Marvellous music treats at Notts venues for fans across area to enjoy

Star performer Tom Grennan has announced a tour date at Nottingham Motorpoint Arena on September 10.

New single Shadowboxing has just been released, the first taken from his forthcoming album, Everywhere I Went Led Me To Where I Didn't Want To Be.

The album will be released on August 15 and is Tom's fourth long-player, the follow up to 2023's What Ifs & Maybes, which became his second UK number one album and third gold-selling LP.

Shadowboxing comes hot on the heels of Tom Grennan’s top three festive smash It Can’t Be Christmas (Amazon Music Original) which immediately gained silver certification in its first run at the Christmas title.

Tom achieved his highest ever singles chart for a solo release and was only narrowly held off the top spot by Christmas titans Wham! and Mariah Carey.

With two number one albums under his belt alongside multiple Brit and Ivor Novello nominations, countless airplay smashes, sold-out arena tours and an MTV Award for Best UK Act, Tom Grennan is already one of the country’s biggest artists.

Last August saw the Bedford-born artist headline his biggest show to date to a capacity crowd of 25,000 at Gunnersbury Park.

For more on tickets, go to www.motorpointarenanottingham.com

Also at Nottingham Motorpoint Arena, there’s a chance to see British legends Simply Red on October 1 as part of their massive UK tour. There’s also a performance at Sheffield Utilita Arena the night before.

Simply Red remain one of the UK’s most successful and well-loved bands, with Mick Hucknall considered one of the great vocalists of contemporary music.

As part of their 40th anniversary celebrations, Simply Red are in the process of re-recording the greatest hits from their four-decade career. Their re-record of If You Don’t Know Me By Now has been released, the first of many set to see the light of day in 2025.

Simply Red have enjoyed the kind of long-lived success most bands can only dream of. They have sold more than 60 million albums worldwide, enjoyed five UK number one albums, had two billion streams across streaming platforms worldwide, and over one million YouTube subscribers.

Their classic 1991 album Stars was the best-selling album for two years in Britain and Europe while all 13 of Simply Red’s studio albums including their latest release Time, have been top ten in the UK.

For more on the forthcoming arena gigs in our area, see www.motorpointarenanottingham.com or https://www.utilitaarenasheffield.co.uk/

Before then, Mansfield Palace Theatre has a couple of contrasting performances by Music In The Round to look forward to.

Two shows will take place at the venue on February 17.

Giddy Goat (11am) is inspired by the beloved children’s book, bringing the story to life through enchanting original music, performed by strings, wind, and piano.

Then in the evening (from 7.30pm), come along to the Leeming Street venue to be seated on stage in an intimate setting for Mozart Masterpieces, featuring talented string players alongside horn and clarinet, who come together to perform three of Mozart’s most cherished masterpieces.

These are the beautifully melodic Clarinet Quintet, the soulful Horn Quintet, and the poignant yet uplifting String Quintet in G.

For more on both of these concerts, go to www.mansfieldpalace.co.uk

Also at Mansfield Palace Theatre, there’s a spectacular show in store on February 20 with Queenz – Drag Me To The Disco.

This new show sees Queenz take to the stage for an electrifying, live vocal drag-stravaganza, where Dancing Queenz and Disco Dreams collide for the party of a lifetime that is sure to dazzle audience members.

After two trailblazing years of touring the country, a run in London's West End, and accumulating countless five-star reviews for live performances, Queenz has rapidly ascended to be one of the world's most successful drag shows.

The talented and glamorous performers are ready to serve up the ultimate celebration of powerhouse popstars and dazzling disco divas.

For more on tickets, you can go to www.mansfieldpalace.co.uk

Nottingham Symphony Orchestra will return to action on Saturday, March 8, at the city’s Albert Hall venue with a concert titled A Night Of Enigmatic Music.

Conducted by Mark Prescott, the orchestra’s second concert of the 2024-2025 season features three wonderful works.

Richard Strauss’s energetic tone poem Don Juan was something of a calling card for the young composer when it was premiered in 1889. It is a largely joyous work, full of energy and vitality.

Samuel Barber’s Violin Concerto was one the key compositions to establish him in the top rank of 20th century American composers and will be performed by the orchestra and hugely talented soloist Darragh Morgan.

Finally, Edward Elgar’s breakthrough work, the ‘Enigma’ Variations, is one of the most performed of all British classical compositions.

It features a set of musical portraits of the composer, his wife and their friends, with the much-loved movement Nimrod sitting at the centre of the piece.

For more on tickets for the performance, which starts at 7.30pm, check out https://nottinghamsymphony.org.uk/

Later on in March, the iconic John Cale will be perform at Nottingham Playhouse as part of a UK tour.

Following the release of his most recent album, the critically acclaimed POPtical Illusion last year, you can see him at the Playhouse on March 20 as part of his first tour since 2023.

John Cale has always been a musician of the times, helping to usher in titanic shifts in sound and culture.

The bleeding edge drones of his Sun Blindness Music opened the path to The Velvet Underground.

The frantic rock of Fear and Slow Dazzle, not to mention his production with Patti Smith and the Stooges, framed a half century of punk, post-punk, and art-rock to come.

His curiosity about the way electronics could be more than a gimmick in rock music served as an inspiration to a number of crucial scenes.

For more on tickets for the performance, go to www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk

On February 28, you can see Patryk Frac & Miguel Suay – In Recital at The Squire Performing Arts Centre in Nottingham.

Starting off as a small project in 2018, Patryk (piano) and Miguel (violin), both graduates of the Royal College of Music, soon became a duet. With focus on Spanish and Polish music at first, they quickly encompassed a more varied repertoire spanning to jazz and their original compositions.

With their harmonious playing, this duo has impressed many distinguished musicians. Their concert at The Squire Performing Arts Centre will include works by Beethoven and Gershwin.

For more, see https://squirepac.co.uk/

Finally, Jools Holland will be back on the road in the autumn for a tour that includes visits to Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall on November 20 and Sheffield City Hall on November 28.

Jools and his famous Rhythm & Blues Orchestra are thrilled to be joined this year by special guest Imelda May.

One of Ireland’s most celebrated artists, Imelda has had many high-profile collaborations with Jeff Beck, and performed with music legends including Lou Reed, Bono, Tom Jones, Noel Gallagher, and Robert Plant.

With a dynamic blend of blues, rock, soul, gospel, and jazz, Imelda’s self-written and produced album Love Tattoo remains the best-selling album by a homegrown female artist in Ireland.

Her electric performances promise an unforgettable experience for audiences.

The tour will also mark a new chapter as Ed Richardson is welcomed in as the orchestra’s new drummer, following the retirement of the legendary Gilson Lavis.

After starting out together in Squeeze, Gilson became a cornerstone of Jools's Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, keeping the beat over a span of several decades and retiring with an incredible legacy.

Fans will be thrilled to hear the shows again feature ‘Queen of Boogie Woogie’ Ruby Turner, as well as the outstanding vocals of Louise Marshall, and Sumudu Jayatilaka.

For more on tickets to see this annual treat for fans, go to www.trch.co.uk or https://www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk/