Fans of Brian May and (sometime) hearthrobs Blue and Five will be in their element, reports Tim Hughes

  • IT’S an unlikely show, and one which had us rubbing our eyes for a moment. But it’s true: guitar legend Brian May is heading to Oxford... with a West End star... for a gig in a church. Following a visit by Prince Charles earlier this year, St John the Evangelist Church, in Iffley Road, will again be hosting royalty, though this time of the musical variety, in the form of the Queen guitarist.

He will be accompanied by singer Kerry Ellis, with whom he worked on the Queen-themed production We Will Rock You. The intimate concert, on June 17, is a warm-up session for a UK tour which will raise money for the Born Free Foundation, protecting threatened species of wildlife – most famously, lions. As well as collaborating on bringing the music of Mercury et al to the stage, Ellis and May have a deeper musical relationship, with the big-haired fret board botherer having produced Ellis’s debut album Anthems in 2010. The pair’s first tour together sold-out venues across the UK, including two nights at The Royal Albert Hall. And why the lion connection? Well the tour follows a visit by the pair to South Africa’s Shamwari game reserve and rescue centre, and the recording of a cover of Born Free.

The night will be based around an acoustic set of stripped-down Queen classics and some of the pair’s favourite songs. “Although life has taken me into so many new areas recently, music is still what makes me tick,” says Brian. “It is the greatest joy.” He adds: “Ms Ellis is the perfect band member, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring this show to a wider audience.

“I’m already working on hardening up the finger ends!” Tickets are £39. Call the credit card hotline on 0844 758 758 or go to ticketzone.co.uk

  • Fans of boy bands will also have been squealing with delight this week, with news of a tours by re-formed groups Five and Blue. In case you missed it, remaining members Scott, Ritchie, Abz and Sean (who should surely now change their name to Four?) reunited earlier this year for ITV2’s The Big Reunion and still sound... well... like Five. They play the New Theatre, Oxford, on December 5, with tickets are on sale now from atgtickets.co.uk. Also brought together by The Big Reunion, Blue play the O2 Academy on October 25 to push new album Roulette. Exciting! Tickets from ticketmaster.co.uk