Tartan at the ready—Bay City Rollers bring nostalgia, fun and feel-good energy to North Shields for Burns Night finale
North Shields is set for a weekend of pure fun, nostalgia and musical magic as the Bay City Rollers headline the third annual Tyneside Blues and Americana Festival, rounding off the event in true Scottish style on Burns Night, January 25th, 2026.
The festival is expected to be a huge hit with the many – mainly women aged 60 and over who fondly remember tartan scarves, roller mania and feel-good anthems like Shang-A-Lang. Whether it’s a long-overdue girls’ night out, a chance to relive the teenage thrill of seeing the Rollers live, or simply an excuse for a joyful, high-energy evening, the atmosphere promises to be warm, welcoming and filled with sing-along moments.
For the Burns Night finale, the idea of bringing in the Bay City Rollers was an instant hit.
“It just fell into place,” promoter Jonny Clegg explains. “We wanted something fun, iconic and guaranteed to lift the whole room—and they said yes.”
King Street Social Club is a rising star in the North East music scene where previously Sam Fender graced the stage and a regular “rave” event packs out the club.
Once a traditional working men’s club, King Street is becoming well known for hosting electronic music pop-ups and fresh cultural events. Its transformation has now been given a major boost: the venue is one of 11 North East projects selected for mayoral cultural funding, with more than £360,000 invested across the region to “unleash cultural creativity.”
“It’s a cracking venue already,” Jonny says. “Tiered seating, great acoustics, a friendly club atmosphere and lower priced drinks . With this new investment, it’s only going to get better.”
Fellow promoter Stephen Donnelly said” This year’s line-up is the strongest yet.
We’ve got UK Blues Federation award winners like The Dom Martin Band and The Zac Schulze Gang, plus returning favourites The Terraplane Blues Band and Tom Killner Band. We also have Chris Jagger and his band although it’s unlikely that his brother Mick will attend but who knows! A ticket is the ideal present for the person who you never know what to buy – creating new memories and reliving their past.”
Tickets are on sale now at www.tynefest.co.uk, with day passes, full weekend wristbands, VIP packages and a special Bay City Rollers-only ticket for those who want to join the Burns Night celebrations.
The festival runs 23rd–25th January, and with the tartan army already gathering, organisers say this year is shaping up to be a sell-out.