South of England Agricultural Society•RH17 6TL Ardingly•UK

Making History!

GRANDSLAM 2018

Simple Minds

The Pretenders

and KT Tunstall

to perform at

South of England Event Centre, Ardingly

Saturday 1 September 2018

Global icons Simple Minds and The Pretenders continue to enjoy outstanding musical journeys and phenomenal worldwide success. They now come together on the same stage for the first time since Live Aid to present a unique opportunity to see both bands as they tour throughout the UK in 2018.

Celebrating new albums, Simple Minds and The Pretenders will perform their classic hits that have made them such a distinctive part of our musical heritage, as well as new material at outdoor venues all over the UK in 2018.

Add to this ground breaking and exclusive tour, as very special guest, KT Tunstall is confirmed to join the tour. Since taking time out and unleashing her new invigorated album this summer, KT was searching for the next chapter in her musical career. Bringing her unique style and warmth to a legion of loyal fans, as she enchants and engages with every song.

KT Tunstall promises to help Simple Minds & The Pretenders take GRANDSLAM 2018 by the horns and fans on a musical journey to remember.

A sensational line up of three unique artists making GRANDSLAM 2018 THE ticket of the year!

SIMPLE MINDS

Simple Minds celebrate the release of their new album ‘Walk Between Worlds’ in February 2018, in advance of the tour and prepare to deliver classic hits and tracks from the new album, certain to delight fans.

One of the most successful and influential British bands ever, Simple Minds have been creating their extraordinary, inventive, adventurous, and highly influential soundscape for almost 40 years. They have achieved six no.1 albums in the UK, as well as hitting the top spot in countless other territories including Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Australia and New Zealand. Since forming in Glasgow in the late 1970’s and named after a lyric from David Bowie’s Jean Genie, the band have sold more than 70 million records worldwide and ‘Walk Between Worlds’ is their 17th album of new material.

On GRANDSLAM 2018, audiences will have the opportunity to see and hear Simple Minds revisit the many chapters of their storied career, taking in classic songs like Don’t You (Forget About Me) and Alive & Kicking, Promised You A Miracle and Glittering Prize, Waterfront and Sanctify Yourself, and bringing things right up to date with the inclusion of tracks from the new album.

“When we started Simple Minds, our objective was to be considered as one of the great live bands. A band that had the desire to go all around the world – playing everywhere and anywhere,” says Jim Kerr. “That challenge is ongoing, and we will relish touring all over the UK next summer, getting up close to so many who have supported us over the years.”

THE PRETENDERS

“CHRISSIE HYNDE STILL ANSWERS TO NO ONE AND IT’S A GLORIOUS SOUND”

Q MAGAZINE

“HYNDE IS MAGNIFICENT HERE – UNAPOLOGETIC AND DEFERRING TO NO ONE”

THE GUARDIAN

“A RESOUNDING AFFIRMATION OF A STILL SHARPLY TUNED POWERHOUSE”

THE MIRROR

The Pretenders latest album ‘Alone’ has been recently released to huge acclaim and tracks from the album will be performed on the tour, together with a catalogue of hits that have shaped the charts and influenced so many.

Reviews of ‘Alone’, the 10th and latest album to be released by The Pretenders and produced by Dan Auerbach have been phenomenal. A wonderfully exciting album, packing a punch as heavy as any of the many hits that were born out of The Pretenders stable over the years. Who can deny Stop your Sobbing, Brass In Pocket, Talk of the Town, I Go To Sleep, Back on the Chain Gang, 2000 Miles and I’ll Stand By You have not defined song writing and been the soundtrack to so many moments. A combination of new tracks and classic hits will ensure that when The Pretenders take to the stage, this will undoubtedly be one of the most exciting performances of the summer.

Formed in Hereford in 1978 The Pretenders line-up is Chrissie Hynde, Martin Chambers, Nick Wilkinson, James Walbourne and Carwyn Ellis.

Over the years the line-up has altered and re shaped with Hynde and Chambers being the only original members. In 2005 The Pretenders were inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame which is only one of the many accolades they have received during their illustrious career.

K T Tunstall

Scottish star KT Tunstall will also be joining the Simple Minds and The Pretenders GRANDSLAM 2018 tour as very special guest.

Scotland born and now Los Angeles based, KT Tunstall emerged with her 2004 classic debut Eye To The Telescope spawning such international hits as Black Horse and the Cherry Tree and Suddenly I See which won the Ivor Novello Award for ‘Best Song’ in 2006. That same year she won her first BRIT Award for ‘Best British Female Artist’, and earned Grammy and Mercury Prize nominations in 2007.

KT has released five albums internationally, to date: Eye to the Telescope (2004), KT Tunstall’s Acoustic Extravaganza (2006), Drastic Fantastic (2007), Tiger Suit (2010), and Invisible Empire // Crescent Moon (2013). Her latest album, KIN, was reviewed as a “power-pop gem” by Rolling Stone. KT’s music has figured prominently in film and television including The Devil Wears Prada,

Grey’s Anatomy, Winter’s Tale and many more.

GRANDSLAM 2018 with Simple Minds and The Pretenders and very special guest KT Tunstall will include a performance at South of England Event Centre on Saturday 1 September 2018. Full details are available from:

www.simpleminds.com

www.thepretenders.com

www.kttunstall.com

www.southofenglandeventcentre.co.uk

www.lizhobbsgroup.com

Liz Doogan-Hobbs MBE, CEO of LHG Live, Promoter said:

“GRANDSLAM 2018 tour with Simple Minds, The Pretenders and KT Tunstall is going to be the standout ticket of the summer. This is a unique musical moment. Let’s take a minute to recognise just how unique. These three artists never disappoint; for decades Simple Minds and The Pretenders have been delighting fans across the world and with KT Tunstall joining them as their very special guest, fans in West Sussex and the wider area are certainly in for a treat! Three amazing artists with superb pedigrees and an arsenal of hits, what a great summer!”

Tickets at South of England Event Centre are priced from:

£37.50 + booking fee (Bronze General Admission)

£45.00 + booking fee (Silver Enclosure)

£60.00 + booking fee (Golden Circle)

Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday 13 December at 9.00am from:

www.simpleminds.com

www.thepretenders.com

www.ticketmaster.co.uk

www.lhgtickets.com

www.axs.com

Limited Accessible Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk

Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult

Artist Links:

Simple Minds

Website www.simpleminds.com

Twitter @simplemindscom

Facebook www.facebook.com/simpleminds

The Pretenders

Website www.thepretenders.com

Twitter @ThePretendersHQ

Facebook www.facebook.com/pretenders

KT Tunstall

Website www.kttunstall.com

Twitter @KTTunstall

Facebook www.facebook.com/kttunstall

Promoter – LHG Live, part of the well-known Liz Hobbs Group, is the UK’s leading producer of ‘music with sport’; one of the country’s premier producers and promoters of a range of outdoor and indoor music events, and a key developer of music partnerships with British sport.

For all press enquiries please contact:

Gemma Kennison-King on: gemma@lizhobbsgroup.com or T. 01636 55566, ext. 3