Primary school pupils grace the stage as first performers at Wolverhampton's revamped Halls
Forget your global rock stars - the honour of being the first to perform on the stage at The Halls went to a group of Black Country schoolchildren.
Pupils from Bilston CofE Primary School took to the stage to unveil the newly revamped interior of Wolverhampton’s iconic venue.
As city leaders were led around the new Wulfrun and Civic Halls, they were greeted by the festive songs of the young Bilston choir.
The students were applauded as they became the first singers to perform in the newly revamped venue, which has been under renovation for the better part of six years.
Singer for Bilston CofE Primary School, Wyatt Bevington, 11, talked about his love for singing, saying: “I love singing, I practice every day and I have written two songs so far.
“It was really good singing in front of everyone. When I am older I’m going to be a singer, I really want to go on The X Factor now.”
The children performed three songs, accompanied by a group of dancers.
They were rewarded for their performance with hot chocolate and a goodie bag each.
Headteacher at Bilston CofE, Gary Gentle, talked about how the students prepared for the big event.
He said: “All the kids have worked so hard for this show, and they have really enjoyed it.
“They practice quite a lot and we always love to do these local events to get their confidence up and also to help out in our community. They have done a fantastic job.”
The refurbished halls are expected to host around 300,000 visitors a year, hopefully bringing in £10 million a year for the industry.
Councillor Stephen Simkins, cabinet member for inclusive city economy, talked about his hopes for the renovated theatre.
He said: “We hope it will bring people back into theatres.
“It’s been a really tough few years, especially for the arts industry. The new venue is expected to bring around £10 million a year, which is really needed for the industry.”
The young singers of Bilston CofE set the stage for the big opening for the Halls, which will officially open with its first concert, British electronic duo, Leftfield, on June 1, 2023.
A string of shows have been announced. Punjabi actor and singer Ranjit Bawa will perform at the Civic on June 11.
Other acts include Black Country comedian Gary Powndland, on June 23. And it was announced this week that folk-bluegrass musical ensemble The Dead South will perform on November 4 next year.
The venue, now known as The Halls Wolverhampton, is to be run by AEG Presents. Its opening marks the end of eight years of setbacks in a refurbishment that was initially going to cost £10m and be ready in 18 months.
