Category: Venue News
Star Trekking in the Blackpool Lights . . .
28 August 2017
Blackpool will boldly go where no one has gone before with the first intergalactic switch-on of the world-famous Illuminations.
The announcement of a Star Trek switch-on finale completes the line-up for this year’s event, which is being staged in association with MTV. There will be live performances from artists Example and DJ Wire, Diversity, Conor Maynard and Louisa Johnson.
The main show will commence at around 7pm with performances by Louisa and Conor, followed by another scintillating routine by Diversity which will lead directly into the Star Trek switch-on sequence. Immediately after the Switch-On, Example and DJ Wire will rock the Promenade for an hour-long party under the Lights.
Blackpool already has a strong relationship with the Star Trek franchise, with an interactive exhibition on the Golden Mile and features within the Illuminations, and it’ll be a spectacular and innovative way to welcome in the Blackpool Illuminations season.
The biggest night in Blackpool’s events calendar, which is being staged in association with MTV, will feature headline performances by Example and DJ Wire, Conor Maynard, Diversity and Louisa Johnson.
The free concert, to be held on the Tower Festival Headland Arena on Friday 1 September, also sees the return of Club MTV DJs R3wire and Varski, who took last year’s event by storm.
International rapper and songwriter Example has performed to sell-out audiences across Europe and worked alongside global stars including Calvin Harris and Chase & Status. He has also acted in numerous movies.
He will be joined at the Switch-On party by the hugely-talented Louisa Johnson – at 17, the youngest ever winner of The X Factor, who went on to secure major hits with Tears and So Good selling over 1 million singles.
Conor Maynard is no stranger to Blackpool having appeared at the inaugural SLIMEFEST event in 2016. The singer-songwriter has a huge following on You Tube and was named as MTV’s Brand New star for 2012.
Diversity, who stunned the Switch-On capacity crowd with an astonishing routine last year have just completed their seventh UK arena tour. Widely acclaimed as one of the world’s great dance acts, they will be bringing another unique set to the Switch-On stage.
The Friday night event will start with a “Blackpool Introduces” showcase featuring the best of talent from the local area, including local singer songwriter James Edgar; the incredible vocal harmonies of District 12; upcoming new band Pacific;
and, the soulful vocals of Gloria Adereti.
This will be followed by an exclusive performance from B&FC’s student choir who will then lead the crowd in a special rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ to commemorate the College’s milestone anniversary. The event will be one of the highlights of the College’s year of celebrations, with a number of events already having taken place or planned throughout the rest of the year.
Switch-On VIP
We’re happy to be this year’s VIP partner for the Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On event.
The VIP packages include a complimentary drink and canapes on arrival; access to the VIP marquee within the Switch-On arena; and exclusive access to the after-show party in the glittering Festival Suite with Viva’s host and Entertainment Director, Mr Leye D Johns, along with members of the Viva cast for an exclusive VIP performance.
Prices start from £69.00 for adults and £35.00 for under 14s. Tickets are on sale NOW include a whole host of added extras including a delicious after-show supper and an official VIP goody bag.
Tickets: available online here, by calling Viva Blackpool on 01253 297297 or by e-mailing boxoffice@vivablackpool.com.
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Happy Birthday To Us!
10 August 2017
The Vegas venue in the heart of Blackpool is set to celebrate five years in business this Saturday with a special offer for customers.
The entertainment complex opened back in August 2012 after entrepreneurs Martin Heywood and Leye D Johns set out to create a Las Vegas style experience on the Fylde Coast.
To celebrate they are offering the first fifty customers to book tickets for Viva Vegas Live on Saturday August 12 a special £10 offer.
Leye D Johns, Entertainment Director at Viva, said: “Martin and I have a long history of providing top quality entertainment in Blackpool since our days at the Alabama Showboat and we couldn’t be happier to celebrate Viva’s 5th birthday this weekend.
“We’ve been incredibly privileged to work with some of the best entertainers in the business and to see Viva flourish into an icon of the Golden Mile.
“Not only that but we’ve received a host of awards and accolades over the years, none of which would have been possible without the constant support of our dedicated colleagues and customers.”
The venue revived the former bingo hall and reimagined it as an entertainment complex to rival any other in town, with three stunning rooms providing shows and function spaces 365 days a year.
Earlier in the year the business expanded with the opening of the Viva Vegas Diner on the corner of Church Street and the Promenade, offering an American style dining experience never before seen in the town combined with regular live music from house band The Fremonts.
The new venture saw a £1.2m investment made into the refurbishment of the diner, staff development initiatives and improvements to the staging and video screen backdrop in the main venue.
Martin Heywood, Managing Director at Viva, added: “When Leye and I opened the venue back in 2012 we had a vision to provide an exceptional visitor experience for our customers and we are delighted to be able to continue to do so.
“We are both absolutely committed to Blackpool, a town which we both have a huge passion for, and count ourselves very lucky to be a part of the thriving entertainment offer.
“Not only that, but we enjoy nothing more than providing quality career and development opportunities to the people of the UK’s number one seaside resort.”
Viva and the Viva Vegas Diner employs 90 staff, all paid the living wage, in a variety of positions from marketing assistants to box office clerks, bartenders to technicians and everything in between, plus prides itself on offering a programme of career development opportunities.
Over the years Viva has won a number of awards including Entertainment Venue of the Year and Customer Service gongs in the Radio Wave Culture & Lifestyle Awards, and in 2016 Entertainment Director Leye D Johns was named Lancashire Tourism Superstar as well as being shortlisted for the VisitEngland Tourism Superstar award.
Discounted celebration tickets are only available on Saturday 12 August for Viva Vegas Live when quoting ‘FIVE YEARS’. For more information or to book tickets visit www.vivablackpool.com or call 01253 297 297.
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Feel the 4th with the ‘Independence Burger’ at the Viva Vegas Diner
28 June 2017
The Viva Vegas Diner is celebrating the 4th of July with a giant foodie challenge, American themed music set and a host of drinks promotions.
The ‘Independence Burger’ has been cooked up by Viva’s head chef, with a mammoth burger and a selection of sumptuous sides all on the plate, plus the chance to get it all free of charge if you challengers finish it within 45 minutes of it hitting their table.
Resident band ‘The Fremonts’ will be keeping challengers motivated as they take on the monumental mouth-watering mission, with a brand-new musical soundtrack featuring a host of all American classics throughout the month.
Leye D Johns, Entertainment Director at Viva, said: “We’re really looking forward to celebrating the 4th of July with our American cousins here at the Viva Vegas Diners.
“The new set created by The Fremonts takes a whole host of all American classics and reimagines them in the band’s postmodern Jukebox style that our visitors have been loving since we opened.
“So don’t miss this chance to feel the 4th with us this July and see if you can defeat the ‘Independence Burger’ challenge.”
The behemoth burger includes two beef patties, two buttermilk chicken breasts, two jack cheese slices, two strips of streaky bacon, BBQ pulled pork, blasting bacon bits, onion dust and signature six cheese sauce.
As well as the burger, challenges have to round off their meal with giant onion rings, three buffalo chicken wings, a small plate of mac and cheese and cajun skin on fries plus, wash it all down with two pints of coke.
As well as the ‘Independence Burger’ the team behind the bar have created a series of brand-new red, white and blue cocktails, all available on a buy three get your fourth one free offer throughout the month.
The ‘Independence Burger’ will cost £24.95 for anyone who doesn’t finish every morsel within the 45 minute time limit, but all challengers will have their name and time placed on the leaderboard on the Viva Vegas Diner website, with the person with the best time winning a meal for four at the end of the month.
The Viva Vegas Diner 4th of July ‘Independence Burger’ challenge and promotions run from Monday 3 to Monday July 31.
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Resident Band to Keep Toes Tapping at Viva Vegas Diner
1 June 2017
Homegrown band ‘The Fremonts’ are set to take up residence at the Viva Vegas Diner with a rock and roll style postmodern jukebox of tracks.
The band are named after the famous Fremont Street in Las Vegas which has featured in many well known music videos and is renowned for its live music scene.
Offering an eclectic mix of old songs brought up to date and new songs made to sound retro, the band are to offer the perfect accompaniment to the unique Viva Vegas Diner experience.
Sam Cummins, Lead Vocalist of The Fremonts, said: “We’re made up to have been chosen as the resident band for the new Viva Vegas Diner.
“Our speciality is performing old songs that sound like new and new songs that sound old, we think that people will love that kind of sound.
“We hope that we’ll have audiences at the diner tapping their toes while they enjoy their Viva Vegas dining experience.”
The 4-piece are made up of local musicians Sam Cummins on lead vocals, Matthew Chung on drums, Joe Boyes on keyboard and Michael Mayor on bass guitar.
On selected performances throughout the season the band will be joined on stage by members of the new in-house Viva cast and guest vocalists to really give the venue that live music vibe that Fremont Street in Vegas is known for.
They are also keen to hear from local musicians who might want to join them on stage for a jam, creating new collaborations and unique sounds for diners to enjoy.
The Viva Vegas Diner is set to open to the public at 20:30 on Monday, June 12th following the VIP launch. For more information or for advanced bookings, call 01253 297 297 or visit the website.
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Brand new high end production to launch this June
9 May 2017
Viva Blackpool’s headline show Viva Vegas Live is set to re-launch this June with a stunning new high end production.
Starring the hilarious Entertainment Director of Viva Blackpool Leye D Johns, the newly reimagined show will feature large scale production numbers, an expanded cast, aerial performance plus new guest vocalists.
The show, which has run every week since the venue opened in 2012, will re-launch on June 24 and is set to bring a taste of high end Las Vegas glamour to the thriving venue.
Leye D Johns said: “We’re so excited about the new Viva Vegas Live production that we’ve been preparing behind the scenes over the past couple of months.
“Here at Viva we’re all about bringing that Vegas glitz to the Fylde Coast and we’re sure that the new show is going to do exactly that.
“This is the start of a journey we’re going on here at Viva to evolve the show, stage, cast and venue all with the aim of making it bigger, better and more Vegas.”
The new cast is 11-strong, featuring male and female dancers and vocalists for the first time in the venue’s history, bringing Vegas style production values to audiences on the Fylde Coast. With credits including appearances at Proud Cabaret in London, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Celebrity Cruise Line, the new resident cast are one of the most talented and acclaimed in the resort.
With musical numbers spanning everything from classic show tunes right through to contemporary tracks including Rag & Bone Man’s smash hit Human, the show promises to offer something for everyone.
The venue’s stage and video screens are also being improved in anticipation of the launch of the new show and a plethora of glittering and glamourous costumes have been commissioned to bring out the razzle dazzle of the cast.
As part of the investment into the new show the resident cast are having their skills enhanced with a programme of professional development ensuring that they are able to be at the forefront of the industry, constantly enhancing their skills to bring the highest quality productions to Viva’s audiences.
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Love Him For A Reason & Let The Reason Be Rock
29 March 2017
Once Osmondmania had run its course, the various brothers embarked upon solo careers and Merrill Osmond was no exception.
Middle child Merrill became a very successful act on the American country music scene and of course has been touring alongside brothers Jay and Jimmy. Now in his mid-sixties and sporting distinguished white hair and beard, Merrill is as busy as ever, and will be appearing at Viva on Monday, June 5.
With the Osmonds back in the seventies, Merrill shared lead vocal duties with Donny and recalls those heady days. He said:
“Osmondmania was a shock that went around the world. Never having chosen my vocation I went from the Barbershop quartet world to The Andy Williams Show and then to the studios recording One Bad Apple; and then to go on stage in front of thousands of screaming girls was an experience.”
Merrill is a frequent visitor to the UK and performs here regularly, but it seems strange that his UK dates this year are rock shows. “That’s right,” he added. “I love rock music as well and these shows will be rock shows and no country in them either.”
So, what can we expect of the Osmond who lists ‘Crazy Horses’ and ‘Down By The Lazy River’ as his favourite Osmond tracks? He said:
“Well, what I might do is a tribute to Paul McCartney, as well as some (Led) Zeppelin and Cream, and of course my four-piece band and I will do all the hits.”
There are only a couple of UK dates in the diary at the moment, but Merrill admits there could be more in the future. “That’s right,” he added. “I’m talking to a promoter about a fuller tour, but it’s taking time.” And as Merrill is a devout Mormon, he hopes to visit the Mormon Temple near Preston whole he is here. “It’s definitely on my agenda,” he said.
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#VOTE4LEYE for National Tourism Superstar Award
8 March 2017
Lancashire’s own Tourism Superstar Leye D Johns, host and compere at Viva Blackpool, won his Lancashire ‘crown’ at the Lancashire Tourism Awards in November 2016 and is now one of just ten finalists for this prestigious national award, the winner of which will be decided by public vote.
Public voting opens today, Tuesday 7 February at 8am, to decide the winner of England’s Tourism Superstar 2017, organised by national tourist board VisitEngland and supported by the Daily Mirror. Members of the public are encouraged to Visit mirror.co.uk/tourismsuperstar to watch a short film created by each of the Superstar finalists and to then cast their vote for their favourite and outright winner.
Leye D Johns speaking about reaching the finals said “I’m absolutely overwhelmed by the support I’ve received as Lancashire’s Tourism Superstar and I’m so happy to be named as a national finalist. I love my job, the people of Lancashire, and the thousands of visitors who make every day working at Viva Blackpool such a pleasure. I’m so proud to be representing Lancashire in the national awards, to win would be the icing on the cake of a 23-year career as an entertainer in the UK’s favourite seaside resort.”
Leye is the only finalist from the North West of England and hopes that visitors from Lancashire and the North West in particular will support his film, vote for Leye and spread that support through social media using #Vote4Leye.
The Tourism Superstar finalists are:
Alan Anderson, Park Ranger, Auckland Castle, Durham
Duane Dibartolomeo, Owner, Grosvenor Fish bar, Norwich
Gemma Garwood, Falmouth Town Crier, Cornwall
Gillian Scotford and Jane Carver, Co-founders of Accessible Derbyshire, Derbyshire
Karl Gibson, Pub Landlord, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, Nottingham
Kevin Robson, Tour Guide and Owner, Wild Dog Outdoors, Northumberland
Leye D Johns, Host & Compere, Viva Blackpool, Lancashire
Liz Hill, Founder, Rural Concierge, Herefordshire
Paul Schofield, City Tour Guide, Hull & East Yorkshire
Peter Jay, Volunteer, Cotswold Water Park Trust, Wiltshire
64 Million visitors choose to visit Lancashire each year and many will be familiar with Leye’s work at Viva Blackpool and across the county, they are now in the position to help make Leye D Johns, to victory as England’s Tourism Superstar.
Anna Izza, Head of PR & communications for Marketing Lancashire said “Leye was an incredibly popular recipient of the Lancashire Tourism Superstar Award 2016. Having won the most votes across Lancashire, we were very confident nominating him for the national award. Leye is such a wonderful character, is a great ambassador for the county and we’re absolutely thrilled to see him reach the final.”
VisitEngland Director Patricia Yates said, “The sheer calibre of this years’ entrants is testament to the outstanding customer service that is the foundation of England’s tourism industry. I really encourage you to join in and vote as we celebrate our Tourism Superstars who consistently go above and beyond customers’ expectations, and who contribute so much to ensure visitors have a great time.”
VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar initiative is in its sixth year and recognises the heroes within the industry who far exceed the call of duty to ensure visitors have the most amazing experience.
Vote Now for Lancashire’s Tourism Superstar Leye D Johns at mirror.co.uk/tourismsuperstar voting closes towards the end of March. The winning Tourism Superstar will be announced during English Tourism Week 2017(25 March – 2 April).
Click Here To Vote For Leye D
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The Three Degrees Get Set For Viva Show
19 February 2017
Stars of Soul, and the Queens of Motown THE THREE DEGREES are all set to make their Viva Blackpool Debut on Wednesday 22nd March for a one off show night with an open invite to anyone who wants to celebrate the era of truly great music.
Formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – the trio group still boasts 2 of the original members since Shiela Ferguson departed company many moons ago.
When you thnk of the name ‘The Three Degrees’ it evokes memories of the coordinated dance routines and vocal harmonies to the likes of ‘When Will I See You Again?’, ‘Dirty Ol’ Man’, ‘Take Good Care Of Yourself’ and many more as they’ve sang and toured for more than 40 years.
So come and join Helen Scott, Valerie Holiday and Freddie Pool as we get set to host a truly magical night of memories and more!
Weds 22nd March 2017 – Tickets from Tickets are available From £19.50 – 01253 297 297 or to find out more online click here
Meet & Greet Opportunity Also Available To Book With Souvenir Printed Photo
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Win A Holiday For 2 To LAS VEGAS!
24 January 2017
We believe Blackpool is the Vegas of the North so we want to give one lucky couple the chance to compare for themselves. On top of the holiday, you will also receive Viva VIP treatment with an invitation to join us here in Blackpool whenever you need a dose of fabulous entertainment.
You will be staying at the flamboyant MGM Grand which doesn’t call itself grand lightly. Located on the famous Vegas Strip, from the 45ft, bronze lion statue and the 6.6-acre swimming pool area to the four 30-storey towers and 5,000 bedrooms, this hotel is grand in every way.
Like at Viva, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to dining, with an incredible array of international cuisine. Also like Viva, the MGM Grand is famous for its spectacular shows. Cirque du Soleil’s, KÀ appears at the MGM Grand alongside world renowned entertainers such as David Copperfield or if you fancy a flutter, the MGM Grand has one of the largest casinos in Vegas.
The holiday includes round trip flights, double room and transfers.
For a chance for you and your guest to win this holiday to Las Vegas simply answer the question and complete the form below and click to enter.
This competition closes midnight 31st March 2017 and the winner will be notified within 14 days
QUESTION: Viva Blackpool is the Vegas venue in the heart of:
[cforms name=”Win A Trip To Vegas”]
Terms & Conditions
The prize-draw is open to all citizens of the UK except anyone connected to this competition. Only one entry is permitted per person. No purchase is necessary.
To be valid entries must be received on or before 31st March 2017.
The winner and their partner, will receive return flights from main UK airports to Las Vegas and 5 nights at the MGM Grand Las Vegas on a room only basis. The trip is subject to availability of flights and accommodation as purchased by the agent supplying the holiday on any particular date and must be taken by15th December 2017. Travel to UK airports or incidental expenses are not included. There is no cash or other alternative to the prize
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Graftas 2016 Nomination Form
2 November 2016
Time to nominate your worthy winners for ‘The Graftas 2016’ with a glittering ceremony and awards evening on Sunday 20th November 2016.
We want to hear about the unsung heroes of the night time industry here across Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde – so let us know your individual favourites, venue highlights and hilarious moments.
For sponsorships, table bookings and drinks packages – please click here
[cforms name=”Graftas Nomination 2016″]
