Thousands brave the rain as Chesney Hawkes and ABC perform at latest Bents Park concert
Rain couldn’t keep the crowds away as ABC and Chesney Hawkes performed at Bents Park in South Shields.
The second of three huge weekends of love music left crowds desperate for more at Bents Park despite the heavy rain.
A headline set from 80s pop wizards ABC brought another afternoon of the Bents Park sessions to a close.
Hits from the Martin Fry fronted group including Poison Arrow closed the show after sets from Chesney Hawkes and North East band Nuromantica.
But it was the rain which was the main talking point for most in attendance as heavy showers forced crowds to find the best ways to stay dry.
“I’m a seasoned professional now!” joked the ABC frontman ahead of the show. “The job today is to get the cagoules off and umbrellas down and bring the sunshine.”
The Sheffield-born star added: “The shows are really all about the crowds. That’s the name of the game today and having more of a community feel.”
Talk of thunderstorms earlier in the day soon dispersed, but the crowds persevered through as rain continued through the afternoon.
ABC brought the afternoon of live music to an end, but it was local group Nuromantica who got proceedings underway. Their ‘best of the 80s’ set got the crowd raring to go for Chesney Hawkes, who started with an acoustic version of his smash hit ‘The One and Only’ before closing with a fully instrumental version of the anthem.
“You always get the best crowds up here, the further north you go” he told the Gazette before he took to the stage.
The afternoon was the second of three shows of the Bents Park series of concerts, organised by South Tyneside Council.
“I love these kinds of festivals to be honest” said Hawkes.
“They really feel like community events and I love that there are so many of them across the country.
“There’s more kids and family based stuff. You can notice the kids and give them waves.”
Hawkes was in his element in front of the crowd, who persevered through the conditions with flags and banners professing their love to the star.
The love for local, community based shows continued with Martin Fry, who added: “It’s very different [to other festivals].
“I was looking at everybody as I came through in the car and you’ve got everybody of all ages.
“You get the diehard ABC fans... But they also bring the next generation.”
Martin added how nice it was to perform alongside Hawkes as two stars who came through to stardom around the same time.
“All the people I met on top of the pops back in the day, we were fiercely competitive” he said.
“It’s really nice to reunited with Chesney today.”
The series of shows comes to an end next week with a different tone when dance icon Judge Jools headlines following a set from special guests Ultrabeat on Sunday, August 2.
Joe McElderry headlined the first Sunday of the Bents Park shows. The South Tyneside local was a key part of the Pride in South Tyneside event on Sunday, July 19.