Madness to play city's summer concert
BBCOrganisers have announced Madness will perform the opening concert to raise the curtain on a city's summer festival.
The band will play at Priory Park in Southend-on-Sea on 22 July 2027, the day before the Lazydays Festival takes place at the same location.
The festival returns for its fourth year, with headliners Dizzee Rascal and Kaiser Chiefs already announced.
Madness lead singer Suggs said it was "magnificent" to be returning to Southend, 18 years since the band's last performance in the Essex city.
The band have produced a string of hits over the past five decades, including Baggy Trousers, House of Fun and It Must Be Love.
"Southend is the perfect canvas for a proper old knees-up by the water," said Suggs - real name Graham McPherson.
"Leave your troubles at the gate and let's just lose ourselves for a bit. See you down the front!"
Elliott Waters, creative director for Lazydays Festival, said the team "never could have imagined when we started… we'd be attracting artists of the scale of Madness to Southend".
Daniel Cowan, the Labour leader of Southend-on-Sea City Council, added the festival had been "a fantastic addition to Southend's events calendar, bringing thousands of people together and creating a real boost for our local economy".
Last year, the Lazydays Festival featured artists including Tinie Tempah, Feeder and Natalie Imbruglia.
After Madness raise the curtain on the Thursday, Dizzee Rascal will headline the Friday and Kaiser Chiefs will top the bill on the Saturday.
The Sunday headliner is yet to be revealed.
Tickets for the Madness concert go on sale on 16 October, separately to the Lazydays Festival tickets which are already available.
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