THE BEAT, starring original frontman Dave Wakeling, have lined up a rare tour of the UK and Ireland.
With Wakeling based in LA for some years, the band operates independently of Ranking Roger's UK-based version of The Beat and seldom tours over here. The dates include a London show at the O2 Academy, Islington and a hometown show at the O2 Academy, Birmingham.
Wakeling is currently putting the finishing touches to a new album - tentatively titled Here We Go Love - his first album album the Beat name since 1982's Special Beat Service. Guests on the album include former SPECIALS guitarist Roddy ‘Radiation’ Byers and guitarist Luis Maldonado of San Francisco pop-rockers TRAIN.
Having scored 15 chart singles - including five Top 10s - The Beat Split in 1983, with Wakeling and Roger forming GENERAL PUBLIC with Horace Panter from The Specials and Mick Jones from The Clash. The band (minus Jones) went on to score a big US hit with the single 'Tenderness'. Since then, Wakeling has commanded considerable success and played more than 1,000 gigs with The English Beat.
Full tour dates are....
26 Aug – Isle of Wight, The Balcony Bars
31 Aug – London, O2 Academy Islington
1 Sept – Holmfirth, Picturedome
2 Sept – Thornhill, Electric Fields
3 Sept – Newcastle, Wylam Brewery
5 Sept – Aberdeen, The Lemon Tree
6 Sept – Edinburgh, The Caves
7 Sept – Dublin, Whelan’s
8 Sept – Cork, Amps
9 Sept – Waterford, Shorrts
10 Sept – Pontypridd, Muni Arts Centre
13 Sept – Manchester, Academy 3
15 Sept – Birmingham, O2 Academy
16 Sept – Bournemouth, Mr Kyps
Tickets are available here.
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