Paul Heaton

Paul Heaton plays Utilita Arena Birmingham on 13 November 2026. On stage, he keeps it plain and direct: sharp lyrics, tidy melodies and a band built for clarity rather than flash. The set moves through his songbook with stories at the core, lean arrangements and choruses made to be picked up by the room. The mood stays close to the songs themselves: clear, unfussy, anchored by a writer who lets the melodies and words lead.

Sharing the bill, The Lightning Seeds bring Liverpool pop instincts shaped by Ian Broudie: indie pop, britpop and melodic alternative, with clean hooks and precise arrangements. First a studio project, then a live band, they’ve carried songs like The Life of Riley, Change, Lucky You and Perfect with bright guitars and measured grooves. That knack for clear refrains and crisp production still runs through to recent work, from Four Winds to See You in the Stars. A set built on melody and balance, easy to sing and easy to move to.