It's going to be a special, and rather epic, sort of homecoming for indie rockers the Courteeners on Friday night. The band headline Heaton Park for a huge sold out show to some 40,000 fans.
The Manc band, fronted by Liam Fray, are getting rather used to entertaining crowds on this grand scale. They performed memorable gigs at Heaton Park first in 2015 and then again in 2019.
This time, they'll have extra cause for celebration, falling this year as it does on the 15th anniversary of St Jude, their seminal debut album. The remastered version of the album also claimed its own spot in chart history this year - becoming the album with the longest time between original release and hitting the top spot.
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So what can fans expect from this show? Naturally, as this is a celebration of St Jude, fans can expect the album in full alongside their greatest hits from a career that continues to see them rise and rise as one of the most important guitar bands of recent times.
If you're lucky enough to have bagged a ticket, you're in for a treat. Here's a bit more of what to expect on the night.
Who are the support acts?
The entertainment is all set to begin from 4pm, when DJ Katie Owen takes to the stage. There will then be a packed bill that follows.
Up-and-coming singer songwriter Brooke Combe will perform from around 5.30pm to open the live element of the gig.
Also on the bill will be Scottish indie rock band The Snuts. Then Australian rockers DMAs will take to the stage ahead of the arrival of the Courteeners.
What time is everyone on stage?
Stage times are always approximate, so the advice is to get to Heaton Park as soon as you can to make sure you don't miss a minute of the action. But as a rough guide these are the anticipated stage times.
DJ KATIE OWEN - 16:00 - 17:30
BROOKE COMBE - 17:30 - 18:00
THE SNUTS - 18:20 - 19:00
DMA'S - 19:30 - 20:20
COURTEENERS - 21:00 - 22:45
Setlist
As this is a one-off show, we won't know until the night what surprises the Courteeners might be prepared to spring on the homecoming crowd, although we do know the songs of St Jude will all feature.
However, they have also been performing a series of warm-up gigs in Scotland this week, which has given us some clues. Here's the setlist from the most recent show at the 02 Academy in Glasgow on June 5.
Aftershow
Kimberley
Cavorting
Acrylic
Kings of the New Road
Please Don't
No You Didn't, No You Don't
Bide Your Time
Fallowfield Hillbilly
That Kiss
Yesterday, Today & Probably Tomorrow
How Come
Smiths Disco
Are you in Love With a Notion?
The 17th
Hanging Off Your Cloud
Modern Love
Not Nineteen Forever
What Took You So Long?
How to get to Heaton Park
Public transport
The best advice is to get to Heaton Park via the tram - the strikes over the weekend will NOT affect services on Friday June 9 is the advice we have been given. Metrolink will run extra trams before and after the concert and people are advised to expect queues for journeys back into the city.
If you’re heading beyond the city be sure to check when your last train or tram leaves and expect tram services to be very busy.
The official advice is to use the Heaton Park stop for travel to the venue and Bowker Vale for travel post-event. For the safe management of crowds exiting the concert, Heaton Park stop will close at 9pm on the Friday.
Heaton Park is also served by local buses from Bury, Middleton and Oldham with a frequent service to/from Manchester city centre. Due to the road closures and traffic around the site, a number of bus services will be diverted on Friday. Services 66, 90 and 94 will be on diversion all day on Friday, whilst diversions for services 41, 59, 135 and 156 will be implemented from 6pm until 2am.
Metrolink service updates will be available online and via the Metrolink Twitter feed.
Parking and road closures
There is a strictly enforced residents parking only zone around the Heaton Park area.
All drop-offs and pick-ups will be directed to the Sainsburys car park on Heaton Park Road (postcode for sat navs M9 0QS). Taxis will also be operating in this area.
If you have no alternative but to drive to the event, the official advice is to use one of 24 Park and Ride sites on the network and complete your journey by tram to Heaton Park or Bowker Vale.
Walking route
There is a clear walking route suggested by TFGM along Bury Old Road, which will be signposted to-and-from the city centre of Manchester to Heaton Park. If you wish to walk please follow and stick to the route.
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