Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus returns to St George’s Church in Kemptown on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd May for Heroes — their first show of 2026 and one of the most anticipated events of this year’s Brighton Fringe season.
The show is a celebration on two fronts: the musical icons who shaped LGBTQ+ culture across generations, and the local heroes whose work has made a tangible difference to Brighton and Hove’s community. Expect David Bowie, Freddie Mercury and George Michael alongside newer voices like JADE and Self Esteem — all given the Chorus’s distinctive choral treatment by their in-house music team.
Brighton Local Angle
What sets Heroes apart from a standard tribute concert is the live interview strand running through both shows. Brighton figures including Sarah Savage, CEO of Trans Pride Brighton, Gail Smith, former chair of the Sussex Gay Liberation Front, Professor Sheena McCormack, who led the UK’s landmark PrEP clinical study, and Duncan Lustig-Prean, the retired Royal Navy officer who successfully challenged the ban on LGBTQ+ personnel in the armed forces, will each take to the stage to share their stories. For a city that has been at the centre of LGBTQ+ history for decades, it is a rare chance to hear those stories told live.
Joe Paxton, Artistic Director of Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus, said: “Brighton occupies a unique position in the UK’s LGBTQ+ community and so it is vital that we support the essential work of our community heroes. We are delighted to give some of them a platform at our shows, as we celebrate some outstanding musical icons.”
The Chorus — founded in 2005 and now with approximately 150 members — is well known for sell-out shows at Fringe and beyond. Heroes will feature standout solo performances alongside the full choral arrangements, and audiences are promised laughter, tears and plenty of queer joy in equal measure.
Both shows will also raise funds for Tonic, a Brighton-based sober social group for gay men that has been building community and connection for five years across around 300 members.
Practical Information
Heroes takes place at St George’s Church, Kemptown on Friday 1st and Saturday 2nd May 2026. Doors open at 6:45pm with a 7:30pm start. Tickets are £15 to £20 and are available at tickets.brightongmc.org.
For more Brighton Fringe 2026 shows, see our full Brighton Fringe guide.
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