LONDON, UK (Top40 Charts) Radio 2 Live is bringing live music direct to audiences, giving lucky listeners the chance to finally watch their favourite artists perform in person this August, after so long being unable to experience music concerts in venues. On The Breakfast Show (Wednesday 28th July) Zoe Ball revealed the second artist will be STEPS performing in Manchester on Tuesday 10th August in front a small audience of fans. Yesterday she announced that
Texas would be performing in Glasgow on
Thursday 5th August. A third
Radio 2 Live gig will be announced by Zoe today.
Radio 2 Live will be the first live gigs with an audience from the network since
Radio 2 In Concert with Dido at Maida Vale on 9th December 2019. The performances will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer and hear on BBC
Sounds from Saturday 11th September, with a special highlights show on
Radio 2 from 7-9pm on Sunday 12th September.
Steps presented a show on the station last December, getting the party started with two hours of wall-to-wall bangers.
Steps said: "We are beyond excited to be performing for
Radio 2 Live in Manchester. It will be our first live performance in front of an audience in over three years and we cannot wait. It'll be a great chance to play some of our latest singles and
Steps classics and get warmed up ahead of our UK arena tour this November."
Tickets will be allocated via a ballot following registration at bbc.co.uk/radio2live which is open from now until 8am on
Thursday 29th July. Allocations will be weighted with more going to those living closer to Manchester. Full terms and conditions are on the website.
Helen Thomas, Head of
Radio 2, said: "New for 2021 and beyond,
Radio 2 Live will take the spirit of
Radio 2 around the UK. I'm thrilled that
Steps will be performing for us in Manchester. They are sure to get the audience dancing along after so long without live music, with those at home able to tune in on
Radio 2 and BBC
Sounds or watch on BBC iPlayer in September."
Jeff Smith, Head of
Music for
Radio 2, said: "Radio 2 is committed to bringing live music performance to its listeners as we know how much they love to listen and watch their favourite artists perform the songs they adore. Over the past year,
Radio 2 House
Music has done a brilliant job with performances from Joan Armatrading,
Kelly Clarkson,
Rag'n'Bone Man and many more, but now it's time to get back to live performance in front of an audience.
Radio 2 Live is going to feature incredible sets from major artists, in front of what I'm sure will be a very excited audience of
Radio 2 listeners."
In 2017
Texas performed with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra at Barrowlands, Glasgow, for
Radio 2 In Concert and at 2013's
Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park. Earlier this year they performed live at Maida Vale for The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show.
All the events will be managed in line with Covid guidelines at the time, and ticket holders must adhere to any restrictions in place at their venue locations on the dates of the recordings. Full terms and conditions at bbc.co.uk/radio2.
Radio 2 has delivered live music to listeners through the lockdown through
Radio 2 House
Music sessions which have featured some of the biggest names in music, including Barry Manilow, Melanie C, Cliff Richard, Ronan Keating, Travis, Aloe Blacc, Nell Bryden, Lola Lennox and
Jessie Ware, with many accompanied remotely by the BBC Concert Orchestra.
BBC
Radio 2 is the UK's most listened to radio station, with a weekly audience of 14.4 million (RAJAR Q1, 2020). The network's presenters include Michael Ball, Zoe Ball, Tony Blackburn, OJ Borg, Rev. Kate Bottley, Ken Bruce,
Craig Charles, Rylan Clark-Neal, Fearne Cotton, Sara Cox, Jamie Cullum, Gary Davies,
Vanessa Feltz, Paul Gambaccini, Bob Harris, Ana Matronic, Cerys Matthews, Jason Mohammad, Trevor Nelson, Paul O'Grady, Dermot O'Leary, Mark Radcliffe, Liza Tarbuck, Jeremy Vine, Johnnie Walker, Jo Whiley, Claudia Winkleman and Steve Wright.
STEPS ON TOUR:
02-Nov-2021 GB - Sheffield, FlyDSA
Arena - Sheffield
03-Nov-2021 GB - Nottingham, Motorpoint
Arena Nottingham
05-Nov-2021 GB - Birmingham, Genting Arena
06-Nov-2021 GB - Birmingham, Genting Arena
08-Nov-2021 GB - Newcastle Upon Tyne, Metro
Radio Arena
11-Nov-2021 GB - Manchester, Manchester Arena
12-Nov-2021 GB - Manchester, Manchester Arena
13-Nov-2021 GB - Aberdeen, The Event Complex Aberdeen
15-Nov-2021 GB - Belfast, The SSE Arena, Belfast
18-Nov-2021 GB - Liverpool, Liverpool Echo Arena.
