Deacon Blue is Coming to Johannesburg For Their First-Ever South African Tour in February 2024

Time to start planning right about now – legendary Scottish Pop Rock band, Deacon Blue have announced their first-ever South African tour. Breakout Events is hosting the group for a one-night-only show in Emmarentia, Johannesburg on 24 February 2024. ‘We are excited to announce our first ever shows in South Africa, it’s a country that we have wanted to get to for many years and these shows, both outdoors in beautiful parks, will be really special,’ says Ricky Ross, lead singer of Deacon Blue. We break down everything you need to know below:

When is Deacon Blue coming to Johannesburg?

The band will touch down in Johannesburg for only one performance on Saturday, 24 February 2024 from 12pm to 8pm. The concert will be hosted at the chilled outdoor setting of Marks Park in Emmarentia.

How do I get tickets to the Deacon Blue’s Johannesburg show and how much do they cost?

Ticket sales are currently open exclusively via the Howler and must be booked in advance. The prices range from R695pp for general access and R1095pp for VIP Admission. The VIP experience includes a General Standing Ticket, access to mingle in the shaded, furnished, and fenced VIP tent, your own VIP Bar with limited seating, the use of VIP toilets, and an exclusive VIP lanyard with accreditation to keep as a memento.

Where else is Deacon Blue performing in South Africa as part of their 2024 world tour?

The only other city lucky enough to score a visit from Deacon Blue is Cape Town, with the band confirmed to perform at Kirstenbosch Garden on 22 February 2024. Considering it’s a pretty short and sweet visit, Joburgers should be feeling pretty lucky right now.

What can you expect from Deacon Blue’s live concert?

Thirty-five years since their debut single, Dignity, and millions of record sales since, Deacon Blue are digging out all their old 45s – the Top 10s, the favourites, the sing-a-long rarities – and touring South Africa for the first time. The band have always thrived onstage and looks set to vow local crowds with a selection of their hits.

Deacon Blue is made up of the lead vocals of husband-and-wife team Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, Dougie Vipond on drums, Jim Prime (keyboards), Gregor Philp (guitar) and Lewis Gordon (bass) who will perform some of the group’s well-loved songs like Dignity, Loaded, Wages Day, Real Gone Kid, I’ll Never Fall In Love Again, Your Swaying Arms, Twist & Shout, Your Town, The Hipsters and City Of Love and many more.

The multi-platinum pop/rock band started during the aftermath of the post-punk era and made their mark in the mid-’80s. Their debut album, 1987’s Raintown, raked in platinum status and spent a year and a half on the charts. Their second, When the World Knows Your Name, topped the U.K. album charts and went multi-platinum within a month. Subsequent outings, including 1991’s Fellow Hoodlums, and 1993’s Whatever You Say, Say Nothing were also certified best-sellers and registered longstanding Top Five chart entries.

The group took a break in the early 90s, but returned to touring in 1999. 2001’s Homesick marked their part-time return to recording, and the band continued to exist for a few years on a part-time basis as Ross cut solo outings and wrote for other artists.

In 2012 Deacon Blue issued The Hipsters, which brought a clean, and euphoric sound direction that skyrocketed to number two that year. And while 2014’s A New House and 2016’s Believers both went Top Five, 2020’s City of Love topped the charts. In November of that year, Deacon Blue’s 1987 single “Dignity” was voted “Scotland’s Greatest Song” by a landslide.

Who is supporting Deacon Blue for their South African tour?

Proudly Johannesburg-based Acoustic rock outfit, Watershed who is also one of South Africa’s leading bands has been announced as the headline supporting act for the tour.

Cost: R695pp for General Access and R1095pp for VIP Access, book via Howler