Madness are heading to Southend for a major outdoor concert at Priory Park on Thursday 22 July 2027, as Lazydays Festival adds an extra night to its programme for the first time.
The band, known for hits including Our House, Baggy Trousers, It Must Be Love, House of Fun and One Step Beyond, will headline a standalone opening concert ahead of the three-day festival, which runs from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 July.
Unlike the main Lazydays weekend, the Madness concert will require a separate ticket. The event is scheduled to run from 2pm until 10pm, with supporting artists performing across two stages. Organisers are also planning street food, independent drinks bars and a full outdoor concert production.
It will be a return to the city for Madness, whose previous Southend appearance was at the Cliffs Pavilion more than 18 years ago, according to the organisers.
Suggs, the band’s frontman, said: “It is magnificent to be coming back. A mate of mine came to a recent show and said, ‘Suggs, it’s just unbridled joy.’ And he’s right. Southend is the perfect canvas for a proper old knees-up by the water. Leave your troubles at the gate and let’s just lose ourselves for a bit. See you down the front!”
Another big year for Southend’s independent festival
Lazydays was launched in 2024 by Southend friends Andy Williamson, Elliott Waters and Mike Forster-Bromfield. The festival has since become a regular fixture in the city’s summer events calendar, bringing established performers and independent food and drink businesses to Priory Park.
The 2026 event featured Tinie Tempah, Feeder, Sister Sledge, The Feeling and Natalie Imbruglia. Organisers say more than 12,000 people attended.
For 2027, Dizzee Rascal has already been confirmed to headline Friday, with Kaiser Chiefs taking the Saturday slot. The Sunday headliner and further supporting acts have yet to be revealed.
Elliott Waters, Lazydays co-founder and creative director, said: “We never could have imagined when we started, just a few years later, we’d be attracting artists of the scale of Madness to Southend.”
He added: “We started this because we wanted to create something special for Southend and Essex – our home – with personality, imagination and personal touches.”
Southend City Council leader Councillor Daniel Cowan welcomed the festival’s continued growth, saying: “Lazydays has become a fantastic addition to Southend’s events calendar, bringing thousands of people together and creating a real boost for our local economy.”
He said securing Madness for the opening concert demonstrated how far the event had come since its launch.
When do Madness tickets go on sale?
The Madness concert takes place at Priory Park, Southend, on Thursday 22 July 2027, from 2pm to 10pm. General ticket sales open at 10am on Friday 16 October 2026, with an advance pre-sale from Thursday 15 October for people who register at madnesspriorypark.com. Ticket prices have not yet been provided in the announcement.
Tickets for the main Lazydays Festival, taking place from 23 to 25 July 2027, are already on sale. Children aged five and under can attend the main festival free with an appropriate accompanying adult ticket. Tickets for the Thursday Madness concert are sold separately.
Further acts for the opening concert and the festival weekend are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.