Bronski Beat’s defiant debut album, live and reimagined through the voices of ground-breaking queer and trans contemporary artists including Planningtorock, Tom Rasmussen and Bishi.
A piece of musical and political history from 1980s Britain, The Age of Consent is presented as you’ve never heard it before. This show features a powerhouse line-up including Planningtorock, Tom Rasmussen and Bishi, plus more to be announced. Backed by The Chateau Collective; a specially curated queer house band performing bold new arrangements of the record, including Smalltown Boy and Why.
Originally staged in 2024 to celebrate the record’s 40th anniversary, The Age of Consent is now back by popular demand, re-energised and revitalised.
Join us for a musical celebration, and a collective call to action for the work still to be done in the fight for queer and trans liberation.
**Stage timings are subject to change
The History
Released in 1984 by Bronski Beat, The Age of Consent was a bold and uncompromising statement at a time when being openly queer in pop music was still rare. Fronted by Jimmy Somerville’s unmistakable falsetto, the album combined synth-pop with direct, unapologetic lyrics about sexuality, discrimination and queer life in Britain, resonating far beyond the dancefloor.
More than a chart success, the album became a cultural landmark - a soundtrack to queer resistance during a decade marked by political hostility, the emerging HIV/AIDS crisis and widespread prejudice.
Why it’s Important Today
More than forty years on, the themes of The Age of Consent remain strikingly relevant. Across the world, queer and trans communities continue to face discrimination, violence and political backlash. By bringing together a new generation of boundary-pushing artists, this performance reconnects the album’s radical spirit with the present moment, celebrating queer creativity while amplifying a collective call for solidarity, visibility and liberation.
Watch the Highlights
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