Latest news with #UKTour
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Drake UK and Europe tour 2025: How to get tickets — plus Manchester's Co-Op Live seating plan
Canadian superstar Drake has officially announced his 2025 UK tour — $ome $pecial $hows 4 UK. Marking his first UK and European performances since 2019, here's everything you need to know so you don't miss out on tickets. 3 3 In the summer of 2025, following on his headline appearances at the Wireless Festival in London from July 11 to 13, Drake will extend his presence in the UK with four additional tour dates. These shows will take place at two iconic venues — Birmingham's Utilita Arena and Manchester's Co-op Live: July 20, 2025 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham July 21, 2025 – Utilita Arena, Birmingham July 25, 2025 – Co-op Live, Manchester July 26, 2025 – Co-op Live, Manchester He's then going on a massive European tour: July 30, 2025 — Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Netherlands July 31 — Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, Netherlands August 7, 2025 — Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium August 11, 2025 — Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland August 15, 2025 — Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany August 16, 2025 — Lanxess Arena, Cologne, Germany August 21, 2025 — Avicii Arena, Stockholm, Sweden August 22, 2025 — Avicii Arena, Stockholm, Sweden August 24, 2025 — Royal Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark August 25, 2025 — Royal Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark August 29, 2025 — Unipol Forum, Milan, Italy August 30, 2025 — Unipol Forum, Milan, Italy September 7, 2025 — Accor Arena, Paris, France September 8, 2025 — Accor Arena, Paris, France September 11, 2025 — Uber Arena, Berlin, Germany September 12, 2025 — Uber Arena, Berlin, Germany September 16, 2025 — Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany September 18, 2025 — Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany September 22 and 23 at Barclays Arena in Hamburg, Germany Joining him on tour is special guest PartyNextDoor, a longtime collaborator and fellow OVO Sound artist, adding extra excitement for fans. Sharing the news on Instagram, Drake said: "FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 6 YEARS, DRAKE PERFORMING THE HITS, OLD AND NEW, ACROSS THE WATERS." This announcement set the stage for what promises to be a memorable summer of music, with fans eager to secure tickets as soon as they become available. Ticket information Tickets for the $ome $pecial $hows 4 UK tour will go on general sale on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 12 pm. They will be available through major platforms including Live Nation, Ticketmaster and AXS. To get ahead of the crowd, fans should ensure they have accounts set up on these sites before the sale begins. Presale Presale opportunities are available, starting Wednesday, June 4 at 12 pm via Live Nation, Ticketmaster, SeatUnique and AXS. There's another presale starting on Thursday, June 5 at 12 pm through SeatUnique. These presales offer fans multiple chances to grab tickets before the general public sale. Ticket prices Ticket prices have yet to be confirmed, but are expected to align with typical arena concert pricing for an artist of Drake 's caliber. For those seeking a premium experience, VIP ticket packages will be on offer. These include benefits such as faster entry through VIP entrances, premium seating in the best sections of the venue and access to hospitality lounges before and after the show, with certain VIP packages also featuring food and drinks. Fans interested in VIP tickets can register their interest via SeatUnique, which also hosts the official Co-op Live Premium Afterparty in the Hideaway, enhancing the overall concert experience. Seating plan Manchester's Co-op Live, where Drake will perform on July 25 and 26, is one of the UK's newest and largest indoor arenas, offering state-of-the-art facilities and a flexible seating plan. 3 The venue features a large standing floor area near the stage, tiered seating in lower and upper sections, accessible seating options and VIP areas. The stage is positioned at one end, providing excellent sightlines throughout the arena. Co-op Live is located on the Etihad Campus, approximately a 25-minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly Station, with frequent tram services to the nearby Etihad Campus stop. On event days, Metrolink travel is often included with tickets for four hours before and after the show. Parking is available, but must be booked in advance. Top tips Don't wait until the morning of the sale to register — set up accounts with suppliers ahead of time Don't leave accounts unverified — a phone number and passcode may need to be set up Avoid assuming old accounts are active — if you already have an account, check that it's still working, your billing info is accurate and saved, and ensure you know the password Poor internet connection — ensure your internet signal is strong Low batteries — check devices you use are plugged in and/or fully charged Avoid refreshing the page while in the waiting room — ticketing sites use queuing systems where the page updates automatically, so once in the queue it's a good idea to just wait and keep your fingers crossed Drake's 2025 tour is shaping up to be a landmark event, combining his classic hits with new material and supported by PartyNextDoor. Fans should act quickly to avoid disappointment.
The Guardian
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Jorja Smith review – mega-watt charisma powers ambitious new songs
As the crowd roars, and an eight-piece band gathers close, Jorja Smith appears cautious, maybe guarded. Even the singer's opening gambit Try Me throws up a challenge: 'I say your mind's made up on me,' she sighs, her voice silky. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. This is Smith's first UK tour since 2018, when, at just 21, her raw, atmospheric debut album won Grammy and Mercury nominations, Brit awards and a host of celebrity fans. Glitzy features with Drake, Stormzy and Burna Boy followed, but otherwise Smith resisted the playbook for sudden fame. She left London for home town Walsall, spent five years on her follow-up album, 2023's pointedly titled Falling or Flying, and only now, another two years later, is she touring those songs. Her searing, smoky voice is used sparingly to start, sometimes even drowned out by the power of the band's two drummers. But by Feelings, a duet with rapper J Hus whose verses are covered well by a backing singer, Smith drops the wall. She beams mega-watt charisma through the track's lyrically chilly push-and-pull, and slinks between risers, glamorously at ease. Falling or Flying expanded her sonic palette with serrated guitar, unusual textures, and a theatrical sense of scale. Tonight even her older tracks benefit from this new ambition. Backing singers bring lush, Solange-esque harmonies to a reimagined version of February 3rd, and there's a rich, bassy funk to Where Did I Go? The double-drummers inject pure adrenaline into Go Go Go, a rock track with a new wave swing that seems to unlock something in Smith: the intensity suits her. By now, those belting vocals are bringing the room closer, rather than holding the audience at a distance, and when Smith's singers join her centre stage for a closing run through her poppier, non-album singles such as flirty Be Honest and straight-talking bassline hit Little Things, it feels like a house party instead of a point to prove. Shining and loose, Smith coos to the front rows. 'I won't leave it so long next time,' she promises, with the confidence of a star who knows she can have this whenever she chooses. Jorja Smith plays Manchester Apollo, 29 and 30 May, then touring.
Fashion Network
23-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Sunshine and Easter deliver boost to UK retail sales in April says ONS
The ONS also said that volumes were up by 0.3% compared with their pre-Covid level in February 2020, reaching their highest level since July 2022. But it wasn't all good news because, while sales volumes rose across most sectors, they fell month on month in clothing and 'other' non-food stores (such as sports and games retailers, and secondhand goods stores). That said, these drops mainly followed strong growth in March 2025. Sales for department stores and household goods stores rose on the month, with retailer comments again mentioning the good weather. This all meant that overall non-food stores sales volumes (the total of department, clothing, household and 'other') fell by 0.7% over the month. Online sales also fell in April following two months of growth with the ONS reporting a 0.3% value fall month on month. But values rose by 6.1% year on year. And total spend (the sum of in-store and online sales) rose by 0.7% over the month. As a result, the proportion of sales made online fell from 27.1% in March 2025 to 26.8% in April 2025. So what's the reaction from the industry and analysts? Deann Evans, MD EMEA, at Shopify, said: 'Our data revealed the sales of sporting goods were on the up. This may signal a boom to come for retailers selling outdoor/sport/holiday inventory and even the travel industry itself as UK consumers are clearly readying themselves for activities in all climates. 'Building on the momentum seen so far, there's no reason why retail sales shouldn't continue to rise in the months ahead. With May kicking off the run up to notable events in June such as Beyoncé's UK Tour and Glastonbury Festival, there is a solid opportunity for retailers to capitalise. As seen with the 'Taylor Swift Effect' last year, celebrities and cultural moments are powerful for driving consumer behaviour. It is therefore vital that merchants who offer merchandise and festival products are ready to capitalise on the opportunity with the right solutions; once demand starts reaching new heights, having the supply chain flexibility and digital infrastructure to fulfil orders is crucial to seize these game-changing moments'. Jim Rudall, regional director, EMEA at Intuit Mailchimp, echoed that: 'Interestingly, our research has revealed how consumer spending is evolving to become less driven by discount promotions but rather a rhythm of personal, cultural and community-driven moments. With May bringing two bank holidays, the FA Cup Final and Eurovision, retailers will be optimistic that figures will remain high. To best position themselves for success, retailers must focus on crafting the right value proposition to stand out in a crowded promotional landscape. In some cases, this means skipping hefty discounts: 39% of shoppers worldwide are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of sales and promotions, and seven in 10 UK shoppers believe discounts around retail moments are often exaggerated.' Oliver Vernon-Harcourt, head of retail at Deloitte, remarked on the surprisingly large jump this time but also noted that 'consumer confidence remains somewhat fragile, rising wages and lower mortgage rates have improved household finances, but inflationary pressures persist. Previous economic challenges have also left shoppers more nervous, and emerging global economic uncertainties will be the litmus test to both the sector and consumers' resilience'. And Jacqueline Windsor, head of retail at PwC UK, remarked that while fashion was down month on month, it rose year on year across the last three months as a whole: 'Fashion retailers saw their first quarter of year-on-year growth since August 2023 as shoppers rushed to refresh their spring-summer wardrobes to take advantage of the good weather.'
Fashion Network
23-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Sunshine and Easter deliver boost to UK retail sales in April says ONS
UK retail sales volumes rose by a healthy percentage month on month in April, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Friday, with a 1.2% spike following a rise of only 0.1% in March (revised down from an estimated 0.4% in the last ONS bulletin). That was far from surprising given that Easter was late this year and that the weather turned surprisingly warm and sunny. Monthly sales volumes actually rose for the fourth consecutive month and volumes also rose by 5% year on year. Again, this is far from surprising given that last April didn't include Easter and didn't benefit from the warm weather. The ONS also said that volumes were up by 0.3% compared with their pre-Covid level in February 2020, reaching their highest level since July 2022. But it wasn't all good news because, while sales volumes rose across most sectors, they fell month on month in clothing and 'other' non-food stores (such as sports and games retailers, and secondhand goods stores). That said, these drops mainly followed strong growth in March 2025. Sales for department stores and household goods stores rose on the month, with retailer comments again mentioning the good weather. This all meant that overall non-food stores sales volumes (the total of department, clothing, household and 'other') fell by 0.7% over the month. Online sales also fell in April following two months of growth with the ONS reporting a 0.3% value fall month on month. But values rose by 6.1% year on year. And total spend (the sum of in-store and online sales) rose by 0.7% over the month. As a result, the proportion of sales made online fell from 27.1% in March 2025 to 26.8% in April 2025. So what's the reaction from the industry and analysts? Deann Evans, MD EMEA, at Shopify, said: 'Our data revealed the sales of sporting goods were on the up. This may signal a boom to come for retailers selling outdoor/sport/holiday inventory and even the travel industry itself as UK consumers are clearly readying themselves for activities in all climates. 'Building on the momentum seen so far, there's no reason why retail sales shouldn't continue to rise in the months ahead. With May kicking off the run up to notable events in June such as Beyoncé's UK Tour and Glastonbury Festival, there is a solid opportunity for retailers to capitalise. As seen with the 'Taylor Swift Effect' last year, celebrities and cultural moments are powerful for driving consumer behaviour. It is therefore vital that merchants who offer merchandise and festival products are ready to capitalise on the opportunity with the right solutions; once demand starts reaching new heights, having the supply chain flexibility and digital infrastructure to fulfil orders is crucial to seize these game-changing moments'. Jim Rudall, regional director, EMEA at Intuit Mailchimp, echoed that: 'Interestingly, our research has revealed how consumer spending is evolving to become less driven by discount promotions but rather a rhythm of personal, cultural and community-driven moments. With May bringing two bank holidays, the FA Cup Final and Eurovision, retailers will be optimistic that figures will remain high. To best position themselves for success, retailers must focus on crafting the right value proposition to stand out in a crowded promotional landscape. In some cases, this means skipping hefty discounts: 39% of shoppers worldwide are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of sales and promotions, and seven in 10 UK shoppers believe discounts around retail moments are often exaggerated.' Oliver Vernon-Harcourt, head of retail at Deloitte, remarked on the surprisingly large jump this time but also noted that 'consumer confidence remains somewhat fragile, rising wages and lower mortgage rates have improved household finances, but inflationary pressures persist. Previous economic challenges have also left shoppers more nervous, and emerging global economic uncertainties will be the litmus test to both the sector and consumers' resilience'. And Jacqueline Windsor, head of retail at PwC UK, remarked that while fashion was down month on month, it rose year on year across the last three months as a whole: 'Fashion retailers saw their first quarter of year-on-year growth since August 2023 as shoppers rushed to refresh their spring-summer wardrobes to take advantage of the good weather.'
Fashion Network
23-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Network
Sunshine and Easter deliver boost to UK retail sales in April says ONS
The ONS also said that volumes were up by 0.3% compared with their pre-Covid level in February 2020, reaching their highest level since July 2022. But it wasn't all good news because, while sales volumes rose across most sectors, they fell month on month in clothing and 'other' non-food stores (such as sports and games retailers, and secondhand goods stores). That said, these drops mainly followed strong growth in March 2025. Sales for department stores and household goods stores rose on the month, with retailer comments again mentioning the good weather. This all meant that overall non-food stores sales volumes (the total of department, clothing, household and 'other') fell by 0.7% over the month. Online sales also fell in April following two months of growth with the ONS reporting a 0.3% value fall month on month. But values rose by 6.1% year on year. And total spend (the sum of in-store and online sales) rose by 0.7% over the month. As a result, the proportion of sales made online fell from 27.1% in March 2025 to 26.8% in April 2025. So what's the reaction from the industry and analysts? Deann Evans, MD EMEA, at Shopify, said: 'Our data revealed the sales of sporting goods were on the up. This may signal a boom to come for retailers selling outdoor/sport/holiday inventory and even the travel industry itself as UK consumers are clearly readying themselves for activities in all climates. 'Building on the momentum seen so far, there's no reason why retail sales shouldn't continue to rise in the months ahead. With May kicking off the run up to notable events in June such as Beyoncé's UK Tour and Glastonbury Festival, there is a solid opportunity for retailers to capitalise. As seen with the 'Taylor Swift Effect' last year, celebrities and cultural moments are powerful for driving consumer behaviour. It is therefore vital that merchants who offer merchandise and festival products are ready to capitalise on the opportunity with the right solutions; once demand starts reaching new heights, having the supply chain flexibility and digital infrastructure to fulfil orders is crucial to seize these game-changing moments'. Jim Rudall, regional director, EMEA at Intuit Mailchimp, echoed that: 'Interestingly, our research has revealed how consumer spending is evolving to become less driven by discount promotions but rather a rhythm of personal, cultural and community-driven moments. With May bringing two bank holidays, the FA Cup Final and Eurovision, retailers will be optimistic that figures will remain high. To best position themselves for success, retailers must focus on crafting the right value proposition to stand out in a crowded promotional landscape. In some cases, this means skipping hefty discounts: 39% of shoppers worldwide are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of sales and promotions, and seven in 10 UK shoppers believe discounts around retail moments are often exaggerated.' Oliver Vernon-Harcourt, head of retail at Deloitte, remarked on the surprisingly large jump this time but also noted that 'consumer confidence remains somewhat fragile, rising wages and lower mortgage rates have improved household finances, but inflationary pressures persist. Previous economic challenges have also left shoppers more nervous, and emerging global economic uncertainties will be the litmus test to both the sector and consumers' resilience'. And Jacqueline Windsor, head of retail at PwC UK, remarked that while fashion was down month on month, it rose year on year across the last three months as a whole: 'Fashion retailers saw their first quarter of year-on-year growth since August 2023 as shoppers rushed to refresh their spring-summer wardrobes to take advantage of the good weather.'
