Review: Deacon Blue at Westonbirt Arboretum
Posted on: 29 Jun 2026Colette Hand reviews Deacon Blue, Lightning Seeds, and Shay O’Dowd at Westonbirt Arboretum, 25th June 2026
Westonbirt Arboretum is an outstandingly beautiful and unique location for music events in Gloucestershire. You are surrounded by a well established and diverse forest of magnificent trees. It truly is a magical place, providing a friendly, relaxed and informal atmosphere.
We arrived just before 5pm, when the gates opened. The parking was well organised, quick and hassle free, as was getting into the venue. The stewards were all friendly, efficient, polite, and helpful. Westonbirt was very welcoming.
We had disabled access which had a raised viewing platform for wheelchair users. There were chairs provided in this area but you could also take your own chairs if you so wished. You were also able to take your own picnic and drinks (within limit), although there were a wide variety of food and refreshment stands on offer. The facilities in the disabled access area were very good, with a separate bar, and toilets with hoist facilities, and although there were allocated toilets and a bar for this area, there did not appear to be any large queues for toilets, refreshments, or food elsewhere in the arena. On several occasions stewards came around to ask if you needed help, or assistance, or a drink (which was very helpful on the hottest June day in recorded history!). There was plenty of time between the acts to allow for comfort breaks, getting food, drink, or ice-cream!
Westonbirt really is such a beautiful venue for a music event, very relaxed and informal, with room to move around and dance! And the acoustics were perfect. You were able to hear the words of each song with no distortion or echos. The music was loud enough but not too loud.
When the sun went down below the tree line it was heavenly, a perfect summer evening, listening to a couple of your favourite 80’s/90’s bands, in this case the headline act Deacon Blue, supported by the Lightning Seeds, and the talented Shay O'Dowd.
The Lightning Seeds did not disappoint, churning out their hits including one of my favourites “Lucky You”, and of course “The Life of Riley”, and, in light of the World Cup, the reworked “Three Lions”.
But Deacon Blue entertained us with hit after hit- “Fergus sings the blues”, “Real Gone Kid”, “Wages Day”, “Your Town”, “Love and Regret”, “Queen of the New Year”, “Loaded”, “Your Swaying Arms”, “Twist and Shout”, and many more, finishing with “Dignity”, and Bacharach and David's “I'll never fall in love again”. Vocalists Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh have still got it!
The event ended at 10pm, after 5 hours of entertainment!
Leaving the venue was also relatively painless, considering you have everyone leaving at the same time, it only took about 10-15 minutes to get out of the Westonbirt estate. It was a very well organised event all round. It was a fabulous evening and great to see that all performances have BSL interpretation.
This year Forestry England's Forest Live is celebrating 25 years of Live music in forest surroundings all around the country. Other headliners in this series of concerts at Westonbirt, include Rick Astley on 27th June and Richard Ashcroft on 28th June.
Buying a ticket from Forestry England helps to grow and protect our forests for future generations, with the planting of over 7 million trees in England each year, as well as helping to conserve and protect trees and wildlife habitats. So do go along and experience a relaxed evening of great entertainment within the amazing grounds of Westonbirt Arboretum.