TONY Hadley will be serenading the crowds at Bents Park this weekend (July 24) in the third free concert of the summer.
The 80s icon is bringing his unmistakeable voice to the South Tyneside Festival as he takes to the stage in the third of this year’s Sunday concerts.
Tony Hadley shot to fame in 1980 as vocalist with Spandau Ballet, which became one of the most successful groups to emerge during the New Romantic era.
His voice has become synonymous with the decade, thanks to hits including Gold, True, Only When You Leave and Through the Barricades while TV viewers will remember him from last year’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.
Spandau Ballet are currently taking a break from performing together, but Hadley is set to recreate the magic of their heyday when he belts out some of their classic hits as well as giving the crowds a sneak peek at some of the new songs he has written for his new solo album.
He will be supported by up and coming local artists – Hope Swan, Lauren Amour, Four Worried Men and Stevie Tennet who appeared on X Factor in 2014.
The third concert in this year’s series, it follows successful gigs by The Proclaimers and Lindisfarne last weekend, and X Factor stars Alexandra Burke, Ben Haenow and Reggie ‘N’ Bollie the week before.
Councillor Alan Kerr, Deputy Leader of South Tyneside Council with responsibility for Culture and Leisure said: “It’s an honour to be able to welcome a singer of Tony Hadley’s calibre to the South Tyneside Festival.
“He has always been a real crowd pleaser with a voice which is so distinctive that it instantly takes you back to the 1980s, and we expect a huge turnout this weekend.
“Our first two concerts have attracted capacity crowds at Bents Park and because of this; I would urge anyone planning to come down on Sunday to arrive early if they want to ensure they get in.”
The Sunday Concert series is sponsored by Port of Tyne, NCS (National Citizen Service), Colmans fish and chips and Zeera Indian restaurant and takeaway and attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year from across the North East and further afield.