Olly Murs is very boldly setting out to give Manchester the "best night of our life" on Friday night. His AO Arena gig in Manchester is the final night of his Marry Me UK tour - and he is well and truly going out with a bang.
Fans heading to the show on Friday can expect what former X Factor star Olly says will be like attending "the best wedding party you've ever been to". But even those without a ticket to the arena can get involved from home, because the whole show is going to be livestreamed on Friday night too.
The wedding-themed tour has been the rather epic build-up for Olly's upcoming nuptials to fiancee Amelia Tank this summer. As such he's been throwing all the confetti you can get on this tour which starts as though you really are at a wedding chapel.
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Troublemaker chart-topper Olly says of Friday's show: "I want it to be the best wedding party that there's ever been, I want it to feel like loads of confetti, everyone drinking and having fun.
"You know when you have a wedding and you invite loads of random guests in the evening?" He laughs. "It's going to be like all my fans are turning up to the biggest wedding party and I really want it all to feel like that."
His latest album Marry Me and the tour were inspired by the love of his life Amelia. And in the midst of the tour he's also had all of their real-life wedding planning to contend with too.
He beams: "We just want to have the best wedding, I'm not one of these people who got engaged to leave it a few years....
"I just felt like I want to marry you, I want to be with you, you're my girl, let's get it done.
"We've got loads of plans and ideas, although yes it's been a bit stressful. At the moment I'm like what have I got myself into but it will be great."
For Olly, having the last night of the tour in Manchester is particularly special as he's so passionate about the city. Olly is a huge Man United fan, and is regularly here to watch his team in action.
He says: "I'm always trying to come up to Manchester to watch United play, I love the food scene, I'm always up there with the boys, there's so much to do in Manchester I love it."
The AO Arena also has plenty of memories, having toured their many times over the years. He says: "Playing at the arena is always special, it's got so much history it's an iconic venue and it brings so much memories coming back.
"Any live event in Manchester is such an occasion, it's something you don't ever take for granted. I know you have to be great to come back again."
Who is the support act?
Olly will have one support act on Friday night, and that is the chart-topping band Scouting For Girls. The band are known for their big chart hits like She's so Lovely, This Ain't a Love Song and Elvis Ain't Dead, so fans will no doubt be in for a treat with their performance.
What are the stage times?
Doors for the Olly Murs gig open at 6pm on Friday night, and the show is due to start at 7.35pm with Scouting for Girls.
Olly Murs is due on stage at approximately 8.45pm.
As with all live shows, timings are always subject to change and the advice is ALWAYS to get to your seats as soon as you can so that you don't miss any of the live action.
How to watch the live stream
For those not heading to the AO Arena, there is also the chance to live stream this gig on Friday night. The exclusive global livestream ‘Best Night of Your Life’, live from Manchester's AO Arena will be broadcast globally in real time from 8.45pm BST on Friday, May 5.
You can buy tickets for the livestream for £13, or go VIP for £21 - which you can buy online at Driift here.
VIP ticket holders will also get the chance to experience the ultimate pre-gig game show – ‘Mr & Mrs Murs!’ Olly & Amelia will go head-to-head and test their knowledge of each other in a fun game packed full of juicy questions asked by a team of serious Murs experts, eg, his fans.
Tickets grant access to the livestream, and to the unlimited, on-demand, replays which will be available for 3 days only after the live show has ended.
Setlist
Setlists are always subject to change, but this has been the format for earlier gigs on the Marry Me Tour.
Marry Me / I'm Still Standing
Best Night of Your life
You Don't Know Love
Kiss Me / Watermelon Sugar
I Found Her
Thinking of Me
Sweet Caroline
Dear Darlin'
I Hate You When You're Drunk
Heart Skips a Beat
We Found Love
Wrapped Up
Dancing On Cars
*Wedding megamix* - including Celebration / YMCA / Blame it On the Boogie/ Sex On Fire / I want it That Way / Dancing on the Ceiling
Encore
Dance With Me Tonight
Troublemaker
Seating plan
Is there parking at the AO Arena?
Yes, there is a large multi-storey car park based next to the AO Arena, with access through the car park to the main entrance of the venue. Be aware though that after the shows, Trinity Way will be closed southbound between Great Ducie Street and Cheetham Hill Road for up to one hour, to allow concert-goers to safely exit the venue.
If you’re parking at the arena car park, you will still be allowed to exit during this closure but you will have to turn right and follow local diversions.
There are some 7,000 parking spaces at car parks within a short walk to the arena as well.
What are the public transport options?
The AO Arena is within the Manchester Victoria Train Station complex, which serves both mainline trains and a tram stop.
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