1970s heart-throb David Essex announces 'final' UK tour, including North East date
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The internationally renowned singer, composer and actor is embarking on a 21-date tour, including a show at Newcastle City Hall on Friday, November 11.
He will perform much-loved hits spanning his 50-year career, and said: "I'm looking forward to getting back on the road with my band for probably my final concert tour. I'll be missing you."
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Hide AdEssex first shot to fame when he went to an audition for the London production of the musical Godspell and was chosen by enthusiastic US producers for the role of Jesus.
He received major awards and some ecstatic reviews which saw him lead a cast at the Roundhouse and then at the West End for two years.
Since then he has enjoyed a remarkable career that has combined concerts, records, theatre, composing, films and television.
He has written, recorded and produced albums that have sold millions of copies worldwide.
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Hide AdHe’s also had 23 Top 30 singles in Britain alone. These include the Grammy-nominated Rock On which not only topped the charts in Britain and the USA but sold over a million copies.
Subsequent singles followed such as Lamplight, Hold Me Close and Gonna Make You A Star, which made Essex a household name.
Mayhem ensued throughout the UK, with crowds for his concerts resembling Beatlemania and traffic stopping whenever he appeared.
He has continued to produce and write albums to this day, including 2013’s Reflections and has contributed to stage and screen with the likes of Silver Dream Machine taken from Silver Dream Racer, in which he starred.
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Hide AdActing credits include That'll Be The Day, its sequel Stardust, Traveller, The Guvnors, Black Prince and more recently BBC TV's EastEnders as the head of the Moon family.
Theatre credits include outstanding performances in Evita, Boogie Nights 2, Footloose, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Aspects Of Love, plus his own musicals Mutiny! and All The Fun Of The Fair.
Essex, who's now 68, is currently appearing at London’s Dominion Theatre in the stage version The War Of The Worlds as The Voice Of Humanity until April 30.
It is the first time since he recorded on the original double album in 1978 that he has appeared with the production.
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Hide AdDavid Essex is the only artiste in the world to have achieved success in all areas of entertainment and this tour will celebrate just that.
Tickets for the November UK tour go on sale on Friday, April 8, at 10am via www.gigsandtours.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk
The full tour dates are:
Wed 2 Nov Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Thu 3 Nov Cardiff St David’s Hall
Sat 5 Nov Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Sun 6 Nov Sheffield City Hall
Mon 7 Nov Southampton Mayflower Theatre
Tue 8 Nov Birmingham Symphony Hall
Thu 10 Nov Leicester De Montfort Hall
Fri 11 Nov Newcastle Theatre Royal
Sat 12 Nov Hull City Hall
Sun 13 Nov Glasgow Kings Theatre
Tue 15 Nov Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Wed 16 Nov Ipswich Regent
Thu 17 Nov Southend Cliff Pavilion
Fri 18 Nov Bournemouth International Centre
Sun 20 Nov London Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Mon 21 Nov Bristol Colston Hall
Tue 22 Nov Oxford New Theatre
Thu 24 Nov Stoke Regent Theatre
Fri 25 Nov Harrogate International Centre
Sat 26 Nov Blackpool Opera House
Sun 27 Nov Wolverhampton Civic Hall