Courteeners: Playing Scarborough and Halifax next summer
INDIE rock combo Courteeners will headline outdoor shows at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on June 12 and Live At The Piece Hall, Halifax, on July 9 next summer. Tickets for both gigs go on sale at 10am on Friday via ticketmaster.co.uk.
The five-piece band from Middleton, Greater Manchester, who last played the Scarborough venue in a sold-out show on September 8 2021, will be joined this time by special guests The Coral and Seb Lowe. At the Piece Hall, Halifax’s rising indie star, Ellur will be on the bill, performing songs from 2026 debut album At Home In My Mind.
Since 2008, Courteeners have released seven studio albums, accruing more than one million sales in the UK for St Jude (2008), Falcon (2010), Anna (2013), Concrete Love (2014), Mapping The Rendezvous (2016), More. Again. Forever. (2020) and Pink Cactus Cafe (2024). In 2023, St Jude completed an extraordinary journey to the top of the charts, reaching number one 15 years after its original release.
Fans favourites Not Nineteen Forever, Are You In Love With A Notion?, Bide Your Time, Cavorting and Modern Love all feature on Courteeners’ 20th anniversary greatest hits collection God Bless The Band, alongside two new songs, The Luckiest Man Alive and Plus One Forever. Released on August 28, the album peaked at number two in the UK chart.
In this landmark year, Courteeners played a sold-out homecoming show at Manchester’s Wythenshawe Park on August 29 and will open their autumn arena tour at Leeds First Direct Bank Arena on November 6. In the line-up will be Liam Fray, vocals and guitar, Michael Campbell, drums, Daniel “Conan” Moores, Joe Cross, bass, and Elina Fin, keyboards/piano.
Julian Murray, of Scarborough Open Air Theatre programmers and promoters Cuffe and Taylor, says: “We’re really excited to be welcoming Courteeners back to Scarborough next summer. They were a huge hit when they played to a sold-out crowd here in 2021, so it’s great to have them back and give fans another chance to see them live.
“Courteeners are one of the UK’s most beloved live bands, and we know this will be another very special show. With The Coral and Seb Lowe joining as special guests, we can’t wait to welcome fans from far and wide for what promises to be another fantastic night and a real highlight of our summer season.”
Nicky Chance-Thompson, chief executive officer of the Piece Hall Charitable Trust, says: “Twenty years in the making, it’s easy to see why Courteeners are so popular with their legions of loyal fans. With their relatable lyrics, catchy riffs and honest energy, they’re everything a proper northern indie band should be.
“It’s also fantastic to welcome Halifax’s own Ellur back to the Piece Hall stage [after supporting Supergrass in 2026], shining a spotlight on the incredible home-grown talent we’re lucky to have right here on our doorstep.
“The Piece Hall famously held huge Big Sing events in the 1800s where thousands came to join voices, and I know this gig will build on that energy with a modern twist as Courteeners get the whole courtyard singing their uplifting indie anthems.”
100 not out: Courteeners playing the landmark 100th show at the reopened Scarborough Open Air Theatre tonight. Picture: Cuffe and Taylor
COURTEENERS have the honour tonight of performing Scarborough Open Air Theatre’s 100th show since its 2010 reopening.
Supported by Wirral wonders The Coral, the Manchester band will perform under the East Coast setting sun in a week when fellow Mancunians James will play Britain’s largest purpose-built outdoor concert arena tomorrow and Snow Patrol on Friday.
More than 450,000 people have attended a concert at Scarborough OAT since Her Majesty The Queen re-opened the refurbished Scarborough Borough Council-owned venue in Burniston Road 11 years ago.
Headliners to grace the Scarborough stage include Elton John, Tom Jones, Lionel Richie, Kylie Minogue, Noel Gallagher, Dionne Warwick, Cliff Richard, The Beach Boys, George Benson, Bryan Adams, Michael Ball & Alfie Boe, Status Quo, Happy Mondays, Katherine Jenkins, Little Mix and Britney Spears.
After a pandemic-enforced fallow 2020, this year’s star-studded return has featured Stereophonics, Kaiser Chiefs, Culture Club, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Keane, Olly Murs, UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro and Anne-Marie before concluding with Duran Duran’s sold-out finale on September 17.
Councillor Jim Grieve, Scarborough Borough Council’s cabinet member for quality of life, said: “Since reopening in 2010, Scarborough Open Air Theatre has established itself as the borough’s premier outdoor live music venue.
“Working with our partners, we’ve brought some of the biggest names in the music industry to the Yorkshire coast. This has boosted the area’s reputation for high- quality events and contributed millions of pounds to the local economy.
“As we reach the milestone of 100 shows at the theatre this week, we look forward to many more years of fantastic events to come.”
Scarborough Open Air Theatre venue manager Stuart Clark: Worked on 90 of the 100 shows since the 2010 reopening
Live music is programmed at Scarborough OAT by promoters Cuffe and Taylor, who are part of Live Nation and have a ten-year contract to deliver headline shows at the 8,000-capacity venue.
Venue programmer Peter Taylor said: “What a week we have in store here at Scarborough Open Air Theatre. Courteeners, James and Snow Patrol are three of the biggest names in British indie rock and to bring all three here in the same week is just fantastic. This really is going to be a week to remember.
“Cuffe and Taylor are so proud to have programmed live music at this wonderful venue since 2016, in which time we have brought many world-famous music icons to the Yorkshire coast. We absolutely love it and we cannot wait to add to the 100 big-name headliners in the years to come. Watch this space!”
Shows at Scarborough OAT attract thousands of visitors to the Yorkshire coast each summer and have created an estimated benefit to the borough of more than £25m in the past decade.
Cuffe and Taylor work hand in hand with the council-led team at Scarborough OAT. Venue manager Stuart Clark has worked on more than 90 of the 100 headline shows since 2010. “It’s a brilliant venue – a real jewel in the Yorkshire coast’s crown,” he said. “You only have to look at the calibre of artists who come here regularly to realise how well thought of Scarborough OAT is.
“It’s such a team effort to put these shows on and I cannot thank the incredible team here at the venue and Cuffe and Taylor enough. But, above all, we’d all like to thank the people of the borough and the Yorkshire coast for their incredible support of the venue down the years – and here’s to many more brilliant nights at the OAT.”
Tickets are still available for James and Snow Patrol at scarboroughopenairtheatre.com or on 01723 81811. Gates open at 6pm each night.
Mad about the Boy: Boy George lapping up the cheers at Culture Club’s August 14 concert at Scarborough Open Air Theatre this summer . Picture: Cuffe and Taylor
Details of 100 Scarboroughian Nights
1. Gala Opening Night, 23/7/2010
2. 80’s Rewind Night, 31/7/2010
3. The Doves, 7/8/2010
4. N Dubz, 5/6/2011
5. Elton John, 21/6/2011
6. Musicport, 14/8/2011
7. Last Night Of The Proms, 28/8/2011
8. 80’s Rewind 2011, 2/9/2011
9. Dionne Warwick, 6/6/2012
10. John Barrowman, 21/6/2012
11. Olly Murs, 15/7/2012
12. Russell Watson, 4/8/2012
13. Big Night Out, 18/8/2012
14. JLS, 25/8/2012
15. Olly Murs, 6/6/2013
16. The Wanted, 13/6/2013
17. Happy Mondays, 22/6/2013
18. Leona Lewis, 12/7/2013
19. Status Quo, 27/7/2013
20. Katherine Jenkins, 3/8/2013
Ricky Wilson at Kaiser Chiefs’ gig at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on August 8 2021. Picture: Cuffe and Taylor
21. The Saturdays, 23/8/2013
22. McFly, 30/8/2013
23. Jessie J, 25/6/2014
24. McBusted, 27/6/2014
25. Last Night Of The Proms, 28/6/2014
26. Status Quo, 12/7/2014
27. Boyzone, 26/7/2014
28. Little Mix, 27.7/2014
29. Legends Of Pop 2014, 2/8/2014
30. Union J, 23/8/2014
31. James, 22/5/2015
32. Boyzone, 13/6/2015
33. The Vamps, 20/6/2015
34. Last Night Of The Proms with Alfie Boe, 27/6/2015
35. Jessie J, 10/7/2015
36. Elaine Paige and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, 11/7/2015
37. McBusted, 18/7/2015
38. Tom Jones, 29/7/2015
39. Legends Of Pop, 1/8/2015
40. UB40, 14/8/2015
Nile Rodgers & Chic performing at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on August 20 2021. Picture: Cuffe and Taylor
41. Scouting For Girls, 30/8/2015
42. Will Young, 30/6/2016
43. Status Quo, 9/7/2016
44. James Bay, 12/7/2016
45. Wet Wet Wet, 30/7/2016
46. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, 3/8/2016
47. Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott, 5/8/2016
48. Legends Of Pop 2016, 6/8/2016
49. Bryan Adams, 8/8/2016
50. Simply Red, 12/8/2016
51. Busted, 2/9/2016
52. The Beach Boys, 24/5/2017
53. Kaiser Chiefs, 27/5/2017
54. The Charlatans, 16/6/2017
55. The Jacksons, 17/6/2017
56. Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, 28/6/2017
57. Cliff Richard, 29/6/2017
58. UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro, 30/6/2017
59. George Benson, 1/7/2017
60. Tom Jones, 2/7/2017
Keane caught in torrential rain at Scarborough Open Air Theatre on August 21 2021. Picture: Cuffe and Taylor
61. Little Mix, 6/7/2017
62. Olly Murs, 9/7/2017
63. Madness, 3/8/2017
64. 80s v 90s, 5/8/2017
65. Jess Glynne, 11/8/2017
66. Lionel Richie, 19/6/2018
67. The Script, 21/6/2018
68. Gary Barlow, 22/6/2017
69. Nile Rodgers & Chic, 24/6/2018
70. Steps, 29/6/2018
71. Alfie Boe, 30/6/2018
72. Emeli Sande, 5/7/2018
73. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, 6/7/2018
74. Stereophonics, 19/7/2018
75. Pete Tong Ibiza Classics, 20/7/2018
76. Il Divo, 21/7/2018
77. James Arthur, 26/7/2018
78. Bastille, 28/7/2018
79. Texas, 11/8/2018
80. Britney Spears, 17/8/2018
Anne-Marie, arms outstretched, at Scarborough Open Air Theatre’s 99th show on August 29 2021. Picture: Cuffe and Taylor
81. James, 18/8/2018
82. Hacienda Classical, 8/6/2019
83. Biffy Clyro, 14/6/2019
84. Cliff Richard, 26/6/2019
85. Years And Years, 18/7/2019
86. Madness, 19/7/2019
87. Lewis Capaldi, 20/7/2019
88. Jess Glynne, 21/7/2019
89. Kylie Minogue, 1/8/2019
90. Lewis Capaldi, 30/8/2019
91. Queen Machine, 31/8/2019
92. Stereophonics, 28/7/2021
93. Kaiser Chiefs, 8/8/2021
94. Culture Club, 14/8/2021
95. Nile Rodgers & Chic, 20/8/2021
96. Keane, 21/8/2021
97. Olly Murs, 27/8/2021
98. UB40 featuring Ali Campbell and Astro, 28/9/2021
99. Anne-Marie, 29/8/2021
100. Courteeners, 8/9/2021
Courteeners’ Liam Fray leading tonight’s 100th concert at Scarborough Open Air Theatre. Picture: Cuffe and Taylor
