Music
Best Live Music in Manchester This Month: May 2026
Our guide to the must-see gigs, concerts and club nights in Manchester this month
Manchester’s gig calendar isn’t slowing down as we head into May, with a packed week of live music across the city’s biggest arenas and most beloved grassroots venues. From chart-topping pop and R&B icons to rising indie stars and underground favourites, there’s something for every kind of music fan. Whether you’re after a huge night out or a more intimate show, here are the best gigs happening in Manchester this month.
Get a Monday night nostalgia fix from Blue
- Where: Opera House, 3 Quay Street, Manchester, M3 3HP
- When: 18 May
‘One Love’, ‘All Rise’, ‘Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word’ — Blue’s hits just kept coming in the early noughties. Those who have been keeping up may have enjoyed their latest albums, too: 2022’s ‘Heart & Soul’ and this year’s ‘Reflections’. Either way, boyband-era nostalgia will be alive and well at the Opera House on Monday night.
Get tickets to Blue at Opera House
See another side of 24 star Kiefer Sutherland
- Where: New Century Hall, 34 Hanover St, Manchester, M4 4AH
- When: 18 May
Canadian star Kiefer Sutherland is known for playing the action star Jack Bauer in the iconic TV series 24, but what you may not know is that he’s also released three albums of rootsy country music. The multi-talented fella is as much of a natural on-stage as in front of the camera, and he and his band are sure to rock the New Century Hall on Monday.
Get tickets to Kiefer Sutherland at New Century Hall
Experience BIIRD, a girlband like no other
- Where: Gorilla, 54-56 Whitworth St, Manchester, M1 5WW
- When: 22 May
Irish group BIIRD describe themselves as “your new favourite girlband”, but they’re a girlband like no other. The eleven-piece are bringing Irish trad music into the mainstream, putting on high-energy live shows complete with harp, fiddle, flute and no small amount of dancing. It’s safe to say a BIIRD gig is a unique experience, and it’s one which they’ll be bringing to Manchester as part of their latest headline tour.
Get tickets to BIIRD at Gorilla
Witness an audiovisual spectacle from German electronic legends Kraftwerk
- Where: O2 Apollo, Stockport Rd, Manchester, M12 6AP
- When: 23 May
Beginning in Düsseldorf in 1970, Kraftwerk essentially pioneered electronic pop music and in doing so, changed the face of music forever. Apart from their musical innovation, the band are known for their experimental live shows, featuring spectacular effects and graphics. This is a chance to catch bona fide music legends while they’re still around, and you definitely won’t be disappointed.
Get tickets to Kraftwerk at O2 Apollo
Feel the grooves of Saharan collective Tinariwen
- Where: O2 Ritz, Whitworth St W, Manchester, M1 5NQ
- When: 22 May
There aren’t many bands with a story like Tinariwen. Members of the nomadic Tuareg people from the Sahara region, the collective started to play music together while fighting in the Libyan military and later rebelling against the Malian government. The group later devoted themselves to music full-time and started to receive international attention. Their songs bring attention to the struggles of the Tuareg people and the conflict that afflicts their home region, through the medium of mesmerising rock grooves. You can catch them down at the Ritz on Friday night.
Get tickets to Tinariwen at O2 Ritz
Get on board with breakout Irish folk trio Kingfishr
- Where: O2 Victoria Warehouse, Trafford Wharf Road, Manchester, M17 1AB
- When: 23 May
Kingfishr are a folk three-piece hailing from Limerick, and their incredibly powerful songs have been making a big splash, with tracks from their debut album ‘Halcyon’ shooting up to tens of millions of streams. Far from a flash-in-the-pan viral artist, these guys are the real deal, and it’s a great time to catch them live.
Get tickets Kingfishr at O2 Victoria Warehouse
Paint The Town Red with Doja Cat
- Where: Co-op Live, Etihad Campus, 1 Sportcity Way, Manchester, M11 3DL
- When: 23 May
Genre-blending rapper and singer Doja Cat is one of the most fun artists on the pop scene right now, with five albums of playful and eclectic tunes, including hits like ‘Say So’, ’Kiss Me More’, and ‘Paint The Town Red’. Some would argue that blue is a more appropriate colour for a gig at the Etihad Campus’ Co-Op Live, but with that aside, Doja Cat is sure to provide a good time.
Get tickets to Doja Cat at Co-Op Live
Get schooled by metal guitar maestro Plini
- Where: Manchester Club Academy, Manchester University Students Union, Oxford Rd, Manchester, M13 9PR
- When: 23 May
Originating from Sydney, Plini Roessler-Holgate — best known as Plini — has been named one of the best guitarists in the world right now. He makes instrumental prog-metal fronted by his rich, entrancing guitar playing, showing just how expansive and beautiful metal music can be. He’s touring on his latest record, ‘An Unnameable Desire’, with a headline stop at the student union’s Club Academy on Saturday.
Get tickets to Plini at Manchester Club Academy
Relive the ‘80s movie magic with Dirty Dancing in Concert
- Where: Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3WS
- When: 24 May
This is going to be a really special one for any of Manchester’s ‘80s movie lovers. The Patrick Swayze/Jennifer Grey classic Dirty Dancing is going to be remastered on the big screen, with a live band syncing up with all the classic hits. Afterwards, there’s an encore dance party where you’ll get your chance to sing and dance along to your heart’s content. You’ll have the time of your life.
Get tickets to Dirty Dancing in Concert at Bridgewater Hall
Immerse yourself in ZAYN’s sultry R&B tunes
- Where: AO Arena, Victoria Station Approach, Hunts Bank, Cheetham Hill, Manchester, M3 1AR
- When: 24 May
ZAYN has come a long way since One Direction, with the Bradford lad now promoting his fifth solo album, ‘Konnakol’. Despite departing for a soft-rock sound on his last album ‘Room Under the Stairs’, on this one he’s continued to refine the sultry R&B-pop he does so well, carving out his place as a star in his own right. He’s bringing those vibes to the AO Arena on Sunday.
Get tickets to Zayn at AO Arena
