Critical popcorn

We love a good Devon event, and there’s not much better than live gigs in the early summer open air – and the all-new Plymouth Summer Sessions are kicking off their South-West seasons with 4 huge names up on the seafront!

Cuffe & Taylor and Live Nation have teamed up to reveal the legendary headliners for the inaugural Plymouth Summer Sessions music festival as: Tom Jones (with special guest Gabrielle), Bryan Adams (with support from Cassyette), Madness (with The Lightning Seeds) and Sting (with Blondie) – all taking place between 13-16 June on Plymouth Hoe and, in case you haven’t picked yours up already:

Tickets are on sale now: smmrsessions.com/locations/plymouth

The Summer Sessions have become a much-loved live gig series in Scotland since they were founded back in 2013 by DF Concerts. Along the way between Glasgow and Edinburgh, they’ve hosted headliners including Eminem, Foo Fighters, Kendrick Lamar, Florence + The Machine and David Guetta.

This first-ever Plymouth Summer Sessions kicks off on 13 June with the iconic Tom Jones, whose been captivating audiences for over six decades, selling more than 100 million records and continues to be a hugely influential music figure. He’ll be supported by the excellent Gabrielle, who gave a superb show at Exeter in 2022 (review here), who’ll bring both her hits and whole lot of class.

Friday 14 June will sees Canadian music Royalty with Bryan Adams setting Plymouth alight with his internationally acclaimed anthemic rock hits like Summer of ’69 and Everything I Do (I Do It for You), he’s still a mainstay in the rock scene, known for his raspy voice and heartfelt lyrics, and played at Powderham Castle the other year (reviewed here) and he’s picked up a Grammy, two Ivor Novello songwriting awards and 18 JUNOs (Canada’s Music Awards). He’ll be joined by Cassyette, who offers up a fierce blend of punk and heavy metal influences with a modern twist.

Hitting the weekend sees Madness on Saturday 15 June, who are the quintessential British band, rooted in ska with a pop flair, and have been a fixture in the UK music scene since the late 1970s. Known for humorous lyrical storytelling and blending ska rhythms with catchy melodies, they’ve carved a unique niche in the music world. They’ll be supported by Ian Broudie’s The Lightning Seeds, known for their melodic and cheerful indie pop, and know how to put on a fine show.

Finally, it’s one of the world’s most distinctive and celebrated solo artists, Sting will deliver songs from his prolific and diverse catalogue, showcasing an unrivalled career, to close out the debut year of Plymouth Summer
Sessions on Sunday 16 June.

Not only selling over 100 million albums in his vast career, he’s also picked up so many awards including Grammys, BRIT Awards, Ivor Novello Awards, plus an Academy Fellowship, a Golden Globe, an Emmy and many more. Joining Sting will be special guest Blondie, with the imitable Debbie Harry. Peter Taylor, co-founder of Cuffe & Taylor, had this to say:

“We are thrilled to bring together an extraordinary lineup of legendary artists for the first-ever Plymouth Summer Sessions. We can’t wait to enliven the spectacular location that is The Hoe, with the magic of world-class music. This festival is more than just a series of concerts – it’s a celebration of musical heritage and innovation. We invite music lovers of all ages to join us this June for what promises to be an unforgettable journey.”

For ticket information and further updates on Plymouth Summer Sessions, follow @smmrsessions on Insta, and book your tickets here: smmrsessions.com