A member of the Lighthouse Family has apologised to fans after the duo split, leaving a festival without a headline act.
After almost 30 years together, keyboardist Paul Tucker announced that singer-songwriter Tunde Baiyewu wanted to focus on his solo career.
The group, formed in Newcastle and who had hits like Lifted and Ocean Drive in the 1990s, had been due to headline the Saturday of next month’s Mouth Of The Tyne festival.
In case you missed it…
One more show in 2022…
We will be headlining the Mouth Of The Tyne Festival in Tynemouth, Newcastle on Saturday 9th July 2022
See you there 💙@seetickets pic.twitter.com/PcL74XhSW0
— Lighthouse Family (@lighthousefamly) January 13, 2022
On Facebook, Tucker said: “I have tried everything with our agents and promoters over the last few weeks to make this work but we just couldn’t get it over the line.
“Tunde now wants to focus on his solo career and I wish him all the best.
“I would like to say sorry to the promoters and to all of you who have tickets for this show and have waited through the last two years.
“I was really looking forward to this hometown show and playing our songs in this amazing place close to the lighthouses that gave us our name.
“I am as disappointed as you are. It breaks my heart to let you down.”
Two years ago today we played a hometown show at the Newcastle @O2CityHall on our Blue Sky In Your Head tour…
Such a great night…we can’t believe this was two years ago…we miss those days… pic.twitter.com/ZYeiMnOPst
— Lighthouse Family (@lighthousefamly) February 21, 2022
North Tyneside Council has started to look for a replacement for the empty Saturday night slot.
The festival beside Tynemouth Priory will still run on Friday July 8, with Keane headlining, while Sophie Ellis-Bextor will top the bill on Sunday July 10.
Anyone with tickets for Saturday’s show will be given a refund.
Councillor Carl Johnson, North Tyneside Council’s deputy mayor and cabinet member for culture, tourism and events, said: “We were extremely disappointed to hear that the Lighthouse Family are no longer performing together and will be unable to play their headline slot at the Mouth of the Tyne Festival.
Celebrating 25 Years of our second album Postcards From Heaven in 2022… pic.twitter.com/0eZHQhRT0R
— Lighthouse Family (@lighthousefamly) April 19, 2022
“A sell-out audience have held onto their tickets throughout the pandemic, and like us, they were looking forward to the performance.
“However, the decision to pull out of the show has been made by the band leaving us all bitterly disappointed.
“Our festival team works throughout the year to put on an incredible show and are exploring all avenues to get a new headliner set up – as soon as we have a name confirmed we will communicate this and the new details to purchase a ticket.
“Thanks to all ticket holders for their understanding and apologies again for any disappointment.
“The show must go on and we know this year’s festival will still be a huge success.”