Cheeky Fan Gets His Favourite Band To Play In Bournemouth

(l-r) Liam Wyatt from Lansdowne Woodward, Ben Pulford from Pulford Publicity, Debbie Brown from AE Jolliffe and Son, Steve Heald, impresario, and Stuart Fleetham from Xerocad

Acid jazz and funk pioneers The Brand New Heavies are to play in Bournemouth – after a fan asked them to perform in memory of his mum.

Steve Heald, from Ferndown, will donate all profits of the concert to UK Dementia Research Institute. The group had a string of hits in the 1990s – including Midnight at the Oasis - and continue to wow audiences.

They are regarded as a top class live act and they play with an eight-piece band – and at their Bournemouth concert will be supported by Omar. Steve’s mum Thelma died two years ago and he has sought the help of funeral directors AE Jolliffe & Son in Ferndown to assist him with organising the event.

The concert will be held at Bournemouth Pavilion on Saturday 10th August and tickets are now on sale through BH Live or bournemouthpavilion.co.uk.

Other local businesses that are helping Steve include Pulford Publicity which has designed the publicity posters, Xerocad which has printed them and Lansdowne Woodward which has assisted with the insurance. Steve said:

“I love music and when my mum died I decided to do something. I go to a lot of concerts and afterwards I always try and speak to the band."

“I saw The Brand New Heavies at the Barbican in London and asked them if they’d play and they said they would. I was really taken aback, but delighted they agreed. I don’t use computers or emails so I asked AE Jolliffe & Son if they’d help. They said they would and without them I wouldn’t have been able to do it."

“They are doing all the emails for me and Pulfords and Xerocad have also been amazing with the promotional material. The Brand New Heavies are one of my favourite bands - they are as good as anybody live."

“You can’t fake it live and they have an eight-piece band and a wonderful singer. The sound and quality are absolute class. I have seen them a number of times. Hopefully we can sell out and raise as much as possible for the dementia charity.”

Debbie Brown from AE Jolliffe & Son, part of Douch Family Funeral Directors, which has been helping Steve, said:

“After doing the funeral for Steve’s mum we continued to support him and then he asked if we could help him put on the concert."

“As he doesn’t use emails we said we’d be delighted to help and have been liaising with all the necessary people in order to get the show on the road."

“It will be a great concert and the more people who go, the more that will be raised for a great cause.”