The Heavy Jets Pay Tribute to Matty Johnson at The Grove

The Heavy Jets tribute at The Grove on Tuesday 29 December 2026 is much more personal than a standard end-of-year gig. The Newcastle band will be joined by BIG FIGURE for a night dedicated to Matty Johnson, with doors at 7.30pm and all ticket-sale proceeds, excluding booking fees, going to CALM.

The event announcement makes the reason for the show clear. The Heavy Jets remember Johnson as a friend and musician who shared stages, songs and a practice room with them in Byker. That detail gives the night a particularly local meaning. This is a tribute taking place back in the same part of Newcastle where some of those memories were made, rather than a memorial show with only a loose connection to the city.

The Heavy Jets and BIG FIGURE are bringing those shared musical histories together for the night. The band’s own words focus on the songs they left behind, the music they made and the friendship that sat around it all. It makes the show less about looking backwards for nostalgia and more about putting those songs into a room full of people who knew, followed or connected with that part of the local scene.

There is also a wider purpose behind the event. All proceeds from ticket sales, excluding booking fees, are going to CALM, the Campaign Against Living Miserably. That charity element sits naturally alongside a night built around friendship, memory and bringing people together, and gives the show an importance beyond the music on stage.

The Grove is a fitting setting too. Based in Byker, it keeps the tribute close to the practice-room roots referenced by The Heavy Jets themselves. The venue’s smaller standing-room format should also keep the atmosphere direct, which feels appropriate for an event framed in such personal terms.

The Heavy Jets tribute at The Grove takes place on Tuesday 29 December, with doors advertised for 7.30pm. BIG FIGURE are also on the bill. The event is listed as 14+, with under-18s required to be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets are available through the official Gigantic listing. As always, check the venue and artist channels before travelling in case timings or event details change.