Somerset County Cricket Club and live entertainment promoter Full Fat 360 have announced a new joint venture, Somerset Sounds, an annual summer concert series launching at Taunton’s Cooper Associates County Ground in 2027.
The ground has hosted major concerts before, including Elton John in 2006 and 2012, Rod Stewart in 2014 and Lionel Richie in 2023. Somerset Sounds is designed to turn that into a recurring fixture rather than one-off shows, with outdoor main-stage gigs on the outfield, hospitality packages in the stands, and a new St James Street Fan Village running food, drink and other attractions alongside the music.
No lineup has been confirmed yet. Organisers say the first headliners for the 2027 series will be revealed soon, with priority ticket access available to anyone who signs up at somersetsounds.co.uk.
Full Fat 360, the promoter behind the venture, has been running UK festivals, stadium shows and arena tours since 2010, including the SMK Live series at Milton Keynes’ 30,000-capacity Stadium MK and a Kings of Leon show at Bristol’s Ashton Gate.
Full Fat 360 founder Oli Bartlam said the venue’s existing reputation made it a natural fit:
“The Cooper Associates County Ground already has an incredible legacy of hosting world-class live entertainment, and Somerset Sounds is the next ambitious step in that evolution. Taunton and the wider region have a massive appetite for major live music, and this partnership allows us to establish the region as a destination on the national touring circuit. We’re thrilled to be working with Somerset County Cricket Club to bring international acts to this iconic venue and build an event series the entire South West can be proud of. Summer 2027 is only the beginning.”
Somerset CCC chief executive Jamie Cox said the club wants to build on its history at the ground while keeping cricket central to its identity:
“Somerset Sounds represents an important step in the evolution of the Club and the Cooper Associates County Ground. Cricket will always be at the heart of who we are, but we have a much wider ambition for the venue and for the role it can play within Somerset. We want to create experiences that bring new audiences to Taunton from across the South West and beyond, while generating meaningful economic and cultural benefits for the County.”
The ground is a short walk from Taunton railway station, which has direct services to London, Bristol and Exeter. A 2025 impact assessment put Somerset CCC’s existing annual contribution to the local economy at more than £20m, supporting over 200 jobs and drawing around 150,000 visitors a year; the club says Somerset Sounds is intended to build on that further.
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