The press release claims The Hot Damn! are effervescent, and that seems to be a very accurate description of a band that is the musical equivalent of a well-shaken bottle of pop primed to explode. With a string of ultra-catchy tunes delivered with infectious enthusiasm, fine playing and spot-on vocal harmonies, their debut album ‘Dancing on the Milky Way’, set for Friday 27th September 2024, via Fat Earth Records, should be on your musical radar. The Hot Damn! also have a new deal in place with global booking agency Echelon Talent so 2024 looks like being a busy year. To coincide with the headline tour announcement (full details below), check out an acoustic take on fan favourite ‘Loud and Clear’.

Justin Hayward, the voice of The Moody Blues, has announced The Blue World Tour for March 2024. Justin is, once again, joined by guitarist Mike Dawes, Julie Ragins and Karmen Gould. I was lucky enough to catch the quartet on their last UK tour and thoroughly enjoyed the evening despite being a relative newbie to Justin’s work beyond the obvious hits. Please read on for more about Justin, the tour and ticketing details (Updated December 8th 2023).

Australian trio Sons Of The East recently kicked off a European tour in the Faroe Islands with UK dates commencing on July 18th and festival appearances to follow, including The Long Road Festival and Latitude. To coincide with the dates, an excellent new single, ‘Hard To Tell’ is available now, which is sure to please fans of their debut album ‘Palomar Parade’ (40 million streams and counting). More about Sons Of The East, the video for ‘Hard To Tell, and those all-important tour dates follow:

Gareth Dunlop will continue to promote his excellent 2022 album ‘Animal’ with two upcoming tours and a London headline show. The tours are as the special guest of two very different artists, which reinforces the high regard in which Gareth is held as a songwriter and producer. First up, he’ll be playing shows with English singer-songwriter Lucy Spraggan in May before joining blues/Americana legend Bonnie Raitt for her UK ‘Just Like That’ dates with a solo headlining set at Pizza Express in London’s Holborn squeezed in along the way. Full tour details and a little more about Gareth Dunlop follow:

My original plan was to mention Chris Shiflett’s March 2023 UK tour. Unsurprisingly, the tour is already Sold Out everywhere, which is hardly a shock considering that Chris’ day job is as a guitarist in Foo Fighters. Older fans will remember Chris from his pre-Foo Fighters days in No Use For A Name and numerous releases with Me First And The Gimme Gimmes. As a solo artist, Chris is ploughing a different field judging by the infectious new single ‘Black Top, White Lines’ produced by Jaren Johnston from The Cadillac Three, and co-penned with Johnston (a writer with multiple No. 1 country hits to his name) and Brothers Osborne guitarist John Osborne. The track is a pretty cool introduction to an album expected to drop later this year via Snakefarm Records.

Suzanne Vega will return to the UK later this month for an extensive tour. The dates commence in Bexhill on February 11th and conclude with a London show at the prestigious Royal Festival Hall on March 2nd. Suzanne Vega needs no introduction, with tracks such as Luka, Marlena On The Wall and Tom’s Diner still sounding as fresh in 2023 as they did in the 1980s. A little more about Suzanne and the tour dates follows:

Canadian act The Birthday Massacre return to the UK for a long-awaited tour, commencing on Halloween at London’s Lexington. The tour has been expanded, with additional dates added and some shows moved to larger venues (full details below). Formed in 2000, The Birthday Massacre blend electronica, goth and new wave into an expansive dark-pop sound and Fascination is their ninth studio album. Full tour details and much more about The Birthday Massacre and ‘Fascination’ follows:

David Gray has commenced the 20th Anniversary tour commemorating the release of his breakthrough 'White Ladder' album. The album was originally self-released by David on his own label in 1998, but wasn’t the massive success it would become until a reissue in May of 2000 on ATO Records (Three million sales and counting in the UK). The album was ubiquitous in the early part of the century as five hit singles propelled it to the top of the charts and, seemingly, a CD into every home in the land. Understandably, the tour has been delayed for obvious reasons but the album continues to be influential with Ed Sheeran and Adele amongst those singing its praises. David will be playing the album in full and the shows will start at 8PM (NO support act, David and his band will play two sets). Please read on for the official press release for the tour, David’s thoughts on the album and those all-important tour dates.

The Once will be bringing their trademark harmonies to the UK in early 2019 for a welcome string of UK dates. The Newfoundland based trio are touring in support of their recent ‘Time Enough’ album. The dates include The Islington in London and a show at Celtic Connections in Glasgow. More about The Once, those tour dates and a recent video for ‘Any Other Way’ from ‘Time Enough’ follows:

A true guitar legend, Duane Eddy will make a rare visit to the UK in October 2018 as he celebrates his 80th birthday year with shows in London, Glasgow and Manchester. Tickets for the shows are available from 9am on Friday June 8th. Duane Eddy's twangy guitar sound is one of the most recognisable and influential sounds in the history of rock music. More details about the shows including ticket links and a little more about Duane Eddy follows:

US folk-pop singer-songwriter Michelle Lewis has announced a run of UK/European shows for September 2018. Michelle will be previewing tracks from her upcoming album 'All That's Left' due October 19th. RGM readers with long memories should need no introduction to Michelle as we reviewed her excellent 'The Parts Of Us That Still Remain' back in 2014 (review). That was a lovely record so anticipation for 'All That's Left' is high. More about the album, those dates and the video for the first single from the album 'Push On' follows:

The seemingly ageless Billy Idol has announced he will be undertaking a UK / European tour in the Summer of 2018. Forty years into his career and Billy Idol is still going strong based on the success of his 2014 autobiography and the really terrific 'Kings & Queens of The Underground' album (RGM review here) which showed he'd lost none of his old vim and vigour. Tickets go on general sale on December 15th and expect more dates to be added soon. More about Billy Idol and the tour follows:

On-the-rise UK country duo Holloway Road are back on the road this winter with a run of dates that include a Buck' N Bull show at Islington Metal Works on November 3rd. To coincide a new single / video 'Under Cover' takes you behind the scenes of their recent shows. Please read on for more about Holloway Road, the video for 'Under Cover' and ticket info for the tour dates:

Kerri Ough, Sue Passmore and Caroline Brooks aka Good Lovelies return to the UK this October for a run of dates. The Juno Award-winning trio will be performing material from their wonderfully eclectic 2015 'Burn The Plan' release, fan favourites from throughout their career and material from a new album set for release in 2018. Tour dates and more about Good Lovelies follows:

UK Country-pop duo Holloway Road are hitting the road in July 2017 for a run of headline dates. The lads are intent on building on the success of recent single 'If She Falls' (10K streams and counting) and a well received set at C2C in London. Tickets are on sale from Friday 26th May @ 10am via SeeTickets. More about Holloway Road and those dates follows:

Updated April 6th with additional tour dates. Country-pop singer Catherine McGrath may only be 19 but she is doing things the old fashioned way by getting out there and playing shows. The singer has an extensive touring schedule in place which runs through until August and includes dates opening for The Saturdays' Una Healy and a pair of rising Nashville stars Cam and Canaan Smith + slots at the Country 2 Country and The Great Escape festivals. Much more about Catherine McGrath including those tour dates follows:

Multi Juno award winning singer-songwriter Stephen Fearing will visit the UK in February 2017 for a run of shows in support of his latest album 'Every Soul's A Sailor' due February 3rd. Those tour dates, more about Stephen Fearing and the lead track from the album 'Blowhard Nation' follows:

Andy White will be touring the UK later this year with The Band Of Gold—his son Sebastian White on drums (who also designed the box set) and Kat Adés on bass—and will be joined by special guests on the road. The dates are in support of his latest album 'Imaginary Lovers' and the career retrospective box set 'Studio Albums 1986-2016'.

Twin guitars, four-part harmonies and even a good old fashioned raspy sax Five Grand Stereo are ideal for all fans of Roxy Music, Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Jeff Lynne and power pop in general. The band released an EP late in 2015 entitled 'David Bowie' which is well worth checking out and they are embarking on a short run of UK dates this October.

Miranda Lee Richards returns to the UK for her first shows in seven years later this month. The shows are in support of her recent Invisible Hands Music release 'Echoes Of The Dreamtime' which secured impressive reviews in the likes of Mojo and Uncut magazines. Fans should be on the lookout for a new single on September 16th that features an alternate version of 'Colors So Fine' backed with a brand new track 'Lucid I Would Dream'.

Canadian singer-songwriter JP Hoe will be visiting the UK in May for a string of dates before he ventures into mainland Europe. The dates start with a show at Bedroom Bar, Shoreditch, London. The dates are in support of his recent album 'Hideaway'.

Born and raised in Sandpoint Idaho, Shook Twins are an Indie folk-pop band now hailing from coniferous-forested Portland, Oregon. Identical twins, Katelyn and Laurie Shook, along with fellow band mates Niko Daoussis (guitar, vox, mandolin) and Josh Simon (bass) will be heading to the UK in May, with a London show at the Green Note in Camden on May 4th. Judging by the video for 'Awhile' this looks like an essential night out