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.”
Taylor Swift believes Nashville has a music scene that stands apart from anywhere else.
The 36 year old singer moved to Nashville, Tennessee, when she was young to chase her dream of becoming a country music star. After being inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame on Monday (26.10.26), Taylor took the opportunity to recognise the city and the talented writers who have helped shape its music scene.
In her acceptance speech, Taylor said: "I believe you really get to master a craft by doing it again and again. That's exactly what the incredible songwriters in this wonderful town do every day."
Taylor also spoke about what makes Nashville such a special place for musicians.
The award winning singer, who ranks among the best selling music artists of all time, said: "You won't find another music community quite like this one. Trust me, I've checked them all."
Taylor also shared how being part of Nashville's songwriting scene had taught her valuable lessons about life and working with others.
She joked: "I've learned to be flexible when your co writer turns up with a hangover, or when they need to spend ages talking about their divorce before we can even get started on a song."
Taylor previously spoke about how Faith Hill and Shania Twain inspired her decision to move to Nashville.
Speaking to Time magazine, the singer said: "I couldn't get enough of watching TV biographies about Faith Hill and Shania Twain, and I realised they had both moved to Nashville to get their careers started. After that, I kept asking, pleading and begging my parents to take me there.
"When I was 11, my mum took my brother and me to Nashville during spring break, and we spent the trip driving around Music Row. She stayed in the car while I rushed into record companies one after another, giving my demo CD to the receptionists. I found it fascinating that so many major record labels were gathered along a single street, often inside little buildings and old houses.
"What really stayed with me was how welcoming people were to newcomers and complete strangers like us. We started visiting Nashville more often, and when I was 13, I received an offer for a development deal from a major record label. That was when my parents finally agreed to leave Pennsylvania and move with me."
