By Alex Price
THIS summer, 80s pop icon Nik Kershaw and his band are embarking on a limited run of shows, including Warrington’s Parr Hall, to mark his 50 years as a responsible adult.
He will be performing at The Parr Hall on Saturday, 11 of July, as part of his ‘Six in 26’ tour, where he assures his fans that they can expect hits and more. In fact, expect whatever you like!’
I caught up with Nik to discuss his upcoming concerts and find out what his rise to international stardom in the mid-eighties was really like.
“Crowds up there in that area, Liverpool, Manchester… that kind of area, they’re always fantastic, Explains Nik as he eagerly anticipates his performances in the Northwest. ‘They’re always enthusiastic, generous and welcoming.’
Nik first rose to fame in 1984 with the release of his single ‘Wouldn’t It Be Good’, which reached number 4 in the UK charts. His subsequent album, ‘The Riddle,’ went platinum.
‘It was definitely exciting, of course it was, it’s what I wanted to do. It was me living my dream.’
This success gave him the opportunities to perform with some of pop music’s most esteemed artists, including Elton John, which is a collaboration he looks back upon fondly.
‘I was quite nervous about working with him, but he was a sweetheart, he was an absolute sweetheart, and he was a joy to work with’, says Nik. ‘The most nerve-racking thing wasn’t singing or performing with him, it was producing him. I was sitting there thinking, what if Elton’s singing out of tune? What do I tell him?’ Fortunately, he didn’t! I don’t suppose he does very often.’
One of the most notable performances of Nik’s career was when he played at Live Aid in 1985, alongside some of the biggest stars in the world, including Queen and David Bowie.
Looking back on this tumultuous period was initially a challenge for Nik, ‘Trying to connect who you are now to that two-dimensional person you’re seeing on a screen is really quite difficult’.
It took him a decade before he could rewatch the concert, ‘I couldn’t bring myself to watch Live Aid until the 10th anniversary, when a CD came out, and they asked if they could use one of those tracks – Wouldn’t it be good’.
‘My only memory of performing is me forgetting the words. At the beginning of the second verse, I was thinking, “I don’t know the words to the end of this verse!” I always wondered if that fear and panic was actually in my eyes, but I bluffed my way through. Nik laughs, ‘For how terrified I was, I watch it back and think actually, I was alright!’
Along with a string of dates this summer, Nik will continue consistently touring for the next couple of years in the run up to his new album, which he expects will be released ‘hopefully in 2028’.
Tickets for Nik’s upcoming show at The Parr Hall are on sale now:
https://www.thegigcartel.com/Gig-guide/Nik-Kershaw-Warrington-Parr-Hall.htm?id=8606
Picture MP Promotions
