David Essex

David Essex brings his unmistakable voice and storyteller’s touch to Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in Liverpool on 19 September 2026. Born David Albert Cook in Plaistow and raised in Canning Town, he first made noise on London’s stages before a breakout in Godspell in 1971, then the film That’ll Be the Day and his self-penned Rock On in 1973. That track set the tone: a blend of glam, British pop and rock’n’roll, with supple phrasing and a narrative streak that has carried through his career.

Across the 70s, from Rock On (1973) and David Essex (1974) to All the Fun of the Fair (1975), Out on the Street (1976) and Imperial Wizard (1979), his writing shifted toward melodic pop rock without losing its edge. Parallel to his records, Essex became a fixture in musical theatre: Tommy, Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds in 1978, and the creation of Che in Evita the same year, adding a dramatic grain that feeds his live presence.

Later came Be-Bop the Future (1981), Cover Shot (1993) and a 2005 detour with Saint Etienne. On stage, he draws from this full arc, moving from early glam-tinged cuts to later, more reflective songs, with theatre-born moments slipping into the set. A night mapped by decades, delivered with the ease of an artist who’s lived every bar.