The Jockey Club Live are excited to reveal two incredible performers who will be coming to the North West this summer, in their first announcements for the 2018 summer season. The BRIT Award winner, cultural commentator, critically acclaimed director and actor, and musical maverick Ben Drew aka Plan B will headlining Haydock Park Racecourse on Saturday 21st July, with Liverpudlian Legends The Lightning Seeds opening the season on Friday 18th May with a special hometown show at Aintree Racecourse.
Plan B’s sophomore album, The Defamation Of Strickland Banks, achieved quadruple-platinum status, selling over 1.4 million copies in the UK alone, and hit the #1 album spot on release. It saw him win both a BRIT and three Ivor Novello Awards. Following this, his 2012 directorial debut (and accompanying album) iLLManors saw him smashing boundaries with his creative style of overlapping stories and interweaving rap-narrative, boldly addressing socio-political issues with his often brutal cultural commentary, seeing Ben nominated for his fifth BRIT Award, nominated for his first Mercury Music prize, and once again hitting #1 in the UK album chart. He will be releasing his eagerly anticipated fourth album ‘Heaven Before All Hell Breaks Loose’ on 14th April via Atlantic Records.
Plan B said;
‘Excited to announce I’m headlining Haydock Park Racecourse this summer. Looking forward to playing songs from the new album’
Ian Broudie’s Lightning Seeds have made an astonishing impact on the nation’s musical consciousness. Forming in Liverpool in 1989, the band went on to have commercial success throughout the nineties with hits including ‘Pure’, ‘The Life of Riley’ and ‘Lucky You’. Their biggest and most unforgettable hit came in 1996 with ‘Three Lions’ which is fondly remembered by football fans as sending the England football team off to Euro ’96, and was a number 1 hit in both ’96 and again in ’98. Previously announced for Aintree Racecourse is multi-platinum selling artist Craig David, who will headline on Friday 15th June.
Jason Fildes, Haydock Park General Manager, said:
‘There’s nothing like a Saturday night of live music here at Haydock Park – so we’re thrilled to see Plan B joining us on 21st July. He’s the latest in a spectacular line-up of great artists here over the last 10 years. It’s going to be a cracking evening with Plan B taking the stage as dusk falls after racing.’
John Baker, Regional Director of Jockey Club Racecourses North West who runs Aintree, said:
‘We’re thrilled to announce another fantastic act for our summer of music at Aintree. With Craig David already announced we’re delighted to add a local favourite and fantastic alternative rock band, The Lightning Seeds who will be performing some of their many iconic hits such as ‘Lucky You and ‘Life of Riley’. We just can’t wait for the summer to start at Aintree!’
The Jockey Club Live are leading promoters on the UK live scene, delivering spectacular line-ups of some of the hottest chart talent and legendary household names to some of the world’s most famous racecourses. In previous years, Aintree Racecourse has see headline performances from Tom Jones, Deacon Blue, Jess Glynne and Kaiser Chiefs, with Haydock Park Racecourse hosting Culture Club, Olly Murs and The Jacksons last year.
The events are renowned for combining a fun filled evening at the races with a spectacular evening concert in the informal and relaxed open-air setting of the hallowed turf.
The Jockey Club racecourses have world-class customer facilities, featuring an array of award winning restaurants that cater for all tastes, be it Fine Dining through to delicious bistro food. The Jockey Club venues welcome over 2million people a year for some of the UKs biggest racing events so you can be sure a fantastic evening.
Tickets will be on sale at 8am on Friday 26th January via http://www.thejockeyclublive.
In addition to Aintree and Haydock Park, The Jockey Club Live will be hosting live concerts across Sandown Park, Newmarket, Market Rasen and Carlisle racecourses this summer.