Music fans rush for tickets as five shows by top acts announced for Wigan venue

The Lathums will play at Robin Park Arena in their largest headline show to date

The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft was the first to announce he would be performing at the venue in July, in what will be his first show in his home town for 25 years.

Tickets went on sale on Friday morning and sold out so quickly that a second date was added.

Also looking forward to a homecoming will be Wigan’s chart-topping band The Lathums, with their biggest headline show to date.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds have announced a series of outdoor shows, including one at Wigan's Robin Park Arena

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and singer-songwriter James Arthur are also set to entertain fans at the 11,500-capacity venue, making it a week not to be missed for music fans.

Opening the shows on Wednesday, July 17 will be X Factor winner James Arthur, who has become one of the world’s biggest streaming artists, with more than 38m monthly listeners on Spotify alone.

He has scored four top 10 albums, with 2016’s Back From The Edge hitting the number one spot.

He will be followed on Thursday, July 18 by Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, who is performing four outdoor shows around the UK next summer.

James Arthur will visit Wigan's Robin Park Arena as part of his world tour

It comes after a successful 2023, which has seen the release of fourth studio album Council Skies and a sold-out homecoming gig at Wythenshawe Park on the August bank holiday weekend.

The Lathums expect an emotional, celebratory homecoming on Friday, July 19, as they perform alongside special guests Jake Bugg and Brooke Combe.

They will loudly and proudly play the songs of hope and heartbreak that have filled two chart-topping albums.

The band is made up of Scott Concepcion (guitar/piano) and Ryan Durrans (drums), plus Liverpool native and adopted Wiganer Matty Murphy (bass).

Richard Ashcroft to play long-awaited homecoming show at Robin Park Arena

Having toured extensively through 2023, including visiting Europe’s major cities and more than 30 dates supporting former One Direction singer Louis Tomlinson, the Robin Park Arena date is the first headline show announced for 2024.

They will also be supporting Keane on an arena tour and continuing with their Chance To See Fund, which aims to bring young people into contact with the arts and culture.

Richard Ashcroft closes the series with shows on Saturday, July 20 and Sunday, July 21, in what will be a huge homecoming.

This will be the first time the Orrell-born 52-year-old will have performed in Wigan since he and his former band The Verve famously played to tens of thousands of fans at Haigh Woodland Park in May 1998.

He said: “After 25 years, I’m back playing in my hometown. Looking forward to an amazing night in Wigan.”

Ashcroft is a two-time Ivor Novello winner who has released five top five solo albums, including the number one debut Alone With Everybody.

With The Verve, he released one of the biggest albums of the era in the shape of Urban Hymns (the UK’s 18th biggest selling album of all-time), as well as a succession of anthems which remain staples of his live set today, including The Drugs Don’t Work, Bittersweet Symphony, Lucky Man and Sonnet.

Tickets are now on sale for Ashcroft’s second show, while tickets to see James Arthur, The Lathums and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds go on sale at 9am on Friday.