A West End Star, A Grand Piano and Doncaster Rovers

Cause UK organised a performance and media call at the centre of Doncaster football pitch to celebrate the return of live events.  Rachael Wooding, lead vocalist for Queen Symphonic, sang Queen’s…

Racheal Wooding and John G Smith

Cause UK organised a performance and media call at the centre of Doncaster football pitch to celebrate the return of live events.  Rachael Wooding, lead vocalist for Queen Symphonic, sang Queen’s hit, Somebody to Love on the pitch of Keepmoat Stadium. Accompanying her on a grand piano was John G Smith, the Associate Musical Director of Broadway-hit, Hamilton.

Racheal Wooding and John G Smith

Rachael Wooding and John G Smith

The musical stunt gave a taster to a spectacular new outdoor concert series, Lakeside Live, that promises a glorious return to live events after the pandemic. Queen Symphonic is one of the headline acts in the four-day concert series, which will take place 19-22 August at the Keepmoat Amphitheatre, next door to the stadium.

The epic outdoor concerts will feature musical theatre legends, orchestral icons, rock ‘n’ roll and two spellbinding firework finales.

Doncaster Rovers Football Club

Profits from Lakeside Live are helping to support Doncaster Rovers Football Club, after what has been a difficult year financially for football clubs.

Lakeside Live

Alongside Queen Symphonic – who blend full symphonic arrangements with rock performances honouring the greatest hits of Queen – headline acts at Lakeside Live include rock & roll variety show That’ll Be the Day, The Great Yorkshire Proms with Tenors Unlimited, known as the Rat Pack of Opera, and An Evening at the Musicals with West End stars.

The Great Yorkshire Proms will also feature The Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra, a 50-piece orchestra specifically created to support professional Yorkshire-based freelance musicians who have been hit hard by the pandemic.

Doncaster born, Rachael Wooding is a star of the West End, and has worked extensively in theatre including in West End Shows such as We Will Rock You, Cats and Starlight Express and was playing the role of Kit de Lucas in Pretty Woman at the Savoy Theatre, before the pandemic hit.  She was also a semi-finalist on Britain’s Got Talent in 2016.

Rachael said: “Lockdown has shown how important music is. Entertainers and audiences have been without live music for too long. We wanted to perform at Doncaster football club, as Queen made their name blowing audiences socks off in stadium shows. Live music and sporting events have both suffered with lockdown. It’s poignant to sing to an empty stadium, and I think it highlights how we’ve missed audiences. We can’t wait to perform to live audiences this August.”

Melvin Besbrode, who runs the piano emporium Besbrode Pianos in Leeds, volunteered the grand piano for Rachael’s performance.

Guests are invited to bring their own refreshments, chairs and blankets to Lakeside Live and enjoy a magical evening with the stars, under the stars.

The event has been created and designed to ensure potential government restrictions, including social distancing and household bubbles, can be adhered to. Additional safety measures such as on-site hand sanitising stations, additional toilets, and queuing systems will also be in place.

Event listings: Lakeside Live summer series

  • Thursday 19th August: That’ll Be The Day Rock & Roll Show
  • Friday 20th August: Queen Symphonic with the Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra
  • Saturday 21st August: The Great Yorkshire Proms hosted by Aled Jones and featuring Sophie Evans, Peyee Chen, Tenors Unlimited and The Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra
  • Sunday 22nd August: An Evening at the Musicals with the Barricade Boys, Kerry Ellis, Jai McDowall and Trevor Dion Nicholas accompanied by the West End Live Band.

About Vivo Entertainment

Vivo Entertainment is a Leeds-based events producer. The company aims to support musicians, artists, freelancers and audiences who have deeply missed live entertainment throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, offering the opportunity to come together and enjoy unique musical events once again. Vivo Entertainment’s summer series kicks off with Lakeside Live in Doncaster from 20th – 22nd August 2021 followed by Picnic Proms at Harewood House from 3rd – 5th September 2021.

TICKETS ON SALE

Queen SymphonicThat'll be the Day

An Evening at the MusicalsDoncaster Proms