Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott are coming to St Helens – Everything you need to know

It’ll be a homecoming show for Jacqui Abbott when she and Paul Heaton arrive in St Helens for one of two special stadium tours this year.

Jacqui, who joined Paul in The Beautiful South in 1994 before taking time away to look after her family, said: “It’s mind-blowing to think we’re going to come to St Helens and play ‘that’ stadium.

Credit: Paul Heaton Facebook

“I’ve lived here all my life and have a large family who’ve always come to the shows – and thankfully, I’ve been told my guest list allocation will go up a bit for this one!”

The stadium tour follows a UK concert tour which sold out so, if you fancy catching the duo to see if you could give them a Perfect 10 – here’s everything you need to know.

When are they coming to St Helens?

They are in town on Friday, July 22.

Where are they performing?

Paul and Jacqui will be performing at the home of St Helens RFC, the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Credit: Pete Stuart / Shutterstock.com

Was Paul in The Housemartins?

He certainly was! One of the UK’s most popular songwriters, Paul first came to public attention in the early 80s as front man of indie poppers The Housemartins (the same group that spawned Norman ‘Fatboy Slim’ Cook). He created The Beautiful South in 1988 with Jacqui joining six years later as lead singer. After she took a break in 2000, he went on to release solo albums, and since Jacqui and Paul have got back together as a duo, they have released four albums: What Have We Become; Wisdom, Laughter and Lines; Crooked Calypso, and Manchester Calling.

Are tickets still available – and if so how much are they?

Tickets are still available. Standard seating is £35 each (plus booking fee) with VIP packages up for grabs too.

Where can I buy tickets?

General tickets are available from www.gigsandtours.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk. VIP packages are available via the stadium website here.

Who is supporting them? 

Paul and Jacqui will be joined by two support acts – Scottish duo The Proclaimers, aka twin brothers Charlie and Craig Reid, and Wigan band, The Lathums.

The Lathums will support Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott

What time will doors open?

Doors will open at 5.30pm and the concert is expected to start around 7.30pm.

What songs can I expect them to sing?

Chances are the setlist will look something like this: The Only Exercise I Get Is You; Old Red Eyes Is Back; I Don’t See Them; I’ll Sail This Ship Alone; Me and the Farmer; Rotterdam (Or Anywhere); A Good Day Is Hard to Find; Everybody’s Talkin’; Five Get Over Excited; D.I.Y.; Prettiest Eyes; I Gotta Praise; Song for Whoever; Don’t Marry Her; A Little Time; Heatongrad; Happy Hour; You Keep It All In, and Think for a Minute.

Encore: Let Love Speak Up Itself; Perfect 10; Caravan of Love, and Good as Gold (Stupid as Mud).

Where is the stadium?

The stadium is on McManus Drive, St Helens, just off Peasley Cross Lane, and next to the Tesco Extra superstore in the town centre.

Credit: Saints RLFC

Will I be able to park?

There is no parking at the stadium, but you can park in one of the council surface car parks in the town centre, all of which are only a short walk away: Birchley Street; Central Street; Cotham Street; Mill Street; North John Street; Parr Street; Tolver Street; Ward Street, and Waterloo Street.

Alternatively, the Tontine multi-storey car park will also be kept open beyond its usual closing time to support the event.

(Be warned that if you park on St Helens Retail Park – and you’re not visiting the shops – you’ll be liable for a fixed penalty).

How do I get to the Totally Wicked Stadium?

By road

The Totally Wicked Stadium is between Liverpool and Manchester and is easily accessible via the M62 motorway. To reach the stadium just exit Junction 7 from the M62 and follow the A570 (St Helens Linkway) until you reach Sherdley Road and then bear left onto Peasley Cross Lane.

Sat Nav details: WA9 3AL.

By train

St Helens Central station is only a 10-15 minute walk from the Totally Wicked Stadium. The station runs frequent services to and from Liverpool Lime Street, Wigan North Western and Preston. The Totally Wicked Stadium can be reached via the Steve Prescott Bridge which crosses over the linkway to the north of the Totally Wicked Stadium; the bridge can be reached by following Shaw Street and then Chalon Way East past the St Helens Chamber of Commerce.

For the Manchester/Liverpool line use Lea Green Station which is less than two miles away from the stadium.

By Bus

Travel to Peasley Cross Lane using the below routes (the stop is right outside the stadium):

17 (Widnes – St Helens), 28 (St Helens Circular), 30 (Chain Lane– St Helens – Sutton Manor), 32 (Clinkham Wood – St Helens – Sutton Manor), 32A (Clinkham Wood – St Helens – Clock Face), 35 (Gillars Green – St Helens – St Helens Junction)

For journey times call 0151 330 1000 or go to www.arrivabus.co.uk or www.merseytravel.gov.uk.

Featured image credit: Paul Heaton Facebook