Thomas Dolby

On 15 May 2026 at O2 Ritz Manchester, Thomas Dolby brings his distinct blend of pop songwriting and electronics to the stage. A figure of the British new wave, the London-born musician, producer and keyboardist forged a style that folds synth-pop into funk, ambient shades and cinematic arrangements. Live, he draws from across his catalogue — The Golden Age of Wireless, The Flat Earth and later chapters — letting sequencers, analog textures and piano lines carry melodies with a measured, narrative feel. Songs like She Blinded Me with Science and Hyperactive! can rub shoulders with more reflective pieces, revisited with the precision of a studio craftsman and the ease of a bandleader.

Support comes from Martin McAloon, performing the songs of Prefab Sprout. A founding member and longtime bassist of the group, he revisits the Sprout songbook in a stripped, close-up format, letting the contours of those tracks come through via voice and guitar — a focused warm-up before Dolby’s set.