Beatles, bullets and brass bands in Sheffield's Botanical Gardens

One of Britain's biggest rock bands of the Seventies are gearing up for a special show in Sheffield.
10CC play Music in the Gardens on Saturday, July 1.10CC play Music in the Gardens on Saturday, July 1.
10CC play Music in the Gardens on Saturday, July 1.

10cc, who enjoyed a string of top-10 hits 40 years ago – including 1973 chart-topper Rubber Bullets and 1975 number one I’m Not in Love – headline Music in the Gardens at Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens next week.

The annual event, staged by the Rotary Clubs of South Yorkshire, sees top names perform in the stunning setting of the gardens, while raising money for charities.

This year sees The Bootleg Beatles kick off three nights of music, after the opening night was cancelled.

Sixties rockers The Zombies had been due to perform on Thursday, June 29, but organisers said this show has now been cancelled.

Instead, “the world’s premier Beatle band”, will kick off the event with a headline show on Friday, June 30. Support comes from Sheffield party band and Music in the Gardens veterans The Bootleggers.

On Saturday, July 1, it is the turn of 10CC, still featuring founder member Graham Gouldman, and “one of the very few acts to have achieved commercial, critical and creative success in equal measure”.

A Music in the Gardens spokesman said: “They are among the most inventive and influential bands in the history of popular music.

“Testament to 10cc’s ongoing appeal, the band can count a generation straddling array of fellow artists, everyone from Chrissie Hynde to The Feeling’s Dan Gillespie and Axl Rose to Sophie Ellis Bextor, among their many millions of fans.”

Support comes from Sheffield’s own Boy on a Dolphin singer John Reilly, with his Canadian pianist Lewis Nitikman, who had originally been lined up to support The Zombies.

The final event of Music in the Gardens 2017 is its traditional last night of the proms-style concert.

Night at the Movies will feature the famous Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra, supported by Unite the Union Band.

The spokesman said: “Sunday will reverberate to stirring brass and strings with good old flag waving and one of Sheffield’s most spectacular fireworks displays.”

Tickets to all the shows are now available via musicinthegardens.co.uk priced from £25 for the Friday, £30 for the Saturday and £20 for the Sunday.

Zombies ticket-holders will be allowed into any night on production of their Zombies ticket – with two people allowed in per ticket.

Alternatively, Music in the Gardens organisers say refunds will be avilable from the point of purchase.

Charities supported this year include youth housing specilist Roundabuot, Neorucare, Aquabox and The Rotary Foundation.