THE legendary co-founder of the Eurythmics has spoken of his excitement at returning to his home town to perform in the theatre where his interest for the stage was first ignited.

Dave Stewart, who will give a live concert to celebrate his 65th birthday at Sunderland Empire on Sunday, September 10, recalled his first visit to the theatre as a child.

He said: “The first time I came to a theatre was to the Sunderland Empire. My grandmother bought us as a treat to see Peter Pan.

“We were right near the stage and I remember my mind being blown, with magical scenes manifesting on the stage.

“And when Peter Pan took off on a wire over us and that was it – hi-diddle-dee-dee an actor’s life for me.

“Since then I have travelled all over the world, over seven seas as we say in Sweet Dreams, the song.”

The star added: “I am purposefully staying down at Seaburn beach [during my stay] because my father and I would go down the cat and dog steps every Sunday. So I have been walking all along the beach.

The Northern Echo: CONCERT: The legendary co-founder of Eurythmics Dave Stewart is coming home in a live concert celebrating his 65th birthday live at the Sunderland Empire Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

CONCERT: The legendary co-founder of Eurythmics Dave Stewart is coming home in a live concert celebrating his 65th birthday live at the Sunderland Empire Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

“I am going to go around where I was born and grew up.”

He added: “Growing up in Sunderland and playing the guitar in little folk groups, it was a very small tight-knit community of musicians.

“And then leaving Sunderland for the big wide open world, meeting Annie [Lennox] creating the Eurythmics and being around the world thousands of times has been an amazing adventure, beyond description.

“But then coming back home for my 65th birthday after 45 years in music and playing a selection of songs I have written over the last 35 years is something really special.

“It’s going to be emotional. I’m bringing with me amazing players from Nashville.”

“I have the creme de le crème, with amazing backing vocalists and a whole score of different songs people don’t even know that I’ve written - songs that I wrote under a different name for different people.

“It will be with a selection of songs that people know and are familiar with, but I’ll interpret them my own way.”

He added: “I was a struggling musician as a teenager in Sunderland so I chose to invite the three young local bands to perform before me.”

Those bands are Social Room, Lilliput and Picnic.

Alongside singer Annie Lennox, Dave achieved worldwide fame in the 1980s and 90s with a string of hits including Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) and There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart).

Tickets priced from £31.25 to £61.25, are available from 0844-871-3022 or www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland