Plenty of iconic bands and musicians have come out of Manchester over the years – we won’t name them – but one of the most legendary (and controversial) bands to call the city home is The Smiths. Now Manchester’s own Johnny Marr has announced his biggest-ever headline solo show to date with a special outdoor performance at Manchester’s iconic amphitheatre, Castlefield Bowl.
The news confirms Johnny Marr’s first UK live show announcement for 2026, with the special homecoming performance set to land amongst a major year of exciting new activity. The announcement closely follows the release of ‘Look Out Live!’, the new 22-track live album recorded at Johnny’s sold-out headline show at London’s Hammersmith Apollo in 2024.
Johnny recently recorded four new songs with Gorillaz for their upcoming album ‘The Mountain‘, and teamed with Franz Ferdinand to record their latest single Build It Up, before a surprise reunion with The The bandmate Matt Johnson at the Forever Now Festival – also Johnny’s own exclusive UK summer live performance for 2025.
Of course, Johnny Marr was previously known as the iconic guitarist in Manchester’s The Smiths, being part of some of the most recognisable songs of all time, including There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Bigmouth Strikes Again and Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now. His recent solo career, though, has seen him conquer the world in a different way, capturing the hearts of fans old and new alike.
When will Johnny Marr play Castlefield Bowl?
Johnny Marr will play Castlefield Bowl on Thursday 9th July, 2026.
Who will be supporting Johnny Marr at Castlefield Bowl?
Johnny Marr’s 2026 Castlefield Bowl show will include a performance by special guests Everything Everything. The Manchester band have earned critical acclaim and a devoted following, leading to five Ivor Novello and two Mercury Prize nominations, a run of six consecutive Top 10 albums, and major headline shows including London’s Alexandra Palace.
How can I get Johnny Marr tickets?
Tickets for Johnny Marr at Castlefield Bowl go on sale at 10am on Friday 17th October, here.