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My name is Rhys, a first time dad blogging about my adventures and experiences of being a parent. [email protected]

Nile Rodgers and CHIC to headline Swansea this weekend

Swansea’s amazing summer of entertainment is set to continue with a fantastic weekend line-up of top class music.

Global stars Nile Rodgers and CHIC, Anne-Marie and Paul Weller are set to play Singleton Park over three consecutive days from this Friday, July 29.

Rodgers – with hits such as Le Freak and Everybody Dance – plays the Friday, Anne-Marie (2002 and Friends) the Saturday, and Weller (That’s Entertainment & The Changing Man) the Sunday.

The weekend is brought to Swansea by promoters Orchard Live and supported by Swansea Council who are working with promoters to prepare the venue.
A limited number of road closures will be in place.

In order to safely facilitate the event a number of road closures, traffic diversions and parking restrictions will be in place. They include: Friday – 3-11.30pm Brynmill Lane (between Oystermouth Road and Gower Road); Saturday – as Friday plus 10-11.30pm Mumbles Road (between Sketty Lane and Gorse Lane); Sunday – as Friday.

Council cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies said: “We’ve got an incredible variety of events this summer, including these major music acts at Singleton Park.

“They come on top of this month’s incredible Wales Airshow and Elton John who visited the Swansea.com Stadium as part of his farewell world tour.

“There’ll also be free international spectator events like IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea, Volvo 2022 World Triathlon Para Series Swansea and the Para Sport Festival, all of which are being hosted by the city next month (note: August).”

Since co-founding CHIC in 1976, Rodgers has built an unrivalled catalogue of hit songs. His collaborations with such iconic artists as David Bowie, Diana Ross and Madonna have sold over 500 million albums and 75 million singles worldwide. In more recent times his work with Daft Punk, Disclosure, Sam Smith and other artists demonstrates Rodgers’ ability to transcend all styles of music, across every generation.

Support on the night comes from The Trevor Horn Band.  World renowned producer and songwriter Trevor Horn’s influence on pop and electronic music in the 1980s was such that he has been called “The Man Who Invented the  Eighties.’’

Expect to hear such hits as Video Killed The Radio Star, I’m Not In Love, Slave To The Rhythm, Owner Of A Lonely Heart, Dancing In The Dark, Girls On Film, Kiss From A Rose, Relax.

Platinum-selling, multi-talented singer Anne-Marie hits the stage on the Saturday. Since her breakthrough in 2016, Anne-Marie has become one of the globe’s most successful pop stars. She has over five billion streams to her name and earned a platinum debut album alongside five Top 10 UK singles.

Main support at this show comes from acclaimed Mimi Webb, hailed by Radio 1 as one of the sounds of ’22. She has made waves worldwide with her Seven Shades of Heartbreak EP and instantly selling out her first UK tour. Already a huge star on TikTok, Mimi Webb can also boast of being the first UK female artist – since Dua Lipa in 2017 – to land two singles in the UK Top 15 before the release of her debut album.

Paul Weller closes the weekend of music on the Sunday. Weller released his 16th solo album since his self-titled debut in 1992, his fourth in as many years and his second in just under 12 months following June 2020’s chart-topping On Sunset.

This latest album – Fat Pop (Volume 1) – is among his most compelling collections even alongside his era-defining work in the 1970s and ‘80s with The Jam and The Style Council.

Support comes from The Coral. Since their debut EP release in 2001, The Coral have sold over a million UK albums. Their self-titled debut received a Mercury Music Prize nomination and the band have had five Top 10 UK albums including 2003’s chart-topping Magic and Medicine.

During their career they’ve had eight Top 40 singles include the hits Dreaming Of You, Pass It On and In The Morning. Last year they released their ninth studio album, the critically acclaimed Move Through the Dawn, showing The Coral to be one of the most consistent bands in the UK thanks to their knack for crafting great songs and frontman James Skelly’s powerful vocals.

Previous big names to have played Singleton Park include Gerry Cinnamon, Noel Gallagher, Jess Glynne and Catfish & The Bottlemen.

Cllr Francis-Davies said: “The council is committed to making 2022 the best-ever year for world-class sport and entertainment in our city. Working alongside our partners, we’re delivering on that promise.

“There’s excitement indoors as well, with the Grand Theatre and Swansea Arena offering incredible line-ups of events. We’re also supporting events arranged by other groups and organisations – from community bike rides to triathlons and duathlons – and a number of national cultural programmes

“Our events are backed-up by the council’s destination marketing teams who share news of the big Swansea welcome across the UK. We’re backing local tourism and entertainment businesses and we want everyone planning a staycation in Wales and the UK to know about it.”