NEWS
Sam Fender‘s three huge Newcastle shows boosted the local economy by £16.5million, new figures show.
The homecoming gigs took place at St. James’ Park on June 12, 14 and 15, and saw the singer-songwriter and guitarist head back to the football ground after first playing there in 2023.
The sold-out shows made Fender the first Geordie artist to headline the stadium. They also saw him bring out AC/DC’s Brian Johnson and pay tribute to Bruce Springsteen.
Now, it’s been reported that the shows boosted the local economy by £16.5million, with around 150,000 fans heading to Newcastle to attend, per BBC News.
According to figures released by investment agency NewcastleGateshead Initiative (NGI), the shows brought in extra revenue for bars, restaurants and hotels.
The figures are based on NGI data gathered from visitor and supply chain spend, generated via visitor surveys, hotel occupancy data, average room rates and spending in retail, restaurants and pubs.
Elsewhere at the Newcastle gigs, Fender brought out his former guitar teacher Phil Martin for a cover of Thin Lizzy’s classic track ‘The Boys Are Back In Town’ – something seen in previous Newcastle shows – and also introduced the Easington Colliery Brass Band for ‘Remember My Name’.
He was also joined on stage by CMAT and Olivia Dean, as well as his brother, Liam.
The shows follow on from Fender playing at the 82,500-capacity London Stadium the week earlier, as he kicked off his huge UK summer tour. For the gig, he was joined by Dean for a rendition of ‘Rein Me In’ – which they later released an official version of. He also used the show to give a passionate pro-Palestine speech.
“It breaks my heart, and it’s probably more relevant now than it was then. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but we’ve got Doctors Without Borders with us at the show tonight,” he said.
“They do incredible work out there, they’re legitimate, real heroes who are out there helping the people, and they’re gonna be with us on all of our summer shows.”
In August, Fender will play three big outdoor gigs in Manchester, Edinburgh and Belfast, as well as top the bill at Ireland’s Electric Picnic. Find any remaining tickets for Fender’s UK and Ireland headline dates here.
In a four-star review of his most recent album, ‘People Watching’, NME shared: “Reflective, analytical and vulnerable, ‘People Watching’ does exactly what the title may suggest: takes stock of the characters, friends and loved ones who have made Fender the person he is today. He approaches each track with sensitivity as he looks back on his life so far – perhaps even with an inkling of guilt – and contemplates who he may be next.”
Perry Farrell has released another public apology following an on-stage confrontation involving his bandmate Dave Navarro.
The Jane's Addiction frontman was involved in a physical altercation with guitarist Dave Navarro last year during a live performance, an incident that prompted the band to cancel their reunion tour and eventually led to their split.
“I'd like to address what happened on stage last year,” Perry, 66, said in a statement shared across both his personal Instagram account and Jane's Addiction’s official page. “I've reflected on it and know I didn't handle myself the way I should have. I apologize to our patrons and my bandmates for losing my temper and for disrupting the show.”
He went on to admit that he did not meet fan expectations and described himself as deeply remorseful toward everyone impacted by the incident.
“Jane's Addiction has been at the center of my life for decades. The band, the songs, the patrons, and the impact that we've had on music and culture mean more to me than any words I could ever possibly write down,” he shared.
“My aim has always been to give our audience the best possible show, something real, honest and positive. In Boston, we fell short of that, and I'm truly sorry to everyone who was impacted.”
Jane's Addiction also issued its own statement regarding the altercation, which ultimately led to the group’s remaining members filing a lawsuit against Perry alleging assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and breach of contract.
“Today we are here to announce that we have come together one last time to resolve our differences, so that the legacy of Jane's Addiction will remain the work the four of us created together,” the band wrote, signaling that the group would not move forward with Perry. “We now look forward to the future as we embark on our separate musical and creative endeavors.”
