Status Quo announce final Blackpool gig

The legendary rock band will perform in Blackpool on Thursday April 28.

The announcement the Quo are to return to Blackpool comes just weeks after they announced they would be hanging up their electric guitars at the end of 2016 and pulling the plug on their full electric set.

They have played in Blackpool on 20 occasions since 1968 when they first performed at the town’s now demolished ABC Theatre. Since then they have played 15 gigs in the Opera House and four in the Empress Ballroom.

But their 21st gig in Blackpool in 2016 will be the last time they crank up their amps for a full-on electric show.

Speaking about the decision to call it a day Francis Rossi said: “We’ve talked about it for some time and have decided that it’s time for us to hang up the electrics.

“It’s getting harder and harder for us to play those shows.

“It’s 30 years since we last said we were stopping but this is a final decision. It doesn’t mean we won’t do other things, perhaps the odd special, but we’re agreed that the moment has come. There’s more to come from us in the years ahead, but we won’t tour the electric set ever again.”

Rick Parfitt added: “We always thought we’d see a red light when it was time to stop. The show hurts now, physically. It’s hard to maintain that level of energy and without that it’s not really a Quo show. So we don’t feel we should continue.

“This is definitely the end of our lives on the road with the electric set, life won’t be the same for us – or many of the fans – but we can’t go on at this pace anymore.”

Status Quo at the Empress Ballroom is being presented by music promoters Cuffe and Taylor who have worked with the band on numerous occasions over the past five years.

Director Peter Taylor said: “We are thrilled to be promoting Status Quo at a number of concerts in 2016 and particularly in Blackpool’s Empress Ballroom.

“These guys always put on a fantastic show and have been warmly received in Blackpool for almost 50 years.

“It is almost 20 years since they last played the Empress – a venue coveted by artists across the globe - and I have no doubt this will gig will quite literally leave the Ballroom rocking all over the world!”

Frontmen Francis Rossie and Rick Parfitt will be joined by bandmates Andy Bown, John ‘Rhino’ Edwards and Leon Cave as they plug in and bring their thunderous electric live show to Blackpool for the last time packed with hits, both new and old, taken from a back catalogue stretching back to 1967.

Tickets to see Status Quo at Blackpool Empress Ballroom are priced from £37.50 and are available from www.cuffeandtaylor.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk

They go on sale at 9am Friday February 26.