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music · Saturday 12 September 2026 · 7:30pm 
The South
At Millennium Forum · Newmarket Street, Derry, Co. Derry
At Millennium Forum · Newmarket Street, Derry, Co. Derry
If you grew up with The Beautiful South on the radio, this is a night worth travelling for. The South are a nine-piece band featuring former Beautiful South members - including vocalist Alison Wheeler and saxophonist Gaz Birtles - who have spent nearly two decades keeping that music alive in theatres across Britain and Ireland. They cover the full sweep of The Beautiful South’s career, from early hits to album deep cuts, with the full brass and rhythm arrangements that made those songs so recognisable. It suits fans who know every word, and equally suits anyone who wants a proper live night out with a tight, experienced band in a real theatre setting.
The South perform songs from The Beautiful South’s 18-year run, including “A Little Time” (the band’s number one single), “Perfect 10”, “Rotterdam”, “Song For Whoever”, “Old Red Eyes Is Back”, and “Good as Gold”. With nine musicians on stage - two vocalists, guitars, bass, drums, percussion, trumpet, and two saxophones - the sound is full and warm in the way that a smaller tribute act rarely achieves. The Millennium Forum is a 1,000-seat theatre purpose-built for this kind of show: excellent sightlines, good acoustics, and a proper stage. It opened in 2001 as the first purpose-built theatre in Derry and has one of the largest stages in Ireland. Doors are typically well before the listed start time, so arriving a little early gives you time to get settled.
Derry sits in the north-west of Ireland, on the River Foyle. From Belfast, the A6 takes roughly an hour and a quarter by car. From Dublin, the N2 or M1/A1 route via Newry is around two and a half hours. Bus Eireann and Translink both run regular services into Derry Bus Centre, which is a short walk from the city centre and the Millennium Forum on Newmarket Street. If driving, the Foyleside Shopping Centre car park is a short walk away and there is on-street parking in the area, though it fills up on busy evenings - arriving half an hour early is sensible.
Derry is a compelling city to spend time in: the intact 17th-century walls, the Bogside murals, the Guildhall, and the peace bridge across the Foyle all reward a few hours on foot before the show. 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.