LEAD singer of the Housemartins, and the Beautiful South, Paul Heaton is returning to NBHD Weekender in 2023 as a headline act, alongside Jacqui Abbott.

The two-day festival will take place across the weekend of May 27 and 28, with Paul and Jacqui headlining on Saturday, May 27.

The festival will come 36 years after the Housemartins first performed in Warrington, which was in 1987.

READ MORE > The Wombats on coming home to Neighbourhood

READ MORE > When Pulp played in Warrington in 1996

READ MORE > Headliners confirmed for Neighbourhood

Paul spoke to the Warrington Guardian ahead of healing the festival in Victoria Park.

What's it like coming back to NBHD, but as a headline act?

It’s a privilege and pleasure, and I’m pleased, but to me, festivals are always good fun. There are good things about going on last and headlining, and there are good things about performing earlier and being able to see some of the other acts.

We’re delighted that we’ve been asked, but it doesn’t make a lot of difference where we are on the bill.

What're the differences between a festival and a tour, and what's special about Warrington?

You get into more of a rhythm on a tour, and although all the venues are different, they’re nowhere near as different as a festival. Both in terms of the audiences and the setup, really.

When we got to NBHD last year, I wasn’t sure what to expect because I'd never done it, but I really enjoyed it – but NBHD is different to Glastonbury, for example. They’re all different. Totally different audiences.

We’ve got a long relationship with Warrington because when the Housemartins first got big I wanted to go to places that didn’t normally get gigs, and this was back in 1987.

My fear now, as an ‘elder statesman,’ is that you go to a festival and there’s just a load of kids there, but with NBHD… the people from Warrington go. As we arrived at NBHD it was clear this is a local festival. People just go down to the park and listen to music, and I love it.

Warrington Guardian: Jacqui and Paul have had a recent UK number one albumJacqui and Paul have had a recent UK number one album (Image: Paul Heaton)

Most of your big hits are songs from 1980s and '90s – like ‘Happy Hour’ and ‘Caravan of Love’ - what’s it like having younger generations sing those songs back?

The first lot heared it on the radio and bought the records at the time, and the younger people know through their mums and dads – or even their grandmothers and grandads!

That’s a really nice feeling, that the music has passed down, and it’s something you’ll take away with you for the rest of your life.

It’s great having people listen to your music, and knowing that it’s gone on for 25, 30, 35 years – it’s lovely.

Some artists get snobby about playing the old favourites in front of big crowds, and they just focus on newer work – what’re your thoughts on that?

I don’t know other musicians’ reasons, but because I’ve had success recently with recent albums, it feels less precious doing the older stuff. As long as I mix it up with stuff people have heard recently.

There’re a few songs that I don’t feel I can do justice anymore, mainly because of the vocals. Some songs might be too high, but even those, you can alter. 

Warrington Guardian: Paul says there aren't many vocal warmups before a show - even though there 'should be, at [his] age'Paul says there aren't many vocal warmups before a show - even though there 'should be, at [his] age' (Image: Paul Heaton)

Jacqui is only from down the road, in St Helens – does it almost feel like home turf when you perform here?

Jacqui is from a very similar place, it’s perhaps underrated and out of the public eye. We know about those towns, like Warrington, St Helens, and Widnes, and Wigan, because we’ve spent 20 years going round here. I was born in the area, too, just the other side of the Mersey.

How do you actually feel ahead of headlining NHBD?

I think I wouldn’t have appreciated it as much if this had come during the ‘80s or ‘90s, when everything was going right for me in the Beautiful South. But being a bit older, you start to appreciate things like this a lot more. Like I said, we’re delighted to be coming back.

NBHD Weekender returns to Victoria Park, Warrington, on Saturday, May 27, and Sunday, May 28, 2023. For tickets click here