ben elton tour

BEN ELTON AUTHENTIC STUPIDITY

Following the huge success of Ben Elton’s critically acclaimed sold-out UK tour in 2019, which marked his return to live comedy after a fifteen year hiatus, the undisputed godfather of modern stand-up is going back on the road with his new show – Authentic Stupidity.

Ben says ‘Since my last live tour a whole new existential threat has emerged to threaten humanity! Apparently Artificial Intelligence is going to destroy us all! Well I reckon our real problem isn’t Artificial Intelligence it’s good old fashioned Authentic Stupidity! Forget AI! It’s AS we need to be worrying about!’

Ben Elton first exploded into the national consciousness back in the 1980’s hosting Channel 4’s groundbreaking Saturday Live and he’s been setting the standard for gag filled, taboo busting, tonsil rattling, mind expanding stand-up comedy ever since!

UK & IRELAND TOUR

Sunday 01 september, york barbican, monday 02 september, newcastle tyne theatre & opera house, tuesday 03 september, edinburgh the queen’s hall, wednesday 04 september, glasgow pavilion theatre, thursday 05 september, aberdeen music hall, saturday 07 september, warrington parr hall, sunday 08 september, nottingham theatre royal, monday 09 september, birmingham symphony hall, tuesday 10 september, sheffield city hall, wednesday 11 september, cambridge corn exchange, thursday 12 september, bristol beacon, sunday 15 september, milton keynes theatre, monday 16 september, wycombe swan theatre, tuesday 17 september, bedford corn exchange, thursday 19 september, colchester charter hall, friday 20 september, hayes the beck theatre, saturday 21 september, st albans alban arena, sunday 22 september, basingstoke the anvil, monday 23 september, guildford g live, friday 27 september, leeds playhouse, saturday 28 september, swindon wyvern theatre, sunday 29 september, cardiff new theatre, wednesday 02 october, wolverhampton grand theatre, thursday 03 october, coventry warwick arts centre, friday 04 october, stevenage gordon craig theatre, saturday 05 october, ipswich corn exchange, sunday 06 october, canterbury the marlowe, monday 07 october, aylesbury waterside theatre, wednesday 09 october, southport comedy festival, thursday 10 october, salford the lowry, friday 11 october, oxford new theatre, saturday 12 october, folkestone leas cliff hall, sunday 13 october, woking new victoria theatre, monday 14 october, southend cliffs pavilion, tuesday 15 october, tunbridge wells the assembly hall, saturday 19 october, poole lighthouse, sunday 20 october, portsmouth guildhall, monday 21 october, hastings white rock theatre, tuesday 22 october, kingston rose theatre, thursday 24 october, weston-super-mare the playhouse, friday 25 october, barnstaple queen’s theatre, saturday 26 october, yeovil westlands entertainment venue, sunday 27 october, torquay princess theatre, thursday 31 october, belfast ulster hall, friday 01 november, dublin 3olympia, sunday 03 november, liverpool philharmonic, monday 04 november, leicester de montfort hall, wednesday 06 november, northampton royal & derngate, thursday 07 november, worthing the assembly hall, friday 08 november, crawley the hawth, saturday 09 november, weymouth pavilion, sunday 10 november, theatre royal bath, monday 11 november, brighton theatre royal, thursday 14 november, lincoln engine shed, friday 15 november, chatham central theatre, saturday 16 november, dorking halls, monday 18 november, london lyceum theatre.

EUROPEAN TOUR

Sunday 24 november, copenhagen remen teater, monday 25 november, amsterdam meervaart, tuesday 26 november, oslo folketeateret, wednesday 27 november, stockholm china teatern.

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Ben Elton tour dates 2024

Ben Elton is currently touring across 1 country and has 53 upcoming concerts.

Their next tour date is at York Barbican in York, after that they'll be at Tyne Theatre & Opera House in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Currently touring across

Upcoming concerts (53) See nearest concert

York Barbican

Tyne Theatre & Opera House

Queens Hall Edinburgh

Pavilion Theatre Glasgow

Aberdeen Music Hall

Pyramid and Parr Hall

Theatre Royal

Symphony Hall

Sheffield City Hall Oval Hall

Cambridge Corn Exchange

Bristol Beacon

Milton Keynes Theatre

Wycombe Swan Theatre

Bedford Corn Exchange

Charter Hall

Beck Theatre

The Alban Arena

G Live Guildford

Wyvern Theatre

New Theatre Cardiff

Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Warwick Arts Centre

Stevenage Arts & Leisure Centre

Ipswich Corn Exchange

The Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury

Southport Comedy Festival Under Canvas

New Theatre Oxford

Leas Cliff Hall

New Victoria Theatre

Southend Cliffs Pavilion

Tunbridge Wells Assembly Hall

White Rock Theatre

Rose Theatre

Playhouse Theatre

The Queens Theatre

Yeovil Westlands

Princess Theatre - Torquay

Ulster Hall

Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

De Montfort Hall

Royal & Derngate Theatre

Assembly Hall

Hawth Theatre

Weymouth Pavilion

Theatre Royal Brighton

Engine Shed

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London Coliseum

Casino de Paris

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Ben Elton to tour again in 2024

Friday 15th December 2023, 11:02am

• Ben Elton: Authentic Stupidity will run between September and November 2024
• "I've spent 45 years in comedy exploring the outer limits of human idiocy and my mission has never been more timely"

Tickets are on sale from sites including Ticketmaster

Ben Elton is to tour another stand-up show in 2024 .

Ben Elton: Authentic Stupidity will run between September and November.

His promoters say: "Following the huge success of Ben Elton 's critically acclaimed sold-out UK tour in 2019 , which marked his return to stand-up after a 15 year hiatus, the undisputed godfather of modern stand-up is going back on the road with a brand new live show - Authentic Stupidity . Taking in 54 dates across the UK & Ireland, the tour opens at York Barbican on 1 September and culminates in London's West End on 18 November.

"The world has changed a lot since Ben last toured five years ago - a whole new existential threat has emerged to challenge our very existence: Artificial Intelligence. Apparently, it's going to render all human life meaningless, but Ben is here to warn you that AI is not the greatest threat that we face; it's Authentic Stupidity!"

Elton says: "The verdict's in! Humanity is thick! Homo halfwit. The idiot branch of the Ape family! We need signs to tell us to step off escalators, we elect gibbering fools to lead us and now we've invented Artificial Intelligence which is actually going to replace us! I've spent 45 years in comedy exploring the outer limits of human idiocy and my mission has never been more timely. Forget AI! It's AS we need to be worrying about!"

1 September: York, Barbican 2 September: Newcastle, Tyne Theatre and Opera House 3 September: Edinburgh, Queen's Hall 4 September: Glasgow, Pavilion Theatre 5 September: Aberdeen, Music Hall 7 September: Warrington, Parr Hall 8 September: Nottingham, Theatre Royal 9 September: Birmingham, Symphony Hall 10 September: Sheffield, City Hall 11 September: Cambridge, Corn Exchange 12 September: Bristol, Beacon 15 September: Milton Keynes Theatre 16 September: High Wycombe, Swan Theatre 17 September: Bedford, Corn Exchange 19 September: Colchester, Charter Hall 20 September: Hayes, Beck Theatre 21 September: St Albans, Alban Arena 22 September: Basingstoke, Anvil Theatre 23 September: Guildford, G Live 27 September: Leeds, Playhouse 28 September: Swindon, Wyvern Theatre 29 September: Cardiff, New Theatre 2 October: Wolverhampton, Grand Theatre 3 October: Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre 4 October: Stevenage, Gordon Craig Theatre 5 October: Ipswich, Corn Exchange 6 October: Canterbury, Marlowe Theatre 7 October: Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre 10 October: Salford, The Lowry 11 October: Oxford, New Theatre 12 October: Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall 13 October: Woking, New Victoria Theatre 14 October: Southend, Cliffs Pavilion 15 October: Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall 19 October: Poole, Lighthouse 20 October: Portsmouth, Guildhall 21 October: Hastings, White Rock Theatre 24 October: Weston-Super-Mare, Playhouse 25 October: Barnstaple, Queen's Theatre 26 October: Yeovil, Octagon Theatre 27 October: Torquay, Princess Theatre 31 October: Belfast, Ulster Hall 1 November: Dublin, 3Olympia Theatre 3 November: Liverpool, Philharmonic Hall 4 November: Leicester, De Montfort Hall 6 November: Northampton, Royal and Derngate 7 November: Worthing, Assembly Halls 8 November: Crawley, Hawth Theatre 9 November: Weymouth, Pavilion Theatre 11 November: Brighton, Theatre Royal 14 November: Lincoln, Engine Shed 15 November: Chatham, Central Theatre 16 November: Dorking Halls 18 November: London, Lyceum Theatre

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Ben Elton to embark on ‘Authentic Stupidity’ tour in 2024

Ben Elton will embark on the ‘Authentic Stupidity’ tour in 2024, which will include 54 dates across the UK & Ireland.

The tour opens at York Barbican on 1st September 2024 and will end in London’s West End on 18th November. ‘Authentic Stupidity’ will be Elton’s first tour in five years and the world has changed a lot since then – a whole new existential threat has emerged to challenge our very existence: Artificial Intelligence. Apparently, it’s going to render all human life meaningless, but Ben is here to warn you that AI is not the greatest threat that we face; it’s ‘Authentic Stupidity’!

Elton said: “The verdict’s in! Humanity is thick! Homo halfwit. The idiot branch of the Ape family! We need signs to tell us to step off escalators, we elect gibbering fools to lead us and now we’ve invented Artificial Intelligence which is actually going to replace us! I’ve spent 45 years in comedy exploring the outer limits of human idiocy and my mission has never been more timely. Forget AI! It’s AS we need to be worrying about!”

Elton’s multi-award-winning career spans over four decades and includes seminal and groundbreaking television shows (‘The Young Ones’, ‘Blackadder’, ‘Upstart Crow’), West End plays (‘Popcorn’, ‘Upstart Crow’), West End musicals (‘We Will Rock You’, ‘The Beautiful Game’, ‘Close up: The Twiggy Musical’), best-selling novels (‘Stark’, ‘Dead Famous’, ‘Two Brothers’) and feature films (‘Maybe Baby’, ‘Three Summers’, ‘All is True’).

The full dates are:

Tickets are on sale now from https://benelton.live .

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Ben Elton announces 2024 tour

54 UK and Ireland dates for Authentic Stupidity

Ben Elton has announced a 54-date UK and Ireland tour next year, called Authentic Stupidity.

It comes five years after his last British tour, which marked his return to stand up after a 15 year hiatus.

He said: "The verdict’s in! Humanity is thick! Homo halfwit. The idiot branch of the ape family! 

‘We need signs to tell us to step off escalators, we elect gibbering fools to lead us and now we’ve invented Artificial Intelligence which is actually going to replace us.

‘I’ve spent 45 years in comedy exploring the outer limits of human idiocy and my mission has never been more timely. Forget AI! It’s AS [Authentic Stupidity] we need to be worrying about!"

The tour opens at York Barbican on 1 September and culminates at the Lyceum Theatre in London’s West End on 18 November. Tickets go on sale at midday.

To coincide with the announcement, Channel 4 will air his last stand-up tour, Ben Elton Live, at 11.05pm tonight.

»  Ben​ Elton 2024 tour dates

Published: 15 Dec 2023

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Ben Elton's return to standup: 'I’m as scared as I get'

Back on tour for the first time in 15 years, the trailblazing comedian has some scores to settle. How can he be a sellout, he asks, if he was never radical to begin with?

T hey say you shouldn’t meet your heroes – but my inner 13-year-old would never forgive me if I spurned a chat with Ben Elton. The Young Ones , Blackadder and Saturday Live weren’t just a laugh for me; I constructed friendships, my sense of humour, and – let’s face it – my identity around them. Elton was the figurehead of the most exciting moment (give or take a 60s satire boom) in British comedy history, a sparkly-suited, mulleted firebrand blazing a trail for comedy’s punk generation – the so-called “alternative comedians” – to follow.

And then he wasn’t. Nowadays you can’t talk about Elton without references to selling out, and to Stewart Lee’s notorious routine comparing him with Osama bin Laden, who “at least lived his life according to a consistent set of ethical principles”. More on that later: Elton has plenty to say on the subject. But then, he’s got plenty to say on every subject. At 60 and a self-described “dad man”, the artist formerly known as Motormouth (the title of his 1987 album) is as voluble as ever in the run-up to his first standup tour in 15 years.

He never meant to stay away so long. But his three kids were growing up, he was living mainly in Fremantle, Australia, his wife Sophie’s home town. He had his writing to occupy him: 16 novels now, not to mention three series of Shakespeare sitcom Upstart Crow (plus a stage version , opening in the West End early next year). Which partly explains why he is “as scared as I get” to return to standup. “Which is not proper scared,” he clarifies. “When I started as a comedian, 38 years ago, standup was very, very rough. That was proper scary. If I hadn’t had my cornflakes by 8am on the day I was compering at the Comedy Store, there was no way I was going to eat.”

The fear now doesn’t come from any self-doubt about his comedy abilities – or at least, not officially. Elton in conversation is a fascinating mix of self-regard and thin skin. First he tells me he’s “always a bit down” on his standup achievements, and that Sophie had to coax him to return to the stage. Then he’s bullish, claiming that “what I do as a standup is completely unique. You may not like it, but I don’t think there’s anybody like me.”

“What I do is I talk about ideas,” he says. “I don’t do gags. I don’t do trivial observations any more because I’ve run out of them. And I assume everybody’s covered everything by now.” What he does is ruminate on the state of the world. Back in the day, that meant tirades about “Thatch” and sexism. Alternative comedy may be thought of as a lefty phenomenon, but “mainly it was a surrealist thing”, he says. “There were only a few of us who stood up for a political point of view.”

But now, says Elton, he finds himself in a world where he is far less sure of what he thinks. Rightwing demagoguery, post-truth, post-shame: “In the last third of my life, I am seeing changes that make things that terrified me in the first two-thirds seem like comfortable certainties by comparison.” In such a climate, his 80s bete noire no longer seems so bad “In light of Trump and Johnson,” he says, “I realise there was at least some political morality to Thatcher, even Reagan.” And as for gender, social media, identity politics – well, Elton has just written a novel, Identity Crisis , about all that, and will be addressing it on stage, too.

Which could go wrong. The outcomes are mixed at best when middle-aged male standups address modern mores (see Dave Chappelle, Ricky Gervais ). “When I tell people I’m going on tour,” says Elton, “almost everybody says, ‘Ooh, you’re brave.’ It’s so weird! We live in a world where people have somehow convinced themselves that, because there’s a few trolls on Twitter, ‘you can’t say anything, can you?’” He puts on a wheedling voice. “‘How am I going to say something when you can’t say anything?’” He’s fascinated by this – but unlike many of his peers, Elton sees no problem with how language and manners have evolved. “I’ve always been very pro-PC,” he says. “Some people think I invented it. I did it the same day I killed Benny Hill. It was a very busy day for me.”

Of course, he’ll be careful what he says on stage. He tells me one joke he’s written concerning trans women – a clever wordplay, generous in spirit, but open to misinterpretation – that, after careful consideration, he’s opted not to use in the show. “These are complicated times. And I do not believe any person of goodwill – male or female, trans or cis – would pretend otherwise.” But he’s got no intention of avoiding the subjects. The threat of a backlash is, he thinks, exaggerated. “There are only a handful of people on any side of a debate who are trolls. Most people, I am certain, wherever they stand, want the best for everyone.” And, in any case, he’s been here before. “Yeah, it’s a bit of a risk – but what are you gonna do? They’re not going to kill me. The Daily Mirror said I should be shot for writing We Will Rock You . So I’m an old hand at this.”

Ah, yes. Conversation has come around – as come around it must – to the “sellout” accusation. The idea that Elton – by writing musicals with Tory supporter Andrew Lloyd Webber , by MC-ing the Queen’s golden jubilee concert, by allowing his song to score the inauguration of George W Bush – has betrayed the principles for which he once stood. “Which is quite simply,” he says – blue touch-paper lit – “the most utterly unreasonable and wounding and extremely unhelpful narrative that has ever bedevilled a minor, middle-ground celebrity.”

“I’m finally beginning to say something,” says Elton, visibly upset. “I haven’t said anything for 30 years. But it’s been wearying. It just keeps coming around, every interview – ‘So do you feel you’ve sold out?’ Tell me what – apart from that Stewart Lee, whoever he is, thinks I have – might make you ask that?”

It’s a pretty extraordinary outburst, this – replete with references to the impact on his family of the vitriol heaped on him for 2013 sitcom The Wright Way – that Elton tries to rein in, but can’t. (“I’ve done what I never do, which is prove to be over-sensitive …”) I offer him a get-out, by emphasising the positive – which is that, to engender such a sharp sense of betrayal, his work was clearly hugely important to people in the first place. And isn’t it fascinating that we can invest so much in, and expect so much of, a comedian?

But he’s not biting. For Elton, the accusations make no sense because he never identified as anti-establishment in the first place. “How can you be anti-establishment when you’re on Channel 4? When you’ve written sitcoms for the BBC? This is so silly. Y’know, some people pretend they’re communists. I never suffered from any delusion that that was a good thing to be. I have always been a middle-class, middle-of-the-road farty.”

More than that – and greatly to my surprise – he denies any iconoclastic dimension to alternative comedy. “There was no revolutionary intent,” he says, of the movement that radicalised a generation, called out racist and sexist humour, and commissioned a nose-pierced punk (Ade Edmondson’s Vyvyan) to tear the title sequence of twee sitcom The Good Life to shreds . “No one ever tried to break any boundaries or bust the rules. No one ever said, ‘Let’s change comedy.’ And, if anyone had, they would have been very arrogant and doomed to failure. Everybody was just trying to do their best work.”

“How arrogant would you have to be,” he goes on, “a fucking, middle-class drama student setting out to take down Benny Hill and Bernard Manning? No,” says Elton, “I just set out to express myself.” And that’s all he’s ever done, he says, in a way that’s true to his centre-left principles. “I’m a Clement Attlee man,” he says – and the criticism he’s received (as has his friend Emma Thompson, who “gets a lot of this, too” ) is a classic example of the left “eating itself, because everybody loves to see the left with feet of clay. Which leaves the right rubbing its hands with glee. So I think undermining my voice with the one accusation that is genuinely unfair … I mean, smartarse, not funny, loudmouth – all of that is fine. But the idea that there’s a hypocritical element to who I am is self-evidently without basis. And the accuser should be ashamed of themselves. That’s what I feel.”

Phew. You can see why, in that context, the prospect of a few trolls quibbling with his take on 21st-century identity politics might seem small beer to Elton. I end up feeling sorry for the man – traduced way out of proportion to his supposed crimes, despite clearly being a conscientious and thoughtful entertainer, who (notwithstanding his denials) at least bothered to stand for something in the first place.

I’m glad he’s returning to the fold. “Look, I’m quite naive,” he says. “I never know when people don’t like me, and I never expect them not to. So I’ve always been surprised when I irritate people.”

“But I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. At school, at university, I’ve always been the Mickey Rooney character that everybody resents – ‘Let’s put on a show.’ Of course I don’t want people misunderstanding me or hating me. But I want to keep being that person. I’m excited to be back, and to still be the one saying, ‘Let’s do the show right here.’”

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Ben Elton is one of the most popular stand-up talents of his generation, having burst on to the stand-up scene in 1981 when he became the second more...

September 2024

• Sep 01 Sun York Barbican Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 02 Mon Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne Theatre & Opera House Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 03 Tue Edinburgh, The Queen's Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 05 Thu Aberdeen Music Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 07 Sat Warrington, Pyramid & Parr Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 08 Sun Nottingham, Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 09 Mon Birmingham, Symphony Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 10 Tue Sheffield City Hall and Memorial Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 11 Wed Cambridge Corn Exchange Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 12 Thu Bristol Beacon Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 15 Sun Milton Keynes Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 16 Mon High Wycombe, Swan Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 17 Tue Bedford Corn Exchange Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 19 Thu Colchester, Charter Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 20 Fri Hayes, Beck Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 21 Sat St. Albans, The Alban Arena Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 22 Sun Basingstoke, Anvil Arts Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 23 Mon Guildford, G Live Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 27 Fri Leeds Playhouse Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 28 Sat Swindon, Wyvern Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Sep 29 Sun Cardiff, New Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets

October 2024

• Oct 02 Wed Wolverhampton Grand Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 03 Thu Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 04 Fri Stevenage, Gordon Craig Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 05 Sat Ipswich, Corn Exchange Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 07 Mon Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 09 Wed Southport, Victoria Park Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 10 Thu Salford, The Lowry Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 11 Fri New Theatre Oxford Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 12 Sat Folkestone, Leas Cliff Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 13 Sun Woking, New Victoria Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 14 Mon Southend-on-Sea, Cliffs Pavilion Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 15 Tue Tunbridge Wells, Assembly Hall Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 19 Sat Lighthouse, Poole Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 20 Sun Portsmouth Guildhall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 21 Mon Hastings, The White Rock Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 22 Tue Kingston-upon-Thames, Rose Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 24 Thu Weston-super-Mare, The Playhouse Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Oct 25 Fri Barnstaple, Queens Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
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November 2024

• Nov 03 Sun Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Nov 04 Mon Leicester, De Montfort Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Nov 06 Wed Northampton, Royal & Derngate Theatre Ben Elton View Tickets
• Nov 07 Thu Worthing, Assembly Hall Ben Elton View Tickets
• Nov 08 Fri Crawley, The Hawth Ben Elton View Tickets
• Nov 09 Sat Weymouth Pavilion Ben Elton View Tickets
• Nov 11 Mon Brighton, Theatre Royal Ben Elton View Tickets
• Nov 14 Thu University of Lincoln Student Union (The Platform & The Engine Shed) Ben Elton View Tickets
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Ben Elton - Authentic Stupidity

Following the huge success of Ben Elton’s critically acclaimed sold-out UK tour in 2019, which marked his return to live comedy after a fifteen year hiatus, the undisputed godfather of modern stand-up is going back on the road with his new show – Authentic Stupidity.

Ben says ’Since my last live tour a whole new existential threat has emerged to threaten humanity! Apparently Artificial Intelligence is going to destroy us all! Well I reckon our real problem isn’t Artificial Intelligence it’s good old fashioned Authentic Stupidity! Forget AI! It’s AS we need to be worrying about!'

Ben Elton first exploded into the national consciousness back in the 1980’s hosting Channel 4’s ground breaking Saturday Live and he's been setting the standard for gag filled, taboo busting, tonsil rattling, mind expanding stand-up comedy ever since!

This event has an age restriction of 16+

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Mon 14 Oct 2024

Runtime: Approximately 2 1/2 hours

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Ben Elton brings his Authentic Stupidity Tour to 3Olympia Theatre on Friday 1st November 2024.

Tickets priced from €44.50 including booking fee & €1.50 restoration levy are on sale now via Ticketmaster Ireland

Following the huge success of Ben Elton ’s critically acclaimed sold-out UK tour in 2019, which marked his return to stand up after a 15 year hiatus, the undisputed godfather of modern stand-up is going back on the road with a brand new live show – Authentic Stupidity . Taking in 54 dates across the UK & Ireland, the tour opens at York Barbican on 1 September and culminates in London’s West End on 18 November.

The world has changed a lot since Ben last toured five years ago - a whole new existential threat has emerged to challenge our very existence: Artificial Intelligence. Apparently, it’s going to render all human life meaningless, but Ben is here to warn you that AI is not the greatest threat that we face; it’s Authentic Stupidity !

Ben said: “The verdict’s in! Humanity is thick! Homo halfwit. The idiot branch of the Ape family! We need signs to tell us to step off escalators, we elect gibbering fools to lead us and now we’ve invented Artificial Intelligence which is actually going to replace us! I’ve spent 45 years in comedy exploring the outer limits of human idiocy and my mission has never been more timely. Forget AI! It’s AS we need to be worrying about!”

Authentic Stupidity will travel all over the UK & Ireland visiting York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Warrington, Nottingham, Birmingham, Sheffield, Cambridge, Bristol, Milton Keynes, High Wycombe, Bedford, Colchester, Hayes, St Albans, Basingstoke, Guildford, Leeds, Swindon, Cardiff, Wolverhampton, Coventry, Stevenage, Ipswich, Canterbury, Aylesbury, Salford, Oxford, Folkestone, Woking, Southend, Tunbridge Wells, Poole, Portsmouth, Hastings, Weston-Super-Mare, Barnstaple, Yeovil, Torquay, Belfast, Dublin, Liverpool, Leicester, Northampton, Worthing, Crawley, Weymouth, Brighton, Lincoln, Chatham, Dorking and London’s West End.

Ben Elton’s multi-award-winning career spans over four decades and includes seminal and groundbreaking television shows (The Young Ones, Blackadder, Upstart Crow), West End plays (Popcorn, Upstart Crow), West End musicals (We Will Rock You, The Beautiful Game, Close up: The Twiggy Musical), best-selling novels (Stark, Dead Famous, Two Brothers) and feature films (Maybe Baby, Three Summers, All is True). In October last year, Ben returned to Channel 4 for a one-off revival of Friday Night Live to rave reviews. The reincarnation of the original smash-hit Saturday Night Live was critically acclaimed and Ben won the BAFTA for Comedy Entertainment Programme 2023. Channel 4 will also broadcast a special recording of Ben’s last stand-up tour - ‘Ben Elton Live’ which will TX on 15 December, to coincide with tickets going on sale for Authentic Stupidity .

'Just give him a stage and a microphone and Ben Elton is the best. No contest' -  The Sunday Times

‘Elton’s timing and phrasing remain impeccable, his structure is masterly’ -  Daily Telegraph

‘There is nothing, absolutely nothing, to beat Ben Elton live!’ -  Evening Standard

‘Vital, relevant and passionate’ -  The Scotsman

The fees for this event include a €1.50 restoration levy. 

The restoration levy will allow 3Olympia Theatre to invest in maintaining and enhancing the theatre to ensure that it continues to consistently deliver the highest quality experience for theatre goers, actors, performers & producers.

Under 14's must be accompanied by an adult. Over 18's ID required to gain access to the bars where alcohol is served. 

Please note, due to the nature of this show, parental discretion would be advised for younger patrons. 

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Arts, theatre, gigs: Manchester's cultural calendar for 2022

An all-encompassing list of Manchester's coolest cultural things to do in 2022

Manchester is constantly buzzing with a whole load of cultural things to do and see with everything from drag acts to daily craft workshops, but trawling through the masses of Facebook events, city-centre billboards, and gallery newsletters can be an absolute ball-ache. 

To make your oh-so-cultured lifestyle that little bit easier, we've created a cultural calendar for 2022 that's packed with shows, exhibitions and the odd alternative-pop gig. 

This page will be continuously updated as new events are released throughout the year, so add it to your bookmarks and pencil in some time with the arts. 

Here's your month by month list of what's on in the world of cultural events in 2022:

The Tragedy of Macbeth | HOME | daily showings

Think Shakespeare, but with Denzel Washington, Frances McDormand, and a lot of black and white close-ups.

Van Gogh Alive | MediaCity | 22 October 2021 – 27 February 

Back for another whole month of immersion and giant sunflowers, Van Gogh alive is still at MediaCity 'til the end of Feb.

Derek Jarman Protest! | Manchester Art Gallery | 2 December 2021–10 April 2022

A retrospective culmination of one of Britain's most influential painters, filmmakers, writers and political activists. Free online booking is essential. 

Out of the Crate | Manchester Art Gallery | 7 November 2019 - 11 December 2022

A behind-the-scenes look at Manchester's publicly owned sculpture collection that delves into the history and origins of the collection and its highlights. 

School of Rock | Palace Theatre | 4 January – 15 January

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rockin’ adaptation of the iconic 2003 musical film starring Jack Black. Black does not appear in the theatre version. Tickets from £13.00

SIX  | The Quays Theatre | 5 January – 9 January

A modern musical tale of Henry VIII’s six wives and their journey from heartbreak to 21st century girl power.

The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart  | Royal Exchange Theatre | 4 December – 15 January

A December folktale fave that’s running right up until the middle of the month.

Avatar | O2 Ritz | 9 January

Swedish heavy metal band Avatar grace the Ritz with their latest releases and previous top hits. Standing tickets are £25.45 and doors open at 7pm.

Nigel Kneale: Into the Unknown | HOME |9 January

Two-hour event with actor, writer, and stand-up comedian Toby Hadoke in conversation with screenwriter Nigel Kneale’s biographer Andy Murray. Tickets £4 full price / £3 concessions.

Chat Back | Oldham Coliseum | 13 January - 14 January

An original from the Oldham Coliseum performing arts department that captures "a coming of age, of sorts, for the characters, their foes and friends"

Young Love | Oldham Coliseum | 13 January - 14 January 

Each of the teenage characters questions "what is love?" as they explore their ideas of love in the modern age.

Haiku Salut: BFI Archive Short Films Live Score | HOME | 16 January 

Instrumental artists Haiku Salut present the international premiere of two live scores to accompany a couple of silent short films from the BFI Archives.

The Rocky Horror Show  | Palace Theatre | 17 January – 22 January

Get ready to do the time warp again at the Palace Theatre this January.  

Moscow City Ballet presents Swan Lake  | Manchester Opera House | 20 January – 21 January

An epic feat of dance, choreography, and artistry from the esteemed Moscow City Ballet.

Moscow City Ballet presents The Nutcracker  | Manchester Opera House | 22 January

Moscow City Ballet are back for a second dose of first-class entertainment and ballet magic.

A Knight to Remember | Oldham Coliseum | 22 January

A celebration of the Manchester legend Glenn Knight who served as a sound technician for many amateur dramatics societies in the Greater Manchester area. Includes the best songs from shows such as  Mamma Mia, Legally Blonde and Les Midersables .

Turn on fest: launch night and Dungeness from hope mill youth | Hope Mill Theatre| 22 January

Hope Mill Theatre's launch of Turn on Fest 2022 featuring a showing of Dungeness, a play originally commissioned for the National Theatre Connection Festival in 2018. Written by Chris Thompson and described as a "funny, moving, honest story about love, protest, and commemoration". 

Keep the Change with live Q&A | HOME | 23 January

As part of HOME’s Autism and Cinema event: an exploration of neurodiversity programme, a screening of Keep the Change , a realist film in which people with autism play characters with autism, will be followed by a live Q&A with Sam Ahern, artist and member of the Neurocultures Collective.

Saturday Night Fever  | Manchester Opera House | 25 January – 29 January

Bee Gees, flares, and a whole load of dance breaks – what’s not to love?

Turn on Fest: Jarman | Hope Mill Theatre | 25 January

An exciting new solo play written and performed by Mark Farrelly about the iconic activist, writer, filmmaker, gardener and painter Derek Jarman. Directed by Sarah-Louise Young. 

The Door Opened - 1980s China | Manchester Central Library | 26 January 

An intimate look at photographer Adrian Bradshaw as he shares his memories of capturing everyday life in 1980s China.

‘Free fall’ poetry for wellbeing |HOME| 28 January

A workshop focusing on self-expression and the use of poetry as a means to focus on wellbeing and self-care. Facilitated by Nasima Begum, a performance poet who uses her art for activism and the exploration of loss and femininity.

Art Battle Manchester | Escape to Freight Island | 28 January

Manchester's craziest live art event sees 10 talented artists battle it out in a live paint off where the audience decides the winner. 

The greatest hits of Motown: how sweet it is | Oldham Coliseum | 28 January - 29 January

Always a sell-out for the Coliseum, this show combines all of the Motown classics with slick choreography and first-class voices. Well worth booking in advance to avoid disappointment. 

Turn on fest: The Regulars and trans social club | Hope Mill Theatre | 29 January

A captivating original story about identity and self-love that reminds us that "despite our differences, we are all deserving of acceptance for who we are". Run in collaboration with Trans Creative and the Trans Social Club. 

FIRED - 3D DESIGN EXHIBITION | SALE WATERSIDE | 29 January - 30 April

A group exhibition from three up and coming contemporary design artists curated by glass artist Michelle Keeling for the Waterside's Lauriston Gallery. 

Creative Sparks Mixer  | HOME | 30 January

Bringing together Northern theatre-makers of every discipline to create a discussion space for creative conversations and collaborations.

Turn on fest: scratch night in partnership with Hive North  | Hope Mill Theatre | 30 January

Hope Mill Theatre collabs with Hive North to give voice to Manchester's hottest LGBTQIA+ talent with a packed evening dedicated to developing ideas, sharing creative thoughts, and getting audience feedback. 

Season launch for Spring/Summer 2022 | Oldham Coliseum | 31 January

A chance to grab tickets for the exciting upcoming Spring/Summer 2022 programme at Oldham Coliseum, hosted by artistic director Chris Lawson with a series of special guests.

That Play What I Wrote  | Lyric Theatre |31 January – 5 February

A sell-out West End hit that makes “audiences weep with laughter”. Written by Hamish McColl, Sean Foley, and Eddie Braben.

Papatango audio plays | Oldham Coliseum | 1 February - 4 February

Three brand new audio plays, all of which have been awarded the Papatango New Writing Prize. Listing includes plays Some of us Exist in the Future, Ghost Stories from an Old Country and The Silence and the Noise. 

An Adventure | The Octagon | 4 February - 26 February 

A show that follows the journey of a husband and wife duo spanning seven decades and three continents. Explores the political tensions in 1950s Kenya and life as a first-generation immigrant in 1960s Britain. 

Notflix: the improvised musical | Oldham Coliseum | 5 February

A show completely inspired by audience suggestions with an all-female cast. Creating movies and re-inventing your favourite films with "100% more singing, 99% more women and live music". 

Craft Social: Book Binding | Salford Museum and Art Gallery | 9 February

Learn how to make your own sketchbooks, diaries, or re-bind an old classic with this crafty class on bookbinding at Salford Museum and Art Gallery. 

Pinocchio | Oldham Coliseum | 10 February

A magical re-telling of the puppet who came to life comes to Oldham for one night only with live ballet dancers, music and theatrical wonders.

The Official RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series Two Tour | Manchester Opera House | 12 February

An evening full of Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent from all your favourite season 2 drag icons. 

Doing Shakespeare | Sale Waterside | 15 February

Six actors performing six different Shakespeare plays to create a mash-up like no other. Guaranteed to have you "rolling in the aisles and the Bard turning in his grave".

Blood Brothers | Palace Theatre | 15 February – 26 February

Christened the “standing ovation musical”, this emotional tale of twins separated at birth needs to be added to your things to-do list ASAP. 

The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much | Sale Waterside | 17 February 

A funny and inventive show that's "Chaplin meets Hitchcock meets Spaghetti Western" in a fast-paced whodunnit set in 1950's New York. 

Jonathan Van Ness - Imaginary Living Room Olympian | Manchester Opera House | 20 February

Emmy-nominated TV personality and Queer Eye star Jonathan Van Ness is on tour with a show full of gymnastics, tales of life as “a nonbinary bitch”, and a whole load of laughs.

You Choose | Sale Waterside | 20 February

Based on the unique picture book by Pippa Goodhart and Nick Sharratt, this is a show where YOU CHOOSE what happens through a series of games and challenges with different characters, costumes and locations every time. 

Fatal Attraction | Manchester Opera House | 22 February – 26 February

On-stage adaptation of the movie thriller classic starring Corrie’s Kym Marsh. 

Dave | AO Arena | 24 February

Part of rapper Dave’s UK arena tour following the 2021 release of his second album We’re All Alone In This Together . 

Discovery Showcase | Oldham Coliseum | 25 February

Four script-in-hand performances of original plays by newly discovered female writers of South Asian descent. Written and developed as part of the DISCOVERY programme with Kali Theatre. 

Footloose | Manchester Opera House | 28 February – 5 March

Hot off the West-End stage, Footloose is heading up North with stars Jake Quickenden and Darren Day taking the lead in this cult dance classic.

9 to 5 the Musical | Palace Theatre | 1 March – 5 March

Tumble outta bed and stumble to the Palace to see the likes of Claire Sweeney and revel in a score written by the queen of country herself (that’s Dolly Parton, btw).

My Favourite Place in the Whole Wide World | Hope Mill Theatre | 1 March - 6 March

A brand-new play by Ian Townsend that details the journey of two people in search of love and purpose in a world of confusion and loss - "an engaging and heartfelt play about growing up".

Nora: A Doll’s House | Royal Exchange Theatre | 4 March – 2 April

Set across three pivotal decades, three remarkable women starkly portray female married life. Described as “a battle cry, a roar, a ripple of hope”.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Manchester Opera House | 8 March – 12 March

Winner of both an Olivier Award and a Tony, this “beautiful and dazzlingly inventive show about the wonders of life” is running throughout the second week of March.

Saving Britney  | Hope Mill Theatre | 8 March - 10 March

A "hilarious and heartbreaking look at celebrity obsession, sex and growing up in the early noughties" inspired by the #FreeBritney movement. 

Rigoletto | The Lowry | 9 March

Leading UK theatre artist, Femi Elufowoju Jr. directs a new production of the classic opera that maps identity and inequality onto a contemporary canvas. A great watch for opera lovers or first-timers. 

Carmen |The Lowry | 10 March

A remake of the classic 150-year-old opera with themes of femininity, desire, violence and toxic masculinity that "resonate now more than ever".

KES | The Octagon | 10 March - 2 April

A powerful on-stage retelling of the classic novel by Barry Hines that captures the delicate tensions of youth and adolescence in 1960s working-class Yorkshire. 

The Shadow | Oldham Coliseum | 10 March

Six central characters and their "shadow counterparts" are whisked away into different stories and places to reveal their hidden personalities, desires and motivations. Choreographed by Beauty and the Beast 's Anthony Missen.  

The Glee Club | Oldham Coliseum | 15 March - 19 March

A glee club consisting of "five hard-working, hard-drinking miners and a church organist" is preparing for the local gala. A show that is guaranteed to make you giggle. 

The Dan Daw Show | HOME | 17 March – 19 March

“A peep into the shiny and sweaty push-pull of living with shame while bursting with pride” from Dan Daw and Christopher Owen.

Stereophonics | AO Arena | 18 March

Back with a new album and a massive Manchester tour date.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | Manchester Opera House | 21 March – 2 April

A star-studded version of this Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber classic starring Alexandra Burke, Jason Donovan and Jac Yarrow is en route to the Opera House in all of its glorious technicolour.

The Ballad of Maria Marten | Oldham Coliseum | 22 March - 26 March

"A thrilling retelling of a real-life murder mystery" set in 1827. Described as a "vital, layered and empowered" piece of theatre and one for the diary. 

Hans Zimmer Live | AO Arena | 24 March

A compilation of the award-winning film composer’s best-loved scores and soundtracks.

Planet Earth II – Live in Concert | AO Arena | 25 March

BBC Studios and FKP Scorpio UK bring David Attenborough’s much-loved documentary to life with a live orchestra.

Vagina Cake | Hope Mill Theatre | 29 March - 2 April 

A coming of age comedy-drama focusing on five friends "who just can't give each other up".  

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast | Palace Theatre | 31 March – 4 June

A beloved tale as old as time brought to life on stage by members of the original creative team, what a beauty.

Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds | AO Arena | 1 April

A musical re-telling of the classic H.G Wells science-fiction novel.

Royal Blood | AO Arena | 2 April

English rock duo Mike Kerr and Ben Thatcher return to Manchester on their 2022 UK tour.

Johannes Radebe – Freedom | Manchester Opera House | 6 April

This Strictly star and international dance champion is celebrating dance in all its forms at the Opera House this April.

The Jungle Book | Oldham Coliseum | 7 April - 24 April

If you're looking for this cultural calendar's  Bare Necessities , then a trip to the Coliseum to see Mowgli and his jungle pals should definitely be on your agenda. 

The Official RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series Two Tour | Manchester Opera House | 17 April

An evening full of Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent from all your favourite season 2 drag icons.

The Addams Family | Manchester Opera House | 19 April – 23 April

Join your favourite kooky fam for “a heart-warming story of love, family and friendship…with a twist”.

National Theatre Live: Henry V | HOME | 21 April

Game of Thrones ’ Kit Harrington plays the titular role in this classic Shakespeare tale of nationalism and war captured from the Donmar Warehouse in London.

Habibti Driver | The Octagon | 21 April - 7 May

Enjoy this hilarious tale of family dynamics and religious traditions based on co-writer Shamia Chalabi's real-life experiences. A heartwarming play that "will make you laugh and cry" as it explores the clashes and compromises that come with living in a modern mixed-race British family. 

Electric Rosary | Royal Exchange Theatre | 23 April – 14 May

A “sharp, timely and gloriously funny” new play that brings nuns and robots together like never before.

Blondie – Against The Odds’ UK Tour  | AO Arena | 1 May

Re-scheduled for 2022 with new support from Johnny Marr.

Trixie Mattel  | Manchester Opera House | 4 May

This American all-singing all-dancing drag wonder is in Manchester for one night and one night only.

Passion | Hope Mill Theatre | 5 May - 5 June

Starring Olivier Award winner Ruthie Henshall, this re-imagining of Passion  is set in 19th century Italy and sets out to explore "the consequences of intense passion and obsessive adoration". 

Singin’ In The Rain  | Manchester Opera House | 9 May – 14 May

Sadly there’s no Gene Kelly in sight, but there is a 5 night stint at the Opera House that’ll transport you back to the glamour of roaring 20’s Hollywood.

British Art Show 9 | The Whitworth | 13 May - 4 September

The ninth edition of the biggest touring exhibition of contemporary art in the UK. Curated by Irene Aristizabal and Hammad Nasar. 

The White Card  | HOME | 18 May – 21 May

UK premiere of Claudia Rankine’s first play that questions whether society can progress when whiteness remains invisible. Written during the 2019 Black Lives Matter protests.

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq the World Tour  | AO Arena | 19 May

An all-new international tour with all your fave Ru Paul icons, werq it Manchester.

Chicago  | Manchester Opera House | 23 May – 28 May

It’s got West End stars, razzle-dazzle, a legendary choreographer, and all that jazz.

One Man, Two Guvnors | The Octagon | 26 May - 25 June

A smash-hit comedy described as "a hilarious mix of slapstick, farce and live music" that is "side-splittingly funny". 

Red Velvet | Royal Exchange Theatre | 27 May – 25 June

A powerful play exploring the social and political repercussions of Ira Alridge’s infamous role as Desdemona in the Theatre Royal’s 1833 run of Othello.  

Celine Dion Courage World Tour  | AO Arena | 5 June – 6 June

One of the world’s biggest divas is in Manchester for two whole nights of riffs and ballads galore.

Billie Eilish  | AO Arena |7 June – 8 June

Ahead of the release of her forthcoming album Happier Than Ever , Billie Eilish is bringing her iconic tones to the AO Arena for two nights in June.

Elvis Costello & The Imposters  | Manchester Opera House | 11 June

Sing along to brand new album The Boy Named If and a load of other Costello classics.

Alanis Morissette | AO Arena | 25 June

You Oughta Know that Alanis is here for one night only with all of her alternative post-grunge hits and iconic vocals.

Sister Act  | Palace Theatre | 27 June – 9 July

A “sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, sisterhood and music” featuring an award-winning soundtrack and plenty of nostalgic throwbacks. 

Aerosmith: European Tour 2022 | AO Arena | 28 June

You Don’t Want to Miss a Thing from the AO Arena at the end of June.

Vice Versa  | HOME | 1 July – 2 July

A one-woman performance-art meets theatre production that explores the journey from being a passive civilian to a totalitarian.

Kings of Leon | AO Arena | 5 July 

Everyone's favourite American rock quartet are back with a world tour full of their best bits. 

25 Years of Lord Of The Dance  | Palace Theatre | 14 July – 17 July

Three whole nights of Michael Flatley’s magic footwork – timeless.

South Pacific | Manchester Opera House | 16 July – 23 July

A highlight of the Opera House’s 2022 schedule is this tale of powerful love and romance in the height of World War II.

The Osmonds – A New Musical | Palace Theatre | 9 August – 13 August

A tale of Donny and his bros directed by Shaun Kerrison and choreographed by Olivier Award winner Bill Deamer. 

Mrs Doubtfire  | Manchester Opera House | 2 September – 1 October

A massive dose of nostalgic musical comedy that we all need in our lives.

The Glass Menagerie | Royal Exchange Theatre | 2 September – 8 October

A Tennessee Williams classic directed by Atri Banerjee and adapted for the Exchange’s in-the-round theatre. A play that explores “the complex web of love, loyalty and trauma that binds families together”. 

We Will Rock You | Palace Theatre | 5 September – 10 September

The smash-hit brainchild of Queen and Ben Elton is back in Manchester for a five day stint at the Palace. 

Dreamgirls | Palace Theatre | 13 September – 24 September

And I Am Telling You , these “spine-tingling” vocals are well worth copping a ticket for as sisters Effie, Lorrell and Deena embark on a journey to fame and fortune via some timeless ballads.

Tommy Alexander | The Castle Hotel | 30 September

Alt-Country artist Tommy Alexander brings some sweet sounds to The Castle Hotel on Friday 30 September. General admission £11, doors open at 7:30pm.

The Official RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series Three Tour  | Manchester Opera House | 4 October – 5 October

Sashay away to the Opera House for a whole host of season three queens including Ella Vaday and Kitty Scott-Claus.

Beautiful  | Palace Theatre | 11 October – 15 October

An inspiring musical tale of Carole King’s journey to stardom that “sends shivers down the spine”.

Jersey Boys  | Manchester Opera House | 18 October – 29 October

The smash-hit musical re-telling of the story behind Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons includes bangers such as  Working My Way, Back To You  and  Oh What A Night.

Let the right one in | Royal Exchange Theatre| 22 October – 19 November

Bringing some extra-spooky vibes for Halloween month, Let The Right One In is an unnerving coming of age tale based on the haunting Swedish novel by Jon Ajvide Lindqvist.

The Lion King | Palace Theatre | 27 October – 24 December

It's back in all of its goosebump-inducing glory with your favourite characters and catchy.

Robin Hood | Oldham Coliseum | 12 November - 7 January

The return of the Oldham Coliseum infamous annual pantomime comes in the form of Robin Hood for 2022. Get ready for some men in tights and pun-filled magic. 

What’s Love Got To Do With It – A Tribute to Tina Turner | Manchester Opera House | 14 November

Surely you don’t want to miss out on simply the best Tina Turner tribute show in the UK?

Betty! A Sort of Musical | Royal Exchange Theatre | 3 December – 14 January

Starring icon Maxine Peake this highly-anticipated show is “a heart-warming celebration of the human spirit and the unexpected rewards that can come from thinking outside of the dispatch box”.

The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan | Manchester Opera House | 10 December – 31 December

A swashbuckling tale of the boy who never grew up. Take a trip to Neverland in December 2022.

Play reading club | Hope Mill Theatre | 17 December

Led by Janelle Thompson, this sessions read-through will revolve around  The Audition  by Don Zolidis as everyone is welcome to join from 11am - 1pm at Hope Mill Theatre. No prior experience needed. 

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• In this Story
• the palace theatre
• manchester opera house
• The Royal Exchange
• Manchester Art Gallery
• The Whitworth
• HOME arts centre
• Culture and Arts
• things to do
• whats on manchester

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Elton John says watching Metallica, Joni Mitchell sing his songs is 'like an acid trip'

WASHINGTON – The songs of Sir Elton John and Bernie Taupin are so ingrained in public consciousness that it’s easy to take them for granted.

Sometimes we need a reminder of their endurance, their poignancy, their unique marrying of lyrics and melody that few aside from this pair have created so memorably and for so long.

The partnership that ignited in 1967 was honored in starry fashion on March 20 at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., where John and Taupin were presented with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. They’re only the second and third British artists (Paul McCartney was the first in 2010) to receive the award named for the legendary American songwriting team George and Ira Gershwin.

A genre-hopping lineup of musical luminaries – from Metallica to Maren Morris , Billy Porter to Brandi Carlile – as well as most of John’s phenomenal longtime band took the stage at the 3,700-capacity venue to both rouse and ruminate with the invite-only crowd dotted with politicians and Supreme Court justices.

The annual award is chosen by the Librarian of Congress – currently Carla Hayden – along with consultations from curators at the Library’s Music Division, American Folklife Center and National Audio-Visual Conservation Center.

On the red carpet before the concert, John, clad in a pastel pink suit and tinted glasses, said the diversity of the lineup equates to the accessibility of his and Taupin’s 50-plus-year catalog.

The songs “can be played by anybody and sung by anybody. (Bernie and I) love so much different music; there isn’t a genre of music we don’t really like. The longevity of our career is because the songs vary. ‘Philadelphia Freedom’ isn’t like ‘Burn Down the Mission.’ ‘Daniel’ isn’t like ‘Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.’"

Added Taupin with a smile, “Our palette is full of colors.”

That rainbow was well-represented. Exuberant host Porter navigated the stage like a rock star in a black fringe dress for a cheeky rendition of “The Bitch is Back,” while a respectful Garth Brooks patted his chest while he wrung the emotion from “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” and the lilting “Daniel.”

Some artists, such as Morris , imbued their song choices with subtle stylistic shifts (“I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues”), while others, such as Charlie Puth (“Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me”) offered unabashed reverence.

Here are some additional highlights from the show, which will air Monday on PBS at 8 p.m. EDT and stream on PBS.org and the PBS app. It will also be available to U.S. Department of Defense locations around the world via the American Forces Network.

Seated at a cherry-colored piano sitting center stage, a shoe balancer on his right foot, the maestro of musical genius joked that it felt “like an acid trip” seeing other artists sing his songs. It was also the first time, he said, that he sat in the audience and listened to his own band.

His assessment?

“They’re (expletive) amazing!”

With mainstays Davey Johnstone (guitar), Nigel Olsson (drums) and John Mahon (percussion) anchoring a lineup that also included Kim Bullard (keyboardist since 2009), Mike Inez (a fill-in for bassist Matt Bissonette), Adam Chester (piano/vocals), Ken Stacey and Carmen Carter (backing vocalists) and the awesome SistaStrings on cello and violin, John burrowed into the haunting beauty that is “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters” as the stage glowed red.

John turned 77 on March 25 and has been absent from performing since wrapping his years-long Farwell Yellow Brick Road tour in July. But he’s undiminished both in his ability to unspool Taupin’s vivid lyrics and unleash his robust boogie piano, as he did on a zippy “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.”  

An “American Idol” contestant and member of the trio Gabriels , Lusk came into the event as the least-known among a mega star marquee but left one of the mightiest impressions.

John, ever a proponent of nurturing talent, performed with Lusk at last year’s Glastonbury Festival in England and handpicked him to join the Gershwin Prize roster.

“Welcome to the church of Bernie and Elton,” a beaming Lusk said before high-stepping across the stage and into a fresh rendition of “Bennie and the Jets.” Lusk’s voice hit several octaves in all of the right places as he uncorked an infectious performance that was full of joy and personality.

John, who engaged with all of the artists from his seat in front of the stage next to Taupin and his husband David Furnish, fervently finger-pointed as he reveled in the call-and-response of “Ben-nie,” clearly enjoying his position as a spectator.

Annie Lennox

At last year’s Gershwin Prize concert, the Scottish powerhouse offered an emotional wallop as she presented Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now.”

This year, she honored John and Taupin with equal intensity.

The gospel flair of “Border Song,” which marked John’s first chart appearance in the U.S. in 1970, was an ideal match for Lennox’s booming voice and unforced dramatic flair.

As she stood in a spotlight, unadorned, Lennox dug into her low register as she sang, "Holy Moses, let us live in peace" and completed her performance by blowing kisses to John and Taupin.

While not the first band that pops to mind to pay homage to the John/Taupin songbook, the hard rock quartet maintains profound respect for the honorees.

Before the show, singer/guitarist James Hetfield revealed “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” is his favorite in the catalog, but the band opted to whip the audience into a more expected frenzy with “Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding.”

The epic double punch served as a frequent opener throughout John’s touring career, and Metallica turned the volume to 11 as they stripped “Funeral” of its whizzing synths and instead stocked the instrumental with more serrated guitar.

Drummer Lars Ulrich crashed cymbals and thundered behind his banana-yellow kit as “Funeral” segued into “Love Lies Bleeding” and Hetfield stepped up to sing.

Metallica locked into the song as it built to a feverish climax of double bass drums and escalating guitar riffs, a lesson in exhilaration and exhaustion.

Brandi Carlile, Joni Mitchell

The endearing Carlile is such an enthusiastic music fan that she can always be counted on to not only perform multiple times during an event but to do so with elegance and passion.

Her first appearance, accompanied by a sweet story about how John and Taupin inspired her songwriting, was a ferocious rendition of “Madman Across the Water.” Hard-strumming her acoustic guitar, shaking her head forcefully and jamming with Johnstone, Carlile injected the song with a sinister edge.

Later in the show, John’s activism with the Elton John AIDS Foundation and his friendship with Ryan White , the young man who died in 1990 after contracting HIV/AIDS from a blood transfusion, was spotlighted.

White’s sister, Andrea, read from a poignant letter John penned in remembrance of Ryan, followed by Carlile reappearing with her acoustic guitar to sing the early John/Taupin track, “Skyline Pigeon.”

Both somber and beautiful, Carlile’s performance brought both John and Furnish to tears.

In another appearance, Carlile introduced her mentor, Mitchell, who stood onstage wearing a tipped maroon beret and supporting herself with a cane.

Mitchell, Carlile explained, asked John and Taupin if she could change some of the lyrics in the song she chose to sing, “which is the most Joni Mitchell thing I’ve heard,” Carlile joked.

That song, “I’m Still Standing,” was completely recast as a finger-snapping shuffle with Carlile and Lennox aiding on backup vocals. It was an arrangement that would have made Tony Bennett proud and Mitchell delivered the lyrics with more than a hint of defiance.

She capped the performance with a raised cane and a final declaration of “I’m still standing.”