EDITOR'S VIEW: Great music, great crowd and a free shower

A huge turnout defied the rain to see Chesney Hawkes and ABC at Bents Park, proving to Gazette editor Richard Ord that the fiver ticket deal was worth a drenching.

If South Tyneside Council missed one trick with their Bents Park gig on Sunday it was not booking Wet Wet Wet.

Gazette editor Richard Ord and his other half Natasha shelter at the ABC gig in Bents Park. | NPGZ

placeholder image — Gazette editor Richard Ord and his other half Natasha shelter at the ABC gig in Bents Park. | NPGZ

A huge and unrelenting downpour (known locally as a typical summer’s day) tested the staying power of the thousands of fans caught out in the middle of Bents Park to watch headline acts Chesney Hawkes and ABC.

But the South Shields faithful stayed the course and despite the torrential conditions had themselves a (water) barrel load of fun.

Chesney Hawkes performs at Bents Park in South Shields | Jason Button/Iconic Media

I, for one, had my doubts about how charging a fiver for these once free gigs would encourage people to attend, but I was forced to eat my words.

There’s been a fantastic turn out so far, with more than 13,000 tickets being snapped up and more still available for this weekend’s show. If you can grab a ticket, do so. It’s a brilliant day out.

So rain hats off to South Tyneside Council for putting on another great show with exemplary organisation and not charging the earth for the privilege.

Great crowds, great acts and a free shower! What more could you want for a fiver?