Music legend Paul Weller played a secret acoustic gig in Newcastle city centre on Saturday, July 13, 2026, after headlining the In the Park festival at Exhibition Park the previous night. The intimate show, held at the Pilgrim venue, raised £40,000 for the Sir Graham Wylie Foundation, which supports education and inspiration for children and young people in the North East.
Secret Show Details
Weller performed a 40-minute acoustic set accompanied by band member Steve Pilgrim, including crowd favourites 'Wildwood' and 'Out of the Sinking'. The event was kept under wraps and hosted 250 invited guests. The tickets and limited edition posters designed by Viz creator Simon Donald and signed by Weller contributed to the fundraising total.
Supporting Acts
The bill also featured two North East acts: Kathryn Williams, a decorated folk music songwriter from Gosforth, and Amelia Coburn from Middlesbrough, who is currently on a UK tour.
Venue and Charity
Michael Lavery, co-owner of Pilgrim, expressed delight at hosting the event, stating: 'We are committed to championing emerging artists and building audiences and communities across our music programme but it’s always special to also have the biggest artists performing in such an intimate setting. The atmosphere on Saturday in the room was electric and we were delighted to support such a significant fundraising effort for the charity.' He added that keeping the show secret added to the venue's reputation for curating unforgettable live music experiences.
