Contributing Writer
02.07 David Gray | 03.07 Faithless | 04.07 Craig David presents TS5 | 05.07 Electric Heart; The Fratellis, Scouting For Girls, The Feeling, The Hoosiers, Toploader and Dodgy.
New summer live music series Barton Live launches this July with four consecutive 5000 capacity open-air shows at Barton Aerodrome, Manchester. From Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 July 2026, the curated run brings together three major headline concerts and a full one day festival that establish Barton Aerodrome as a key outdoor live music destination for the North West and beyond.
The series opens on Thursday 2 July with globally renowned British singer-songwriter and ‘Babylon’ hit maker David Gray – Past & Present Tour, a show already on sale and nearing sell-out status. On Friday 3 July, legendary electronic act Faithless lineup with a full live performance that features an iconic blend of electronic, dance and live instrumentation and many of their seminal hits from ‘Insomnia’ to ‘God Is A DJ.’ Saturday 4 July sees Craig David present TS5, bringing his evergreen and party-ready mix of garage, r&b and classic club anthems to the open air. The run concludes on Sunday 5 July with Electric Heart, a carefully curated indie celebration featuring fan-favourites The Fratellis, Scouting For Girls, The Feeling, The Hoosiers, Toploader and Dodgy.
Says the Barton Live promoter JBM Music, “Barton Live is about creating a proper summer run of live music at Barton Aerodrome, not just a one-off show. Bringing David Gray, Faithless, Craig David and Electric Heart together across four consecutive days gives audiences a genuine choice of world-class outdoor performances, all in one place.”
Located on Liverpool Road in Eccles, Barton Aerodrome is a large-scale outdoor venue with a proven track record of hosting multi-day live music events. The flat, grassed site will feature bespoke staging and immersive sound and lighting for authentic and unforgettable live music experiences, but with great on-site parking, handy public transport links and early evening finishes that make each one perfect for a wide audience including families and older children.
Rather than presenting isolated one-off concerts, Barton Live is designed as a focused summer run that promises consistency and variety to the site across four nights. The series blends three standalone headline concerts with a full festival day, offering audiences multiple ways to experience live music at the same location. While included in the Barton Live programme, Electric Heart retains its own identity as an independent festival brand.
Ticket prices vary by event, head here for more information; bartonlive.co.uk
Thursday 2 July
David Gray – Past & Present Tour (14+)
Gates open: 18:00 | Last entry: 20:00 | Event ends: 23:00
Friday 3 July
Faithless – Live (14+)
Gates open: 17:00 | Last entry: 20:00 | Event ends: 23:00
Saturday 4 July
Craig David – Presents TS5 (14+)
Gates open: 16:00 | Last entry: 18:00 | Event ends: 22:30
Sunday 5 July
Electric Heart – Manchester Indie Festival (14+)
The Fratellis, Scouting For Girls, The Feeling, The Hoosiers, Toploader and Dodgy.
Gates open: 14:00 | Last entry: 17:00 | Event ends: 22:30