Co-Op Live, Manchester, 5/12/2025
I’d been wanting to see Sabaton for quite some time, over the last couple of years they’ve slowly crept their way into becoming one of my most listened to artists (adds up for someone who works in the history/tourism sector…) so the opportunity to make a day of their tour stop in Manchester was certainly a welcome one.
I was actually really lucky that the gig already lined up with a scheduled trip back across the Pennines, since I was heading on a trip to Copenhagen with some pals the following day. If I’d known at the time just how much I’d enjoy Sabaton’s performance, I’d have honestly extended my stay in Denmark a little longer to catch the set again. Luckily for my bank account, I was still somewhat in the dark about what was to come.
Once I hopped off the surprisingly easy train journey from York to Manchester, I made my way across town on the tram to St Peter’s Square for a quick pit stop before heading home. The band had announced a few weeks previously that there would be pop-up shops dotted along the tour route, each one stocked with city-specific exclusives, so naturally I couldn’t resist making a quick detour.
Set inside the People’s History Museum, the Manchester pop-up felt like a clever merging of worlds: Sabaton’s fascination with the past sitting comfortably within a space dedicated to it. Even better, the museum itself was free entry, which made the whole stop feel even more worthwhile — part refined cultural visit, part merch mission Alongside the usual spread of tour merch was the standout piece: a Manchester-exclusive shirt featuring the town hall, part of a wider run where each city got its own design featuring a local building of historical significance. It’s such a simple idea, but one that adds a layer of collectability and place-based memory to the tour. Of course… I picked one up. And a beanie… it was a chilly December afternoon after all.
From there, it was a quick pit stop at home, and then time to head back out over to Co-op Live. This was my second time at the venue and credit where it’s due — it’s a pretty solid arena. There’s something about the scale and layout of the venue that feels distinctly European; it reminds me a lot of the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam, which is definitely not a bad thing. It’s absolutely massive without feeling cold and impersonal (a lot of this is down to the staff, they were all super friendly which goes a long way), and it’s got a big in house Co-Op if you fancy a meal deal. What more could you want?! Being the newest large-scale venue in the UK, it’s bound to be pretty good, but if you ever get the opportunity to catch a gig here I’d 100% recommend checking it out.
And then, the show.
Sabaton opened with the Legendary Orchestra, and I’m not exaggerating when I say it genuinely gave me chills. Hearing those songs reimagined through a full orchestral arrangement added a completely different emotional weight — for me, the kind that settles in the back of your throat. It transformed tracks that already feel cinematic into something even bigger, almost reverent. Mia Asano and Patty Gurdy (who I’d seen before performing with Alestorm in 2025) also added a great energy to the stage, and genuinely looked like they were having a lot of fun performing with the band. As someone who already likes leaning into the historical narratives behind their music, it felt like watching those tales take on a new medium, and I think The Legendary Orchestra gave a great performance in their own right, I’d definitely love to see them live again one day!
When Sabaton themselves took to the stage, the energy didn’t drop for a minute. If anything, it escalated. The production value alone is worth talking about, the travelling stage set, costumes, actors AND pyro… it all felt very meticulously designed. At times it blurred the line between gig and full-scale stage show, in the best possible way. There were professional actors woven into the performance, which gave bits of crowd interaction that felt playful rather than forced, and a real sense that this wasn’t just a setlist being run through, but a story being performed. It was also fun seeing how the actors interacted differently with the crowds in different cities — it was quite Dungeon reminiscent in a way, but also showed to me that Sabaton are deeply interested in the history of material they perform and the overall experience they want to give their fans at gigs.
One of the standout moments for me was Attack of the Dead Men. The band moved out over, then into and through the crowd during the song, which added such a visceral, immersive layer to it. Even from the seats, I had a great view, and honestly didn’t feel like I missed out on anything — if anything, it gave me a chance to properly take in the scale of everything happening.
By the end of the night, it was one of those gigs where you leave slightly stunned, talking about it the whole way home. I went in expecting a solid show from a band I’d grown to really like, but came out feeling like I’d experienced something much bigger. Somewhere between a concert and a theatrical production, Sabaton delivered a performance that was as entertaining as it was thoughtfully put together.
For me, it’s easily a contender for gig of the year… and as someone with a soft spot for history, it was a 10/10.