Sam Fender was ''so glad'' to be back on stage as he performed at the UK's first socially-distanced gig venue on Tuesday (11.08.20).

The 'Hypersonic Missiles' hitmaker played the first of two homecoming shows at the Virgin Money Unity Arena in Newcastle, where audiences had their own viewing platforms which held five people and were spaced two metres apart, and was thrilled to be singing once more.

Speaking on an Instagram story as he relaxed backstage with a video game after the gig, Sam said: ''Thanks for everybody who came tonight, it was f*****ing belting, I can't wait for Thursday. I'm just gonna crack on with what I do best.''

He captioned the clip: ''Tonight was class. So glad to be on a stage again. Just need a win on 'Warzone' and tonight will be complete.''

Sam performed a number of his biggest singles at the gig, including 'Play God', 'Dead Boys' and 'The Borders', and also treated the 2,500-strong crowd to a new song named 'Use'.

The 26-year-old star will return to the venue on Thursday (13.08.20), and the site will also be hosting gigs from Maximo Park, The Libertines and Van Morrison.

The outdoor venue has a one-way system in place and food and drink can be pre-ordered to avoid queues.

Steve Davis from SSD Concerts said the platforms gave ''a great view of the stage'' but keep people apart.

He told the BBC: ''As you can see it's a vast site - 45,000 sq metres, the equivalent of over six football pitches, which is crazy.

''On a normal day you can get 45,000 people in here, but our capacity for the gigs will be 2,500.

''We've also got lots more toilets than we would usually have for normal festivals to keep people apart.

''Hopefully groups together on their platforms in their own bubbles will have a good time and still get the vibe of a really good concert experience.''