LONDON, UK (Top40 Charts/ BBC) This will be
Radio 2's biggest ever live music event outside London and the stellar line-up exclusively features
Tears for Fears headlining the Saturday night with their only UK festival appearance this year, and
Kylie Minogue headlining the Sunday night with her first live UK concert performance for four years. And, for the first time, there will be a
Radio 2 DJ stage where some of the station's favourite presenters will be playing some of the best music in the world from the past seven decades.
Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith of
Tears for Fears said: "We love playing live and can't wait to bring some of our favourite songs, old and new, to thousands of
Radio 2 listeners."
Kylie Minogue said: "Over the years I've done many unique and varied performances for BBC
Radio 2. I'm so excited to be headlining
Radio 2 in the Park in Leicester later this year! I can't wait to celebrate with you all, see you
September 17!"
Tickets for
Radio 2 in the Park - 35 000 for each day - go on sale tomorrow, Wednesday 14 June at 8.15am, and will be available via www.bbc.co.uk/radio2inthepark along with full terms and conditions.
Saturday 16th September:
Tears for Fears
Bananarama
Texas
James Blunt with his only UK festival appearance this year.
Deacon Blue
Beverley Knight
Busted
Soft Cell
Sunday 17th September:
Kylie Minogue
Pretenders
Shalamar
Rick Astley
Jessie Ware
Lemar
Sam Ryder
Simply Red with their only UK festival appearance this year.
Presenters will also be introducing artists on stage and broadcasting from
Radio 2 in the Park across the weekend, with shows and sets available live plus on demand on BBC
Sounds and BBC iPlayer across the weekend and for 30 days afterwards.
Jeff Smith, Head of
Music for
Radio 2, says: "Radio 2 is proud to play a huge range of timeless, melodic music, in fact around 16,000 different songs, from pop to rock, soul to folk, are played across the station each year. We're thrilled to reveal
Radio 2 in the Park is coming to Leicester, bringing a stellar line-up of artists who have had hits in the past six decades, and who between them have sold over 250 million records and had 250 UK Top 40 hits! We can't wait to bring our listeners and presenting family together for an unforgettable weekend of live music."
Zoe Ball says: 'Leicester, get ready to party, we're coming for you! We've saved up a couple of years' worth of energy so we're going BIG. Come and join us for the best weekend of music featuring Kylie,
Tears for Fears, Bananarama, Pretenders,
Jessie Ware,
Texas and so many more."
Leicester's City Mayor, Sir
Peter Soulsby, said: "Radio 2 in the Park will be bringing some of the world's biggest artists for a weekend of live music in Leicester and it promises to be a fantastic event for music lovers and for the city. I am really looking forward to it."
Bananarama said: "We're really excited to be playing
Radio 2 in the Park in Leicester. It's always great fun and we can't wait to see you all again."
Beverley Knight said: "My 50th birthday year has been nothing short of stellar so far and it continues with me joining the line-up for
Radio 2 in the Park in Leicester! I'm looking forward to getting onstage and doing what I do!"
Busted said: "We can't wait to be playing
Radio 2 in the Park this summer. It means so much to us to be getting back out there and playing for everyone 20 years on and we're very excited to be swinging by
Radio 2 in the Park in the middle of our UK
Arena tour."
Chrissie Hynde from
Pretenders said: "We're really looking forward to
Radio 2 in the Park in Leicester this year! Leicester, a proper rock town! Can't wait!"
Deacon Blue said: "We are delighted to be able to add
Radio 2 in the Park to our current UK tour. We'd planned to have a day off on the 16 September, but when
Radio 2 asked us to perform for the huge crowd in Leicester, there was no way we could say no! We can't wait."
James Blunt said: "I'm thrilled to be asked to play at
Radio 2 In The Park. It's been a highlight for me in the past, and I'm excited to be part of it again."
Jessie Ware said: "I am thrilled to be performing at
Radio 2 in the Park this year. The event has become legendary and to be invited to join the amazing list of acts this year is a dream come true. Really looking forward to singing and dancing for everyone!"
Lemar said: "I can't wait to take to the stage with my full live band again for
Radio 2 in the Park. It's definitely going to be one for the memory bank."
Rick Astley said: "I'm very excited to be playing in Leicester at
Radio 2 In The Park and so proud to be part of such an amazing line-up."
Sam Ryder said: "So stoked to see you all at
Radio 2 in the Park and sing our heads off together!
Shalamar said: "We are delighted to be invited to take part in this wonderful celebration of music by
Radio 2. We can't wait to bring some Shalamar Funk to the event. Put on your dancin' shoes and let's all Make it A Night To Remember."
Sharleen Spiteri from
Texas said: "It's been way too long since we last played in Leicester, so we are really looking forward to playing there and having a fantastic time with the
Radio 2 listeners who are always a brilliant crowd."
Mick
Hucknall from
Simply Red said: "We're very much looking forward to opening
Radio 2 Live in the Park in Leicester on
September 17th. We'll be performing many of your favourite songs. Don't miss out - it will be a great day to enjoy with friends and family, hopefully in the sunshine!"
Soft Cell said: "Remarkably this will be the first time
Soft Cell have ever played in Leicester, and so we're incredibly excited to be performing there at this special
Radio 2 event."
www.bbc.com/backstage/radio2inthepark/tickets
