Feature

Feature

Our favourite live events of 2017

Staff at Ticketmaster UK to tell us their favourite live events of 2017.

Look Back

2017 has been another sensational year for live entertainment, bringing some of the biggest and best artists, shows and events to the UK. With our dedicated Ticketmaster staff working across theatre, music, sport, comedy and special events, we asked our insiders to tell us what they fell in love with over the last twelve months.

Check out our democratically decided favourite live events of 2017, as chosen by Ticketmaster UK staff. Here’s to plenty more quality experiences come next year.


Theatre

Hamilton
The Broadway phenomenon (and we’re not using that word lightly) only opened in London earlier in December, and it’s already more than living up to the hype. The story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton has been turned into one of the most thrilling and moving stage experiences the West End has to offer, and Ticketmaster staff have been loving it. [Tickets]

The Ferryman
Telling the tale of an Irish family with an inescapable secret, The Ferryman has celebrated some seriously good reviews. The play is hauntingly powerful, and our staff agree, it’s easily one of the West End’s must see. [Tickets]

Toxic Avenger
When the hapless Melvin Ferd finds himself inside a vat of toxic liquid, he returns as Toxie to find revenge… and love. Based on the 1984 film of the same name, the musical is genuinely hilarious, filled with some brilliant songs delivered by a multi-talented cast.

An American In Paris
Coming to its end in January 2018, An American In Paris has delighted theatre goers with its classic tale of love in a time of war, and some truly spectacular dance numbers. Those staff lucky enough to have caught it in 2017 have been literally singing its praises.

Glengarry Glen Ross
A darker comedy, starring Christian Slater, about estate agents attempting to reach the top of the pack has proved extremely popular in 2017. Slater spent 2017 proving his brilliant stage credentials in the role of Richard ‘Ricky’ Roma. [Tickets]


Music

One Love Manchester
Following the horrific attack on the Manchester Arena, star Ariana Grande led the charge for One Love Manchester, the incredibly moving all-star concert in aid of #WeAreManchester. Bringing together some of the biggest names in music and entertainment, the atmosphere of the show (both in person and on TV) was breathtaking. The community spirit was unlike anything before, as Ariana proved herself as one of our staff’s people of the year.

Bruno Mars
The 24K Magic Tour saw Bruno Mars bring friend Anderson .Paak to the UK earlier this year, for an incredible pop one-two. Following Paak’s excellent support slot, Mars delivered some of his huge pop anthems with a show-stopping spectacle to match. [Tickets]

Depeche Mode
Releasing their latest album Spirit in 2017, Depeche Mode continued their seemingly unstoppable tour with a handful of brilliant UK shows. Fans revelled in the chance to catch the band’s biggest hits, as well as a handful of new numbers, as Depeche Mode easily proved themselves as one of the best live acts in the world.

Guns N’ Roses
2017 saw the live return of Guns N’ Roses, starring the reunion of iconic trio Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan. They conquered the mighty London Stadium with huge headline shows, and have since been announced to headline Download Festival 2018. Rock and roll lives on. [Tickets]

Wilderness Festival
Two Door Cinema Club, Bonobo and Grace Jones took the headline slots at this year’s Wilderness Festival on a line-up that also boasted a range of exciting theatre, dance, and visual art. The festival proved to be something of an escape for fans, transporting them to a whole new world of artistry and music. [Tickets]


Comedy

Micky Flanagan
Hitting the ground running with his incredibly funny UK shows, Micky Flanagan offered fast-paced, homegrown comedy that consistently hit its mark.

James Acaster
Kettering comedian James Acaster delivered his characteristically dry humour with ease during his 2017 run. His unfiltered takes are hilarious to his wide-ranging fan base, making him one of our staff favourites of 2017. [Tickets]

Mo Gilligan (AKA Mo The Comedian)
Rising to fame online, Mo Gilligan transfers his YouTube sketches and silver-tongued Tweets to the live stage. It transforms into incredibly funny stand-up comedy, from a man rapidly climbing through the ranks. [Tickets]

John Bishop
John Bishop has spent 2017 Winging It on his stand up tour. Pulling together observations and thoughts into on-point humour, the Liverpool comedian continues to be one of the city’s finest exports. [Tickets]

Edinburgh Festival Fringe
Bringing some of the brightest and best from the world of comedy to the Scottish capital for a party like no other, the month long extravaganza once again blew us away. There really is little else like this arts festival, and a must visit for any fan of laughing… and fun… and just having a really great time.


Sport

Six Day London
Bringing together some huge names in global cycling, Six Day London offered a perfect blend of sport and entertainment. It provided a whole new environment to enjoy the action, with music and dancing sitting alongside genuine competition. [Tickets]

London 2017
Hosting the 2017 IAAF World Championships and the World Para Athletics Championship, London 2017 brought the best in the world of athletics to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Highlights included the retiring sprint by record breaker Usain Bolt and a huge track win for the recent BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Mo Farah.

Wimbledon 2017
Tradition rules to roost at Wimbledon, the world class tennis competition that celebrates the sport alongside celebrity spotting and strawberries and cream. It continues to be the most prestigious Grand Slam in the tennis calendar, and the one all players are looking to win.

All Blacks v Barbarians
Twickenham hosted the opportunity to catch the best Rugby team in the world, competing against all-star team Barbarians. The All Blacks pushed through to victory in, by all accounts, one of the most electric atmospheres the stadium has witnessed.

North London Derby
Arsenal took on Tottenham in their bi-yearly competition, with fans witnessing one of the biggest sport rivalries the capital has to offer. Arsenal took victory, and North London became red once again. [Tickets]


Special Events

Secret Cinema
Building a world around Moulin Rouge, Secret Cinema transported ticket holders into a fantastical, musical world. Fans joined the revolution surrounded by characters from the iconic Baz Luhrmann film, experiencing it in an entirely immersive environment.

Erdinger Oktoberfest
We grabbed our beer steins and headed to a little bit of Bavaria in South East London, when Oktoberfest arrived in the capital. It was friendly faces all around, bringing the German traditional to a whole new bunch of fans.

Enchanted
English Heritage sites across the UK transformed into medieval wonderlands, lit up to encourage perfect escapism, as Enchanted opened across the UK. Strings of lanterns and fairy-lights brought history to life in this dreamlike visual spectacular. [Tickets]

Letters Live
Letters Live arrived at London’s stunning Union Chapel in July, offering a unique celebration of the increasingly outdated mode of communication. Surprise famous faces took to the stage to read moving, funny, and poignant letters, in a live event like no other. [Tickets]

Disney On Ice
Disney On Ice continued in 2017 to delight families and young fans with Passport To Adventure. Fans got to meet their favourite characters as they skated across the purpose built rinks, bringing smiles to countless young faces. [Tickets]


We’re looking back at 2017 across the blog. Find out more here.