Richard Ashcroft’s huge headline gig at Manchester’s Co‑op Live this November has sold out within hours.
It comes directly on the heels of him being support for Oasis on their Live 25 reunion tour, a real full circle moment, as back in the early days, Oasis actually supported his former band, The Verve.
This massive exposure has helped build momentum—and demand, earning him thousands of new fans as he delivered classic Verve tunes, including the iconic ‘Bitter Sweet Symphony’.
Richard reminded people what a class act he is when a girl was mocked on social media for using Shazam to identify “Bitter Sweet Symphony” during Oasis’s opening night in Cardiff.
Instead of joining in with the mocking, Richard took to social media saying: “Thanks to everyone who came down and gave such beautiful support for my set. If you don’t know it, Shazam it — all new fans welcome!”
What a legend, but would we expect any less from a Wigan lad?
This has been an absolutely stellar year for Richard. His acoustic version of “Sonnet” featured in the 2024 John Lewis Christmas advert ,earning him a wave of new fans and nostalgic love from long-time followers. This is also the first time John Lewis has used the original artist’s version of a song for their ad, instead of a cover.
In May, he released “Lover”, his brand-new single built around a sample of Joan Armatrading’s Love and Affection, with her approval, and he’s set to drop his long awaited new album on October 3 this year.
‘Lovin You’ will be his seventh studio album and his first since Natural Rebel in 2018. It follows his Acoustic Hymns Vol 1 in 2021, which saw Liam Gallagher on vocals for ‘Come On People’.
Born in 1971 in Billinge Hospital, Richard Ashcroft went to Upholland High School, where he was often described by teachers as a “dreamer.”
He went on to Winstanley College, where he met his future bandmates and formed The Verve — one of the most iconic British bands of the ’90s, known for timeless tracks including Bitter Sweet Symphony and Lucky Man.
He played his first gigs in Wigan since the legendary Verve gig at Haigh Hall in 1998 with two huge homecoming concerts at Robin Park Arena in July last year, which were brilliant!
On stage he made a vow to come back to his hometown and play The Brick Community Stadium, and also shared with regional media what he misses about his hometown. No surprise, it’s the simple things: “people calling you ‘love’ when you’re buying a bag of chips.”
🎵 Co‑op Live Shows & Ticket Info
Richard will headline Co‑op Live on Saturday 8 November 2025, with doors at 6 pm and showtime at 7 pm.
🚗🚌 Getting to Co-op Live from Wigan
🚆 Train + 🚋 Tram – Take the train from Wigan North Western or Wallgate to Manchester Oxford Road, then tram from Deansgate-Castlefield to Etihad Campus (Co-op Live). Approx. 55–65 mins, £7–£10.
🚗 Drive – Drive via A580 or M61/M60. Pre-book parking on Co-op Live website. Approx. 35–45 mins, parking from £25.
🅿️ Park & Ride + 🚋 Tram – Park at Ashton Moss, Ashton West or Ladywell and tram to Etihad Campus. Approx. 50–60 mins, tram fare £3–£5.
🚶 Walk from City Centre – From Manchester Piccadilly, follow CityLink walking route to Etihad Campus. Around 25–30 mins. Free.
🚌 Event Shuttle Bus – After the show, shuttle buses run from Etihad Campus to the city centre. Starts around 10:30pm, £2.
