John Peel

John Peel Day gigs honour late DJ

Peel TV moments

More than 300 concerts are taking place around the world to mark John Peel Day in honour of the late radio presenter.

Thursday marks one year since his final BBC Radio 1 show and the station will broadcast a six-hour tribute programme. Peel died on 25 October last year.

Gigs will be held in countries such as the UK, New Zealand, Italy and Canada.

Some of Peel's favourite acts, including New Order, The Fall and Super Furry Animals, played at the first tribute gig in London on Wednesday.

New Order singer Bernard Sumner at John Peel tribute gig

New Order headlined the first tribute gig in London on Wednesday
New Order frontman Bernard Sumner told the crowd at the Queen Elizabeth Hall the band's former incarnation, Joy Division, would have got "nowhere" without Peel's support.

And Pulp singer Jarvis Cocker said Peel provided his musical education and inspired him to "make music my life".

New and established acts are due to take part in concerts on John Peel Day on Thursday, reflecting the fact that Peel championed new music.

Performers include punk band The Anti-Nowhere League at Trillians Rock Bar in Newcastle and members of indie bands Mogwai and The Pastels at Glasgow venue Mono.

JOHN PEEL REMEMBERED

Obituary: John Peel

Dance act Dreadzone are playing at Salisbury City Hall, Mercury Music Prize nominee KT Tunstall is performing at Sheffield Octagon and new act Supersmash Monkeyhouse play at Staples Pub in Limerick, Ireland.

Radio 1's six-hour show will pay tribute to Peel and the music and bands he discovered.

Peel worked at Radio 1 for almost 40 years on his own late-night show. He also became presenter of BBC Radio 4's Home Truths in 1998.

His career was marked by discovering and championing new artists, from Joy Division to the White Stripes.

KT Tunstall

KT Tunstall will perform in Sheffield as part of John Peel Day
John Peel Day will be followed by a Radio 1 documentary, Keeping It Peel, on 17 October and a week of tribute shows on BBC digital radio station 6 Music from 24 October.

Meanwhile Roger Daltrey, Sir Elton John, Robert Plant, David Gilmour and Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks are also due to appear on a tribute single alongside newer acts.

The single is the brainchild of Peel's son Tom Ravenscroft.

Ravenscroft is also a researcher on John Peel's Record Box, a TV programme exploring Peel's musical tastes to be broadcast on Channel 4 in November.

# Radio One's special broadcast for John Peel Day starts at 1900 BST and features live broadcasts from around the UK.