David Essex

On 9 September 2026 at the Brighton Centre in Brighton, David Essex takes the stage with a set that traces his route between British pop, glam-tinged rock and musical theatre. Born in Plaistow and raised in Canning Town, he first played drums and sang in London groups in the mid-60s before a breakthrough in 1971 with Godspell, then on screen in That’ll Be the Day. The self-penned Rock On in 1973 set the tone: flexible, conversational vocals and a knack for storytelling over lean grooves.

Across albums like Rock On, David Essex, All the Fun of the Fair, Out on the Street and Imperial Wizard, his writing moved toward a more melodic pop rock, while the stage pulled him into Tommy, Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds and the role of Che in Evita. He kept balancing records, UK tours, film and TV, and later collaborations, shaping a catalogue that cuts across charts and theatre.

This concert gathers those strands: early singles, album favourites and musical numbers delivered with the ease of a performer who has lived these songs on stage and in the studio. A chance to hear how his voice and songwriting travel from the raw pulse of the 70s to more reflective, tuneful terrain, all anchored by that clear, narrative way of singing that made Rock On a calling card.