ArtistDirect News
Becky Hill Returns to Worcesters Marrs Bar for Intimate Evening as Part of Nationwide Everywhere At Once Festival
On Sunday, 29 June 2026, 32‑year‑old singer Becky Hill returned to Worcester’s The Marrs Bar for a 250‑person show that was part of the nationwide grassroots music festival Everywhere At Once. The event, which ran from 26‑28 June over the Glastonbury weekend, was backed by the National Lottery and the Music Venue Trust and aimed to showcase more than 2,000 artists in small venues across the UK.
Hill, who first performed at The Marrs Bar in 2011 as the lead singer of Shaking Trees, described the Sunday set as a “homage to little Becky” who was onstage at 16 playing her own songs. She said, “Tonight’s show will definitely be a homage to little Becky, who was onstage at 16 playing her own songs and now she comes back as a fully fledged 32‑year‑old, still playing her own songs.” The singer recalled her early days in a yellow cardigan, describing herself as a “very timid, nervous 16‑year‑old” who began doing open‑mic nights and was encouraged to play more local gigs by a friend.
Everywhere At Once was part of a larger initiative that saw the National Lottery raise more than £1 billion for music‑related projects across the UK. According to a National Lottery spokesperson, £96 million was allocated to 2,268 projects in the West Midlands alone. The festival’s goal was to bring artists into intimate settings, allowing audiences to experience performances that would normally be confined to larger venues. Hill’s participation highlighted the festival’s focus on supporting grassroots venues and giving established artists a chance to reconnect with local audiences.
Hill’s career has been marked by a series of high‑profile achievements. She first gained national attention as a contestant on the first series of The Voice UK, where she reached the semi‑finals. In 2014 she became the first (and only) contestant from the show to score a UK number‑one single with “Gecko (Overdrive)” in collaboration with Oliver Heldens. The track topped the UK Singles Chart and earned Hill a Brit Award nomination for British Song of the Year in 2022. She has also been nominated for Best Dance Act at the Brit Awards in 2022 and 2023, winning the award in both years.
The Marrs Bar, which opened in 2000 after former electrician Brian Maher converted a former dance studio into a live‑music venue, has a history of hosting emerging talent. Maher, who has been quoted as saying, “It’s lovely… to come back, there are lots of people that have done the same, they’ve been here before they were really known and then came back,” praised the support from the National Lottery and the Music Venue Trust. He added, “Without small venues, where are people going to learn how to cut their teeth and learn their craft?” Fans of Hill’s performance at the bar included a Dorset visitor who travelled over 100 miles and a Worcester attendee who said, “To be that close is very surreal.” The event drew a queue that lasted several hours, underscoring the demand for intimate shows.
The Sunday set featured Hill performing tracks such as “Crazy What Love Can Do” and “Gecko (Overdrive).” The audience, though limited to 250 people, expressed enthusiasm for the singer’s vocal presence and stage presence. The performance was a reminder of Hill’s roots in Worcester and the role that small venues play in sustaining the UK music ecosystem.
In summary, Becky Hill’s return to The Marrs Bar as part of Everywhere At Once highlighted the importance of grassroots venues in nurturing talent and providing fans with unique live experiences. The festival’s success, backed by significant National Lottery funding, demonstrated the viability of intimate concerts as a complement to larger arena shows. Hill’s performance, her career milestones, and the venue’s history together illustrate the interconnected nature of the UK’s music community.
Hill, who first performed at The Marrs Bar in 2011 as the lead singer of Shaking Trees, described the Sunday set as a “homage to little Becky” who was onstage at 16 playing her own songs. She said, “Tonight’s show will definitely be a homage to little Becky, who was onstage at 16 playing her own songs and now she comes back as a fully fledged 32‑year‑old, still playing her own songs.” The singer recalled her early days in a yellow cardigan, describing herself as a “very timid, nervous 16‑year‑old” who began doing open‑mic nights and was encouraged to play more local gigs by a friend.
Everywhere At Once was part of a larger initiative that saw the National Lottery raise more than £1 billion for music‑related projects across the UK. According to a National Lottery spokesperson, £96 million was allocated to 2,268 projects in the West Midlands alone. The festival’s goal was to bring artists into intimate settings, allowing audiences to experience performances that would normally be confined to larger venues. Hill’s participation highlighted the festival’s focus on supporting grassroots venues and giving established artists a chance to reconnect with local audiences.
Hill’s career has been marked by a series of high‑profile achievements. She first gained national attention as a contestant on the first series of The Voice UK, where she reached the semi‑finals. In 2014 she became the first (and only) contestant from the show to score a UK number‑one single with “Gecko (Overdrive)” in collaboration with Oliver Heldens. The track topped the UK Singles Chart and earned Hill a Brit Award nomination for British Song of the Year in 2022. She has also been nominated for Best Dance Act at the Brit Awards in 2022 and 2023, winning the award in both years.
The Marrs Bar, which opened in 2000 after former electrician Brian Maher converted a former dance studio into a live‑music venue, has a history of hosting emerging talent. Maher, who has been quoted as saying, “It’s lovely… to come back, there are lots of people that have done the same, they’ve been here before they were really known and then came back,” praised the support from the National Lottery and the Music Venue Trust. He added, “Without small venues, where are people going to learn how to cut their teeth and learn their craft?” Fans of Hill’s performance at the bar included a Dorset visitor who travelled over 100 miles and a Worcester attendee who said, “To be that close is very surreal.” The event drew a queue that lasted several hours, underscoring the demand for intimate shows.
The Sunday set featured Hill performing tracks such as “Crazy What Love Can Do” and “Gecko (Overdrive).” The audience, though limited to 250 people, expressed enthusiasm for the singer’s vocal presence and stage presence. The performance was a reminder of Hill’s roots in Worcester and the role that small venues play in sustaining the UK music ecosystem.
In summary, Becky Hill’s return to The Marrs Bar as part of Everywhere At Once highlighted the importance of grassroots venues in nurturing talent and providing fans with unique live experiences. The festival’s success, backed by significant National Lottery funding, demonstrated the viability of intimate concerts as a complement to larger arena shows. Hill’s performance, her career milestones, and the venue’s history together illustrate the interconnected nature of the UK’s music community.