WEYMOUTH FC boss Martyn Harrison is bringing back the boogie with a New Wave revival at the Wessex Stadium.
Legends In Concert promises chart-topping performers Tony Hadley from Spandau Ballet, Martin Fry with his band ABC, and Go West, strutting their stuff and delighting fans with renditions of their hits from the 1980s.
Tony Hadley – famed for his solo – writing and singing career after enjoying worldwide success with Spandau Ballet – still performs firm favourites like True, Gold and Through The Barricades.
Theatrical and stylish, ABC dominated the pop parade with hits such as Poison Arrow, Look Of Love, and Be Near Me.
Guitarist Richard Drummie and vocalist Peter Cox formed a duo called Go West whose biggest hit was King Of Wishful Thinking, from the Pretty Woman film soundtrack.
They have since produced several albums of high energy dance pop and other hits including We Close Our Eyes and Don’t Look Down.
Mr Harrison admitted he is aiming for a different market than last year’s Pop 4 Weymouth event, when the line-up included teen favourites Peter Andre, Liberty X, Blazin’ Squad, the Cheeky Girls, Mark Owen and Girls Aloud.
The millionaire hotelier is also appealing to families and adults by hosting Proms On The Pitch the following day – a classical music event headlined by young male vocal quartet G4.
The classically-trained four-some appeal to classical and mainstream audiences alike and landed a £1 million record deal after they were runners-up on televised talent contest, The X Factor.
Managed by music svengali Louis Walsh, who masterminded the success of boybands like Westlife, the pop/opera act have released a debut album.
Their repertoire stretches from covers of REM and Radiohead songs to Bohemian Rhapsody and Nessun Dorma, as well as football anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone.
The crossover theme continues with a performance by Myleene Klass, the pop babe who was in the first-ever reality TV-manufactured band, Hear’Say – and whose debut song Pure And Simple was the fastest selling single of all time.
Myleene – who was classically trained at the Royal Academy and plays piano, violin and harp – is now making music inspired by every thing from Bach to Braveheart, Guns ‘n Roses to Gladiator.
She will be joined on stage by Aled Jones, who shot to fame after his pure schoolboy soprano rang out in Walking In The Air, the title song for The Snowman animation.
He is now a regular performer on radio and TV.
The full 40-piece Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will perform as well as the soprano sensation Sarah Ryan, who has headlined at the Royal Albert Hall.
Mr Harrison has vowed there will be no repeat of the controversy that dogged Pop 4 Weymouth at the Wessex Stadium last summer.
The town’s biggest-ever music weekender was held in August, with a pop festival on the Saturday and a celebrity football match on the Sunday.
But organisers faced fierce criticism from furious fans who claimed they were ripped off after a host of stars failed to show.
Poor ticket sales prompted fistfuls of free tickets to be given away and security measures were branded ‘over the top’ with all food and drink confiscated.
You’ve Been Framed presenter Jonathon Wilkes was kicked out of the football tournament for head-butting an opponent.
Mr Harrison said: “We did try our best – last year was a pretty dead loss but we battled on because the artists were committed.
“Last year the people who went were fleeced, so this time they can do their own thing and bring in non-alcoholic drinks, but there will be a licence as well.”
He said it was a coup to secure a host of big names and said a lot of artists considered Weymouth to be off the beaten track.
He said: “I think for the prices it is good entertainment. Maybe it’s an ego trip, but at the end of the day it is all fundraising to make the money we need to build the team we need for promotion.
“The fans are not going to question that – we have the management team now to get us there – these guys know what they are doing, they just need money.”
Promoter Lester Holcombe said: “We are bringing two fantastic line-ups to Weymouth in June that will appeal to all ages.
“It’s time to relive all those Eighties moments and the Proms On The Pitch will be a great family night out.
People can bring their picnics and share a great evening of music and fireworks.”
Legends In Concert is on Friday June 24. Tickets cost £23.50 for adults and £15 for children aged under 15.
Proms On The Pitch is on Saturday June 25. Tickets are £26 for adults and £15 for children under 15.
Book in advance on the ticket hotline 0870 264 3333 or Weymouth Pavilion box office on 01305 783225.
