We’ve Heard A Rumour... and it’s true! Bananarama – the most successful British female band of the 80s – will bring their Too Hot To Handle Greatest Hits Summer Tour to Lincoln next summer.
The iconic group will headline Live at Lincoln Castle on Saturday 19 June, and they’ll be joined by special guests Tony Hadley and Altered Images for an unforgettable night of favourites and pop classics.
Tickets go on sale at 10am Friday via lincolncastle.com and ticketmaster.co.uk.
This summer Bananarama celebrated 40 years since the release of their studio album True Confessions, with a special anniversary edition reaching Number Six in the UK Album Chart.
With the band holding the Guinness World Record for the highest number of chart entries by an all-female group, their Greatest Hits Summer Tour promises to be a party to remember.
Announcing the shows, Sara Dallin said: “Summer 2027 we are so ready for you! We can’t wait to perform all of our biggest hit singles and bring the Bananarama party to some of the UK’s most brilliant outdoor venues!”
Bandmate Keren Woodward added: “We promise a night of real 80s nostalgia and along with our special guests, guarantee an evening that will have everyone dancing and singing along!”
With more than 30 million records sold and 10 UK Top 10 hits Bananarama are one of the most successful female groups of all time. Since bursting onto the scene in the early 1980s, they have amassed a catalogue of timeless hits including Cruel Summer, Venus, Love In The First Degree, Nathan Jones, Robert De Niro’s Waiting and I Heard A Rumour.
Bananarama’s influence has endured across generations. Following the 2024 release of Glorious: The Ultimate Collection, which celebrated more than 40 years of chart success for lifelong friends Sara Dallin and Keren Woodward, they continue to be one of the UK’s most enduring and beloved pop acts.
Their Too Hot To Handle Greatest Hits Summer Tour will see them perform across the UK, giving fans the chance to enjoy a career-spanning set packed with some of the pop’s biggest and best-beloved songs.
Joining Bananarama will be 80s icon and one of Britain’s most acclaimed vocalists, Tony Hadley, whose unmistakable voice helped define the soundtrack of a generation.
As the frontman of New Romantic pioneers Spandau Ballet, Hadley enjoyed worldwide success, helping to deliver some of the era’s defining hits including True, Gold, Only When You Leave and Through the Barricades. Almost 40 years from the beginning of his Spandau Ballet career, Tony’s distinctive vocals still brim with the same passion and energy that first captivated audiences. Combined with a successful solo career, it has cemented his status as one of the UK’s most respected and enduring artists.
Opening the night will be Scottish new wave favourites Altered Images, fronted by the charismatic Clare Grogan. Bursting onto the music scene in the early 1980s, the band became synonymous with infectious pop melodies and a distinctive post-punk edge, scoring hits including Happy Birthday, I Could Be Happy and Don’t Talk to Me About Love. Decades on, their energetic live shows continue to capture the joy and nostalgia of the era, delighting audiences with a timeless soundtrack to the 80s.
The headline concerts are presented as part of an ongoing partnership with Lincolnshire County Council and Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor to bring world class artists to perform in this outstanding historic location.
Cuffe and Taylor promoter Mark Harrison said: “We’re delighted to be bringing Bananarama to Lincoln Castle, alongside two fantastic special guests in Tony Hadley and Altered Images. Between them, they have created some of the most memorable songs of the 80s, and this is a line-up that really does have something for everyone. It’s going to be another brilliant summer night of live music, with plenty of big songs and, no doubt, plenty of dancing too!”
Kimberley Vickers, Lincoln Castle manager, added: “What a fantastic addition to next summer’s line-up. We can’t wait to welcome this powerhouse trio of Eighties pop royalty - Bananarama, Tony Hadley, and Altered Images - to Lincoln for this special concert.
“Take some of the biggest floor-filling anthems of the past four decades and add one of the most incredible historic venues in the country, and it’s sure to be Love In The First Degree. And we’re not done yet, we’ve Heard a Rumour that more amazing announcements are on the way!”
Bananarama are the latest artists announced for Live at Lincoln Castle 2027 which will also see headline shows from Holly Johnson, Kaiser Chiefs, Alfie Boe, Ronan Keating, and Jack Savoretti and James Morrison.
For more information go to lincolncastle.com.