By Leena Sidat
There’s no time like the present, especially when there are hot tickets on sale for an incredible slate of live music and entertainment in Manchester and the wider north west.
From the return of Fearne Cotton’s feel-good Happy Place Festival, to Tom Odell and Tom Grennan’s massive Co-op Live gigs this autumn, to anticipated shows by Willow Avalon and Franz Ferdinand in early 2026, there’s something to suit everyone’s tastes this summer and beyond.
Take a look below for more details and to secure your space.
Willow Avalon – Manchester Academy 2, Manchester
March 3, 2026
Rising country star Willow Avalon has announced her much-anticipated return to the UK and Europe for early 2026, following a sold-out debut headline tour in March 2025, multiple performances at Country To Country Festival in London and Glasgow, and opening for Zach Bryan at two sold-out nights at BST Hyde Park.
Originally from Georgia and now based in Nashville, Willow Avalon’s musical journey began with her first word, “Elvis”. Raised by her mother and grandmother in a small southern town, she grew up playing piano in church and taught herself guitar at age 12, using songwriting as both an escape and a means of self-expression.
After independently releasing her debut single ‘Drivin’’ in 2021, she soon caught the industry’s attention, leading to a record deal and the release of her EP ‘Stranger’ in 2024. Her debut album, ‘Southern Belle Raisin’ Hell’, earlier this year, cemented her as one of country music’s most compelling new voices, blending classic country, Americana and rock influences.
Tickets will be on sale here from 10am today (July 4).
Tom Odell – Co-op Live, Manchester
October 28, 2025
Tom Odell has announced details of his new album, ‘A Wonderful Life’, along with a huge 27-date arena tour across the UK and Europe later this year.
Tom has recently performed across Europe’s arenas in support of Billie Eilish, and will return to many of the same venues on his upcoming headline shows.
Ahead of the tour, Tom will release ‘A Wonderful Life’ on September 5, 2025. Recorded in London, his seventh studio album features 10 tracks, including the recent introductory track and album opener, ‘Don’t Let Me Go’.
With this new record, Tom Odell embodies a universal spirit of empathetic and total honesty that looks out at the broken landscape of modern, fractured society and finds dystopia and doom, but also – integrally – glimmers of beauty and hope.
You can watch his Glastonbury performance here.
Tickets are now on sale here.
Franz Ferdinand – Manchester Academy, Manchester
February 27, 2026
Franz Ferdinand have announced details of a UK and Europe headline tour next spring.
Having released their much-acclaimed seventh album, ‘The Human Fear’, in January, the past few months have seen the band out on the road globally, playing sold-out headline shows in North and South America, and two sell-out nights at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London, amongst others.
You can see their latest Glastonbury performance here.
Tickets are now available here.
Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place Festival – Tatton Park, Cheshire
August 30 and 31, 2025
Celebrated broadcaster, podcaster, Sunday Times best-selling author and founder of the Happy Place brand, Fearne Cotton is returning to Tatton Park this summer with the Happy Place Festival.
This year’s festival promises yet another soul-nourishing programme, filled with immersive workshops, thought-provoking talks, expressive art spaces, and serene breathwork sessions, plus irresistible food and a host of inspiring speakers.
Guests include Scott Thomas, Vogue Williams, Luke Hamnet, Katie Piper, Gemma Atkinson, Jordan Stevens, and many more.
Tickets are available here.
Tom Grennan – Co-op Live, Manchester
September 19, 2025
Tom Grennan is set to embark on his biggest-ever UK tour to date this autumn, featuring shows at Manchester’s Co-op Live and London’s O2 Arena.
With two number one albums under his belt alongside multiple BRIT and Ivor Novello nominations, countless airplay smashes, sold-out arena tours and an MTV Award for ‘Best UK Act’, Tom Grennan is already one of the country’s biggest artists.
Support for the tour will come from platinum-selling singer-songwriter Tom Walker. With global streams surpassing three billion and more than two million albums sold worldwide, Tom Walker was the biggest-selling UK signed artist of 2019, fuelled by the success of tracks like ‘Leave A Light On’ and ‘Just You And I’. Last weekend saw Tom play Glastonbury sets at both Strummerville and Avalon stages.
Tickets are on sale here.