timeless influence and often explore the stories of those on the outskirts of society. Tickets are now on sale here. Maximo Park - New Century , Manchester October 12, 2024 (Image: Supplied/Press) Maximo Park have shared a brand new single, ‘Favourite Songs’, alongside news of an upcoming UK tour this autumn. ‘Favourite Songs’ is the band’s own salute to the potency of pop music in its ability to provide solace in times of need, and a place to retreat into with like minds. Jerky riffs, shimmering synths and a driving chorus propel ‘Favourite Songs’ to a place of collective joy, while
Singer Paul Smith’s reassures that ‘all of our troubles will fade away’ ring out in elation. Tickets are now available here. Max Cooper - O2 Ritz , Manchester October 10, 2024 (Image: Supplied/Press) Max Cooper has announced a UK headline tour this October, with shows in Brighton, Manchester and Glasgow. Max Cooper has carved a unique space as an audio-visual artist with a science PhD and an international reputation as a leading electronic musician. His work carries an emotional resonance and sensory immersion, often focusing on humanity’s place in the world. He merges electronic music and visual art with scientific enquiry through installations, live performance, immersive audio-visual experiences, a range of digital media and award-winning music videos. Tickets are now on sale here. Seb Lowe - O2 Ritz, Manchester April 12, 2024 (Image: Supplied/Press) Rising
British artist Seb Lowe is heading out on a 2024 UK tour this April, bringing his incredible live show to more cities across
England, including Manchester - with support from Keyside, Alex Spencer, Villanelle, Andrew Goodwin, Mxdia and Felix Hill on selected dates. Seb played shows across the UK for his first-ever headline tour last year and performed recent support slots with acclaimed artists Blossoms and Inhaler. In September, Seb released his new single ‘Billionaire Extraordinaire’ - a euphoric indie pop song exploring the theme of the pressures young people face in modern life but also the uplifting message of facing these struggles together. Tickets are available here. Rianne Downey - Gorilla, Manchester April 26, 2024 (Image: Sam Crowston) Singer-songwriter Rianne Downey is heading out on a 15-date UK and Ireland tour next month. Without wasting a second of her own romantic traumas and tussles with self-doubt and documenting the seemingly inevitable victories that her art, pride and belief achieve over any obstacle thrown in her way, her recent EP release ‘Method To My Madness’, is courageously autobiographical, yet a gift to anyone experiencing the same. Having opened her 2023 festival account at Liverpool’s city centre-wide Sound City and The Great Escape in Brighton, Rianne Downey has recently revealed she’ll be joining Paul Heaton at this year’s Glastonbury Festival. Tickets are available here.