michael mcintyre tour reviews

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Park your cynicism! Michael McIntyre is a super-relatable well-oiled joke machine

The everyman standup delivers substantial comic payloads by itemising the oddity of human behaviour. A successful formula his new tour continues to exploit

A ll the countries of the world have their own bread, runs one of Michael McIntyre’s routines in his new show Macnificent. But what does Britain have? The boring old loaf. And all the countries have their own cheese too, runs the follow-up. And which one is ours? Mild cheddar. That’s we Brits, according to our host: aren’t we all just so lovably, incorrigibly bland?

Well, speak for yourself, you may wish to respond: there are traffic islands that have spent less time than McIntyre in the middle of the road. But resistance is futile – or at least, self-defeating. You can sit there thinking of all the strong cheeses and characterful breads Britain produces, or you can be seduced by McIntyre’s entertaining generalisations (OK, maybe we are bland!) into having as much fun as many, many other people in his audience. Don’t overthink things. Park your cynicism. There’s fun to be had here.

And there has been for a remarkably long time. The 47-year-old screens a montage at the start of his show, of significant gigs since he first stepped on to the Comedy Store stage 24 years ago. It reminded me: this guy has been huge for ages. (He barely seems to have aged either, damn him.) This is a comic who struck, fairly early, on a formula that would yield colossal commercial success, and who has stuck with it since. Reader, let me reassure – or disappoint – you: that formula changes not one jot with Macnificent, McIntyre’s first standup tour since 2018 .

It includes, as ever, fantastic jokes and routines on almost parodically relatable subjects. You want 10 tight minutes on middle-aged wine-drinking? McIntyre is your man. Interested in a riff on yawning? McIntyre is here for you, itemising the oddity of this universal human behaviour, the comedy of failing to suppress it when in conversation, the incongruity of its seeming contagiousness. (“How do you catch tiredness?!”) Not for the first time, you marvel that such an ostensibly banal observation can feel so fresh, and deliver – in McIntyre’s expert hands – such a substantial comic payload.

But it does, as does a fine nugget of physical comedy about McIntyre and wife in the marital bed, regretting the purchase of a mattress that’s firm on one half and soft on the other. And a delightful routine about youth football, casting our host as a concerned dad on the sidelines while his angelic son is aggressed by overdeveloped 15-year-olds with abundant facial hair and testosterone to spare.

What you don’t get is any sense of the real McIntyre, the man behind the joke machine. McIntyre watchers will know he’s suffered a setback in recent months, with the prompt cancellation of the US edition of his gameshow The Wheel . If this is significant to him, if he has dreams of breaking America, how he feels about being a primetime superstar – you’ll find the answers to none of this in his stage act, which casts him as an everyman whose concerns are indistinguishable from yours and mine.

Isn’t that stretching things? The man’s (I’m guessing) a multimillionaire. But part of McIntyre’s genius is how his act neutralises class in this most class-conscious of countries. Most major mass-appeal comics are proudly working class ( Mo Gilligan , John Bishop, Micky Flanagan , Sarah Millican). Those who aren’t – such as Jack Whitehall – have to burlesque their own poshness for popular approval. But McIntyre seldom exaggerates or apologises for his privilege; indeed he rarely affords it the slightest significance. It’s there if you’re looking for it, but rendered irrelevant by the man’s superpower relatability, a personality so democratic as to completely override this or that mention of having a gardener or dining on gnocchi.

And so McIntyre’s Covid experiences, according to Macnificent at least, are the same as all our Covid experiences: cutting his family’s hair, cultivating an Amazon dependency. But even audiences developing an immunity by now to coronavirus comedy (myself among them) will be tickled by McIntyre’s novel take – in which a birthday party for his wife transmogrifies, via a Covid diagnosis for McIntyre himself, into a mortal threat to his whole family.

There are lesser routines in the show. The rude wordplay that ends act one is a bit effortful, and the section on his dieting hacks when on a trip to the US requires a greater measure of contrivance than the best of his work. Sometimes it’s too obvious that McIntyre isn’t just delivering a comedy routine, he’s drilling a new catchphrase for the merch. One of the least convincing gags of the evening, meanwhile, finds our host panicking, on the release of tickets for this tour, that he’s gone out of fashion and no one’s going to come. Give over, Michael! I wouldn’t bet against another 24 years of adulation: Macnificent finds the McIntyre machine as well-oiled as ever.

• Michael McIntyre
• Comedy (Stage)
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Review: Michael McIntyre at Manchester's AO Arena

"He's more like an over-enthusiastic schoolboy who doesn't really mean to let the four letter words slip out"

• 10:13, 23 MAR 2024
• Updated 20:34, 24 MAR 2024

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I am astounded that there is a person in Britain who doesn't know who Michael McIntyre is. But after telling people I was going to see his new 'Macnificent' show, his first stand-up tour since 2018, I can confirm his name is not instantly recognisable.

This is no doubt due to his lack of swagger, of larger-than life braggadocio. He's not your run-of-the-mill comedian at all.

He's like the very funny friend you love to go for a drink with, the one you know will send you into fits of giggles sending himself up and impersonating the people around him, but never with a trace of malice. He's funny enough not to have to resort to putting people down.

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The Manchester crowd seem especially happy to see him tonight, given his recent hospitalisation with kidney stones forced him to cancel two shows. Now all he needs to do is make them cry laughing.

Joking that he's always wanted to announce he'd 'lost a stone' but not in quite that way, he launches into a detailed description of what happened in the doctor's office, and an imagined, and most amusing, sequel in the bedroom.

He then moves on to the pleasures of wine drinking, the snobbery associated with it, and the lies we tell ourselves about that 'little splash' we've just drunk.

A collection of skits about the most humdrum things in life you can imagine - yawning, sleeping, farting, follows, all delivered with an impressive array of facial expressions.

Food and football are on the menu too, with a cleverly observed piece about different types of teenage boys on the football field for the parents in the audience.

There's an imaginative bit about the pandemic, which at first you worry might feel dated, but this is Michael after all, and he offers his own unique story involving pink balloons and featuring an irresistible dance around an Amazon delivery man.

Despite his recent health issue, he is certainly on form, positively fizzing with energy in fact.

He's a little sweary, but not in that aggressive, drunken way that most comedians tend to favour. He's more like an over-enthusiastic schoolboy who doesn't really mean to let the four letter words slip out.

There is no obvious highlight to the show, no one bit that really shines, and there are more satisfied smiles than split sides. But his audience gets what they expect, and all delivered in that reassuringly self-deprecating and endearingly silly way.

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Everything you need to know about Michael McIntyre’s MAGNIFICENT tour at AO Arena

Dads, we do hope you kept your tickets in the 'man drawer'.

British comedy legend Michael McIntyre is rolling back into Manchester this weekend for a double bill of his brand-new tour, MAGNIFICENT at the AO Arena.

Still one of the biggest names in UK comedy and always delivering a reliable and largely family-friendly performance (this being a 14+ show), he’s set to pack out the legendary Manc entertainment venue this Friday and Saturday.

Despite being a household name for the best part of two decades now, this latest show is actually his first stand-up tour in five years and has already received pretty solid reviews from the likes of Chorlte , so it’s great to see him back out on the circuit.

With all that in mind, we thought we’d provide those going along to either of his two Manchester shows with all the info you need.

Are there tickets left?

First off, if you’re still looking to grab tickets to see Michael McIntyre at Manchester’s AO Arena , although the Sunday is sold out there are still a fair few tickets left for the Friday, 22 March show.

With the cheapest tickets starting from just £34.50 and the closest seats going all the way up to £147.06, you can pretty much have your pick of the bunch.

As always, if you’re feeling like being a bit posh and treating yourself (you always deserve it, as far as we’re concerned), you can of course spring for the more premium hospitality packages like the Electric Lounge’s Champagne Experience. You can find the full gamut of tickets HERE .

Warm-up act and stage times for Michael McIntyre’s Manchester show

As for stage times, comedy shows at the AO Arena skew slightly earlier than the likes of your live music in Manchester but we can still let you know how long you can expect to be there.

Doors are set to open from 6pm on both nights but the jokes won’t start flying until 8pm, so you’ll have plenty of time to grab a drink, something to eat, nip to the loo etc.

With opening support act Jake Lambert — who has also turned with the likes of industry heavyweights Romesh Ranganathan and Jack Dee — set to take the stage for a 20-minute warm-up set at 8pm, McIntyre isn’t due on until 8:20pm, and his roughly 75-minute set will take you up to 22:10pm, so you should be out well before the venue’s curfew at 11pm.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jake Lambert Comedy (@jakelambertcomedy)

How to get to the AO Arena and other travel info

The AO Arena is right in the heart of the city centre, so it’s fairly easy to get to.

The AO Arena is located within the Manchester Victoria Station complex in the city centre, on the corner of Trinity Way, Hunts Bank and Great Ducie Street. You can enter through the station (up the stairs), through the Trinity Way Tunnel, or from Hunts Bank.

By tram:  Also super straight-forward – hop off the tram at Manchester Victoria and you’re right by the stairs to the venue. It’s also a short walk from Exchange Square and Shudehill. Trams run directly to Victoria Station from Rochdale, Bury, Altrincham, East Didsbury and the Airport.

By train:  While Piccadilly is the city’s largest train station, plenty of trains do pass through Manchester Victoria. You can plan your journey through the  National Rail website .

Parking:  The postcode if you’re driving to the AO Arena is M3 1AR. There’s an on-site CitiPark car park with 958 spaces, which can be pre-booked  here . Bear in mind that Trinity Way is closed after concerts to allow gig-goers to leave safely, though cars are allowed out of the car park with directions from staff.

About the AO Arena

The AO Arena has a few strict policies to keep gig-goers safe, so make sure to check entry requirements carefully before you travel.

For example, only one small bag per person is allowed, and bags like backpacks, travel cases and laptop bags are not permitted inside the arena.

All bags are scanned on entry to check for prohibited items like laser pens, flares, projectiles, weapons, drugs and alcohol, and even selfie sticks.

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We hope that should be everything you need to know ahead of Michael McIntyre’s two Manchester shows this weekend.

The veteran comic also recently had to postpone a show in Southampton after undergoing surgery at the start of the month, so we’re glad to hear he’s back fit, fighting and funny.

Also, if you’re looking for somewhere for a classy drink and a nice bite to eat, then the brand-new Mezz restaurant is the perfect spot for some pre-gig fun.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester,  subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE .

Featured Images — Press Images/The Manc Group

Beloved British comic Paddy McGuinness is heading back out on his first live stand-up tour in eight years this year and has announced a new run of work-in-progress shows in preparation, including one right here in Greater Manchester.

McGuinness hasn’t been out on the live comedy circuit for the best part of a decade but announced his long-awaited return late last year, with the 50-year-old heading out on the road this October.

However, as he looks to get stage sharp shape ahead of his ‘Nearly There’ tour, Paddy has picked a pair of local North West venues for the WIP sets, with a trio of shows at The Met in Bury , as well as half a dozen over in Darwen, Lancashire.

Just like the tour itself, these are sure to go quickly.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Met (@metbury)

The Phoenix Nights and Max and Paddy star is playing nearly half a century of shows across the UK and Ireland from this fall onwards before closing out his tour in Dublin by April 2025.

His last tour, ‘Daddy McGuinness’ ran from 2015-16 and got pretty decent reviews across the board, with the focus largely revolving around his journey into parenthood, but his latest material is set to be quite the shift in tone.

Speaking ahead of the tour, the former Take Me Out and Top Gear host said: “It’s been eight years since my last tour and there’s lots of things to laugh about! I’m looking forward to getting back in front of a live audience, along with running the gauntlet of cancel culture, clickbait and fake news!”

Paddy also made a bit of a stir around these parts recently after he declared Bolton as still being part of Lancashire. No likey, no lighty on that one – sorry Paddy.

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But never mind all that, we’re glad to see him getting back to his roots. The Farnworth -born funny man was also recently given a permanent role on BBC Radio 2 after becoming a firm favourite amongst the listenership. He will now run the 11am-1pm slot on Sundays.

As for his tour, after his warm-up shows in Bury and Darwen, the household name will be heading to The Lowry in Salford in March next year, with other nearby shows in the likes of Blackburn and Blackpool.

Tickets for Paddy McGuinness’ work-in-progress dates go on sale Friday, 3 May at 10am.

You can grab yours HERE .

Featured Images — Press Images

We’ve only got a couple more days left of April before May graces us with its presence as this week goes on.

And there’s so much to look forward to this month.

Foodie festivals, cultural celebrations, wholesome spring-themed events, and so much more has been happening all throughout April – but thankfully, there’s even more where that came from in May, as there’s loads more in the Greater Manchester social calendar for everyone of all ages to be getting involved with.

If you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do this week though, we’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘ What’s on ‘ guide.

Here’s some of our recommendations.

Tales of Manchester 2.0

Kimpton Clocktower Hotel

Monday 29 April – onwards

A brand-new art exhibition curated by visual artist Emma Evans in partnership with six other creators is now open in Manchester, and it’s completely free to visit.

Tales of Manchester 2.0 down at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is a collection of multi-platform art celebrating our brilliant city, and it’s showcasing six spoken word pieces by established Manchester based poets – Griot Gabriel, Ilaria Passeri, Lisa O’Hare, Mark Jackson aka Keith’s Brother, Matt Concannon aka The Thirsty Poet, and Sarah Attwell.

The spoken word is paired with visual pieces painted by self-taught artist Emma Evans, where the words have served as inspiration for the art.

Find out more here .

Did you see that Manchester’s newest live entertainment venue is finally almost ready to open?

The biggest indoor arena in the entire UK is (we think) ready to rock and roll.

It’s been a very long time coming, but Co-op Live will finally throw open its doors this week, with the massive space having room for 23,500 music fans and a clever ‘smart bowl’ that’s been designed to make the best possible gig experience.

There’s also a huge bill of artists lined up to perform here in the coming months, including The Black Keys (rescheduled), Olivia Rodrigo, and Take That in the next few weeks alone.

You can take a closer look at the inside of Co-op Live here , and read a round-up of all the events happening across the brand-new venue’s opening season here .

The Wizard of Oz

Palace Theatre Manchester

Monday 29 April – Sunday 5 May

A sensational new take on of one of the world’s most beloved musicals, The Wizard of Oz, is now on stage here in Manchester.

Having taken to the iconic Palace Theatre stage, starring award-winning comedian and musical theatre star Jason Manford as The Cowardly Lion, JLS sensation Aston Merrygold as The Tin Man, and  RuPaul’s Drag Race UK  winner and  Dancing On Ice  star The Vivienne as The Wicked Witch of the West, this new production is a truly magical for all the family.

Find out more and grab last-minute tickets here .

Yes, Manchester’s biggest free music festival is back for this upcoming early May bank holiday.

Hosted at the ever-reliable Oast House in Spinningfields – one the best suntraps in the city when the sun finally decides to peek out (and it’s coming) – you can expect live music all day long, dancing well into the night, not to mention as much food and refreshing cocktails as you can stuff your face with.

We went along to the last one during Easter and even on a cloudy day it didn’t disappoint.

Find out more about the full season they’ve got lineup and sort your place here .

Bloomtown Blossom Trail

Manchester City Centre

Manchester never looks better than it does when all the blossom trees burst back to life, right? Well now there’s a walking trail through town that shows off the best bits.

From the iconic purple blooms outside the Central Library to the surprising sprays that pop up in the middle of Ancoats, there are pretty colours appearing all over, so the National Trust is once again shining a spotlight on Manchester and bringing back its new-and-improved Bloomtown.

There are 39 spots all over the city centre (and slightly beyond) included along the route, each one showcasing one of the city’s most picturesque locations.

Find out more about 2024’s trail here .

The Manchester College ‘Greater Mancunians’ Exhibition

Manchester Central Library

Photography students from The Manchester College will be showcasing their ‘Greater Mancunians’ project as part of a landmark exhibition at Manchester Central Library’s Main Exhibition Hall from this week.

150 students have participated in the groundbreaking photography project, and it features images of some of Manchester’s most famous and influential people shot at numerous locations across the city.

More than 100 contributors are featured in the project, including musicians Noel Gallagher and Johnny Marr, athletes Diane Modahl and Ricky Hatton, local politicians Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner, and Bev Craig, actors Maxine Peake and Bill Roache, artists Stan Chow and AKSE P-19, and other local figures like Jonathan Warburton, Simon Martin, and Professor Erinma Bell MBE.

Operation Ouch!

Science and Industry Museum

Don’t forget there’s a world-first exhibition still running down at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, and it’s giving families the chance to “dive headfirst into the digestive system” and “travel like a poo”.

The new blockbuster exhibition, Operation Ouch!, is based on and will see the award-winning CBBC children’s TV series brought to life.

Visitors can expect interactive experiences, amazing objects from the Science Museum Group’s collection, and appearances from world-renowned doctors who will be on hand to guide audiences through this “lively, interactive, and playful adventure to better understand our brilliant bodies”.

Find out more and grab tickets here .

Fancy heading out a walk somewhere in Greater Manchester and beyond this week?

The weather is FINALLY warming up a little, and it’s beginning to feel like we might finally have made it through winter.

So that means it’s time for a walk, right?

Some of the green spaces that wrap around Greater Manchester are in their prime right now with blossoms, bluebells, and more – and that’s saying something, as they’re pretty spectacular all year round – so it couldn’t be a more perfect time to go for a walk to appreciate their beauty.

Read our round-up of stunning spots for a spring walk here .

‘Trust’ – Six by Nico

Tuesday 30 April

Are you ready to put your trust in Six by Nico? 

Previously a hit in London, but having now arrived here in Manchester at the Spring Gardens and Deansgate restaurants for the first time ever, ‘Trust’ is the latest dining experience from Six by Nico where guests are invited to put their trust in the popular restaurant’s chefs with a completely blind tasting menu that “puts culinary senses to the test”.

The three-hour tasting experience has 10-courses, and diners are given a blank menu with space write down what they think they’re eating.

Ingredients of each dish are then revealed by your server following each course.

Find out more and book your place on one of the ‘Trust’ dining experiences on the Six by Nico website here .

KinderFest 2024

Haigh Woodland Park

Friday 4 & Saturday 5 May

Haigh Woodland Park is hosting a festival filled with fun activities for the whole family this bank holiday weekend.

KinderFest 2024 will bring together some of Greater Manchester’s best children’s entertainment to the walled gardens of Haigh – with themed activity zones, bubble parties, an inflatable playground, puppet shows, and live music all on the exciting lineup, as well as there being a wide range of food and drink vendors serving up tasty grub to took into.

Have you seen that a new ‘hobby house’ has opened up in the heart of Manchester city centre?

It’s called ‘Altogether Otherwise’.

Having recently opened down at Manchester’s growing neighbourhood, NOMA, the innovative new concept is is setting out to provide the Greater Manchester public with a welcome relief from all the demands and fast-paced culture of city centre life that we’ve, sadly, all become so used to.

It’s been dubbed a “place to pursue creativity” and a chance to explore and get stuck into some new activities, all while bumping into like-minded people in an ever-changing gathering space. 

There’s an exciting lineup of workshops and events that are free to attend.

Day Out With Thomas

East Lancashire Railway

Friday 4 – Monday 6 May

Everyone’s favourite little blue engine is once again making a long-awaited return to Greater Manchester this Early May Bank Holiday weekend.

The beloved Day Out With Thomas experience is said to be “a train ride like no other”.

Families will have the chance to hop onboard the East Lancashire Railway’s replica of the cult-classic blue train character when he returns in a couple of weeks time for a 45-minute trip through the Greater Manchester countryside.

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Michael McIntyre: Macnificent

Review of the comic's first stand-up tour in five years

It’s been a long time since Michael McIntyre perfected his lucrative brand of exaggerated observational comedy. A pre-show video highlights reel tells us it’s been 15 years since that defining ‘man drawer’ routine – as well as highlighting just how little his dependable mainstream shtick has changed over the years. Only a 1999 clip from the Comedy Store, showing him in jeans and T-shirt that really don’t suit him, deviate from the winning formula.

Given that his audience always knows exactly what they will get, Macnificent safely offers more of the same, sometimes to the point of seeming like a self-parody. ‘Eyebrows, what’s all that about then?’ starts one routine.

Meanwhile, the segment about watching his son’s football match draws from exactly the same speech impediment well as his marvellous routine about having an anaesthetised mouth, post-dentist, from 2012’s Showtime. But with added, unsubtle, innuendo.

Relatability is McIntyre’s watchword, of course, and he remains the middle-class Everyman – even with far-from universal experiences such as fretting about whether he might not sell out all the 10,000-seat arenas on this tour, breakfasting at the same LA hotel as supermodels, and employing a devious gardener. But the obvious trappings of his success are tempered by more understandable insecurities about maintaining his dignity when the world – and his own stupidity – conspires against that.

And those stories are outliers. Mostly, his material is built on common ground, from gurgling stomachs to the too-easy tendency to reach for a bottle of wine at home to how yawns are infectious. Although not in his show, as he injects energy into the most trite observation. 

All is sold with the big, expressive gestures and the trademark purposeful striding. While sometimes this feels too practised, his physical comedy prowess is proved in a routine in which he lies on the floor recreating his ill-fated amorous advances towards his wife on his expensive yet impractical mattress, half of which is is firm, and half of which is soft.

Act-outs elevate even more mundane routines such as talking ‘about the breads of the world’ – a trite and rather obviously engineered conceit to get him to mimic Mexicans with their tortillas, Frenchmen with their baguettes, and Indians with their naan. No prizes for guessing which accent he doesn’t do.

Also in his favour are the florid descriptions with which he elevates the everyday, for example the term ‘piss-pot’ as a charming variation on ‘pisshead’.

While not being too troubled by having any grand vision, McIntyre does have a couple of underlying themes. 

Technology is the less interesting one, as he talks about  TikTok algorithms serving up a surfeit of boobs, addictive phone use and step-counting apps. Though his urgent stage pacing surely helps him hit the target every day on tour, this segment ends in a nicely non-PC line about the wearable tech.

He’s also updated the old musical hall gag about a speak-your-weight machine telling an overweight customer ‘one at a time, please’ for 21st Century technology in a self-deprecating bridge to talking about him trying to lose weight.

The other recurring strand is about British reserve, our unadventurous streak – our bread is the boring loaf – and our dislike of confrontation. A cynic might suggest McIntryre is the sliced white Mother’s Pride of comedy, but that would be harsh: the craftsmanship that goes into his work at least elevates him to a supermarket sourdough.

While nothing here will redefine anyone’s worldview, the material is timeless – as indeed is he, looking at least a full decade younger than his 47 years.

One exception is the routine about Covid, something audiences might already be tired of. But as McIntyre points out, given his career is built on talking about shared experiences – and since lockdown happened in the five years since his last tour – it seems germane to speak of it.

Indeed, he does highlight the ridiculous rigamarole of trying to dine out in the earliest days of restrictions being eased in a way that is cliche-free, very funny and strangely nostalgic.

This segment – indeed the whole show – concludes in a delightfully farcical anecdote about the time he caught Covid on his wife’s birthday, culminating in a hilariously humiliating image, brilliantly deflating the smugness of his stage demeanour. 

It’s a routine that’s almost worth the ticket price alone, even as some of the other segments feel like going through the motions – albeit with skill and craftsmanship.

Review date: 27 Oct 2023 Reviewed by: Steve Bennett Reviewed at: Brighton Centre

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Review: Michael McIntyre at the 02 Arena – The That's Us, That Is Comic

He's a stand-up superstar, but his comedy is about being just like us - can he pull it off.

Michael McIntyre is not really a stand-up comedian at all. He's a That's Us, That Is comedian. Or a That's Me comedian. Or an Elbow Nudge comedian. Sitting in the stalls at the packed 02 Arena every punchline seemed to be accompanied by the sight of row upon row of couples poking each other sharply in the ribs and suggesting that the smart-suited comic must have been hiding in their kitchen or bedroom or toilet and spying on them.

For me the ultimate elbow nudge moment was during a routine about MM and his wife trying to cut down on wine. They had become worried about overindulging and vowed not to touch a drop on a Saturday nights. Until one weekend he caught his other half with an open bottle and a full glass in the kitchen. Well, she needed some for the gravy. And why waste the rest? Don’t we all do that? My partner regularly cracks open the Pinot Grigio to make gravy when she is trying to cut down on drinking the plonk and I'm sure there were thousands in the audience that do the same.

If you talk to comedians or look on comedy Facebook pages there's a mixture of professional jealousy and grudging respect for the smiley 48-year-old. But even those that aren't fans of his mainstream observational humour will usually concede that he works hard. Compared to other arena level performers he really makes use of the stage. Not just with his trademark skipping but, at one point, with some top rate rolling. I don't think I've seen someone work this hard since Lee Evans in his sweaty heyday.

But whereas Evans often depended on his physicality to firm up his jokes, the emphasis is on the verbals with McIntyre. Macnificent – the tour title is the weakest joke of the show - is packed with funny anecdotes, drawing mainly on the relatable aspects of his home life – mattress squabbles, coping with lockdown, Amazon deliveries. 

This is a set that is presumably well-polished after countless warm-ups and tightly scripted, yet it is a tribute to his skills that his opening reoutine, one of the best of the night, is pretty new and probably little more than a retelling of events – it's his account of having a kidney stone removed recently in all its excruciating, leg-crossing, eye-watering detail. In his first five minutes McIntyre cements his reputation as an A grade raconteur. 

While I laughed throughout the 80 minute set I was also intrigued by what was fact and what was fiction. While the kidney stone routine felt like pure reportage, other stories were maybe embellished to different degrees. I don't want to give too much away but one anecdote about ordering from the wrong menu in LA does feel like an embellishment too far - even though he still makes it hilarious (and maybe it did actually happen...)

Elsewhere I can well imagine him thinking about grilling an undercooked chicken on the restaurant’s overhead heaters when he was eating outside during lockdown. And his story about avoiding passing on Covid certainly has a ring of truth when we think back to how paranoid we were about infecting each other in 2020. But did he really only discover his wife was not a natural blonde when she couldn't get her roots done during the pandemic?

In the end though, unless you are a nitpicking critic like me it barely matters whether these stories are true. We don't go to a Michael McIntyre show for autobiography, we go to be entertained. And the undisputed king of observational comedy royally does that. 

Touring. See dates and buy tickets  here.

Picture: Gary Moyes

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Review: michael mcintyre, 02 arena.

Michael McIntyre is not really a stand-up comedian at all. He's a That's Us comedian. Or a That's Me comedian*. Or an Elbow Nudge comedian. Sitting in the stalls at the packed 02 Arena every punchline seemed to be accompanied by the sight of row upon row of couples poking each other in the ribs and suggesting that the smart-suited comic must have been spying on them.

For me the ultimate elbow nudge moment was during a routine about MM and his wife trying to cut down on wine. They had vowed not to touch a drop on a Saturday night until one weekend he caught his other half with an open bottle in the kitchen. Well, she needed it for the gravy. My partner regularly cracks open the Pinot Grigio to make gravy when she is trying to cut down on drinking the plonk and I'm sure there were thousands in the audience that do the same.

If you talk to comedians or look on comedy Facebook pages there's a mixture of professional jealousy and grudging respect for the 48-year-old. But even those that aren't fans of his mainstream observational humour will usually concede that he works hard. Compared to other arena level performers he really makes use of the stage. Not just with his trademark skipping but, at one point, with some top rate rolling about. I don't think I've seen someone work this hard since Lee Evans in his sweaty heyday.

But whereas Evans often depended on his physicality to firm up his jokes, the emphasis is on the gags with McIntyre. Macnificent – the tour title is the weakest joke of the show - is packed with funny anecdotes, drawing mainly on the relatable aspects of his home life – mattress squabbles, coping with lockdown, Amazon deliveries. 

This is a set that is presumably well-polished and tightly scripted, yet it is a tribute to his skill that his opening reoutine, one of the best of the night, is pretty new and probably little more than a retelling of events – it's his account of having a kidney stone removed recently in all its excruciating, leg-crossing, eye -watering detail. In his first five minutes McIntyre cements his reputation as an A grade raconteur. 

While I laughed throughout the 80 minute set i was also intrigued by what was fact and what was fiction. While the kidney stone routine felt like pure reportage, other stories were maybe embellished to different degrees. I don't want to give too much away but one anecdote about ordering from the wrong menu in LA does feel like an embellishment too far - even though he still makes it hilarious (and maybe it did actually happen...)

Elsewhere i can well imagine him thinking about grilling an undercooked chicken on the overhead heaters when he was eating outside during lockdown. And his story about avoiding passing on Covid certainly has a ring of truth when we think back to how paranoid we were about infecting each other in 2020. But did he really only discover his wife was not a natural blonde when she couldn't get her roots done during the pandemic?

In the end though, unless you are a nitpicking critic like me it barely matters whether these stories are true. We don't go to a Michael McIntyre show for autobiography, we go to be entertained. And the undisputed king of observational comedy royally does that. 

Touring. See dates and buy tickets  here .

Picture: Gary Moyes

*I was originally going to describe him as a Me Too comedian, but I don't want readers to get the wrong idea.

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Michael McIntyre – Live Review – Leeds Arena

By David Schuster, May 2018

Five minutes into tonight’s performance and Michael McIntyre is striding across the stage in his trademark fashion, mimicking a Geordie dodging dog dirt on a Newcastle beach. I’m laughing, alongside the other 13,499 people filling Leeds Arena. The roar of approval from the crowd is remarkable.

The comedian has long since surpassed the status of national treasure, selling over 1.5 million tickets in the UK alone, and has now become a global phenomenon. Tonight’s performance is part of his ‘Big World Tour’. The title is no ironic exaggeration, he is taking his one-man performance to arenas across the globe including America, Australia, Singapore; it’s a long list.

“Running joke”

Entering up steps from underneath the stage, his voice is a little hoarse to begin with, but that’s understandable. He takes a sip of water from a bottle at the side of the stage, the crowd clap enthusiastically. “You don’t have to clap me drinking,” he says with a twinkle in his eye. From that point on it becomes tonight’s running joke, with each mouthful greeted with cheers.

Surprisingly, arena comedy works. He looks small, but not lost on the stage, his schoolboy-chubby form projected with superb clarity and crisp audio onto three huge screens. Somehow, through the wonders of the human brain, both are melded together, so that everyone gets a good experience. He alludes to this at one point when, standing at the far left of the stage, he notices that the majority of the people are looking at the screen, and not at him. “I am here in person you know”, he says, with mock indignance.

The funniest story concerns Hong Kong and the pollution masks that many of the people living there often wear. By this point the lady in front of me is laughing so hard that she can hardly breathe – and she’s not alone.

“Cleverly observed”

Performing across several continents also provides McIntyre with rich material on the differing audience reactions: Confusingly people in Norway clap in time. “Reviews in America tend to be made up of superlatives”, he observes: “McIntyre rocks!”, “He blew the roof off!”. Whereas in Britain the best it ever gets is “he didn’t disappoint”.

We’re left wanting more, but not for very long. The comic acknowledges the obligation to exit the stage and returns almost immediately for an encore. He closes with a cleverly observed anecdote about those dog breeds that love humans, and those that clearly don’t.

Michael McIntyre didn’t disappoint. There is no higher praise in Britain.

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Michael McIntyre at the O2 review: There is a routine about names on Starbucks cup for goodness’ sake

The observational, every-middle-class-man stuff is wearing, article bookmarked.

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Michael McIntyre’s new tour is called Happy and Glorious, a fitting title for the British king of comedy. The biggest, richest and most successful stand-up in the land is currently playing 10 nights at The 02 in the middle of a UK mega-tour. So why he is having to tell his crowd – his “awfully middle-aged, middle-class” audience - to clap? “Feel free to applaud!” he shouts halfway through his set, but proper, spontaneous, thunderous applause comes only once or twice in this sketchy set.

McIntyre is very good at what he does - mining the mundane for giant belly-shaking laughs - arguably the best. It is observational, everyman stuff but an opening video of fans delivering some of his most famous routines – the man drawer, the spice cupboard, the wrapping paper ‘glide’ and so on – shows that not every man can do it. Far from it – they are all awful at it.

He has a rare talent for wringing gold from the beigest of subjects and there are odd moments tonight when he does just that – miming how posh people treat their trolleys at Waitrose, for example, or the difficultly of hanging a clock on a wall, or the social awkwardness of using a revolving door. Even the hoary old topic of Brits at the beach is retooled into a routine that looks ready-made for future fan tributes, in which he deconstructs the age-old seaside phrase, “It’s alright once you’re in!”

• Mother laughed so hard at Michael McIntyre her water broke

There are also quite a lot of jokes and topics in here that are lame, surprisingly so. A mention of Manila in a half-hearted gallop around some international quips gets the punchline, “Sounds like an envelope!” There is a routine about people writing your name on your cup in Starbucks for goodness’ sake, and a similarly ancient bit about going out for dinner with his wife, who orders the lobster. He is outraged but it rings false; you can’t help thinking, as you look around at the 20,000-strong crowd, if anyone in the room can afford the lobster, McIntyre probably can.

By far the most interesting sections are the ones that see the stand-up eschew the general for the personal. There’s a vividly funny set-piece about moving to a big dream house in the country where he has no plumbing, no phone signal (“Presumably because the conversations are too boring there…”) and is absolutely terrified of the dark. Another routine about his giant calf muscles and the orthotic shoes he now has to wear to correct his gait is unexpected and refreshing in showing a little vulnerability.

Still, the 75-minute show never feels fully formed. Routines do not hang together, physical clowning replaces punchlines once too often and the delivery is often breathless. McIntyre might be the biggest comedian in the UK, but this was him at far from his best.

To 10 October, then touring to 11 December ( www.michaelmcintyre.co.uk )

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Michael McIntyre, Brighton Centre review - observational everyman | reviews, news & interviews

Michael mcintyre, brighton centre review - observational everyman, jovial comic's first tour in five years.

It takes some chutzpah to do a substantial section of a comedy show in 2023 (and touring until mid-2024) that deals with your pandemic woes, but that’s Michael McIntyre for you – he has never been short of confidence.

To be fair, it’s the closing section of a solidly constructed performance of his everyman comedy, but runs the risk of being stale for those seeing him at the end of the tour.

Macnificent is his first touring show in five years, during which his career as host of various shiny-floor shows – clips of which we see in a pre-show reel – has gone from strength to strength. His latest, The Wheel on BBC One, is much like the comic himself – jovial and lighthearted, entertaining if unchallenging – a combination that wasn't as attractive to American television executives, who recently canned the US version of The Wheel after one season.

As a stand-up, McIntyre has carved a career out of observational comedy that takes a grain of truth from something everyday – mobile phones, dieting, being an anxious parent, even bread – and gradually building a story that reaches almost surreal heights. The end point of some routines is often unbelievable, but such is his brio – and physically acting out some gags – that the audience is swept along. We want it to be true even though we suspect that it’s only the starting sentence that is.

And so Macnificent is full of tales about life in a long marriage, being the father of two teenagers, facing the perils of US Immigration and deciding he needed to lose some weight. There's some material that strays away from his “I'm just a normal bloke like you” shtick, as he describes how his gardener deals with leaves, or ordering breakfast in a swanky Los Angeles hotel with a supermodel at the next table, but such is his bonhomie that he pulls it off.

There’s a strong section on the language we use to pretend that we stick to the government’s recommended drinking limits – he and wife might have “just a splash” or maybe “a little nightcap” to follow – but the section on the world's breads, complete with accents, sounds like a warmed-over version of his spice rack routine.

Another lengthy section is about our mobile phone addiction, during which he cheekily admits to “accidentally” viewing semi-naked women on TikTok – not because he was lingering on the images, but because the algorithm has decided he does. It's a neat construct, and one that he gets away with because he's so wholesome, and it involves a bit of wonderfully daft physical comedy involving the new bed he and his wife bought.

McIntyre landed on a recipe for success early in his career – polished observational comedy that often reaches farcical conclusions, skilfully performed – and this doesn't disappoint.

• Touring the UK until 1 June 2024, then Australia until 24 June 2024
• More comedy reviews on theartsdesk
• Book tickets for Michael McIntyre

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• Michael McIntyre, O2
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Michael McIntyre is back on the road with a massive world tour: Tickets, dates and venues

26 February 2024, 09:30

By Tom Eames

Michael McIntyre is back on stage with his brand new show MACNIFICENT!

Listen to this article

It has been five years since Michael's last tour, and he can't wait to bring more laughs around the world.

Michael McIntyre's keen observational comedy and unique ability to transform ordinary moments into showcases of human frustration have resonated deeply with countless fans.

Thus far, his stand-up tours have surpassed four million tickets in sales. Notably, he achieved a record-breaking 28 sold-out performances at London's O2 arena, earning him the keys to the venue.

Tickets for the 2024 tour are on sale now from Ticketmaster .

The full dates are:

• Friday 23rd February: Plymouth, Pavilions
• Saturday 24th February Plymouth, Pavilions
• Sunday 25th February Plymouth Pavilions (* new date)
• Monday 26th February Plymouth, Pavilions (* new date)
• Tuesday 27th February Plymouth, Pavilions (* new date)
• Wednesday 28th February Plymouth, Pavilions (* new date)
• Thursday 29th February Plymouth, Pavilions (* new date)
• Friday 8th March Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
• Saturday 9th March Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena
• Sunday 10th March Nottingham, Motorpoint Arena (* new date)
• Friday 15th March Newcastle, Utilita Arena (* new date)
• Saturday 16th March Newcastle, Utilita Arena
• Friday 22nd March Manchester, AO Arena
• Saturday 23rd March Manchester, AO Arena
• Thursday 4th April Eastbourne, Congress (*new date)
• Friday 5th April London, The O2
• Saturday 6th April London, The O2
• Friday 12th April London, The O2
• Saturday 13th April London, The O2
• Sunday 14th April London, The O2 (* new date)
• Friday 19th April Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena (* new date)
• Saturday 20th April Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena
• Thursday 25th April Hull, Arena (* new date)
• Friday 26th April Hull, Arena
• Saturday 27th April Sheffield, Utilita Arena
• Wednesday 1st May Utilita Arena (* new date)
• Thursday 2nd May Cardiff, Utilita Arena (* new date)
• Friday 3rd May Cardiff, Utilita Arena (* new date)
• Saturday 4th May Cardiff, Utilita Arena (* new date)
• Sunday 5th May Cardiff, Utilita Arena (* new date)
• Friday 10th May London, OVO Arena Wembley
• Saturday 11th May London, OVO Arena Wembley
• Wednesday 15th May Aberdeen, P&J Arena (* new date)
• Thursday 16th May Aberdeen, P&J Arena
• Friday 17th May Glasgow, OVO Hydro (* new date)
• Saturday 18th May Glasgow, OVO Hydro
• Sunday 19th May Glasgow, OVO Hydro (* new date)
• Friday 24th May Birmingham, Utilita Arena
• Saturday 25th May Birmingham, Utilita Arena
• Sunday 26th May Birmingham, Utilita Arena (* new date)
• Thursday 30th May Dublin, 3Arena (* new date)
• Friday 31st May Belfast, SSE Arena (* new date)
• Saturday 1st June Belfast, SSE Arena

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Michael McIntyre announces new Macnificent world tour

Monday 13th February 2023, 10:24am

• Michael McIntyre is to tour the world with new show Macnificent
• Initial dates across the UK, in Dublin and New York City have been announced
• Tickets go on sale at 10am this Friday, 17th February, from retailers including Ticketmaster

Michael McIntyre is embarking on a new world tour.

Macnificent runs from September 2023 to June 2024 , with performances currently planned in venues across the UK, in Dublin and New York City, and more to follow.

Promoters tease: "Much has happened in the five years since his last tour and Michael will be making mirth from the madness of it all."

Tickets for the current range of dates go on sale at 10am this Friday, 17th February, from retailers including Ticketmaster .

Wednesday 6th September - Bristol, Hippodrome Thursday 7th September - Bristol, Hippodrome Friday 8th September - Bristol, Hippodrome Friday 15th September - New York Beacon Theatre Saturday 16th September - New York, Beacon Theatre Thursday 12th October - Bournemouth International Centre, Windsor Hall Friday 13th October - Bournemouth International Centre, Windsor Hall Saturday 14th October - Bournemouth International Centre, Windsor Hall Friday 27th October - Brighton Centre Saturday 28th October - Brighton Centre Sunday 29th October - Brighton Centre Friday 3rd November - Dublin, 3Arena Saturday 4th November - Dublin, 3Arena Saturday, 25 November - Leeds, First Direct Arena Friday 1st December - Swansea Arena Saturday 2nd December - Cardiff International Arena Sunday 3rd December - Cardiff International Arena Friday 23rd February - Plymouth Pavilions Saturday 24th February - Plymouth Pavilions Friday 8th March - Nottingham Motorpoint Arena Saturday 9th March - Nottingham Motorpoint Arena Saturday 16th March - Newcastle, Utilita Arena Friday 22nd March - Manchester, AO Arena Saturday 23rd March - Manchester, AO Arena Friday 5th April - London, The O2 Saturday 6th April - London, The O2 Friday 12th April - London, The O2 Saturday 13th April - London, The O2 Saturday 20th April - Liverpool, M&S Bank Arena Friday 26th April - Hull, Bonus Arena Saturday 27th April - Sheffield Utilita Arena Friday 10th May - London, OVO Arena Wembley Saturday 11th May - London, OVO Arena Wembley Thursday 16th May - Aberdeen, P&J Arena Saturday 18th May - Glasgow, OVO Hydro Friday 24th May - Birmingham Utilita Arena Saturday 25th May - Birmingham Utilita Arena Saturday 1st June - Belfast, SSE Arena

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Michael McIntyre Reviews

Comedy & Stand-up

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• Michael McIntyre

Michael McIntyre: MACNIFICENT

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Michael McIntyre is back on stage with his brand new show MACNIFICENT! 

20th april is now sold out.

"… Britain's undisputed No 1 comedian " – Mail on Sunday “ Snortingly funny ” – The Telegraph “…. he can – and will – be funny about pretty much anything ” – The Times

Much has happened in the five years since his last tour and Michael will be making mirth from the madness of it all at M&S Bank Arena in April 2024.

Age Limit: Strictly 14+

Set Reminder

Hospitality

One night only, getting here.

From the south...

Avanti West Coast operates hourly, direct services from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street (with a journey time of just over two hours). Other long-distance rail services also operate into Liverpool Lime Street station.

M&S Bank Arena is a 20-minute walk from Lime Street or a short taxi ride. You can also transfer at Lime Street onto the underground Wirral Line trains to James Street station (10 minute walk) or catch the CityLink Route C4 (7am – 8pm) directly to the venue. If travelling from outside Merseyside, you can catch an underground train to James Street station from Lime Street station, inclusive of the cost of your train ticket.

Flying into Liverpool John Lennon Airport...

A taxi from the airport to the city centre will take approximately 20 minutes or the express bus service Route 500 will take approximately 25 minutes, dropping you off within a five minute walk of M&S Bank Arena, while Manchester’s international airport is just 45 minutes away by car.

Most Liverpool city centre bound buses will call at either Queen Square bus station (a 15-minute walk) or Liverpool ONE Bus Station, which is only a five minute walk to M&S Bank Arena.

For further information on bus routes within Merseyside, you can visit https://www.merseytravel.gov.uk/customer-information/routes-and-maps/

For up-to-date information on all bus, train and ferry services, call Traveline Merseyside on 0871 200 22 33, open 8am – 8pm, 364 days a year or visit  www.merseytravel.gov.uk

For all car journeys it's best to follow the white on brown tourist route signs for the Waterfront. These signs are visible on the major routes into the city. Exhibition Centre Liverpool is situated on the Kings Dock directly adjacent to the south side of the Albert Dock. Upon arrival, the Kings Dock entrance is clearly sign posted.

From the North...

Leave the M6 at junction 26 and follow signs for M58 Liverpool. Follow to end of M58 and then take signs for A59 Liverpool. Continue to follow Liverpool City Centre until picking up signs for the Waterfront. 

From the South...

Leave the M6 at junction 21A and take the M62 to Liverpool. At the end of the M62 follow signs for Liverpool City Centre along Edge Lane, picking up and following signs for Waterfront. 

Useful Links

• Merseytravel  (rail, ferry and bus timetables)
• Liverpool John Lennon Airport
• Manchester Airport
• Visit Liverpool  (Tourism website)
• Virgin Trains  (mainline services from Liverpool Lime Street)

Frequently Asked Questions

• Transport/Parking
• Food and Drink
• Smoking Policy
• Use of electronic devices
• Accessibility
• Babies and young children

Seating Plan - Full Arena Seated

This is a full arena seated event. This is a standard seating layout for M&S Bank Arena for guidance only, as each event layout is unique, so please refer to the individual plan provided when booking your tickets online as the actual layout may differ from this image.  

You can find more venue layout plans here.

Accessibility Map

Our   new on-site temporary multi-deck car park is now open.

Kings Dock Car Park

There are  1450 parking spaces  available in the on-site Kings Dock Car Park, with accessible bays and electric charging points on every floor.

There is plenty of parking nearby too, more information on driving to the venue and parking can be found here.

Accessibility Bookings

Accessible Bookings

To book accessible tickets please call our box office on 0344 8000 400 on the day that the event goes on sale - this applies to both presale and general sale. 

Our contact centre is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

The M&S Bank Arena has recently partnered with Nimbus Disability and The Access Card to ensure customers' needs are met at events. Nimbus is one of the country’s leading providers of disability-related advice and support to professional organisations and is recognised as a leading authority on accessible ticketing in the UK.

To ensure the right tickets are sold to the right people, we will require all access bookers for events at ACC Liverpool to provide us with a Nimbus registration number to qualify for any accessible tickets or discounts available at the time of booking. Registering is free to Ticket Quarter customers with an option to upgrade for £15 to have access to all participating venues. For more information please visit here .

Box office 01323 412 000

Michael McIntyre: MACNIFICENT

Michael McIntyre is back on stage with his brand new show MACNIFICENT! Much has happened in the five years since his last tour and Michael will be making mirth from the madness of it all.

Michael is the host of two of the BBC's most successful entertainment shows, the BAFTA-winning Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and The Wheel , which he devised and also hosts for NBC in America.

His previous tours have sold over four million tickets and broken box-office records around the world.

Michael’s return to stand-up is not to be missed!

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Profits surge at Michael McIntyre and Jonathan Ross talent agency after international tour success

T he talent agency that represents stars such as Michael McIntyre and Jonathan Ross has seen a surge in its turnover and profits after the success of an international tour.

Off The Kerb Productions has posted a turnover of £51m for the year to April 30, 2023, up from £28.2m, according to recently-filed accounts with Companies House .

The London -headquartered company has also revealed its pre-tax profits increased from £1.7m to £5.1m over the same period.

Off The Kerb Productions was founded in 1981 and also represents the likes of Tom Allen, Rob Beckett, Kevin Bridges, Alan Carr, Jack Dee, Adam Hills, Rosie Jones, Russel Kane, Judi Love, Dara Ó Briain, Romesh Ranganathan, Jon Richardson and Josh Widdicombe.

A statement signed off by the board said: “The success of Off The Kerb Productions is due to its stable of talented comedians. We work closely with the artists in order to develop them.

“The year was a busy year with all rescheduled tours going ahead along with new tours, an area tour and overseas income which has increased our turnover significantly.

“We believe 2024 will be another good year with various new contracts and another arena tour.

“Together with the biggest name acts that are managed by off The Kerb Productions, the group considers that the strong artist base and its strong relationships with these artists helps to give a positive outlook for the future.”

Off The Kerb Productions added: “In the post year end period, levels of trade are high and this is expected to continue across all revenue streams.”

During the year, the company received £50.5m in artist management fees, up from £27.7m, but royalties dipped from £527,020 to £463,165.

In the UK, the firm’s turnover surged from £27.9m to £47.5m and from £249,995 to £3.4m in the rest of the world.

Turnover nears £100m at maker of Taskmaster, Not Going Out and Catastrophe

More From Forbes

Mark knopfler lands one of the biggest successes of his solo career.

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Mark Knopfler of Dire Staits performs at Oakland Coliseum Arena on February 2, 1992 in Oakland, ... [+] California. (Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

Mark Knopfler has been very busy in 2024. The former Dire Straits frontman and solo superstar’s new album has arrived, and it lands on several Billboard charts this week. The set earns the rocker one of the biggest sales wins of his career–and it comes just a few weeks after he snagged his first hit on a pair of rankings as well.

One Deep River , Knopfler’s latest full-length, debuts on four Billboard lists this week. The set was a very strong seller, and all those first-frame purchases helped make it another win on several rankings that the rocker has reached before.

On the Top Album Sales chart, One Deep River debuts at No. 7. The title sold 8,284 copies in the first seven days it was available, according to Luminate.

That’s a large enough figure to make One Deep River one of Knopfler’s three career placements inside the top 10 on Billboard’s ranking of the bestselling titles in the U.S. It’s the lowest of the trio, but that still makes it the third-loftiest placement for the musician of his 11 solo appearances on this tally.

One Deep River also brings Knopfler back to several other charts–and all for the first time since 2018. The album arrives on the Billboard 200 at No. 157. In its first frame of availability, the project shifted a total of 9,023 equivalent units, with almost all of those being pure purchases.

The same title is also new to both the Top Americana/Folk Albums and Top Rock & Alternative Albums charts. On the former, Knopfler debuts at No. 15–in last place–while his new effort opens at No. 36 on the latter.

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Knopfler returns to these four albums charts just a few weeks after he collected his first hit on two other Billboard tallies. As the frontman of the supergroup Mark Knopfler's Guitar Heroes, his charity single “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)” became a different kind of sales smash in late March. That track, which featured a bevy of superstars—like Ringo Starr and Sheryl Crow, among dozens of others—peaked at No. 22 on the Digital Song Sales list and No. 1 on the Rock Digital Song Sales chart.

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• James Corden And SiriusXM Boss Scott Greenstein To Talk At The Podcast Show

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EXCLUSIVE: James Corden and SiriusXM boss Scott Greenstein will take to the stage at The Podcast Show in London next month.

Greenstein, SiriusXM’s President and Chief Content Officer, will engage Corden in a conversation at the event, which is held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, London on May 22 and 23.

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The likes of Kim Kardashian, Jeremy Renner, Dr. Dre, David Beckham, Kerry Washington, and Martin Scorsese have appeared on the show. At The Podcast Show, he will discuss the series with Greenstein, who is one of the most influential figures in global audio.

“I’m excited to head across the pond to The Podcast Show to share a bit more about what we’re building here at SiriusXM with the broader global podcasting community, and to celebrate all the incredible work happening in audio today – and there’s no one better for this conversation than James Corden,” said Greenstein.

“As this year’s show fast approaches, we are delighted with the continued major additions to the line-up, none more welcome than the announcement of SiriusXM’s Scott Greenstein and James Corden coming together to speak at the event in London,” added Jason Carter, Co-Founder and The Podcast Show Director.” Now in our third year, the festival truly is positioning itself as the go-to destination for the global podcasting community.”

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