Wigan’s new 1,000-seat state of the art venue, The Edge Arena has revealed a programme of live shows for 2019. Highlights include comedian Jasper Carrott; Classic Soul, Motown and Northern Live, featuring the Edwin Starr Band; Bowie Starman; The Simon & Garfunkel Story; The King is Back with Ben Portmouth as Elvis; Wayne Dilks presents Freedom 19!, a George Michael Tribute Concert, and Jive Talkin’.
Starting on Friday 22nd March with international tribute artist Wayne Dilks’ Freedom 19! a George Michael Tribute Concert. Featuring a host of the late music star’s best-loved songs from his early days in Wham through to solo hits, and has garnered five-star reviews, making it must for fans of the much-missed performer.
The Edwin Starr Band with Angelo Starr brings Classic Soul, Motown and Northern live to town on Friday 12th April with an eight-piece band, called The Team, who performed with the late Edwin Starr on all his shows, and its original musical director, Starr’s brother Angelo, has now taken lead vocals. Expect a celebratory evening of hits from across three decades including, Starr’s 1970 classic War. The Team also includes vocalist Lorraine Silver whose 1965 song Lost Summer Love, recorded when she was just 14, went on to become a Northern Soul classic.
Brummie funnyman Jasper Carrott will be rocking the Edge Arena for one night only on Saturday 27th April. The Stand Up & Rock show sees the comedian and musician joined on stage by his old school friend Bev Bevan and his band. Drummer Bev was a founding member of both The Move and ELO, and his band – one of the finest around – features Geoff Turton from the Rockin Berries, Phil Tree (Wizzard), renowned session musicians Abby Brant, and singer Suzi Woo.
Iconic music duo takes centre stage when sell-out West End show The Simon & Garfunkel Story comes to Wigan on Saturday 6th July. Now seen by over a quarter of a million people worldwide, The Simon & Garfunkel Story is the world’s leading theatre show telling the story of two young boys from Queens, New York, who went on to become the most successful music duo of all time. The moving and powerful show features state-of-the-art video projection and lighting and a live band playing Simon & Garfunkel’s rich catalogue of hits, from Mrs Robinson and The Sound of Silence to Homeward Bound and Bridge Over Troubled Water. Sam O’Hanlon plays Paul Simon, with Charles Blyth as Art Garfunkel.
Annette Burton from The Edge Arena said
“Since The Edge was launched in September 2017, it has continued to go from strength to strength – and now we’re delighted to announce details of our live shows for 2019. Comedian Jasper Carrott brings his stand-up show with live music; soul and Motown from the Edwin Starr Band; West End smash hit The Simon & Garfunkel Story; and some of the best tribute shows in the world coming to Wigan to celebrate the music of Elvis, George Michael. We look forward to welcoming you to The Edge during 2019.”
