Lincs: Les McKeown comes to the Plowright to tell the amazing tale of the Bay City Rollers

In 1974, the world was to witness a new musical phenomenon the like of which had not been seen the days of Elvis and The Beatles.
Les McKeown tells the story of the Bay City Rollers at Scunthorpe's Plowright Theatre next weekLes McKeown tells the story of the Bay City Rollers at Scunthorpe's Plowright Theatre next week
Les McKeown tells the story of the Bay City Rollers at Scunthorpe's Plowright Theatre next week

The music of the Bay City Rollers became the soundtrack for a generation of teenagers growing up in the mid 70s.

The face and voice of that soundtrack belonged to Les McKeown.

And now, he is telling the story of those heady days, and playing the hit songs that formed their soundtrack, in The Bay City Rollers starring Les McKeown at The Plowright Theatre in Scunthorpe next week.

The first of many acts heralded as the ‘‘biggest group since The Beatles’ when they burst on to the scene in 1970s, the Bay City Rollers were an extraordinary phenomenon.

One of the most screamed-at teeny-bopper acts of the 1970, for a relatively brief but fervent period the world was gripped by ‘Rollermania’ as the media likened the effect they had on young fans to the ‘Beatlemania’ of the 1960s.

The group’s line-up featured numerous changes over the years.

But the classic line-up during its heyday included guitarists Eric Faulkner and Stuart Wood, bassist Alan Longmuir, drummer Derek Longmuir and, at the head of affairs as the band’s leader, singer Les McKeown.

With McKeown leading the way, the band’s singles and albums shot to the number one spot all over the globe.

Massive hits such as Bye Bye Baby, Shang A Lang, Summer Love Sensation and Give A Little Love propelled the band to world-wide superstardom.

And their trademark Scottish tartan was to be seen everywhere across the planet.

Things finally began to unravel in the late 1970s with McKeown himself quitting the band in 1978, although he did perform with most of the classic line-up (apart from Derek Longmuir) at Edinburgh Castle in 1999 for the Millennium celebrations.

Now, McKeown tells the story of those hectic days of hit songs, touring, TV shows and the behind the scenes pandemonium that followed the band everywhere they went.

A transformed McKeown has come through the extreme highs and lows of life’s great road.

All the hits songs are there and audiences are promised a fantastic night of fun and nostalgia as they take a trip back to those innocent days of growing up to the sounds of The Bay City Rollers.

The show takes place on Saturday (18th October) at 7.30pm.

Tickets priced £19.50 are available from the box office on 0844 854 2776 or online at www.tickets.scunthorpetheatres.co.uk

Pre-show dining is also available for this event, please call 0844 854 2776 to book your table.

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