SNOW PATROL have announced that they will play a special acoustic concert in Bangor to celebrate Gary Lightbody being awarded the freedom of the borough.
The band's lead singer hails from the Co Down seafront town and the gig will see the band reunite for a one-off performance.
He is set to be awarded Freedom of the Borough by Ards and North Down Borough Council at a special civic ceremony to be held at Bangor Castle on August 30.
Organised by Open House Festival in partnership with the council, the concert will take place on the evening of Wednesday August 30, with tickets on sale from Friday July 8.
Gary grew up in Bangor, attending Rathmore Primary School and Campbell College before heading to university in Dundee, where he formed Snow Patrol. He would later be joined in the band by fellow Bangorian, Jonny Quinn.
He has always maintained strong links with Northern Ireland and Bangor in particular, and has extended his support to upcoming musicians from the area and to the work that Open House is doing to help regenerate the city through arts and culture.
The band has played to mass audiences in Bangor’s Ward Park three times in the past fifteen years - in 2007, 2010 and most recently 2019. Profits from the event will go to Open House for their re-development of the old Bangor Court House into a non-profit music venue, which is nearing completion.
“Thank you to Ards and North Down Borough Council for this honour," Gary said. "I was born and grew up in the Borough, and though I may have wandered for a few years, I made my home back in Bangor again.
"Johnny, Nathan and myself are really looking forward to playing on Bangor seafront for the very first time. It’ll be great craic. This town, indeed newly minted city, has always been a part of me and always will be. I do still mourn Paul’s chippy on the seafront though," said Gary Lightbody.
he council's new Mayor, Karen Douglas, said she was delighted to be serving in the position while the honour was awarded.
"The Snow Patrol acoustic concert on Bangor seafront to mark this auspicious occasion will no doubt become one of the standout events in our city’s musical history and we are grateful to Gary and the other members of the band for working it into their immensely busy schedule," she said.
"It will be a befitting and celebratory end to a summer of music, events and entertainment across the Borough."
Tickets for the concert will go on sale at 10am on Friday 8th July from openhousefestival.com. They cost £22.50, including booking fee and charges. Details of support acts will be announced in due course.
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