Words by Charlotte Ndupuechi. Photos by Hazel Worthy.
There’s something special about hearing songs you’ve danced to for years performed live by a full orchestra, and that’s exactly what Southampton experienced on Sunday night (14/6/26) as Pete Tong’s Ibiza Classics arrived as part of TK Maxx Presents Southampton Summer Sessions.
The event is one of a series of concerts taking place in the city this summer, with Pete Tong joined by conductor Jules Buckley, a 65-piece orchestra and a fab group of vocalists bringing some of the biggest dance anthems of the past three decades to life.
These are songs that have become part of the soundtrack to so many people’s lives, and hearing them performed in this way clearly brought back a lot of memories across the crowd, creating a real festival atmosphere.
It felt like a slow start, not really getting going until around 9pm, but once it did, the crowd were straight into it, quickly becoming a giant open-air dancefloor. 
As darkness fell, the lighting effects and strobes transformed the space adding to the party vibe. My favourites of the night were definitely “Don’t You Worry Child” and “You Got The Love”, both absolute standouts that had everyone around me singing at the top of their voices. The sound towards the back did feel a little quiet, but perhaps that’s a personal thing as I quite like to feel the bass.
From a practical point of view, it was well handled. There were a good number of security staff getting people in, and multiple bar areas with lots of staff meant drinks kept flowing without too much waiting. The temporary toilets also helped keep queues down, which made a difference with a crowd that size.
Events like this really show what Southampton can do when it uses its city centre well. Bringing major acts into the heart of the city not only creates great nights out but also brings people to spend time in Southampton and enjoy everything in the city has to offer. TK Maxx Presents Southampton Summer Sessions is quickly becoming a real highlight of the summer, and this was another strong one.
A night of pure dance nostalgia, big singalongs and shared memories that had the crowd singing and dancing their hearts out.
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