UK I’m playing at @cardiff_castle and #CastlefieldBowl with the one and only @simpleplan next July 2024. Come rock out with us!

Tickets on sale Dec 1st: https://t.co/vzpVRmAHZh pic.twitter.com/YMOhMRKMov

— Avril Lavigne (@AvrilLavigne) November 28, 2023

Before the shows with Avril Lavigne, Simple Plan will be in the UK for their Hard As Rock tour with New York band State Champs and Florida based band Mayday Parade, which kicks off at the O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester on February 9, and wraps up at London’s Eventim Apollo on February 16, 2024. Throughout this tour, the equivalent of $1 (equivalent to 79p) from each ticket sold will be donated to the Simple Plan Foundation, whose aim is to help young people in need, by easing their difficult passage to adulthood and by supporting the victims of life threatening illnesses.

Lavigne released her seventh studio album Love Sux on February 25, 2022. The album charted at number three in the UK and included the singles “Bite Me”, “Love It When You Hate Me” and “I’m A Mess”. The “Girlfriend” singer will be hitting the road in Europe this summer, alongside her UK shows, to promote the album, produced by Blink-182’s Travis Barker.

Her European tour will kick off next June at Rock For People in Czechia, and continue with dates in Austria, Germany, Denmark, Italy, France and Spain. More information can be found on Lavigne’s official website.

In other Avril Lavigne news, last month the pop-punk icon made a surprise appearance at When We Were Young festival in Las Vegas. While onstage, she first joined American Rock band All Time Low for “Fake As Hell”, her new collaborative track with the band, before pleasing the crowd with a performance of her classic hit “Sk8er Boi”.

Tickets for both UK shows will become available this Friday, December 1. Click the link here to purchase your tickets.

Tour dates:

14/06/2024 – Rock For People – Hradec
15/06 – Novarock – Nickelsdorf, Austria
22/06 – Hurricane Festival – Schnee
23/06 – Southside Festival – Neuhausen Ob Eck
27/06 – Tinderbox – Odense, Denmark
02/07 – Cardiff Castle – Cardiff
03/07 – Castlefield Bowl – Manchester
09/07 – I-Days Festival – Milan
10/07 – Festival de Nimes – Nimes
12/07 – Festival Cruilla – Sant Adria De Besos

This follows after the City was crowned the winner of the hotly contested UK City of Culture 2025 competition. Bradford placed their bid and they were announced as the winners in May 2022.

The City of Culture was established in 2009. After the success of Liverpool’s year of the European Capital of Culture 2008, the city saw significant social and economic benefits. Andy Burnham the UK’s Culture Secretary from 2008-2009, considered establishing the British City of Culture prize and that the winning city might possibly host events such as the Turner Prize, Brit Awards, Man Booker Prize and the Stirling Prize. It was later announced by Sir Ben Bradshaw in July 2009 that a competition to select the first UK City of  Culture would go ahead.

Bradford City has teased a few details of their music month, including promises of Bassline and Bhangra Sober Rave. The City themes are rooted in Bradford’s unique heritage and character, revealing the borough’s magic hidden in its people, its ambitions and above all its potential.

Full details will be unveiled end of September. The music month will be made up of musicians, venue managers and record labels. Promising to “inspire, entertain & engage” with all of Bradford’s unique and diverse community.

Support for the Cultural Music Month will be provided by Bradford Council, Bradford Producing Hub Art Council England, QM Records founder Ned Archibong, musician Sinead Campbell, and events Manager Gail Simpkins.

Mr Archibong said “Music is such a powerful thing.” “The month is about showcasing everything that’s happening in the local music scene, it’s an opportunity to highlight all the good things that are going on here.”

Sinead posted on Instagram, she said “Feeling grateful to be project managing this years November Is Music Month.” Further she added in her post, “I have some exciting projects and plans in line for the next few years towards Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture”

Not only with the City of Culture be set to bring together it’s diverse and well-rounded community, but it is providing opportunities for local musicians to receive funding and support to put their own concerts together. The cash boost supports the Government’s ambition to grow the economy, with approximately 1,000 performances by local artists and creatives expected to attract more than 15 million visitors in 2025. For more information on the support provided click here.

Sinead Campbell, Bradford Music Month Project Manager added, “Music Month shines a light on the diverse gigs and workshops happening around the district. We also programme our own unique events that bring something a little different to Bradford such as sober raves that bring together Bhangra and Basseline, a Bradford Opera and the Garden of Eden which brings together intimate gigs and a programme of wellbeing music workshops. It is great to work on a project with a goal to grow whilst remaining authentic- keeping values of quality and inclusivity in tact ”

With 2025 UK City of Culture music month nearing, the hope by the team is that it will become a regular date in the district’s cultural calendar.

The series will consist of eight free ticketed, open-air events. One act will perform on alternating weekends starting with Miles Kane on Saturday 25th of July and will continue until the 16th of August when the Pupinni Sisters will close the series.

View this post on Instagram

Excited to do a little acoustic gig in Camden Market this Saturday. Tickets are free and available from the link in bio.

A post shared by Miles Kane (@mileskane) on Jul 20, 2020 at 9:45am PDT

Speaking about the event, Neil O’Brien has said; “I am incredibly excited to help programme the artists appearing at one of the first live music events to take place in London for over three months. The artists involved have been absolutely brilliant and extremely supportive – reflecting the diverse nature of what Camden Market has to offer. It’s great to be able to get everyone safely back together, to enjoy the power of good music and good times.”

Joining Miles Kane on the line-up is Shaun Escoffery, Stone Foundation, Sons of Pitches, Newton Faulkner, John Power, Mae Muller and The Puppini Sisters, along with DJ sets by Don Letts, Shiine On and Solar Radio.

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Hot off the press! Our freshly announced line up for #camdenunlocked in case you hadn’t seen, the line up is below, get tickets whilst you still can! Saturday 25 July – Miles Kane → SOLD OUT Sunday 26 July – Shaun Escoffery + Solar Radio DJ Set → Tickets available Friday 31 July– Sons of Pitches → Tickets available Saturday 1 August– Newton Faulkner & Don Letts (DJ Set) → Tickets available Friday 7 August – John Power & Shiine On (DJ Set) → SOLD OUT Saturday 8 August – Stone Foundation → SOLD OUT Saturday 15 August – Mae Muller → SOLD OUT Sunday 16 August – Pupinni Sisters → Tickets available Booking link in our bio!

A post shared by @ camdenmarketldn on Jul 20, 2020 at 10:43am PDT

The event will be the first live outdoor event since COVID-19 forced the country into lockdown. This event comes after the government’s announcement to permit outdoor shows from the 11th of July as long as they are socially distanced. There are also trials going to see if it is possible to have indoor events return from 1st of August.

Tickets are available here, they are operating on a first come, first serve basis. The dates and line-up are as follows:

25/07 – Miles Kane
26/07 – Shaun Escoffery and Solar Radio DJ set
31/07 – Sons of Pitches
01/08 – Don Letts DJ Set and Newton Faulkner
07/08 – John Power and Shiiine On DJ Set
08/08 – Stone Foundation
15/08 – Mae Muller
16/08 – The Puppini Sisters

The shows must make sure that the crowd consists of a “limited and socially distanced audience.” During a Downing Street briefing yesterday (Thursday, July 9), Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden explained that this is “an important milestone for our performing artists, who have been waiting patiently in the wings since March.” Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, loads of both, international and UK artists had to postpone or reschedule their UK performances and tours.

“Of course, we won’t see crowds flooding into their venues, but from July 11 our theatres, operas, dance and music shows can start putting on outdoor performances to socially distant audiences”, Dowden has said.

so in the uk outdoor concerts can resume as of saturday but you have to social distance.. wheres the fun in that

— elise ²⁸ (@xdarlinglou) July 9, 2020

“That means theatregoers can experience a live play for the first time in months at places like the stunning Minack Theatre in Cornwall, and music lovers can attend Glyndebourne this summer”, the Culture Secretary shared the exciting news.

Of course, the venues won’t be able to host their usual capacity of guests. Instead, the capacity will be reduced in order to meet social distancing measures so the crowd can safely keep their distance from one another. According to NME, venue workers will have to use electronic ticketing and have to keep a record of visitor details.

In addition to the reopening of outdoor venues, a small number of indoor “test events” will be held to work on a plan to reopen indoor venues. Those test events will include performances at the London Palladium, a performance by the London Symphony Orchestra at St. Luke’s Church and some event at Butlin’s holiday parks. However, there hasn’t been any information on when those test events will be held and who they will include.

Furthermore, it is not yet sure which artists will use these new regulations to put on a show for their fans, but given the fact that nearly everyone in the music scene had to postpone their touring plans, a lot of people will be buzzing to get back on stage.