That'll Be The Day returns to Bournemouth Pavilion

If you fancy a night of oldies, there's a bit of a Bournemouth institution back in town next month. That'll Be The Day, the UK's longest-running rock and pop show, plays the Bournemouth Pavilion on Friday 4 and Saturday 5 September, and it's a limited run, so it's worth sorting tickets sooner rather than later.

The show is celebrating its 40th anniversary, which is a decent milestone for anything on stage. It was set up by Trevor Payne in 1986 and has since grown into a bit of a machine: more than 200 shows a year across the UK and over 1.5 million miles on the road since it began. The setlist runs the gamut from the 1950s right through to the 1980s, so there's something for most generations in the room, and it mixes the music with comedy sketches to keep things moving.

Payne himself is the man behind the whole thing — founder, director, producer and vocalist — and he'll be 80 in March 2026, having performed with the show for more than 40 years. He's best known for his impersonations of Cliff Richard and Mick Jagger, and he built the show after a career in cabaret and groups that took him through London clubs and holiday camps. There's also a charitable side to it: the show has raised more than £1 million for causes like Childline, Make A Wish and Help for Heroes.

The Pavilion is a fitting home for it. A Grade II listed building that opened in March 1929, it holds 1,500 seats and has become a regular stop for the show, which has performed there for 24 consecutive summer seasons since 1997 — that's the longest run any production has had at the venue. It's managed by the charity BH Live in association with the BCP Council, the same outfit that runs the BIC.

And if you miss the September dates, there's a second chance later in the year. The show returns to Bournemouth on Sunday 20 December at the Bournemouth International Centre for 'That'll Be Christmas'. The BIC, over on Exeter Road, opened on 6 September 1984 and is run by BH Live in partnership with the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. BH Live itself is a registered charity and social enterprise that was set up in 2010, so the money tends to stay within the community.

Between the two dates, the show covers a lot of ground. The September run at the Pavilion is the main event, and the Christmas show at the BIC is the festive encore, so there's a bit of flexibility if one doesn't suit. Either way, it's a straightforward night of nostalgia that's been going for four decades, which is no small thing in the world of touring shows. Tickets and more information are on the Bournemouth Pavilion website, so it's worth a look before the September dates fill up.