Spice Girl Melanie C and Jack Savoretti heading to Tamworth as part of summer entertainment

Mel C will be a special guest at the concert taking place on Friday, August 12, with singer, songwriter and musician Jack Savoretti performing on a large stage in the picturesque grounds at the foot of Tamworth Castle.

It is part of a three-week festival of sport and entertainment being held in celebration of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and tickets for the evening of live music go on sale on Saturday.

Savoretti released his eighth album, Europiana Encore, last week and visits Tamworth in the middle of a busy schedule of performances across the UK and Europe, including sell out shows.

His sixth studio album, Singing to Strangers, was his first number one album in the UK albums chart, and his seventh, Europiana, released in June last year, became his second UK number one album. Europiana Encore features an additional six new tracks.

Legendary Spice Girl Mel C will be a special guest. The Spice Girls’ iconic debut single Wannabe topped the charts in 37 countries, with their debut album selling more than 31 million copies worldwide to become the best-selling album of all time by a female group.

They went on to sell more than 85 million records and win a host of awards, including a Brit for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.

When You're Gone, Mel C's collaboration with Bryan Adams, was her first solo venture and since then she has sold more than three million albums, including two number one singles and six top 10s ,with tracks such as I Turn to You, Never be the Same Again and First Day of My Life.

Her self-titled album released in 2020 was her eighth studio album, hailed as her most ‘lifeaffirming, attitude-packed album to date’, including tracks Who I Am, Blame It On and In And Out of Love.

Tickets will go on sale on Saturday via Ticketmaster. They will be priced at £37.50 for adults, £27.50 for youths (10-17) with a full paying adult, and under 9s free, although a ticket is still required. Family tickets (two adults, two youths) are priced at £115.

Tickets will also be available in person from the box office inside Tamworth Assembly Rooms. For more information, visit tamworthartsandevents.co.uk

The concert is part of a bumper three-week line-up of entertainment, live music and sports being planned for the Castle Grounds as part of a programme, called Castle Summer Fest, will take place from July 22 to August 13.

The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra is also performing Music from the Movies, alongside special guests Russell Watson and The Overtones.

Summer Fest will close on Saturday, August 13, with a huge party in the park celebration of the 1980s including Belinda Carlisle, Howard Jones, Thompson Twins’ Tom Bailey, Boney M, The Fizz, Toyah and Katrina of The Waves.

Councillor Robert Pritchard, deputy leader of Tamworth Borough Council, said: “After the last couple of years with the pandemic and not being able to carry out the town’s usual popular programme of events, it seemed fitting to go all out this summer with a big celebration and link in to the Commonwealth Games coming to the region.

“Castle Summer Fest will be huge, with a real mix of events, offering something for everyone, including well-known artists performing in the town as well as demonstrations from the local sporting community. We hope lots of groups will come forward to take part and showcase what they have to offer.

“The idea is there will be something on every day throughout that three-week period in what we hope will be a real boost to the local economy in bringing visitors to the area.

“It’s also a good opportunity for town centre business to take full advantage of the additional crowds by coming up with events and promotions that will link into the Summer Fest programme and Commonwealth Games sporting theme. Tamworth is definitely the place to be for a summer of fun this year."