Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister returns to O2 Apollo Manchester.
Published 23 June 2026
Tuesday 16 June 2026: Lemmy Kilmister’s ashes have a new home at O2 Apollo Manchester. Following the 2026 edition of Download festival, which saw long-time friend of Lemmy’s, Guns N’Roses’ Duff McKagan lead a ceremony at the Lemmy Lounge, Lemmy has arrived at O2 Apollo Manchester.
A procession of bikers drove across Manchester, starting at O2 Victoria Warehouse. They arrived at O2 Apollo to celebrate this new memorial, which will give fans of Lemmy and Motörhead a fresh opportunity to pay their respects to a true music icon before the ashes make their pilgrimage back to Download festival each June.
A much-loved venue for both Lemmy and Motörhead, they had played there 23 times across five decades throughout their legendary career.
The Motörhead frontman’s ashes were displayed alongside a custom-made slot machine that he toured with. The ceremony saw invited guests and friends gather to share stories, celebrate Lemmy’s extraordinary life, and honour a frontman whose influence on rock ’n’ roll remains as powerful today as ever.
Long-time friend Skunk Anansie guitarist and songwriter Ace delivered a speech about Lemmy’s legacy saying 'he felt honoured' to have spent so much time with him and being a part of the Motörhead community. He added that Lemmy always had so many 'great stories' and everyone who ever met him loved the 'most unique rock ‘n’ roller in the world'.
“O2 Apollo Manchester is a venue Lemmy always felt at home playing. It is a venue that embodied many of the things Lemmy valued — history, authenticity, great crowds, and a deep connection to working-class rock-and-roll culture.” Motörhead manager Todd Singerman.
Alan Hungerford, who worked and toured with Lemmy and Motörhead for many years, said, “This is our fifth Lemmy Forever event in the UK and there is no better home in Manchester for this historical moment and Lemmy's ashes than O2 Apollo Manchester. The history here that the band have and the fact that Lemmy used to go for a pint during the drum solo at the pub behind the venue every night when we played it during the show feels incredibly fitting. It has been really successful and I know Lem would have loved it.”
Motörhead at O2 Apollo Manchester:
24 November 1979
27 October 1980
28 October 1980
10 June 1983
29 October 1984
20 September 1986
22 September 1987
13 April 1991
10 June 1995
9 October 1998
21 May 2001
13 October 2002
13 October 2003
14 November 2004
5 November 2005
5 November 2006
14 November 2008
21 November 2009
16 November 2010
18 November 2011
6 November 2012
20 November 2013
4 November 2014
Photo credit: Eddy Highton