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Music icons, emerging talent and local favourites are set to headline in South Tyneside this summer as the line-up is unveiled for the Borough's iconic Sunday Concerts.

The free open-air Sunday Concerts in Bents Park draw thousands of visitors to South Shields seafront every summer.

This year's Sunday Concert series will kick start on Sunday 13 July headlined by South Shields' own Sonny Tennet, who is currently wowing audiences with his recent appearances on American Idol.

Sonny will be taking to the stage alongside Cortney Dixon and Patrick Gosling who will also perform. South Tyneside school samba band, Drum Young, will also return.

The 13 July Concert will also host the inaugural NEXT Big Thing (North East Extraordinary Talent programme) showcase, which will feature north east artists selected from June's Live Music at the Amphitheatre series. Those selected from the programme will perform to crowds of festival-goers over the four consecutive Sundays.

Pride in South Tyneside will return again on Sunday 20 July, promoting inclusivity and diversity. The event, which is being delivered alongside charity Out North East, will feature singer, actor and theatre star, Shayne Ward. Joining the line-up is The Future is Queer and Shelley Stevens, plus more to be announced.

British musician Nik Kershaw will be heading to South Tyneside on Sunday 27 July. His greatest hits and crowd pleasers include 'The Riddle' and 'I Won't Let The Sun Go Down On Me' and 'Wouldn't It Be Good.'

Katrina, formerly of Katrina & the Waves, will also perform. Their song 'Walking on Sunshine' was an international hit in the 1980s. The band won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1997 with 'Love Shine a Light.' There will also be a performance by popular local band The Understudies.

Bjorn Again will return to the Borough to close the Sunday Concert series on Sunday 3 August, with the music of global superstars Abba. Voices of Virtue Gospel Choir will also perform in the concert finale.

The line-up or artists for the Sunday Concerts 2025 is:

• Sunday 13 July: Sonny Tennet, Cortney Dixon, Patrick Gosling, Drum Young, local performers selected from The NEXT Big Thing;
• Sunday 20 July: Shayne Ward, the Future is Queer, Shelley Stevens, The NEXT Big Thing act;
• Sunday 27 July: Nik Kershaw, Katrina, formerly of Katrina & The Waves, The Understudies, The NEXT Big Thing act;
• Sunday 3 August: Bjorn Again, Voices of Virtue Gospel Choir, The NEXT Big Thing act.

Councillor Judith Taylor, Lead Member for Culture, Leisure and the Visitor Economy at Â鶹ÊÓƵ, said: "We are thrilled to unveil the line-up for this year's Sunday Concerts. From music icons to emerging talent, there is something for everyone in this year's programme.

"Our Sunday Concerts are one of the highlights of our annual summer festival and once again we look forward to welcoming some fabulous artists to our Bents Park stage to perform chart topping hits from across the decades.

"This year, we are thrilled to be welcoming more of our local musicians to perform to our Sunday Concert audiences of up to 20,000 people. The concerts are an amazing opportunity to showcase their talent, gain experience and provide an incredible platform for up and coming and aspiring artists starting out in their music careers."

The Sunday Concerts form part of the much-loved This is South Tyneside Festival - one of the biggest and best free festivals in the country.

The three-month festival is packed with live music, entertainment and family friendly events. It launches in June with Live Music at the Amphitheatre at Sandhaven.

The Borough's spectacular Summer Parade also returns on Saturday 5 Julywith community groups embracing the event's 'Environment and Sustainability' theme. Other popular festival events include Proms in the Park and Entertainment by the Sea on Sunday 6 July and Kids Fun Fest throughout August.

Admission to the Sunday Concerts is FREE.

However, a limited number of Priority tickets are available from Ticketmaster or Shop @ The Word for £6 per person to guarantee access on the day. Tickets will only be available for sale until seven days before each concert from Ticketmaster, or up to 12noon on the day before each concert, from Shop @ The Word.

For full details about the Sunday Concerts and wider festival programme visit or follow South Tyneside Events on social media: Facebook (South Tyneside Events) and on X @STynesideEvents