TICKETS remaining on sale for Huge’s record 25th gig at the Grand Opera House, York, tomorrow are down to double figures.

Big Ian Donaghy and the York party band with the four-piece horn section will be performing covers of Michale Bublé, Adele, The Who, Queen, Take That, Madness and James Brown, plus Northern Soul and Motown classics. “Hammond-heavy brassiness and ludicrous audience participation” will be in store at 7.30pm.

Big Ian will turn his attention next to The Guestlist’s re-arranged fund-raiser for Cancer Research UK at Leeds City Varieties Music Hall on February 2.

At 8pm, he will lead a line-up of specially assembled mates in a charity show called The Guestlist: A Secret Night Out.

Alongside vocalist Ian will be York keyboards maestro George Hall and Ian’s right-hand man for 23 years, Phil Hardy, and former Bogus Brother Martin Ledger on acoustic guitars.

Alistair Griffin’s drummer, Dave Hardy, will be on percussion and Johnny McGough, sometime songwriter for The X Factor winner James Arthur, will contribute harmonica, flute and saxophone.

Between them, The Guestlist musicians have played with, Sting, Squeeze, Joe Cocker, Jools Holland, JLS, Alexandra Burke, Ben E King, Ronnie Wood, Justin Timberlake and James Blunt.

February 2’s two-hour set promises acoustic interpretations of Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, Elvis Costello, The Kinks, U2, 10CC, Pet Shop Boys, Amy Winehouse, Etta James, Bill Withers, Elton John, Tears For Fears, Snow Patrol, KT Tunstall, Dolly Parton, George Michael, Squeeze and Adele.

For a taster of what awaits at the City Varieties, check out the promo video at youtube.com/watch?v=rI6zZ7RtBiw, featuring a re-working of the Pet Shop Boys’ West End Girls by Hall on keyboards, McGough on harmonica and “a chunky lad from Tow Law” on vocals. “It’s very Rufus Wainwright/torch song-like for a beefy Newcastle supporter,” says Big Ian.

The Guestlist hope to raise £5,000 for Cancer Research UK from next month’s show. Tickets are available at £15.60 on 0113 243 0808 or cityvarieties.co.uk