R&B singer Billy Ocean is set to perform at Salt and Tar in Bootle tonight
Billy Ocean performs at the Avalon Theatre(Image: Getty Images)
Billy Ocean will take to the stage as Salt and Tar’s first 2025 headliner tonight. The Bootle-based music festival returns this week for another four-day weekend entertainment from August 7 – 10.
The R&B singer will be supported by soul British soul group The Real Thing on Thursday, August 7. Salt & Tar has already attracted thousands of visitors and hosted some of music’s biggest stars including Tom Jones and Status Quo who both performed at the Music Weekender festival last year. More than 11,000 people attended the canalside venue over the course of the four-day event which also included performances from local bands and artists.
British singer Billy Ocean is known for his back catalogue of hit songs from the ’70s and ’80s including Caribbean Queen, Love Really Hurts Without You and Red Light Spells Danger.
Billy Ocean is one of the biggest recording stars Britain has ever produced, with over thirty million record sales and a string of worldwide number ones including in the USA, Australia, Germany, Holland, and the UK.
Here’s everything you need to know if you’re attending the show tonight.
Billy Ocean Setlist
The setlist for the show at Salt and Tar has not been confirmed. However, it is expected that Billy will perform his classic hits. During his headline show on July 5, 2025 at bp Pulse LIVE in Birmingham, he performed When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Gets Going, Love Really Hurts Without You and Loverboy, according to Setlist.fm.
One World
Love Really Hurts Without You
Nights (Feel Like Getting Down)
Stay the Night
Red Light Spells Danger
Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car
The Colour of Love
No Woman, No Cry (Bob Marley and The Wailers cover)
Mystery
Suddenly
Loverboy
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going
Daylight
Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)
Stage times
The doors open for the Salt and Tar show at 4pm and last entry is 7pm. The event is scheduled to end at approximately 10pm. Stage times are currently unconfirmed but the ECHO will update when they are released.
Travel information
Bootle New Strand train station is a three minute walk to Salt and Tar, which is accessible via Washington Parade. The northern line offers direct trains to the station from Southport and Liverpool. From Ormskirk and Kirkby change at Sandhills and get the Southport train to Bootle New Strand. More information can be found on the Merseyrail website.
Bootle Bus Station is also a three minute walk to Salt and Tar with regular routes connecting to areas across Merseyside. Timetables can be found on the Merseytravel website.
Parking at Salt and Tar
Salt and Tar does not have any dedicated parking, but on-street parking is available close by. Public car parks within walking distance include: The Strand Shopping Centre Multistorey, Delaware Road Multistorey and Bootle Leisure Centre. Salt and Tar advises attendees to pay close attention to signage to ensure that they not in a residential zone.