← All events
music · Thursday 10 September 2026 · 7:30pm 
Michael Starring Ben
At Millennium Forum · Newmarket Street, Derry, Co. Derry
At Millennium Forum · Newmarket Street, Derry, Co. Derry
Ben Bowman has been stopping audiences cold since the show launched, and the reason is simple: he does not just sing Michael Jackson songs, he inhabits them. Produced by James Baker Productions and billed as the UK’s ultimate Michael Jackson tribute, Michael Starring Ben is a two-hour theatrical concert that brings together a live band, authentic costume recreations and the choreography that made Jackson one of the most electric performers of the twentieth century. If you grew up with Thriller on rotation or watched the Motown 25 moonwalk on repeat, this is the night to relive it. It suits fans of all ages, though children under 14 need an adult along and under-3s are not admitted.
Ben Bowman stays on stage for the full two hours, leaving only for rapid costume changes between sections. The setlist pulls from Jackson’s entire catalogue - solo hits and Jackson 5 classics both - so you can expect Billie Jean, Beat It, Man in the Mirror and Thriller alongside earlier material. A full live band backs every song, and the lighting production is designed to match the scale of Jackson’s own arena shows. Reviewers consistently describe it as “nothing short of spectacular,” and what stands out is that Bowman adds his own touches rather than doing a flat imitation - it reads as a performance in its own right rather than a karaoke impression. The Millennium Forum on Newmarket Street is a mid-sized purpose-built venue with good sightlines from most seats, so there is not really a bad spot in the house.
The Millennium Forum is right in the centre of Derry city, on Newmarket Street a short walk from the Guildhall and the city walls. If you are driving from Belfast, the A6 is the main route and takes around an hour and a quarter. From Dublin, you are looking at roughly two and a half hours on the M1 then A5 north. Translink operate regular Goldline coach services between Belfast and Derry, and Northern Ireland Railways run to Derry station on Foyle Road, which is a ten-minute walk to the forum. Street parking is available nearby in the evenings, and there are multi-storeys a short distance away on William Street and at Foyleside Shopping Centre.
Derry is one of the most distinctive small cities in Ireland - its intact seventeenth-century walls, the Bogside murals and the Peace Bridge across the Foyle are all within walking distance of the Millennium Forum, making it well worth arriving early or staying the night. There is more to see in Derry and across Co. Derry.
Heading to Millennium Forum in Derry? Derry has plenty more to see. Read the Derry area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.