Wigan's Richard Ashcroft announces gig date for summer 2023

Ashcroft, originally from Orrell, is the latest artist to announce a date for next year as part of Forest Live, the summer concert series in which acts perform in spectacular woodland locations around the country.

He has enjoyed an illustrious career as lead singer and songwriter of alt-rock band The Verve and as a highly acclaimed solo artist.

Forest Live is a major outdoor live music series that introduces forests to new audiences in unique, natural woodland arenas around the country. Over two million people have attended a Forest Live gig in the last 22 years, enjoying great music and supporting the nation’s forests when buying a ticket.

Going to a concert helps Forestry England create beautiful places for people to enjoy, run important conservation projects and keep growing trees. Last year they planted some 6.8 million trees, caring for the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests sustainably and welcoming 363 million visits annually.

Ashcroft’s music industry accolades include the prestigious Ivor Novello Awards: Songwriter of the Year (1998) and Outstanding Contribution to British Music (2019). His latest recording, Acoustic Hymns Vol.1, is a salute to key tracks from his repertoire such as A Song For Lovers and Break The Night With Colour as well as Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Drugs Don’t Work and Lucky Man from The Verve’s seminal album Urban Hymns.

Tickets go on sale from 9am on Friday December 9 for the gig set for Sunday June 18 at Delamere Forest, near Northwich, in Cheshire.

For tickets and more information go to www.forestryengland.uk/music