Simple Minds to play June 19 gig for the Eisteddfod

Global rock icons Simple Minds are to a headline show at the Llangollen Pavilion. 

The Scottish legends are the final top act to be announced for the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod2024 and will perform at the venue on Wednesday June 19. They will be joined on the night by special guests Del Amitri. 

Tickets for this unmissable show go on general sale at 9am on Friday (January 26) from llangollen.net and www.ticketmaster.co.uk 

Simple Minds are one of the most successful bands to ever come from the UK, selling more than 60 million records worldwide and having number one singles on both sides of the Atlantic. 

Demand to see them perform such iconic hits as Promised You a Miracle, Glittering Prize, Someone Somewhere in Summertime, Waterfront, Alive and Kicking, Sanctify Yourself and Don’t You Forget About Me has grown year on year, with the band consistently acclaimed as one of the best live outfits of their generation. 

Over the past 10 years Simple Minds – Jim Kerr (vocals), Charlie Burchill (guitars, keyboards), Gordy Goudie (acoustic guitar), Ged Grimes (bass), Cherisse Osei (drums), and Sarah Brown (vocals) – have rekindled the magic that made them a vital artistic force in their early days. 

The band’s 2015 album Big Music was described by MOJO magazine as “their best album in 30 years”, and 2018’s Walk Between Worlds saw Simple Minds play their largest US tour to date while 2022’s Direction Of The Heart gave the band another Top Five album in the UK. 

The announcement marks the final headlining show to be revealed for Llangollen as part of a new partnership between the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor. 

Simple Minds join British pop giants Madness, indie heroes Kaiser Chiefs, Manic Street Preachers and Suede, BRIT award-winning artist Paloma Faith, chart-topper Jess Glynne, disco legends Nile Rodgers & CHIC and global rock star Bryan Adams among the artists to be announced to headline dates either side of the iconic peace festival in 2024. 

The core week of the festival will see a series of events celebrating the Eisteddfod along with headlining shows from Welsh legends Tom Jones and Katherine Jenkins and international jazz sensation Gregory Porter. 

Artistic Director of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Dave Danford said: “Over the last few months we’ve announced an unprecedented series of shows in Llangollen for 2024, and today we complete our line-up with the addition of Simple Minds, who are guaranteed to put on a performance to remember.

“Working with our co-promoters Cuffe and Taylor has enabled us to book some of the biggest names in the business, and with everything now announced we can look forward to a very special summer of live music in North East Wales.”

Cuffe and Taylor co-founder Peter Taylor added: “Simple Minds are a fantastic addition to the line-up we have planned in Llangollen this summer. They are one of the UK’s most beloved bands and their shows are always packed with anthems fans know and love.

“This will be our first summer working with the brilliant team at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and we are very much looking forward to bringing a host of global icons and homegrown talent to this beautiful location. To have all our headliner shows in place puts us in a very exciting position ahead of the summer and we can’t wait to throw open the doors to a summer of live music.”

* For more information and to purchase tickets go to llangollen.netand www.ticketmaster.co.uk 

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Full concert line-up now is:

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod 2024 

18 June – Bryan Adams

19 June – Simple Minds with special guests Del Amitri

21 June – Paloma Faith

28 June – Manic Street Preachers & Suede

29 June – Kaiser Chiefs

02 July – Tom Jones (Core Eisteddfod week)

03 July – Wales Welcomes The World (Core Eisteddfod week)

04 July – Direct from the West End: Kerry Ellis & John Owen-Jones (Core Eisteddfod week)

05 July – Gregory Porter (Core Eisteddfod week)

06 July – Choir of the World (Core Eisteddfod week)

07 July – Katherine Jenkins (Core Eisteddfod week)

11 July – Nile Rodgers & CHIC

12 July – Jess Glynne

13 July – Madness

Roadworks alerts for Fron Bache and Vicarage Road

Latest local roadworks from one.network is:

Fron Bache, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name: Diversion   Location: Fron Bache   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: In progress       Fron Bache, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: Fron Bache, Llangollen   Location: Fron Bache   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: In progress       Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: Vicarage Road, Llangollen   Location: Vicarage Road   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: In progress   Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 13 February   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Road closure   Description: REPLACE 79M OF OLD METALLIC GAS MAINS WITH NEW PLASTIC MAINS AND RENEW/TRANSFER APPROX. 5 SERVICE PI   Works location: JUNC HILL STREET - O/S NO. 4   Public facing description: Wales & West Utilities Ltd has not assigned a specific description to this Works. Please note: Works Descriptions are not published by Wales & West Utilities Ltd.   Responsibility for works: Wales & West Utilities   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: XY254003001625594

Closure of A483 viaducts leads to heavy traffic in town

* Congestion around the Mill Street/Castle Street junction.

The volume of traffic passing through Llangollen has increased today (Sunday) as the town becomes part of a diversionary route following the closure of the Dee & Ceiriog viaducts on the A483 due to expected high winds.

Traffic Wales are warning of the diversion in a Facebook post which says: "Due to extremely high winds that will be impacted by #StormIsha the Dee and Ceiriog viaducts are now CLOSED."

The two viaducts are due to re-open at 6am tomorrow (Monday) morning.

In Llangollen extra traffic can be seen along the A5 and A539. There is an additional problem with traffic lights operating on Mill Street, near the bottom of Wharf Hill.  

* Heavy traffic along the A5 Regent Street.

* Traffic lights on Mill Street are adding to the congestion.

Latest local roadworks alerts

Latest local roadworks alerts from one.network are:

East Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 21 January - 04 February   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: East Street, Llangollen   Location: East Street   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: In progress       Fron Bache, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name: Diversion   Location: Fron Bache   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned       Fron Bache, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: Fron Bache, Llangollen   Location: Fron Bache   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned       Market Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 21 January - 04 February   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name: Diversion   Location: Market Street   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: In progress       Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 02 February   Delays likely - Road closure   Name: Vicarage Road, Llangollen   Location: Vicarage Road   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned   Vicarage Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 22 January - 13 February   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Road closure   Description: REPLACE 79M OF OLD METALLIC GAS MAINS WITH NEW PLASTIC MAINS AND RENEW/TRANSFER APPROX. 5 SERVICE PI   Works location: JUNC HILL STREET - O/S NO. 4   Public facing description: Wales & West Utilities Ltd has not assigned a specific description to this Works. Please note: Works Descriptions are not published by Wales & West Utilities Ltd.   Responsibility for works: Wales & West Utilities   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: XY254003001625594

Eisteddfod hosts sizzling Abba tribute night at Town Hall

* S.O.S belt out the Abba hits from the Town Hall stage.

 

* The packed audience claps and chants along to the music.

* Thank you for all those hits.

* The joint is really jumping.

* Shea asks: Does Your Mother Know?

* Phew, what a night!

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod sent out an S.O.S to the local community to get involved in an Abba tribute gig at the Town Hall last night (Friday) in aid of next year's festival - and it responded in fine style.

The result was a fabulous show put together by the Eisteddfod's Keith Potts and a small team of dedicated helpers which saw a packed audience singing and dancing along to a sizzling selection of hits saluting the Swedish super group. 

Providing the music was the tribute act named S.O.S who were brought to the stage by Black Box Events and included two sensational main vocalists, Hannah Roberts and Fran Cottingham, backed by a stonking three-piece band with James Barber on bass, Stu Nichols on guitar, Alfie Ellis on drums and Shea Ferron on keyboard.

Right from the start the iconic hits kept rolling with the likes of Super Trouper, Knowing Me, Knowing You, Angel Eyes and a very atmospheric Fernando.

The end of the first half saw the audience rise to its feet to get involved in a Greek dancing-style routine prompted by a haunting I Have a Dream.

And then, in the second half of the show, we just couldn't stay in our seats as another cracking cavalcade of musical memories came pumping out.

There was Voulez Vous, Lay All Your Love on Me, The Name of the Game, Winner Takes All and then Shea left his keyboard to join the girls with a stonking Does Your Mother Know?

More biggies came our way - Mama Mia and Waterloo - before the whole fantastic night came to a fitting end with Thank You for the Music.

Or did it? No, not quite. There could only be one encore to get almost everyone up on the dance floor and that was, of course, Dancing Queen.

So those of us who saw it say to the Eisteddfod: "Thank You for Music" and, hopefully, this sensational show brought you in lots of "Money, Money, Money".