ESSEX pop icon Sam Ryder has urged people to support grassroots venues as he recalled playing at Southend's iconic Chinnerys. 

Sam is heading down to the venue for an exclusive performance in September. 

It has been organised thanks to a partnership with the Music Venue Trust and The National Lottery’s United By Music Tour.

Last year’s Eurovision winning phenomenon has been reminiscing about his past times playing at the venue. 

Speaking to ITV’s Good Morning Britain, he said: "I'm playing at an old stomping ground, the Chinnerys in Southend. 

"It is a super important grassroots venue. We don't have a great deal in the UK, and we need to protect them. 

“I played at the Chinnerys a bunch of times and it used to be a real big deal in the scene where I came up with music.

"There was never anyone there because no one knew the music.

“But you still loved it, and you went, and you played to your same 10 mates that were commiserating and clapping.

"It will be lovely to experience an important venue like that with people in it." 

The Spaceman star previously told the Echo: “They are crucial for young artists getting into the music industry to be able to experiment across the entire spectrum of musical genres, and to go out and cut their teeth in front of real-life people and create connections that live in the physical world.

“[I] can’t wait to come sing my head off with you all and celebrate what music is all about - connection.”

The National Lottery has partnered with Music Venue Trust to help support the grassroots music sector by underwriting the full touring and production costs of the artists taking part in the United By Music Tour.

Earlier this year, bosses at Chinnerys celebrated after receiving a £4,923.74 cash injection from the trust’s pipeline investment fund.

It came as the venue was hit hard with rising bills and a loss of business during the Covid pandemic.

To purchase tickets for Sam Ryder’s Chinnerys show and to find out more information, please click here.