Ed Sheeran is set to perform a free concert at the hmv Empire, Coventry.
The gig is in celebration of hmv’s centenary, marking 100 years since the iconic British high street retailer opened its first store in July 1921. It’s also the grand opening of the brand new hmv-sponsored venue in Coventry, currently celebrating its status as the City of Culture 2021.
Those who want to be among the 700 lucky fans attending on 25th August should apply at https://centenary.hmv.com/ for tickets*. Fans who register by 11:59pm on Sunday 8th August will be entered into a free prize draw.
The concert also represents the grand opening of the hmv Empire, Coventry. Earlier this year, hmv announced its sponsorship of the venue following a £500,000 redevelopment and relocation. The Ed Sheeran concert is the first of many hmv-sponsored live events that will be hosted at the brand new venue, with gigs to come from BRIT Award-winning Arlo Parks, Easy Life, The Vaccines and Yungblud, with many more to be announced.
The gig is part of a year of celebrations for hmv. Later this week, the entertainment retailer is launching a series of exclusive Centenary Edition vinyl, including records by The XX, Kate Bush, The Libertines and The Prodigy. The limited-edition vinyl will be landing in stores and online on 24th July, with queues expected in stores around the country.
Ed Sheeran said: “Very happy to say that I’ll be performing for hmv’s 100th birthday in Coventry. hmv is a store that I spent a lot of time in growing up and a place where I discovered lots of new music, so I’m looking forward to celebrating this milestone with them.”
Those attending the gig will be temperature checked on arrival, and must not attempt to gain entry to the venue if they have knowingly been recently exposed to any person who has tested positive for covid-19. Attendees will need to show proof of a negative Lateral Flow Test taken within 48 hours of the time of entry to the venue, or proof of full vaccination received at least 14 days prior to the event.
hmv has more than 100 stores across the UK in locations including London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff, and operates Europe’s largest entertainment store in Birmingham’s The Vault.
Phil Halliday, Managing Director at hmv and Fopp, said: “We’re thrilled that live music is back with a bang with the amazing Ed Sheeran at our 100th birthday concert. hmv has a rich heritage in welcoming the world’s biggest music acts to perform intimate gigs in-store or on stage, as well as helping grassroots bands in their local communities discover new audiences. The relationship between music retail and live gigs is vital in maintaining the health of the industry as a whole, and as the UK emerges from lockdown we’re looking forward to even more exciting events this year.”
Phil Rooney and Dave Brayley, Co-Owners of the hmv Empire, said: “hmv is the face of music in the UK and has been for 100 years. We are extremely proud to be a part of their centenary celebrations, and the cherry on the cake is just the stuff of dreams: to have Ed Sheeran – one of the world’s biggest artists – not only coming to Coventry but performing in our new venue, the hmv Empire, is simply mind-blowing.”