Latest news with #SpandauBallet
Leader Live
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Go Span Duran to perform at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse
The event will take place on Friday, June 6, combining an afternoon of jump racing with an evening of live music. Following the success of last year's Glast-on-Dee, the racecourse's first live music fixture, this year's event promises an even more vibrant atmosphere. The Summer Music Meet will pay tribute to the famous Live Aid concert. Racegoers can look forward to a trip back to the 1980s with tribute band Go Span Duran taking the stage after the races. The band will entertain the crowd with hits from Go West, Spandau Ballet, and Duran Duran, along with other popular songs from the 80s. The live performance is set to start at around 5pm, after the last race, and will last for about an hour. Go Span Duran will be performing (Image: Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse) The afternoon will see a full card of competitive jump races. As the last horse crosses the finish line, the focus will shift to the stage for Go Span Duran's performance. READ MORE: Emmerdale star breaks silence on return after 6 years and fans 'can't believe it' Sam Martin, head of marketing and communications at Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse, said: "We're delighted to welcome Go Span Duran to Bangor-on-Dee for what promises to be a memorable day. "The combination of exciting racing and classic 80s music will create a brilliant atmosphere and a great day out for all. "As a racecourse firmly rooted in the local community, we're proud to continue developing events that bring people together. "We really encourage those living nearby to come along, soak up the atmosphere and enjoy a fantastic day with friends and family." For more information about the event, including tickets, timings, travel advice, and hospitality packages, visit the Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse website.
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
New RTÉ series delves into Ireland's favourite love ballads
A new RTÉ series will delve into the fascinating stories behind some of Ireland's most adored love ballads. The four-part programme, Aistear an Amhráin, delves into the meaning of four tracks cemented in Irish history. This includes the heartbreaking Grace, Cork's favourite song After All by The Frank and Walters, Spandau Ballet's Through the Barricades and Irish-language stomper An Poc Ar Buile. Singers, songwriters and historians will appear in the series to give viewers an insight into the fascinating tales behind these hit tracks. Episode one will focus on one of Ireland's most loved and well-known songs - Grace. Written in 1985 by brothers Frank and Seán O'Meara, the song was inspired by the tragic love story of Grace Gifford, who married Joseph Mary Plunkett in the chapel at Kilmainham Gaol just hours before his execution in 1916. Appearing in the series, the O'Meara brothers say the song came about after they were asked to write a big hit by a music producer. As he was driving to Kilmainham in 1984, Sean says one of the most famous lines of the song came to him as he imagined the final words of Ireland's founding fathers. 'As we gather in the chapel here in Old Kilmainham jail, I think about these last few weeks, oh will they say we failed'. Grace was released by Jim McCann in 1986 and has since been covered by several artists including the Dubliners and Rod Stewart. The song was also made popular after boxer Kellie Harrington sang it following her Olympic gold medal win last year. While many are aware of the story as the Dubliners' version has become a pub classic, Aistear an Amhráin tells Grace's life story. Born in Dublin, she is one of the few women of the Easter Rising that is remembered. A talented illustrator, Grace converted to Catholicism to marry an Irish Republican. She joined in the struggle at the inception of the Irish state and ended up as a prisoner in Kilmainham jail during the Civil War, seven years after her husband's execution. In the episode, Fair City star Roxanna Nic Liam shows viewers some of the landmarks associated with Grace. This includes St Enda's Park in Rathfarnham, where she first met Joseph Plunkett, University Church in St Stephen's Green, where she converted to Catholicism, and Grafton Street, where she bought their wedding rings. Aoife Scott also discusses the haunting version of Grace she performed with Róisín O and Danny O'Reilly on the 100th anniversary of the 1916 Rising at Kilmainham Gaol. Domhnall Ó Bric, an acclaimed Kerry illustrator, explores Grace Gifford's work, much of which is housed in NIVAL, the National Irish Visual Arts Library at NCAD, Dublin. The series will also delve into Cork's favourite song, After All by The Frank and Walters. Formed in 1989, the band originally consisted of brothers Paul and Niall Linehan and Ashley Keating. However, Niall left the group as a guitarist in 2004, Cian Corbett joined as a keyboardist a year later, and Rory Murphy joined in 2010. The musicians created history when they became the first from the Rebel county to appear on the BBC's Top of the Pops with the hit. The upbeat tune, which featured on The Young Offenders, has been described by Paul as a 'celebration of life and value of relationships, even when they have their ups and downs'. Aistear an Amhráin will also tell the devastating tale behind English band Spandau Ballet's Through the Barricades. Released in 1986, it's the second single from their studio album of the same name. The song is inspired by the murder of a member of the band's road crew in Belfast during the troubles. It tells a Romeo and Juliet tale of the impossibility of a relationship with two people from divided communities. The final tune that the RTÉ show will delve into is the Irish language foot stomper An Poc Ar Buile. From an original poem by Dónal Ó Mulláin in the early 20th century, the song was made famous in the early 1960s when recorded by Seán Ó Sé. Translated into English as 'The Mad Puck Goat', it's a patriotic fighting song, and has become the anthem of the Puck Fair held in Killorgin, Co Kerry, every summer. Aistear an Amhráin returns for a second series on June 3 at 7pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Spandau Ballet star Tony Hadley, 64, becomes a grandfather for the first time as his daughter gives birth to a baby boy
Former Spandau Ballet singer Tony Hadley took to Instagram to express his immense pride after becoming a grandfather for the first time at the age of 64. The Hadley family welcomed baby Freddie-Floyd Hadley Huntley to the world after Toni, one of the Gold hitmaker's five children, gave birth on May 19. Sharing a black and white photo of the cute new-born on Wednesday, Tony wrote: 'We're so proud and happy to welcome little Freddie to the world! 'He's so gorgeous! Toni and Andy and all the family are over the moon! Love, Papa Tone xx' Tony previously revealed he couldn't wait for the new addition to his family so he could 'continue being childlike'. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'All the family are over the moon,' the 80s star gushed in his caption In a sweet video posted by Toni, the baby's mother, the former Spandau Ballet front man looked elated to at last be able to cradle his grandson. The video detailed the day Freddie was born, from when Toni went into the Labour Ward until she and her partner Andy Huntley brought their son home. It included footage of Tony sharing a sweet embrace with his daughter moments after she gave birth to her first child. Toni gushed in the heart-warming's post's caption: 'SAY HELLO TO OUR BEAUTIFUL BABY BOY - FREDDIE-FLOYD HADLEY HUNTLEY - BORN 19 MAY 2025. 'No words will ever come close to the love we feel for him. He is the most precious gift and already the centre of our world. 'We still find ourselves staring at you every day, in disbelief and pure gratitude that you're ours. Freddie-Floyd, you've made us the happiest we've ever been. 'You are everything. Your first week earthside has already been full of love, you've met your London Grandparents, your Great Nanny, Aunties and Uncle and the world hasn't stopped falling for you since. 'Here's to the life we always dreamed of, finally whole with you in it. We love you, little man. Always.' The birth of his new grandson comes as Tony prepares for a European tour later this year, having left Spand Ballet in 2017. The 80s boyband, which consisted of Tony alongside brothers Martin and Gary Kemp, saxophonist Steve Norman and drummer John Keeble, had eight UK top 10 albums and ten UK top ten hits. Hits such as Gold made Tony and his bandmates household names during that era with their tunes regularly played at nightclubs across the country. But after leaving the group in 2017, Tony revealed his bandmates 'made his life impossible' during the height of their fame. He later told The Mirror in 2023: 'You could offer me all the tea in China and I wouldn't get back with them. There's no way. 'I'm pretty easy-going, it takes a lot to get to that point but once you've pushed me and crossed that line, that's it. I'm done.' Tony continued: 'There's a very specific reason as to why I left and they've never been brave enough to say. 'But it's not my fault. The reason I left was not my fault,' he added. The 64-year-old had hinted that he may open to a farewell tour with his old bandmates - but nothing has materialised yet.
Perth Now
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Tom Grennan wrecked car after crashing into faeces filled sewage pipes
Tom Grennan was left covered in poo when he smashed his car into a London hotel's sewage pipes in an underground car park. The 29-year-old singer wrecked his six-day-old Mercedes-Benz G-Class - also known as a G-Wagon - when he forced the vehicle into the parking facility when it did not fit after he needed somewhere to stop off for a comfort break en route to a ballet show date with his wife, Danniella Carraturo. Tom - who was wearing a white suit - recalled how the G-Wagon's sun roof "ripped open" before his vision went "dark" and he felt cold all over his body. Then he realised he and his car were "covered" in human excrement and other waste. Tom - who gets "PTSD" from recalling the stinker of an ordeal - told Roman Kemp on the 'You About?' podcast: "Everything went dark, right? And, and cold. And I'm sat in this brand-new G-Wagon with human waste. "There's tampons in the car. There's like - I've got a white suit on because I'm going to the ballet, so I wore a white suit to the ballet. So now I'm like covered in waste. "And, honestly, I had to do the whole journey again because I had to turn the car around. "There's full-on solid poos. And I'm like, Oh my days." Tom, who cried as the G-Wagon's sunroof caved in, bawled when he phoned Danniella to explain what had happened and to apologise for being "late". And the 'Let's Go Home Together' singer, who did not want to go to the ballet in the first place, was shocked by Danniella's response to the dirty disaster. Tom said: "I got up and rang my missus because I was late, and I was like in tears. "And I rang my missus like, 'Well, you're never gonna believe what's happened.' And she went, 'I knew you didn't want to go to the ballet!" "I couldn't believe her reaction!" Before telling Roman - whose dad is former Spandau Ballet bassist Martin Kemp and mum is ex-Wham! vocalist Shirlie Kemp - about his tale, Tom said: "This car story gives me PTSD. Like, I can't go into underground car parks."
Edinburgh Live
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Roman Kemp shares parents' money woes as dad Martin's brain tumours led to tough choice
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Roman Kemp has opened up about his parents' past money struggles and how his dad's brain tumour fight led to a difficult choice. In his new BBC Sounds podcast, 'You About?', Roman teams up with his musician friend, Tom Grennan, for what the former described as a "not very planned" format involving "two mates chatting about life". In the debut episode, Roman shared insights into his early life and status as the son of famous parents, Spandau Ballet bassist and EastEnders star Martin Kemp, and Pepsi & Shirlie's Shirlie Kemp. Tom quizzed his friend about the press presence in his younger years, prompting Roman to speak about how his dad suffered from a serious health condition and had to undergo operations "for his brain". (Image: Davefor Sony) He said: "You've got two ways of looking at it, basically. Like, it's one or the other. Like, my parents like had us in flipping OK! and Hello magazine when we were kids, right? "But that's because my parents had no money at the time, because my dad had all these operations and s**t for his brain, so they were trying to get more money, right?" Roman added that he wasn't allowed to visit the beach when they went on family holidays, further detailing how they'd frequently be bothered by paparazzi on boats with long-lens cameras. During a medical examination in 1997, when Martin was in his 30s, an MRI revealed that he had two brain tumours, one of which was removed with surgery, while the other was addressed via radiotherapy. Although these operations proved successful, the side effects continue to this day, with the musician suffering from epilepsy. Yet, speaking on the podcast FFS! My Dad Is Martin Kemp, he revealed he also has another condition. (Image: Getty Images Europe) He said: "I am completely dyslexic. I struggle to read, terribly." However, it seems that the condition has other impacts on Martin's life. "But my dyslexia, because it came from a physical thing that happened in my brain, it wasn't just about what I can read and what I can't read," he said. "It is about me finding my way as well." In November 2024, Martin made a stark revelation about his brain tumour battle, suggesting that he believes he has just 10 years left to live. At the time of the scare, he believed for two years that he was "going to die". Martin revealed that after his ordeal, he viewed "everything else", each day, year, and month that he lived, and every experience that he had as a "bonus". He added that by the time he reached 34 and thought he was going to die, he spent a long time "thinking about it" and had come to terms with the idea.
