Tom Jones in Belfast - the voice that connects pop, soul, blues and rock
Tom Jones is coming to Custom House Square in Belfast on Wednesday, 12 August 2026. The concert is part of a summer series of outdoor performances in the historic city centre, beside the Cathedral Quarter and not far from the River Lagan. The gates open at 18:00, while the artist schedule lists a time slot beginning at 19:00. This leaves time for the security check, finding a position and becoming familiar with the venue before the main part of the evening.
This is not a performance based solely on nostalgia. Jones often performs his old hits in arrangements that differ from the studio recordings. Reports from the summer of 2026 describe more acoustic and blues-coloured versions of the songs "It's Not Unusual", "What's New Pussycat?", "Sex Bomb" and "Delilah", accompanied by a band that moves from country and gospel to funk and rock and roll.
Tickets for this event are in high demand.
Why today's Tom Jones is more than a collection of greatest hits
Jones's international career broke through with the song "It's Not Unusual", and from the beginning his distinctive baritone connected pop melody with the rhythms of soul and blues. His catalogue is therefore not tied to just one genre: "Green, Green Grass of Home" leans towards country, "Delilah" towards dramatic orchestral pop, "Kiss" towards funk, and "If I Only Knew" towards an energetic fusion of rock and soul.
Important context for today's performances is provided by the album "Surrounded By Time", released on 23 April 2021. The album reached number one on the British chart, and Jones, then aged 80 years and 10 months, became the oldest male performer to have a number-one album in the United Kingdom and the oldest performer to reach the top with an album of new material. The material is introspective, stripped down and focused on lyrics, age and the passage of time.
At current concerts, it is precisely these songs that give the programme its emotional weight. "I'm Growing Old" often opens the performance with restrained accompaniment, after which the evening expands towards songs by Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, The Waterboys and other writers whom Jones interprets as part of his own story. The programme therefore travels from quieter reflections on time to grand choruses sung together by the audience.
Songs that define the current concert phase
The exact set-list for Belfast has not been published and may change. Nevertheless, reports from several performances during 2026 show which songs appear frequently and how Jones shapes them today:
- "I'm Growing Old", "Tower of Song" and "Not Dark Yet" create a reflective opening.
- "It's Not Unusual" and "What's New Pussycat?" take the audience back to the early phase of his career, but in refreshed arrangements.
- "Sex Bomb", "If I Only Knew" and "Kiss" raise the tempo through blues, funk and more powerful guitars.
- "I Won't Crumble With You If You Fall" and "This Is the Sea" reveal the more intimate, storytelling side of the programme.
- "Delilah" and "Green, Green Grass of Home" remain moments of communal singing.
This overview is not confirmation that every song will be performed in Belfast. It does, however, demonstrate the breadth of the current repertoire: the audience does not receive only a sequence of old hits, but an evening in which familiar compositions are rearranged to suit the performer's present-day voice, tempo and interpretation.
How Tom Jones sounds live during 2026
Reviews from Scarborough, Madrid, KΓΆln and A CoruΓ±a describe a similar model. Jones begins with keyboards and restrained accompaniment, sometimes while seated, and the full ensemble joins gradually. The voice remains central, while the songs gain a slower pulse, more space for the words and a more pronounced role for the band.
At the performance in Scarborough in July 2026, the accompanying musicians were musical director and guitarist Matt White, guitarist Scott McKeon, keyboardist Paddy Milner and bassist Dave Bronze. The line-up for Belfast has not been confirmed separately, so these names should be regarded as an indication of the current touring team rather than a final list. What recurs in the reports is the band's active role: guitars, Hammond sound, piano, bass and drums change the colour of familiar songs.
Earlier performances included screens and changing visual motifs, but no special effects or detailed technical plan have been announced for Belfast. Professional production adapted to an outdoor venue is expected, but it is not possible to state in advance which stage elements will be used.
Who will find the concert especially appealing
The concert will naturally attract an audience that has followed Tom Jones's songs since the 1960s and 1970s. For them, "It's Not Unusual", "Delilah", "What's New Pussycat?" and "Green, Green Grass of Home" are part of their personal musical history. Nevertheless, the current programme contains enough blues, country, gospel and original reinterpretations not to remain confined to a retrospective.
Younger audiences may know Jones through "Sex Bomb", Prince's song "Kiss", television appearances or the presence of his early hits in popular culture. Fans of Dylan, Cohen and The Waterboys are offered a different point of entry through songs about ageing, loss and beginning again. The concert is especially appealing to listeners who appreciate an interpretive singer who gives other people's material his own weight and drama.
It is worth securing tickets in good time.
Custom House Square - an open-air square instead of a traditional arena
Custom House Square is an outdoor concert venue in central Belfast. During the CHSq programme, it accommodates approximately 5,000 visitors, making it more compact than large stadiums and festival grounds. Concerts are entirely standing and have one main entrance. Any seat number that may appear on the ticket serves as a reference and not as an assigned place.
A venue of this size can create a greater sense of closeness to the performer than a large arena, especially for members of the audience who enter early. The standing format requires comfortable footwear and readiness to spend several hours on one's feet. The open square does not have the controlled acoustics of an indoor hall, so the experience will depend on the sound system, the position within the audience and the weather. The more intimate opening requires attention, while the grand choruses make better use of the energy of an outdoor crowd.
Belfast in the tour schedule
Belfast comes after the concert in Dublin on 9 August and before the performance in Chester on 14 August, within a compact section of the summer tour through the United Kingdom and Ireland. In the CHSq 2026 programme, Jones's date stands between Lush! Classical and electronic performer Ben Hemsley, demonstrating the series' breadth of genres.
The announcement currently states "Tom Jones plus guests", without publishing the names of any guests or support act. Visitors should therefore not plan their arrival around an assumed additional performer. A more detailed timetable may be published closer to the start of the event.
Getting to Custom House Square
The venue's address is Custom House Square, Belfast BT1 3EZ. The location is beside Queens Square and within walking distance of the Cathedral Quarter. Translink's Glider G1 and G2 services stop in the Custom House Square area, while several city bus routes use the nearby Queens Square, High Street, Oxford Street and Victoria Square stops.
Belfast Grand Central Station is the main hub for trains and intercity buses. From there, visitors should plan to continue by public transport, taxi or on foot and allow additional time for congestion. Timetables should be checked on the day of the concert.
There is no audience parking at the concert venue. The public car park at Victoria Square is approximately a six-minute walk away, so it is practical to park early and complete the final part of the journey on foot.
Practical arrival plan
- Arrive close to the opening of the gates at 18:00 if you want a better position in the standing area.
- Final admission and closure of the entrance are scheduled for 21:45.
- Allow time for the security check and congestion on the approaches from Queens Square and the Cathedral Quarter.
- Check the final public transport departures before entering, especially if you are not staying in the city centre.
- Agree on a meeting point outside the main stream of people leaving if you are attending as a group.
Entry rules and what to bring
The organiser states that the gates open at 18:00, that the programme usually finishes at around 22:45 or 23:00 and that the entrance closes at 21:45. This does not confirm the exact duration of Tom Jones's performance or the time at which the guests or main performer will appear. The safest approach is to treat 18:00 as the start of admission and check the stage schedule on the day of the event.
The venue has no cloakroom, lockers or cash machine. Bags larger than A4 size are not permitted, and the recommendation is not to bring bags unless they are necessary. Umbrellas, chairs, tables, professional photographic equipment, large electronic equipment, flags, flares and pyrotechnics are not permitted. Small personal cameras are allowed, subject to possible additional production rules.
As this is an outdoor venue, visitors should be prepared for changing weather. Umbrellas may not be brought inside, so a waterproof jacket or lightweight poncho is more practical. Layered clothing makes it easier to adjust between the warmth earlier in the evening and the cooler finish beside the river.
Visitors under the age of 16 may attend the concert, but they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who also has a ticket. The minimum age is 5. One adult may register no more than two visitors under the age of 16, and the guardian must be over 25 and remain with them throughout the event. A valid identity document with a recent photograph is required for age verification; photographs of documents are not accepted.
Food and drink will be available at the venue. Bringing personal food for medical reasons and any accessibility requirements should be arranged before arrival.
Belfast before and after the concert
Custom House Square is located where the city's history, harbour and contemporary cultural life meet. A few minutes' walk leads to the Cathedral Quarter, a district known for restaurants, pubs, street art and venues such as The MAC, St Anne's Cathedral and Oh Yeah Music Centre. In the opposite direction begins the riverside walk along the River Lagan and the route towards the Titanic Quarter.
Near the square stands Big Fish, a ten-metre-long ceramic salmon covered with texts and images from Belfast's history. It is a useful landmark for first-time visitors. The Custom House itself provides the venue with a distinctive architectural backdrop, so the concert retains the feeling of a city event rather than an isolated festival complex.
Before the concert, it is sensible to leave enough time for a meal because the Cathedral Quarter will be busy. After the event finishes, venues and transport connections may quickly become crowded, so choosing a return route in advance makes departure easier.
What could make this evening worth the journey
The greatest attraction is not only the opportunity to hear "Delilah" or "It's Not Unusual". The current phase combines the pop star of the 1960s, the soul and blues interpreter, and an older artist who sings openly about time and loss.
The programme can move from a quiet piano introduction to communal singing, blues shuffle, funk and rock and roll. Audiences who appreciate reinterpretation and songs whose meanings change with age will receive more than an ordinary overview of hits.
Custom House Square adds a compact, standing and open-air setting in the heart of the city. Proximity to the stage will depend on arrival time, and comfort will depend on preparation for prolonged standing and changeable weather. In return, the concert takes place without the distance and formality of a large arena, in a venue where the audience's reaction quickly travels from the front rows towards the rest of the square.
Ticket sales for this event are under way.
Sources:
- Tom Jones - tour schedule, biographical information, the album "Surrounded By Time" and reviews of performances during 2026.
- CHSq Custom House Square - event date, "Tom Jones plus guests" programme, address, opening time, finish, final admission, standing format, entry restrictions, age restrictions and accessibility.
- Official Charts - the number-one position of the album "Surrounded By Time" and Tom Jones's record on the British chart.
- Translink - Glider G1 and G2 services and stops in the Custom House Square area.
- Visit Belfast - the Cathedral Quarter, cultural venues and the Big Fish sculpture.
- Belfast City Council - CHSq 2026 as an August music programme at Custom House Square.
- Q-Park Belfast - the distance from the Victoria Square public car park to Custom House Square.
- Virtual Belfast and GigXchange - the venue's approximate capacity of 5,000 visitors.