Joe Talbot with Idles @ Terminal 5, New York City (Paul Bachmann for Live4ever)
World tour dates for IDLES and The Last Dinner Party‘s BRITs nomination were among last week’s biggest headlines.
IDLES have confirmed the world tour dates which will be supporting the release of their new album TANGK.
With a couple of Asian gigs due before 2023 is out, next year’s touring is due to start at Super Bock Arena in Porto on February 29th, while a North American run is booked for April and May.
UK shows begin with July visits to Cardiff, Halifax, Margate and Cornwall, followed by more shows this time next year which will close with two nights at the Manchester Apollo.
Shane MacGowan, principal songwriter with The Pogues, one of the greatest lyricists of his generation, has died.
The news was announced on social media by his wife Victoria Mary Clarke, who had been documenting his recent stay in hospital.
“I don’t know how to say this so I am just going to say it,” she wrote. “Shane who will always be the light that I hold before me and the measure of my dreams and the love of my life and the most beautiful soul and beautiful angel and the sun and the moon and the start and end of everything that I hold dear has gone to be with Jesus and Mary and his beautiful mother Therese.”
New Order have announced an outdoor concert at Wythenshawe Park in Manchester for the summer of 2024.
After the space was launched as a live venue by Noel Gallagher earlier this year, another local favourite, Johnny Marr, has also been confirmed on the bill, as has Roisin Murphy.
The news comes with Marr heading into next year looking back on a decade of his solo career; “Sequenced non-chronologically, the evolution is palpable,” our review of the Spirit Power compilation reads.
The Last Dinner Party by Cal McIntyre
The Last Dinner Party, Caity Baser and Sekou are the nominees for the 2024 BRITs Rising Star Award, with the winner set to be announced on Thursday, December 7th.
“When I heard that I’ve been nominated for the BRITs Rising Star award this year, I literally screamed for five minutes and chucked everything around my room,” Baser told Music Week.
“I used to watch the awards on TV every year when I was a kid but had no idea how a kid from an estate in Southampton would ever get there…All I have to say is I am so happy and thank you so much. It’s really a dream come true!”
Skepta is to play a UK-exclusive live set at the Big Smoke Festival in London next year, and will also be curating two stages at the event.
“I’m gassed to finally announce that Big Smoke Festival is official..I’m so excited, it’s been a wild one to do this,” he’s responded.
“I just want to say thank you to all the supporters, it’s been a couple years that you didn’t see me on a stage..I know a lot of people have been wondering when they’ll see Skepta at a festival and I really wanted to save all that energy and put it into something that was for us, by us. There’s going to be a live stage all your favourite acts – anyone you know that’s affiliated with Skepta.”
The death of Killing Joke’s Kevin ‘Geordie’ Walker has been announced.
A post on the band’s social media pages confirmed the news:
“It is with extreme sadness we confirm that at 6:30am on 26th November 2023 in Prague, Killing Joke’s legendary guitarist Kevin “Geordie” Walker passed away after suffering a stroke, he was surrounded by family. We are devastated. Rest In Peace brother.”
