Tag: Bereaved Children Support York

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REVIEW: Big Ian’s A Night To Remember, York Barbican, November 12

Jess Steel, left, Heather Findlay, Annie Rae Donaghy and Beth McCarthy committing to Murder On The Dancefloor big style. Picture: David Harrison

THIS was the 12th edition of Big Ian’s A Night To Remember, the eighth to fill York Barbican en route to raising more than £200,000 for York charities.

Early signs are that a record sum may have been collected from Wednesday’s three-hour fundraiser to boost  St Leonard’s Hospice, Bereaved Children Support York, Accessible Arts & Media and York dementia projects. (UPDATE: 18/11/2025. £30, 249.70p was raised.)

You will know Big Ian, HUGE party band frontman Ian Donaghy, who won the Outstanding Contribution Award at the 2025 York Community Pride Awards, organised by The York Press, in recognition of his extensive charity work and efforts to tackle loneliness and raise dementia awareness in the city.

A Night To Remember master of ceremonies Big Ian Donaghy with Shed Seven’s Rick Witter, Big Ian’s pick for “the new Duke of York”

This is one ID who doesn’t need ID, but A Night To Remember really isn’t about Ian, even if he organises the event and finds sponsors to cover all the costs,so that all the ticket money goes to the charities, along with donations and raffle proceeds on the night.

Oh, and he secured an opening message on screen from  Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer, arranged all the myriad participants – a hush-hush appearance by Shed Seven’s Rick Witter et al – in a late-changing set-list order, hosted the show with patter and swagger, and sung his lungs out too. No wonder he walked 17 kilometres on Wednesday.

He is frontman, showman, show opener too with Uptown Funk, but A Night To Remember is Big Ian’s night every two years for putting York’s diverse world of music on one stage: a night of York Helping York, a night of celebrating why music can be made by everyone for everyone. Where we became one big family, in unison for the finale of Sister Sledge’s We Are Family, as Ian sang “I’ve got all my sisters with me”. Sisters in soul and much more besides, brothers too.  

Making A Night To Remember exactly that: Many, but not all, of the musicians who took part on Wednesday night. Picture: David Kessel

There are plenty of familiar performers that return each time: Las Vegas Ken, now 78, still in jeans, stiffer in leg, joined by fiddler Kieran O’Malley for a singalong Wild Rover; Graham Hodge, now 75,  replacing his standard guitar with bow tie and suit for crooning Cry Me A River with full band accompaniment in Las Vegas manner; George Hall, leading the band from the keyboards; the HUGE brass section; Rob Wilson and Simon Snaize on guitar,

And Ian Chalk leading the bright young talents of York Music Forum, now so important to fledgling talent in the city when schools are finding it more and more difficult to fulfil that role.

Participants young and old had their moment in the spotlight. Responding to Big Ian’s challenge, Easingwold-based choir leader Jessa “Hurricane” Liversidge assembled the 10 Decade Choir, aged from seven to Shirley in her nineties, bonding in the joy of Labi Siffre’s Something Inside So Strong, a hymn to the power of music.

York Music Forum brass and woodwind players in action at A Night To Remember. Picture: David Harrison

Annie Rae Donaghy: Solo rendition of Maneater at A Night To Remember. Picture: David Kessel

On the run: Beth McCarthy giving everything to Bat Out Of Hell in A Night To Remember. Picture: David Harrison

Suits you, sir: Graham Hodge taking on Las Vegas cabaret crooner mode for Cry Me A River at A Night To Remember. Picture: David Kessel

The ever-watchful young keyboard player in York Music Forum’s rendition of Dave Kemp’s Fryin, I learnt later, was playing his first ever gig at nine. Keep an eye on him.

Likewise, Big Ian had asked nascent talents to put themselves forward for a solo slot: he picked 12-year-old singer Lacey Hart, performing I Have Nothing to 1,400 people to the accompaniment of the full band, one mightily impressive debut after warm-up slots at a handful of HUGE gigs. Tackling Houston, Lacey had no problem matching Whitney’s dramatics.

North Eastern classical singer Sam Holden hit the heights early on in You’ll Never Walk Alone, ironically performed solo – but spectacularly – to a backing track, and later Y Street Band, their members peppered through other songs throughout, relished the spotlight in Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, immediately followed by Scissor Sisters’ Take Your Mama.

Arms held aloft: Lacey Hart, 12, with A Night To Remember host Big Ian Donaghy, left, and her father, James Hart, after singing I Have Nothing. Picture: David Kessel

Back to those sisters in soul, who are so integral to A Night To Remember: Jess Steel, the singing hairdresser; Beth McCarthy, back in York after playing Glastonbury and an American tour; Annie Rae Donaghy, soon to appear in Next Door But  One’s Christmas show When Robins Appear, and Heather Findlay, long-standing folk and prog-rock queen.

They took solo turns, they sang backing vocals, all except Annie changed costumes more often than Cher. Jess’s Running Up That  Hill set a high bar; Annie revamped Hall & Oates’s Maneater; Beth surpassed her Mr Brightside with Bat Out Of Hell, preceded by her duet with Annie, Britney at the double for Baby One More Time. 

A Night To Remember master of ceremonies Big Ian Donaghy keeping eye on proceedings from the side of the stage, resting on a donations bucket for York charities. Picture: David Kessel

Best of all was Heather’s rendition of Led Zeppelin’s Stairway to Heaven, a stairway she not so much climbed as glided up with elan. It was only right they should do a climactic number together, Murder On The Dancefloor, and they nailed it.  

What of Mr Witter, crowned the new Duke of York by Big Ian? The man in black might have been expected to conclude the show given his status in York, but no, just like Ian, he said the show was the star, not him.

Instead, his appearance kept quiet until the last minute, he ended the first half, singing It Takes Two with Jess, who has cut his hair all these years (“I’ve lived my dream,” she said “I’ve sung with Rick Witter”), followed, inevitably, by Sheds’ anthem  Chasing Rainbows,  brass accompaniment and all. Rick may not have closed the show, but he closes this review.

Shed Seven’s Rick Witter duetting with Jess Steel on It Takes Two, the 1966 Kim Weston & Marvin Gaye hit. Picture: David Harrison

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A Night To Remember will return to York Barbican on November 12. Who will play at Big Ian Donaghy’s big charity show?

Jessica Steel: Soul and blues at A Night To Remember at York Barbican

TEN decades will sing together in an unforgettable night at York Barbican on November 12.

This year, Big Ian Donaghy’s big charity concert, A Night To Remember, will celebrate its 12th anniversary after selling out Leeds City Varieties Music Hall in 2013, York Theatre Royal in 2014 and Grand Opera House in 2015, en route to finding its home at York Barbican nine years ago.

“Over the years, these nights have taken community charity concerts to another level as every detail is focused on giving the York audience a night they truly deserve where no corner is cut for this unique event,” says Big Ian.

“The level of production surpasses most touring shows, from outstanding sound from Craig Rothery to thought-provoking films on vast video walls and a 30-piece band’s level of musicianship.”

Big Ian Donaghy working the crowd at A Night To Remember. Picture: Karen Boyes

Host Big Ian will seek to make the audience laugh, cry, sing, dance and part with money as he shows why he is so in demand as an event speaker and host, filling venues such as London Excel and Birmingham NEC regularly.

“No other show has musicians from ten decades on stage,” he says. “The format is unlike other shows too as everyone guests on everyone else’s songs with a wall of rich, lush harmonies.”

As ever, George Hall will lead the 30-piece house band, containing members of York party band Huge, to accompany contributions by Jessica Steel, Heather Findlay, Simon Snaize, Graham Hodge, The Y Street Band, Las Vegas Ken, Annie Donaghy, fiddle dynamo Kieran O’Malley and soprano Samantha Holden.

“After eight years of shows together, this unlikely bunch has now become more like family,” says Big Ian.

Heather Findlay performing at A Night To Remember. Picture: David Kessel

York Music Forum Big Band will be performing under conductor Ian Chalk, celebrating a year of success when these young York musicians were crowned Big Band of the Year at the Northern Jazz Awards, as well as winning numerous individual plaudits for solo musicianship.

Look out too for a bespoke choir created for the Barbican show by Easingwold singer and choir workshop leader Jessa Liversidge. “Featuring singers from ten decades, it will show the magic that happens when generations come together,” says Big Ian.

As always, A Night To Remember is priced affordably with all ticket money going to good causes in York as the community sings with one voice.

“The concert raises much-needed funds for St Leonard’s Hospice, Bereaved Children Support York and Accessible Arts and Media to get people with learning difficulties into performing,” says Big Ian.

Beth McCarthy on stage at A Night To Remember. Picture: Duncan Lomax, Ravage Productions

Beth McCarthy, the York singer now based in London with 481,000 Instagram followers, will be joining the show  before her European tour takes her to theatres in Amsterdam, Paris, Rome and Barcelona.

“We are so lucky to still have Beth as part of the team,” says Big Ian, her former school teacher at The Mount. “She’s come a long way since she played our first school concert when she was 12 and I was brought in as Jack Black for their summer School Of Rock-style festival Mountstock.

Beth, who competed on BBC One’s The Voice  at the age of 16, has played the main stage at BBC Big Weekend and recorded live sets for BBC Radio 1 at Maida Vale Studio. 

“Beth owned the stage the last time we did A Night To Remember,” says Big Ian. “Her level of performance has reached a whole new level. She’s a fully formed performer with so much talent and energy.” 

Kieran O’Malley: On the fiddle at A Night To Remember at York Barbican. Picture: David Kessel

Looking forward to November 12’s set list of favourite anthems, Jo Cole, of Bereaved Children Support York, says: “A Night To Remember was our biggest contributor when we started out and has been invaluable in allowing us to provide one-to-one counselling for families. They have helped us for nine years.

“But it’s not just the money that’s raised at these nights, it’s how it raises the profile of the charities and brings everyone together.”

A Night To Remember has become the UK’s biggest concert to raise dementia awareness, drawing people  from all over the country.

“The night also funds some bespoke dementia projects in the city, including art classes with Sue Clayton, singing, gardening groups and Xmas Presence to combat loneliness in our older community,” says Big Ian.

Graham Hodge: Regular participant in A Night To Remember. Picture: David Kessel

“This is a unique evening of York helping York. Already I’ve filmed some surprise films from very well-known names from TV to surprise the crowd.”

Fewer than 100 tickets are still available for the stalls.  “Be quick,” advises Big Ian. “We also ask everyone to bring a raffle prize and some money for raffle tickets for York’s biggest raffle on the night.

“Who knows how much we can add to the £200,000 raised since we started A Night To Remember?”

Tickets cost £20 from yorkbarbican.co.uk. “Don’t just save the date. Get a group of friends out and book your tickets for Wednesday, November 12 2025 to avoid disappointment,” says Big Ian.