Sunday 24 January – The Corrs and The Shires Manchester Arena
The Corrs perform their first Manchester show since 2001 showcasing tracks from their new album White Light as well as some of their biggest hits. The group has sold over 30 million albums since their huge 1995 debut Forgiven not Forgotten. Support comes from outstanding UK country duo The Shires, who recently saw their debut album Brave (the first top 10 country album by a UK act) turn gold and have performed sensational gigs at Manchester’s Ritz (with Little Big Town), Manchester Academy and Band on the Wall. Tickets £29.50-£85.
Tuesday 26 January – Aaron Watson – The Ruby Lounge
Aaron Watson is one of the hardest working names in music and has collaborated with the likes of Willie Nelson, Dale Watson and Jack Ingram and has become one of the most successful independent acts around. Latest album The Underdog typifies his approach, “The idea of the underdog really describes where I’m at right now in my career and what we’re trying to achieve with this record,” he explains. “I’m not one of these guys that can put on a pair of skinny jeans or turn my hat around backwards and sing those pop country radio songs. Nothing against the guys who do that because it’s their thing and true to who they are, but if I played that role, it wouldn’t be me. When I’m singing these songs hundreds of times a year, they need to be things I personally believe in.” Support comes from Sam Outlaw and Gary Quinn. Tickets £15.
Wednesday 27 January – Nina Nesbitt – The Deaf Institute
Outstanding singer/songwriter Nina Nesbitt returns to one of her favourite haunts at Manchester’s Deaf Institute, following excellent performs in the last couple of years with a huge gig at The Ritz and sensational intimate acoustic performance in Manchester in December 2014. This latest run of dates comes in the run up to the highly anticipated release of her latest EP Modern Love. The first track from the EP, Chewing Gum, debuted recently. Tickets £11.
Wednesday 27 January – Heads Up Launch – The Ruby Lounge
BIMM music school launch the new showcase night for their students. The firs event features four acts: Carl North, Psyblings, Flood Manual and Charlotte Newman. Tickets £4.
Thursday 28 January – Anne Marie – The Deaf Institute
Marking her first ever UK headline tour, Anne-Marie (lead live vocalist for Rudimental) performs at the Deaf Institute. The singer is currently riding high on the back of her debut EP Karate being released in July 2015 and tracks Do It Right and Boy and is expected to release her debut album in summer 2016. Tickets £6.
Thursday 28 January – Gabrielle Aplin – Albert Hall
Following her latest album Light Up The Dark, Gabrielle Aplin tours the UK, opening at Manchester’s Albert Hall. The new album was inspired by Joni Mitchell – “Her voice is just here, right at the front, and everything sits around it perfectly,” she comments. “I’ve also become much more comfortable writing songs about other people’s stories as well as my own, much of which is inspired by travelling and everything I’ve seen since my first album.” Tickets £16.50.
Thursday 28 January – Massive Attack – O2 Apollo
Massive Attack hit Manchester on their first headline tour in over five years. The tour comes as the band prepare to release new material for the first time since 2010’s Heligoland. The band has recently teased some new music via a new app named Fantom. Support comes from Young Fathers. Tickets £39.50.
Saturday 30 January – Lindi Ortega – The Ruby Lounge
After making her Grand Ole Opry debut at the Ryman Auditorium singing the title-track of her 2014 album Tin Star, and tracks from her latest album Faded Gloryville, Lindi Ortega is on a roll and now the Canadian singer/songwriter comes to the UK on her 40+ date world-wide tour spanning the US, UK, Canada, Ireland and Spain. Dubbed by Magnet as “country’s crystalline-voiced goth-rock version of Dolly Parton” she is a step away from the country-norm, but full of charm, charisma and killer tunes. Tickets £12.50.
Nina Nesbitt – image courtesy Alex Lake
