Say Hello, Wave Goodbye to synth-pop pioneers Soft Cell - live in South Shields and Boldon

The synth-pop pioneers are celebrating their 40th anniversary, and as well as being their first show in 15 years, it's also their farewell.

Vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball will play live for the last time at The O2 Arena in London on Sunday, September 30.

The show is long since sold out - but North East fans who missed out on a ticket can experience the next-best thing at a series of live cinema screenings.

Cinema screens across the UK and Ireland will broadcast the entire show live via satellite, bringing audiences the whole show as it happens.

They include the Customs House in South Shields and Cineworld at Boldon.

Other North East screenings are at Vue cinemas in Gateshead and Cramlington, Cineworld in Newcastle and Middlesbrough, and Odeon at Silverlink.

It promises to be is a unique way to experience an event that is sure to go down in pop music history.

One of the most influential groups of the UK '80s electro scene, Soft Cell produced five original albums, from 1981’s Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret to 2002’s Cruelty Without Beauty.

They had a string of Top 10 hits, including Memorabilia, Torch, Bedsitter, Tainted Love and their signature tune, Say Hello, Wave Goodbye.

Intervening years have seen both Almond and Ball’s talent recognised with successful solo careers in their own right, with Almond awarded an Ivor Novello Inspiration Award in 2013, as well as an OBE this year’s New Year’s Honours List.

Ball went on to form The Grid, peaking with million-selling international hit Swamp Thing, as well as working as a producer and writer for the likes of Kylie Minogue and remixer for David Bowie, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, Yello & The B-52s.