MAINSTAGE INFORMATION FOR BIRMINGHAM PRIDE
SATURDAY 24th MAY
The mainstage will be officially opened on Saturday 24th May at 3pm by the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, followed by a special community launch featuring the Rainbow Voices and the releasing of balloons as part of an HIV awareness initiative with charity ABplus.
Following this will be a special show to celebrate this year’s Eurovision Song Contest which airs later that evening from Belgrade. A host of former Eurovision stars will take to the stage, performing the tracks that they represented the UK with in previous years. The BROTHERHOOD OF MAN will be reprising their winning song from the 1976 contest - ‘Save All Your Kisses For Me’. Former 80s chart topper SONIA will be onstage with her 1993 entry ‘Better The Devil You Know’. Plus, the air hostess trolleys are back again – as our entry for last years Contest – SCOOCH will be here ‘Flying The Flag’. The track that may have bombed in the voting – but scored a top 5 hit in the UK regardless. BUCKS FIZZ follow at 4.30pm. Following the Eurovision show there will be a host of local performers, artistes and DJs to take you into the early evening – with the Pride celebrations ongoing in the bars and clubs til late.
SUNDAY 25th MAY
The mainstage on Sunday plays host to a fantastic line up of top pop acts from 1pm until 8pm. Headliners for the event include Swedish chart topper BASSHUNTER who spent 5 weeks at number 1 recently with his global dance smash 'Now You're Gone'. Former 90s Irish girlband B*WITCHED stars MS LYNCH will be performing new tracks plus all 4 of their number 1 singles. The Eurovision Song Contest theme returns on Sunday with KATRINA LESKANICH reprising her 1997 euro-winner 'Love Shine A Light' and her new single with the Sleazesisters 'They Don't Know'. Pop Idol favourites The CHEEKY GIRLS will be on stage filming for their brand new reality TV series and singing all those cheeky cheeky hits.
The Nightingale Club’s very own boyband BILLIAM will be taking a short break from supporting Girls Aloud on their current arena tour and will be performing the forthcoming track 'My Generation' out on June 16th on the Nightingale Records. CAHILL's NIKKI BELLE will be belting out her current chart hit 'Trippin On You' and the dance anthems keep coming with MARCELLA WOODS from OUT OF OFFICE on stage with her big club hits ‘Hands Up’ ‘Beautiful’ & ‘Break Of Dawn’. Also on a dance music tip, former chart topper SHANIE from ALEX PARTY is re-releasing her number 1 anthem ‘Don’t Give Me Your Life’ in the summer and will be onstage to relive those 90s clubbing moments.
Top Russian pop star SERGEY LAZAREV makes an exclusive UK appearance at the festival this year, the 24 year old was a part of the massively successful Russian boyband Smash! – and went solo after coming second in the country’s version of ‘Dancing on Ice’. There’s more international pop heading our way with BEARFORCE1 from the Netherlands. The band is made up of 5 bearded older guys and has become a huge gay pop phenomenon across mainland Europe.
Madonna fans will be entertained by top US Madge impersonator MELISSA TOTTEN, back to wow crowds with her uncanny Madonna tribute show. The pink sequinned darlings of car insurance THE SHEILAS return by popular demand with a brand new repertoire of perfect pop tunes, plus operatic hunks TEATRO will be bringing a little class to the proceedings with their rendition of Phantom of the Opera amongst others. Priscilla Queen of the Desert soundtrack favourite CHARLENE will be performing her brand new dance version of ‘Never Been To Me’. Also on the bill Anthony Hannah, Electrovamp, Pimp & Jam featuring Mz Lewis, Daruso, Anusha (currently supporting Shayne Ward), Lauren Rose, Stonefoxx, Chris Hyde (Pop Idol), etc etc For the latest names to be added to the stage line up and full weekend listings go to the website - www.birminghampride.org.uk
STAGE TIMES FOR HEADLINE ACTS – approx at time of going to press – subject to change
SATURDAY 24th MAY
Stage opens approx 2pm
3pm – OFFICIAL OPENING with MAYOR
3.15pm- RAINBOW VOICES
Followed by the Eurovision Show
3.30pm – SCOOCH
3.50pm – SONIA
4.10pm – BROTHERHOOD OF MAN
4.30pm – BUCKS FIZZ
4.45pm – LOCAL ACTS/SHOWS until 7pm
SUNDAY 25th MAY
1.00pm BILLIAM
1.15pm ANGELA LEWIS BROWN
1.25pm STONEFOXX
1.35pm DREW DARCY
1.45pm NATALIA
1.55pm KISSING FREDDIE
2.10pm JASON PRINCE
2.20pm CHRIS HYDE
2.30pm LAUREN ROSE
2.40pm KELLY WILDE
2.50pm ANUSHA
3.05pm CHARLENE
3.15pm SLEAZE SISTERS
3.25pm DARUSO
3.35pm STUART GLOVER (TBC)
3.45pm BEARFORCE1
4.00pm ELECTROVAMP
4.10pm SAM SOLACE
4.20pm BASSHUNTER
4.40pm PIMP & JAM feat Mz LEWIS
4.50pm ANTHONY HANNAH
5.05pm SHANIE from ALEX PARTY
5.15pm MARCELLA WOODS from OUT OF OFFICE
5.30pm NIKKI BELLE from CAHILL
5.45pm SERGEY LAZAREV
6.00pm TEATRO
6.15pm MELISSA TOTTEN
6.35pm CHEEKY GIRLS
6.50pm THE SHEILAS
7.10pm Same Difference / / still to confirm
7.30pm MS.LYNCH (B*WITCHED)
7.55pm KATRINA (of the WAVES)
8.15pm APPROX CLOSE
NIGHTINGALE CLUB PRIDE LINE UP
Kicking off the impressive line up is SAMANTHA MUMBA as the singer, Hollywood actress and Dancing on Ice star appears at the official Pride opening event on Friday 23rd May. On Saturday 24th, UK soul sensation GABRIELLE will be wowing the crowds with her past UK number 1 hits 'Dreams' and 'Rise'. Then on Sunday AMANDA WILSON from THE FREEMASONS will be performing her new monster club smash GUSTO's 'DISCO'S REVENGE 2008'. PLUS – former BLUE vocalist SIMON WEBBE will be headlining that evening. For all the latest go to www.myspace.com/nightingaleclub
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