Southampton’s Guildhall Square is set to transform into a haven for music lovers next summer, as the Southampton Summer Sessions concert series unveils its first major headliners for 2026: the legendary American outfit The Beach Boys and Scotland’s own chart-topper Amy Macdonald.
The Beach Boys, the group who soundtracked generations of sun-drenched escapism, will take to the stage on Thursday 18 June 2026, celebrating six decades since the release of their seminal album “Pet Sounds”. Led by founding member Mike Love alongside Bruce Johnston and an accomplished touring band, The Beach Boys show no sign of slowing down, having racked up over 100 million record sales since their debut in 1961 and countless Platinum and Gold awards.
Even as the years have ticked by, the band’s sun-soaked classics—think “Surfin’ USA”, “Good Vibrations” and “California Girls”—remain woven into the fabric of popular culture. Their longevity is also marked by recent highlights: a 2024 Disney+ documentary exploring their storied rise, a star-studded tribute at the CBS GRAMMY Salute to The Beach Boys in 2023, and Mike Love’s recent induction into the 2025 Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Supporting The Beach Boys on their Southampton date will be another UK institution—art-pop pioneers 10cc, whose own classic hits such as “I’m Not In Love” and “Dreadlock Holiday” continue to captivate audiences more than fifty years after forming in Stockport.
The Summer Sessions will also welcome a homegrown star, as Amy Macdonald headlines on Friday 12 June 2026. Off the back of her critically acclaimed record “Is This What You’ve Been Waiting For?”, which debuted at number 8 on the UK Albums Chart, Macdonald will deliver her signature blend of high-energy acoustic pop-rock. With global sales topping 12 million and more than a billion streams, her irresistible singalongs have won her audiences from Glastonbury to the continent’s biggest arenas—including over five million concert-goers since her breakthrough.
Macdonald recently notched up yet another fan favourite single with “I’m Done (Games That You Play)”, and 2026 will see her play Guildhall Square as part of an extended UK and European headline tour, which includes two homecoming shows in Glasgow.
On support duties for the night are Wirral’s own genre-blending outfit The Coral, whose inventive take on garage rock, folk and psychedelia has earned widespread critical and commercial success since the early 2000s. Also joining the line-up are Scottish folk-pop newcomers Nathan Evans & The Saint PHNX Band, still riding high after selling out Glasgow’s OVO Hydro and releasing their
This year’s Summer Sessions are shaping up to be a showcase of international and homegrown acts, with performances already announced from the likes of Alex James’ Britpop Classical, Billy Ocean, Pete Tong Ibiza Classics, Paul Weller, Skunk Anansie & Garbage, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, and Deacon Blue. Set right in the Cultural Quarter, the festival aims to bring unforgettable world-class music to the heart of Southampton.
Tickets for Amy Macdonald (Friday 12 June) and The Beach Boys (Thursday 18 June)—along with their support acts—go on sale at 10am on Friday 21 November via ticketmaster.co.uk.
- Friday 12 June: Amy Macdonald, The Coral, Nathan Evans & The Saint PHNX Band
- Thursday 18 June: The Beach Boys, 10cc
