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Liam Gallagher, Ian Brown and Bez lead tributes to “Manchester vibes in the area” music legend Alfonso ‘Fonzo’ Buller

Liam Gallagher, Ian Brown and Bez are among those to have paid tribute to Manchester music legend Alfonso ‘Fonzo’ Buller, who has died.

Buller, aka ‘Fonzo’ or ‘Fon’, passed away at his home in Cornwall on Monday (February 2), according to his great niece. He was 65 years old. A cause of death is not yet known.

He was behind the musical sound system MVITA, which began in the 1980s in the Manchester neighbourhood of West Didsbury. Buller was known for his Manc swagger and coining the phrase “Manchester vibes in the area” (via MEN).

“Manchester is known as the centre of the partying universe, and in large part we have Fonzo to thank for such a title,” wrote his great niece, Kya Buller.

She credited Alfonso with “bringing house and garage to local pubs, and then holding underground raves, to eventually providing sound for the likes of The Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses, New Order, 808 State and more”.

MVITA’s soundsystem was involved in the Roses’ legendary Spike Island gig in 1990, too.

Oasis frontman Gallagher notably used the “Manchester vibes in the area” slogan onstage to introduce the band at their Live ’25 reunion tour last year, switching out the name of the city at each stop.

Buller was famed for his joyous dance moves and flips, and had joined a host of names on stage over the years. An icon of Manchester music history, he influenced Gallagher, Stone Roses frontman Brown, and was a much-loved figure in the city.

Paying tribute on X/Twitter, Gallagher wrote: “RIP FONZO MVITA REWIND.” Nodding to another Buller phrase, he added in a later post: “COME IN COME IN.”

Brown said: “Rest in Peace Alfonso Buller a King and Lion of Manchester X Love to the family and his many friends.”

Sharing a photo of himself with Buller, Bez wrote: “Fonso! Things are going to be alot quieter now.”

Former Happy Mondays singer Rowetta posted a picture of herself onstage with Buller in Dublin, calling him “a real gentleman [who was] so supportive of me & so many others”.

“His natural energy & positivity was something I had been yearning for for years & I’ll never forget that & so many other great memories,” she continued. Love to all the family.

“He was unique & supportive of others. I’ll always smile when I think of Alfonso Buller but once again taken far too young. Manchester Vibes In The Area.”

Oasis guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead‘ Arthurs tweeted: “MVITA.”

Author, journalist and musician John Robb – writer of Live Forever: The Rise, Fall And Resurrection Of Oasis – said: “Sorry to hear of the passing of the Mancunian legend Alphonso ‘Fonzo’ Buller [sic] – the one man riot who was Manchester Vibes In The Area – MVITA and part of the Stone Roses, Happy Mondays extended family.

“Knew him for years from back when I lived in West Didsbury in the 80s and his mad parties in the Midland pub. A total character who I was still in touch with only just a couple of weeks ago. The cosmic dancer who would take over stages and parties and rooms. Godspeed Fonzo.”

Buller’s longtime friend and manager, Alan Ingram, told the MEN: “I was the manager in the early days of MVITA from the early days in 86 into the 90s, I was managing him, looking after MVITA, we’ve been friends ever since.

“I spoke to him only a couple of days ago, he’d not been too well recently but I’m absolutely shocked and gutted, I can’t believe it to be honest with you.”

Ingram remembered Buller in the early days of MVITA at The Midland pub – now The Metropolitan – in West Didsbury, as well as at DJ nights and appearances at Glastonbury Festival.

“He was on the Pyramid stage for six years running, not officially, but with Stone Roses, Joe Cocker, Finley Quaye, Simply Red – he was on stage with all of them together with Himat Singh the percussionist in MVITA,” he continued.

Buller, the son of a Belizean immigrant and a Romany Gypsy, grew up in the Manchester suburb of Withington. He first visited Moss Side’s late-night soul and funk club Reno aged 12, per The Guardian.

“The police, the establishment and what felt like the whole world were against us,” he told the publication in 2017. “But the Reno was the one place where we could feel special.”

The late icon had been living in Cornwall for the past 30 years, but still returned to Manchester regularly to visit family. Buller grew up as one of 10, and would go on to have 10 children himself. He was a grandfather of 15.

He had been pictured with both Gallagher and Brown previously (see the photos above).