Brian May and Kerry Ellis

Preston Guild Hall has been selected as one of the venues to host the UK Candlelit Christmas Concert Tour featuring Queen star Brian May and singing sensation Kerry Ellis on Thursday 15 December 2016.

The pair are teaming up for their sixth tour together to play 11 shows across the country in the run up to Christmas due to a clamour of public demand.

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The concerts will come soon after May’s critically acclaimed Queen Tour of festivals throughout Europe this summer, including a performance at the Isle of Wight Festival, which the organiser himself deemed to be the greatest performance in the Festival’s history.

May will have also extended the combination of Queen and Adam Lambert Tour to Asia.

Meanwhile Ellis’ has landed success in the world of Musical Theatre, performing in a range of shows, including gaining her reputation as one of the all-time most acclaimed Elphabas in Wicked, in London and Broadway.

The singer’s list of successful headlining roles, including Oliver!, My Fair Lady, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, Cats and We Will Rock You, have consolidated her desirability in the West End and she is set to deliver her starring role in the first run of the Off-Broadway hit Murder Ballad in London’s Arts theatre.

#tmAnnounced Brian May and Kerry Ellis UK Candlelit Christmas Concert Tour. On sale 10:00 Friday: https://t.co/nGHY4ot2WC

— Ticketmaster UK (@TicketmasterUK) July 11, 2016

Ellis branded the upcoming shows as ‘intimate’ performances.

She said: “Our show is definitely an experience; we like to move people, give them new experiences and take them on our personal journey, and we have a lot of fun.”

The concert tour will feature new songs from the upcoming second album Anthems II, which the duo has been working on for the past year.

Related: National Children’s Orchestras are coming to the Guild Hall

May swaps his trade-mark Red Special for a variety of acoustic instruments for much of the evening, providing his own special arrangements that emphasise the beauty of Kerry’s extraordinary voice.

He said: “Although life has taken us both into so many new areas recently, live music is still what makes us tick – the greatest joy.

“And Ms Ellis is the perfect fellow band member! I’m grateful for the opportunity we have to bring this show to an even wider audience.

“I’m already working on hardening up the finger ends!”

The repertoire for the evening has versions of May and Ellis’ personal favourite songs of all time, a few Queen tunes revisited and material dedicated to awareness of wild animals in tune with the passion the pair have for giving animals a voice.

Supported by keyboard whiz Jeff Leach, and the mighty crunch of May’s red special, the evening is described to reach an unforgettable electric climax.

Tickets go on general sale from Friday 15 July at 10am priced at £46.50. To purchase tickets, call the Box Office on 01772 804444 or book online at www.prestonguildhall.com 

Are you going to watch the Candlelit Christmas Concert Tour? Have you been to the Guild Hall recently? Let us know in the comments below