South Wales Evening Post

Two more musical treats are added to city arena’s bill

- ROBERT LLOYD Print Content Editor robert.lloyd01@walesonlin­e.co.uk

SWANSEA Arena has announced Royal Blood and Jersey Boys as the latest shows to go on sale at the venue.

On Tuesday, March 8, 2022, Royal Blood will become the first act to play as part of Swansea Arena’s launch season, a special event ahead of their biggest European tour to date that also sees them take to the stage at London’s O2, the AO Arena Manchester and The OVO Hydro in Glasgow.

The success of the band’s latest album, Typhoons, heralds an exciting new era for Royal Blood, who are firmly establishe­d as one of rock’s biggest bands. The Brighton duo have completed a phenomenal hat-trick in which all three of their studio albums have immediatel­y topped the UK album charts.

To date, they have achieved two million global sales, and won the BRIT Award for Best British Group, two NME Awards and a Kerrang! Award. Their debut album was also nominated for the Mercury Prize.

Running from Tuesday, November 29 to Saturday, December 3, 2022, the very first week-long, award-winning West End show to be announced at Swansea Arena is the internatio­nally acclaimed Jersey Boys, taking audiences behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in the Olivier Award-winning, original Broadway sensation.

These two announceme­nts are just the highlights of a week that has seen further additions of Alan Carr, Jurassic Live, Kevin Bridges and Rupaul’s Drag Race UK Season 3 Tour added to an already star-studded 2022 programme of events at

Swansea Arena.

The arena is one feature of the £135m Copr Bay phase one district being developed by Swansea Council and advised by developmen­t managers Rivingtonh­ark. Copr Bay phase one constructi­on – being led by Buckingham Group Limited – is due for completion later this year, with the arena, to be run by the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG), opening its doors in early 2022.

Swansea Arena general manager, Lisa Mart, said: “We are really excited to be announcing further events for 2022 – especially our eagerly anticipate­d first act. Royal Blood are absolutely incredible and their stage shows are renowned for being full of energy and light. They are the perfect act to set the tone for our opening year and really test the venue’s capabiliti­es. Jersey Boys, being our first West End musical production, is a real coup for us – it is one of the best touring musicals available and we have no doubt Swansea will love it.

“There are further world-class announceme­nts to round off our launch season to come – we want to ensure that every person in the local community has an opportunit­y to visit and enjoy the venue and with that in mind we wanted our launch to be as varied and diverse as possible. We hope everyone is starting to see this as our programme takes shape.”

Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart said: “The announceme­nt of the first internatio­nal artists playing Swansea Arena as part of its launch season is a significan­t milestone for the attraction, with excitement now really starting to build ahead of its opening early next year.

“At the heart of Swansea’s emerging new £135m Copr Bay district, Swansea Arena will bring worldclass entertainm­ent and conferenci­ng facilities to the people of Swansea and far beyond, while also generating more footfall and spending for our city centre businesses and acting as a catalyst for more investment and jobs for local people.”

Swansea Arena is expected to host up to 200 performanc­es across music, comedy, esports, sport and conference events for an estimated 230,000 visitors each year.

 ?? JOAN MARCUS ?? Jersey Boys, an awardwinni­ng muscial about American singer Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, is coming to Swansea Arena.
JOAN MARCUS Jersey Boys, an awardwinni­ng muscial about American singer Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, is coming to Swansea Arena.
 ?? WARNER RECORDS ?? Royal Blood members Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher are also set to perform at the new venue.
WARNER RECORDS Royal Blood members Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher are also set to perform at the new venue.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom