Today, summer concert series Southampton Summer Sessions have unveiled ‘80s synth-pop legends Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) and Scottish hitmakers Deacon Blue as the latest headliners for the event’s 2026 edition.
Pioneering duo OMD will head to the city on 19 June 2026, with their Summer of Hits Tour guaranteed to have fans up and dancing under the stars. With a career spanning more than four decades and with over 40 million records sold worldwide, OMD are one of Britain’s most beloved and influential pop groups. Their genre-defying hits — including ‘Enola Gay’, ‘Maid of Orleans’, ‘Souvenir’ and ‘If You Leave Me’ — propelled them into the stratosphere and helped shape the musical landscape of the 1980s.
Renowned for live shows packed with energy, nostalgia and synth-driven brilliance, OMD promise to bring a night filled with dancing and timeless hits to the city this summer.
Lighting up Southampton on 27 June 2026, Deacon Blue will bring their signature sound and electrifying live show to Guildhall Square as part of their The Great Western Road Trip Rolls On tour.
Performing their biggest hits including ‘Real Gone Kid’ and ‘Dignity’, alongside songs from their latest album The Great Western Road, Deacon Blue will also be joined by very special guests Lightning Seeds.
Speaking about hitting the road, frontman Ricky Ross said: “No one knows where The Great Western Road ends up, least of all us! For now the road goes on and next summer we are taking the shows to some beautiful venues. We can’t wait to see you there and we promise to make the night very special.”
Celebrating 40 years since Ross and Dougie Vipond first formed the band, Deacon Blue’s Southampton show will be a career-spanning night of hits including ‘Chocolate Girl’, ‘Wages Day’ and ‘Fergus Sings The Blues’.
With more than 7 million albums sold, two UK Number One albums, and a songbook filled with heartfelt, singalong hits, Deacon Blue remain one of the UK’s most enduring and best-loved life acts.
Very special guests Liverpudlian indie icons Lightning Seeds first burst onto the music scene in the late ‘80s with their shimmering debut Cloudcuckooland. Fast becoming one of the country’s most cherished indie-pop acts, the band are the masterminds behind timeless favourites like ‘Pure’, ‘Lucky You’ and ‘The Life of Riley’.
Renowned for their melodic brilliance and feel-good live shows, Lightning Seeds continue to delight fans across generations — the perfect addition to an unmissable night of music at Southampton Summer Sessions.
An unmissable celebration of globally renowned artists set against the backdrop of the city’s cultural centre, Summer Sessions brings world-class music experiences and iconic global artists right to the heart of Southampton.
Held in Guildhall Square, at the centre of the city’s bustling Cultural Quarter, 2026 will see performances from Alex James’ Britpop Classical, Billy Ocean, Pete Tong Ibiza Classics, Paul Weller, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Deacon Blue, plus more to be announced.
Tickets for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark and Deacon Blue at Southampton Summer Sessions 2026 will be available from 10am on Friday 7 November.
Southampton Summer Sessions 2026
19 June: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
27 June: Deacon Blue with special guests Lightning Seeds
- In Common is not for profit. We rely on donations from readers to keep the site running. Could you help to support us for as little as 25p a week? Please help us to carry on offering independent grass roots media. Visit: https://www.patreon.com/incommonsoton