New Order and Blossoms at Wythenshawe Park

Johnny James, Managing Editor
New Order, courtesy of We Are Indigo.

New Order and Blossoms at Wythenshawe Park, Manchester 24 — 25 August 2024 Tickets from £50.40 — Book now

Summer 2024 sees New Order return to Manchester for a special homecoming show, marking their first full headline performance in the city since 2021. The all-day outdoor concert will take place at Wythenshawe Park, and comes with a huge support bill including Manchester legend Johnny Marr and adopted Manc Róisin Murphy. The following day, Stockport darlings Blossoms will grace the same stage, supported by Inhaler and Shed Seven.

Rising out of the ashes of Joy Division, New Order defied the odds to become one of the most influential bands in the world, splitting the difference between guitar-heavy post punk and club-ready dance music in a way that had never been done before. Their second record, Power, Corruption and Lies (1983) was the first that saw them fully distance themselves from former glories. Gone was the darkness and coldness of Joy Division; synth-heavy tunes like ‘Age of Consent’ and ‘The Village’ brimmed with life and possibility.

Heralded by the superb single ‘The Perfect Kiss’, the band resurfaced in 1985 with Low-life, followed by 1986’s Brotherhood, whose ‘Bizarre Love Triangle’ made significant inroads among mainstream pop audiences, cemented by the adored (and recently re-leased) compilation album Substance. 1989’s Technique, meanwhile, was a dancefloor-focused powerhouse inspired by clubs in Ibiza, New York and London; the band’s hedonistic peak.

While the members of New Order largely spent the ’90s pursuing solo and side projects (more on that in a second), the noughties saw them release two solid, if slightly unremarkable guitar-based albums: Get Ready and Waiting for the Siren’s Call, before bassist Peter Hook acrimoniously left the band. No doubt to Hooky’s annoyance, 2015’s Music Complete represented a glorious return to form – a dive back into all-out electronic music, replete with the kinds of synth washes, icy arps and pounding drums that powered their ’80s classics.

At Wythenshawe Park you can expect to hear tunes like ‘Restless’, ‘Plastic’ and ‘Tutti Frutti’ from that last studio album, alongside the consecrated bangers from the band’s early days.

Support at the event will come from former The Smiths guitarist and good friend of the band, Johnny Marr. In the late 1980s, Marr and New Order’s Bernard Sumner formed Electronic, a synth-dance act that remained their primary side project throughout the 1990s. Together, the pair released three albums and collaborated with fellow synthpop pioneers Pet Shop Boys. At Aviva Studios in December 2023, Marr put on one of our favourite shows of the year with the Johnny Marr Orchestra, and reminded us what a Mancunian and national treasure he is.

Known in the 1990s as one half of the pop duo Moloko, Irish singer and songwriter Róisín Murphy will be another huge draw, following the recent release of her universally acclaimed sixth studio album, Hit Parade. Fresh off a breath-taking sold-out gig at Manchester’s Albert Hall in May 2023, Róisin Murphy will bring her incredible charisma and talent back to Manchester, as part of what promises to be one of the standout events in Greater Manchester’s summer calendar.

But that only covers half of the action. The following day, there’s another all-dayer, which you can either get tickets for separately or as part of a weekend pass, priced at £80 + BF. Headlining are Blossoms, whose self-titled debut topped the album charts for two consecutive weeks in 2016, before earning the band BRIT Award and Mercury Prize nominations. Summer 2023 saw the old school pals performing shows and festivals across the country, including the headline slot at Kendal Calling, their own headline outdoor shows at Castlefield Bowl, and a surprise set at Glastonbury where they were joined by Rick Astley to perform a set full of their favourite Smiths songs.

Support at Wythenshawe Park will come from internationally acclaimed acts including Dublin’s Inhaler and Britpop stalwarts Shed Seven. Other acts joining Blossoms include The K’s, Seb Lowe and Findlay, who will kick things off at Wythenshawe Park with her band TTRRUUCES, plus newly announced acts The Guest List and Vicky Hawkesworth (DJ Set).

Bringing just what Bank Holidays call for, expect a huge, celebratory weekend of music that shines a light on legendary acts from Greater Manchester and beyond. Weekend passes are available via the Book Now button below, Saturday (New Order) tickets are here, and Sunday (Blossoms) tickets are here.

New Order and Blossoms at Wythenshawe Park, Manchester 24 — 25 August 2024 Tickets from £50.40 Book now

Where to go near New Order and Blossoms at Wythenshawe Park

Sale
Restaurant
Meze & More

An intimate supper club in Sale, South Manchester, with a specialist focus on Middle Eastern and Greek cuisine.

Riverside Park
Macclesfield
Park
Riverside Park

Nestled just off Palatine Road in Northenden on the banks of the River Mersey, the Green Flag awarded Riverside Park offers cycling paths, scenic views, a children’s play area, sculptures and trails.

Manchester
Park
Walkden Gardens

Walkden Gardens in the Manchester suburbs has all the makings of a fairy tale garden. As a venue, it’s hard to imagine a more magical gateway, a wonderful escape only a short(ish) stroll from the Brooklands Metrolink stop..

Waterside
Manchester
Theatre
Waterside

Waterside Art is a thriving and vibrant arts venue in the heart of Sale in Greater Manchester. Comprising a theatre, art galleries, studios and workspaces, the centre is an important regional hub for both performance and visual art.

Albert's Restaurant & Bar
Didsbury
Restaurant
Albert’s Restaurant & Bar

Albert’s Restaurant & Bar is the right kind of small chain where you know you’ll always enjoy a high-level experience. The Didsbury branch is no exception.

Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Bean and Brush Art Café

Bean & Brush is a family art café in Sale which serves simple, tasty food with ingredients sourced from local suppliers. The bonus for parents is the arts and crafts studio which keeps the kids busy being creative while they can join in or relax with a coffee.

Manchester
Library
Wythenshawe Forum

Wythenshawe Forum comprises co-located services and a hub for community and business. The venue has leisure facilities as well as a performance space and complete library services.

What's on: Music

A black woman sat down looking to the left.
Until
MusicLeeds
Sound Out Leeds 2024/25

Leeds International Concert Season is on a mission to push boundaries, expand horizons, and ask the question: ‘What haven’t we heard?’ as it presents its city-spanning Sound Out Leeds series.

from £10.00
Two dancers and orchestra on stage
Until
DanceManchester
Dance:Music at the RNCM

Through a treasure trove of concerts, the RNCM’s initiative Dance:Music explores the symbiotic relationship between music and dance.

from £0.00
A musician looking into the distance.
Until
MusicManchester
RNCM Spring Season 2025

From classical masterpieces to cutting edge contemporary works, world-renowned soloists to homegrown talent, the RNCM spring season has it all.

from £8

Culture Guides

the artist
Music in the North

The outsiders, the oddities and the outrageous – we’re keeping it weird with a hot new batch of underground gigs about to hit Manchester, Leeds, and Liverpool.

A woman with black curly hair sings on stage in front of a red curtain
Cinema in the North

David Lynch, International Women's Day and Manchester Film Festival are amongst our cinematic highlights this March.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

DaDaFest’s 40th anniversary line-up, contemporary reimaginings and outlandish fringe, check out our top theatre picks for spring onwards.

A large sphere floats in a dark room with an ornate wall pattern, flanked by two arched windows and a checkered floor.
Exhibitions in the North

From precarious ceramics to photography festivals, spring is here and brings with it a breath of fresh air in visual art and exhibitions.

Poet Imtiaz Dharker. Photo by Ayesha Dharker
Literature Events in the North

It's like the Woolies pick'n'mix counter this month in live literature land – so much choice, we're not sure where to start digging in.

Classical Music in the North

Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.