London’s live music industry is slowly getting back on its feet: The O2 Academy Brixton is set to reopen next month. Tom Grennan will be the first artist who gets to play a gig there after the venue was forced to close due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Grennan will host a virtual performance on the 2nd October, after his headline show at the academy, which was supposed to take place back in May, had to be cancelled. Apart from hits like “Found What I’ve Been Looking For” and “This Is The Place” he will also play some new tunes that he’s been creating during lockdown. The concert will be livestreamed via state-of-the-art virtual reality technology and will be broadcasted on the Melody VR app.
The 25-year-old said that rehearsals have been an “emotional experience”. “It’s weird at the moment. It doesn’t smell like Brixton or feel like it at the moment – it’s just not had anyone in there for a while. Hopefully I can help breathe some life back in to it. It’s going to be a wicked gig.”
Buzzing to announce that I will be doing a 360° interactive livestream direct from @O2academybrix on Friday 2nd Oct! This is going to be special with unreleased songs and surprises to be revealed! I want you all to be involved. Be ready to book your tickets Wednesday 10am pic.twitter.com/RIBCfgg9Gw
— Tom Grennan (@Tom_Grennan) September 14, 2020
The singer admitted that he’s quite “nervous” about the show, as he hasn’t used his voice in a while due to cancelled shows and tours. “Usually I use my voice every day, especially when I am on tour. So its a bit like going back to the gym. I am a bit out of practice. But I’m excited.”
Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, 16th September at 10am here, with a Live Nation presale taking place a day earlier on Tuesday, 15th September, at 10am. To gain access to the presale, you have to register to Live Nation prior to the sale. According to the ticket website, the show on the 2nd October will start at 20:30, with doors “opening” at 19:00. They’re promising “an exclusive and very special virtual performance”, including “never-before-seen material, and major surprises on the night, you will have the best view in the house for this immersive production, guaranteed.”
