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Parklife 2021 – in pictures

160,000 festival-goers came to Heaton Park, where Dave was joined on-stage by Stormzy and Burna Boy by Manchester United’s Paul Pogba
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Opening its doors for the first time in over two years, the festival of modern culture Parklife returned in a big way over the weekend.

160,000 music fans came to Heaton Park for the weekend festival, showing live events are very much back with a bang in Manchester.

Photo: Francis Augusto / Fanatic

But the party started early, thanks to a homecoming show by New Order, their first hometown gig in four years.

Photo: Jody Hartley

With support from Hot Chip and Working Men’s Club, it was one of their biggest shows of the past 20 years.

A crowd of 35,000 New Order fans flocked to see the band’s biggest headline show, an older audience than the usual Parklife crowd but no less enthusiastic.

Photo: Jody Hartley

“It’s been a horrible couple of years. Let’s have a party and try and make up for it,” said Bernard Sumner, kicking off a show which featured old and newer material alongside dazzling lasers and graphics on the big screens.

Photo: Jody Hartley

The Friday night gig started the weekend in style, before Parklife saw 80,000 fans each day celebrate the return of live music and festivals.

Photo: Joshua Atkins / Fanatic

On Saturday, in a UK festival exclusive performance, Dave headlined his first major UK festival with an unstoppable performance on the Parklife Stage – capturing why he sits at the very pinnacle of UK music right now.

After a jaw-dropping headline set, spanning across his two acclaimed studio albums to date, Dave brought out very special guest Stormzy to join him on closing track Clash.

Photo: Francis Augusto : Fanatic

Stormzy’s special guest appearance wasn’t even the first super special surprise at the festival – with global icon Burna Boy bringing something special to the Parklife Stage as the sun began to set on Heaton Park on Saturday night.

Photo: Francis Augusto : Fanatic

Appearing in his own custom Manchester United shirt, Burna took things to legendary levels when he was joined on-stage by Manchester United’s own Paul Pogba, fresh from a top-draw performance of his own earlier in the day on the football pitch.

Photo: Olivia Williams / Fanatic

Another 80,000 rapturous fans came to Heaton Park on Sunday for another unrivalled festival day full of the biggest and best in the game right now.

Photo: Francis Augusto / Fanatic

Sets included Skepta, Disclosure, Migos, AJ Tracey, Jamie xx, Bicep (Live), D-Block Europe, Eric Prydz, Slowthai, Mabel, Little Simz, KSI and many more.

Photo: Joshua Atkins / Fanatic

“Today has been 2 years in the making,” tweeted Parklife founder Sacha Lord on Saturday.

Photo: Francis Augusto / Fanatic

“We’ve done everything we can, through the hardest, most challenging of times to deliver you something special.”

And Manchester certainly appreciated it.

Roll on Parklife 2022.

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