South Tyneside Festival to Showcase the Best of the 80s

North East music fans can enjoy the sound of the 80s this summer, with a star-studded double bill lined up for a party in the park.

South Tyneside Council, which organises the South Tyneside Festival, has revealed that Grammy award winning Shalamar, featuring Howard Hewett, Jeffrey Daniel and Carolyn Griffey, will headline the third of the Sunday concerts at South Shields' Bents Park on 26 July.

A hugely influential soul music act which grew out of popular American dance show Soul Train, the group produced a vast catalogue of hits including A Night to Remember, I Can Make You Feel Good, There It Is and I Owe You One.

And they will be joined on the bill by former Eurovision winners and pop favourites The Fizz, who drew a huge crowd when bandmates Cheryl Baker and Mike Nolan performed at the series in 2018 as a duo, with Jay Aston recovering from surgery.

The group are delighted to be returning to the festival with the full line-up this summer and fans of the trio can expect to hear a mix of old and new hits, following the release of a new album next month (March).

Mayor of South Tyneside, Cllr Norman Dick, believes the third Sunday concert has huge appeal.

"Shalamar produced some of the most recognisable hits of the 80s and I think they'll bring a great energy to the park in July," he said.

"We're also delighted to welcome The Fizz back to the stage, who were really popular the last time they performed and put on an excellent show.

"We have an amazing line-up for the Sunday concerts this year and I think there is something for all ages and music tastes to enjoy."

Last week organisers revealed the headliners for the first two concerts, with chart-topper Ella Henderson opening the series on 12 July and multi-platinum artist Will Young taking to the stage on 19 July.

Details for the final concert on 2 August are still to be announced.

The concerts are free to attend but a limited number of Priority Plus tickets are also available for £6, which guarantees earlier entry to the event and access to dedicated bar serveries and toilets.

Those with a ticket will still have guaranteed entry if they arrive later and children under five can enter for free with a Priority Plus ticket holder.

The Sunday concert series is supported by BBC Radio Newcastle and sponsored by Port of Tyne, Colmans Seafood Temple, Ramside Hall Hotel and South Tyneside College.

Tickets for the first show are available to buy now from Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/southtynesidefestival or by calling 0333 321 9999.

They can also be purchased in person at Shop @ The Word in Market Place, South Shields.

The Sunday concerts are part of a three-month family-friendly programme of entertainment, including the Summer Parade, various live music performances and the popular Kids Fun-Fest.

For more information and full listings visit: www.southtynesidefestival.co.uk or follow the social media accounts on Twitter @stynesideevents and Facebook /southtynesideevents.