Dr John Cooper Clarke, will perform as part of a major new UK tour, following the publication of his raucous new poetry collection, HAVE IT, on 1st October.
From the Poet Laureate of Punk, Clarke’s gaze has only become more piercing since his last collection WHAT. At once icon and iconoclast, his new collection guides readers through the absurdities of modern life in his signature ‘high heel Chelseas’, their rapid-fire click- clack reverberating across the lines of his verse and off the walls of those institutions unlucky enough to find themselves deserving of an ode. Pre sales copies available
In Have It, more than in any other collection, Clarke confronts his mortality head-on. The result, while quintessential John Cooper Clarke, is simultaneously more comic and more tragic than ever before.
2025 saw Dr John Cooper Clarke achieve historical feats as he became the first poet to headline a UK arena – the biggest indoor arena in Europe, Manchester’s Co-op Live. The celebrated poet also received the prestigious 2025 Northern Music Award in recognition of his phenomenal influence in the music world. In 2026, Dr John Cooper Clarke is bringing his latest and greatest work to the stage and the page with this major UK tour and book release.
John’s anarchic punk poetry has thrilled people for decades and his no-nonsense approach to his work has seen his career spanning cultures, audiences, art forms and continents. His critically acclaimed 2020 memoir ‘I Wanna Be Yours’ explored his extraordinary life, filled with remarkable personalities.
The tour will see Clarke introducing this new body of work alongside his beloved, hilarious and classic fan-favourites.
Tickets On Sale – Friday 16 October 10am viaMyTicket
Legendary musician, artist, record label executive, and philanthropist Herb Alpert has announced his return to the UK for his first tour with the Tijuana Brass Band in over 50 years. Kicking off at the beginning of May, the tour will take them through Gateshead, Glasgow, Liverpool, Bristol, and Birmingham before closing with a show in London at the iconic Royal Albert Hall. Tickets go on sale this Friday 16 October at 10am, and will be available for purchase HERE.
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass & Other Delights– UK Tour Dates 2027:
6 May Gateshead, UK @ Sage 1/Glasshouse International
7 May Glasgow, UK @ Royal Concert Hall
9 May Liverpool, UK @ Philharmonic Hall
10 May Bristol, UK @ Bristol Beacon
12 May Birmingham, UK @ Symphony Hall
13 May London, UK @ Royal Albert Hall
2025 marked the 60th anniversary of the quintessential album, Whipped Cream & Other Delights. Herb and the band will be performing many of those great songs in addition to many other hit songs that we all know and love: “The Lonely Bull,” “Spanish Flea,” “Taste of Honey,” “Mexican Shuffle,” “Tijuana Taxi,” “This Guy’s In Love With You,” “What Now My Love,” “Zorba the Greek,” “Ladyfingers,” “Rise,” and “Route 101” among many other delights.
The Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass & Other Delights Tour has been rolling coast to coast since reforming in 2025 for the first time in over 40 years. The tour has included over 70 sell-out shows across the country, including performances at Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre, Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, New York City’s Jazz at Lincoln Center, Boston’s Wang Theatre, Toronto’s Massey Hall, Chicago’s Harris Theater, and Denver’s Paramount Theatre among many others. This summer, Alpert also made his triumphant return to The Hollywood Bowl for the first time in 59 years. Billboard raved “The well-paced and varied show was capped by multiple encores” while Variety proclaimed “This is the kind of show you walk out of feeling like it’s just added 10 years onto your life.” Ahead of the performance, Alpert sat down with Los Angeles Times for a retrospective about his career as well as his plans for new music on the horizon.
Alpert recently celebrated a historic milestone with the release of his 50th studio album titled 50, which also commemorates 50 years of marriage to his wife, collaborator, and touring partner, Lani Hall.50 debuted at #4 on the Billboard Contemporary Jazz Chart, #17 on the Billboard Jazz Chart, and #1 on the Current Contemporary Jazz Albums chart. It was met with critical acclaim from The New York Times,NPR, Billboard, Paste, and Stereogum who raved “The legendary trumpeter Herb Alpert has had one hell of a life in music…He’s still going now. Amazing.” Alpert also sat down with CBS Mornings’ Anthony Mason to chat about the landmark moment, his remarkable career, and more after celebrating his 90th birthday with back-to-back sold-out performances at New York City’s Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Credit: Xander Smith Download High Res Press Shots HERE
ABOUT HERB ALPERT & THE HERB ALPERT FOUNDATION:
Alpert’s extraordinary musicianship has earned him 9 GRAMMY® Awards (the latest from his 2014 album Steppin’ Out), 15 Gold albums, 14 Platinum albums and has sold over 72 million records. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass propelled his sound into the pop music limelight, at one point outselling the Beatles two to one. Alpert has a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by Barack Obama in 2013. Alpert also has a second career as an abstract expressionist painter and sculptor with group and solo exhibitions around the United States and Europe.
As an industry leader, Alpert’s commitment to artists with personal vision guided A&M Records (with partner Jerry Moss) from a Hollywood garage operation into one of the most successful independent record labels in music history, with stars including Janet Jackson, Quincy Jones, Cat Stevens, The Carpenters, Carole King, Sheryl Crow, Peter Frampton, The Police and scores of others.
Through the Herb Alpert Foundation, Herb and Lani have dedicated their lives to philanthropy, funding programs that help bring creativity to young students and keep creativity alive for all the arts, for artists young and old, including jazz education and programs that teach compassion and well-being. May 2022 marked the 28th anniversary of the Herb Alpert Award in the Arts celebrating 140 awardees over the past 28 years. 2021 also brought the opening of the newly remodeled Harlem School of the Arts at the Herb Alpert Center, funded entirely by Herb and Lani Alpert. During the pandemic, the foundation dramatically increased its emergency funding to artists in need through organizations such as Chrysalis, the Jazz Foundation, the Good People’s Fund and Artists Relief.
Brazilian duo DEAFKIDS commence their international tour tomorrow in support of their latest album, CICATRIZES DO FUTURO (SCARS OF THE FUTURE), released in May on Neurot Recordings.
The CICATRIZES DO FUTURO Tour 2026 sees the duo taking their unique auditory experience to audiences in eighteen countries across three continents from now through the end of the year. The tour begins with their European/UK run from 2nd October to 8th November, including several dates supporting Eyehategod and sets at Le Guess Who?
The band adds, “See you on the road. We want to play everywhere, and everyone is invited to come to our concerts. After 16 years, this is just the beginning, there’s much more to come. Much love from Brazil.”
DEAFKIDS Cicatrizes Do Futuro Tour 2026:
UK/EU tour 02/10/2026 OUT.FEST – Barreiro, PT 03/10//2026 Naam Barrosselas – Viana do Castelo, PT 08/10/2026 Stapeltor – Duisburg, DE 09/10/2026 Soulcrusher Festival – Nijmegen, NL 11/10/2026 The Holloway – Norwich, UK 12/10/2026 The Globe – Glossop, UK 13/10/2026 The Tin Music and Arts – Coventry, UK 15/10/2026 Coughlan’s Bar – Cork, IE 16/10/2026 Bello Bar – Dublin, IE 18/10/2026 Boom – Leeds, UK 19/10/2026 Strange Brew – Bristol, UK 20/10/2026 New Cross Inn – London, UK 21/10/2026 Klub 9030 – Ghent, UK 23/10/2026 MS Stubnitz – Hamburg, DE 24/10/2026 Inkost – Malmo, SE 25/10/2026 Monument – Goteborg, SE 27/10/2026 Råhuset – Copenhagen, DK 28/10/2026 Neue Zukunft – Berlin, DE 30/10/2026 Circolo Gagarin – Busto Arsizio, IT 31/10/2026 Rote Fabrik – Zurich, CH 01/11/2026 Cave12 – Geneva, CH 02/11/2026 La Poudriere – Belfort, FR w/ Eyehategod 03/11/2026 Schungfabrik – Tétange, LU w/ Eyehategod 04/11/2026 Glazart – Paris, FR w/ Eyehategod 05/11/2026 Magasin 4 – Brussels, BE 06/11/2026 Le Guess Who? – Utrecht, NL 07/11/2026 Le Guess Who? – Utrecht, NL 08/11/2026 Unlimited Music Festival – Wels, AT
South American tour 04/12/2026 Necio Festival – Lima, PE 11/12/2026 La Mecanica – Bogotá, CO 12/12/2026 Matik Matik – Bogotá, CO 16/12/2026 TBA – Valparaíso, CL 17/12/2026 TBA – Santiago de Chile, CL 19/12/2026 Club Cultural Matienzo – Buenos Aires, AR 20/12/2026 Pura Vida – La Plata, AR
“Conceptually, the album is a visceral diagnosis of a world intoxicated by its own fictions of power, tracing the anatomy of a systemic grand deception and exploring its mechanics of psychological, social, and material domination, the indelible marks imprinted on bodies and minds and it’s catastrophic consequences. It is a journey from the poisoned and addicted collective psyche to the desperate search for an antidote, while the future seems to be already cursed by the very forces that pretend to build it. Yet, for all its thematic weight, CICATRIZES DO FUTURO is hypnotically danceable – physical and ritualistic music that demands body movement as a form of mental cleansing. The album doesn’t just reflect a fractured and violent world — it breathes desire to live and resist through new sonic paths.” – DEAFKIDS
PRAISE FORCICATRIZES DO FUTURO:
“Sonically, it’s both battlefield and zone of ecstatic, cathartic release…They remind us that these rhythmic patterns have evaded colonial regimentation through generations of diaspora… fir[es] forwards and back through music history while sounding like they’re mastering technology as well as breaking it.” THE QUIETUS, ALBUM OF THE WEEK
“Few bands have treated genre boundaries as casually as DEAFKIDS… push[es] further towards the outer limits of noise, hardcore, and industrial music while grounding its most chaotic impulses in the clave-led pulse of guaguancó, the Afro-Cuban rumba form whose interlocking rhythms prove surprisingly compatible with the album’s D-beat charge and seismic bass pressure.” BANDCAMP
“on furious form as they blend glowering, glurping riffs and insanely danceable percussion” METAL HAMMER
“utterly glorious” ECHOES AND DUST
“tribalistic, guttural and utterly danceable” NARC
FAT FREDDY’S DROP will return to the UK in 2026 as part of their Based On A True Story 21st Anniversary Tour, marking the band’s first return to the stage following the sudden death of their chief, founding member, production maestro and selector Chris ‘MU’ Faiumu in 2025.
The tour will travel across UK,Australia, Aotearoa, and Europe, bringing Fat Freddy’s Drop back to stages around the world to celebrate the record that transformed them from a Wellington underground collective into one of New Zealand’s most internationally recognised musical exports. With Bristol already sold out and London’s Alexanda Palace on low ticket warning, this tour continues to prove Fat Freddy’s Drop as one of the most influential names in modern reggae music.
Formed in Wellington in 1999, Fat Freddy’s Drop emerged from the city’s underground dance scene as a loose collective of musicians united by a love of reggae, dub, soul, jazz, funk and electronic music. Over the years, those influences have been stretched, twisted and reassembled into a sound that is unmistakably their own: spacious dub rhythms, deep bass, soulful vocals, live horns, jazz improvisation and electronic production, delivered with the spontaneity of a band that has always treated the stage as a place to experiment.
That spirit was captured on their 2005 debut studio album, Based On A True Story.
Released independently through the band’s own label, The Drop, the album was anything but a conventional mainstream proposition. Its ten tracks regularly stretch beyond seven minutes, with songs allowed to breathe, groove and develop rather than conform to radio-friendly structures. Its centrepiece, the near-ten-minute ‘Wandering Eye’, became an unlikely hit, while the album’s combination of reggae, dub, soul, funk, jazz and electronic music created a sound that was difficult to categorise and even harder to replicate. Yet Based On A True Story became a phenomenon.
The album entered the New Zealand charts at Number 1 and went Gold on its first day, becoming the first independently released album to reach Number 1 on the Aotearoa album chart. It would remain in the Top 40 for more than two years, with Recorded Music NZ now recognising it as Aotearoa’s longest-charting album. Twenty-one years after its release, it has been certified 12-times Platinum. Its impact extended well beyond sales. At the 2005 New Zealand Music Awards, Fat Freddy’s Drop took home major honours including Album of the Year, while the album was also voted Worldwide Album of the Year at Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide Music Awards in the UK.
More importantly, the record became a cultural touchstone for a generation of Aotearoa music fans. It crystallised what became known as the Wellington sound, taking the improvisational spirit of the band’s live shows and the rhythms of reggae and dub and pushing them into a psychedelic, soulful and distinctly Pacific musical world. The band’s success was driven largely by word of mouth and their formidable reputation as a live act rather than conventional marketing, making the story of Based On A True Story as much about community as it is about an album.
Now, 21 years after its release, Fat Freddy’s Drop will return to the stage to revisit that music and the extraordinary journey that followed.
The anniversary tour carries particular significance following the passing of Chris ‘MU’ Faiumu, whose production, musicianship and vision were central to the band’s sound and evolution. As Joe Dukie explains, “It’s important for us to honour the intentions we had with MU and playing this album live is part of that.”
For a band whose music has always been built around collective energy, improvisation and the connection between musicians and audience, the return to the stage is more than an anniversary. It is a celebration of the music, the people who made it, the fans who carried it around the world and the remarkable legacy of an album that began as an independent release in Wellington and became part of Aotearoa’s musical history.
With their next chapter in full swing, Scott Towers aka Chopper Reeds says, “It’s humbling for the entire Freddy’s band and wider whānau to see the impact this music has had on so many people for such a long time.” He continues, “Freddy’s has always been about bringing the party…” Following their unmissable EU shows and Summer tour, this new page for Fat Freddy’s Drop is not one to be missed.
FAT FREDDY’S DROP – BASED ON A TRUE STORY 21ST ANNIVERSARY TOUR 2026
UK Tour Dates
Bristol: The Prospect Building – October 16, 2026SOLD OUT
Manchester: O2 Apollo Manchester – October 17, 2026LOW TICKET WARNING
Nottingham: Rock City – October 19, 2026
Leeds: O2 Academy Leeds – October 20, 2026
Birmingham: O2 Academy Birmingham – October 22, 2026
London: Alexandra Palace – October 23, 2026LOW TICKET WARNING
The comedy powerhouse that is Tom Stade brings his new show and 16th stand up hour ‘Tom Stade Rules’ on tour post a sell-out and five star critically acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe run. The tour, that takes in 60+ dates across the UK and Ireland, starts on 27th September at Stockton’s Arc and culminates at The Witham’s Barnard Castle on 13th May 2027.
“A master of stand-up. Laid back cool and killer lines”
BRITISH COMEDY GUIDE
“Highly polished and expertly delivered – makes stand-up look effortless”
CHORTLE
‘Tom Stade Rules’ takes an aim at the nonsense of modern times compared to the old world – with contagious charm and incisive, gloriously unfiltered wit. From unspoken social codes, cultural quirks, identity, marriage, family life and growing old disgracefully, watch this masterful rebel as he dismantles all the rules – and rebuilds them his way! This show sees Tom going totally rogue – the book being ripped up shredded and thrown away! Rules are made to be broken – and Tom’s an expert.
“For energy, think Porsche 911. Wouldn’t be out of place in an arena”.
MAIL ON SUNDAY
“As fresh as three decades ago. Athletic finesse. Jokes are machine-tooled in precision, effortless delivery”.THE LIST
A free spirit to the core he celebrates individuality; expect theusual tug of war between youthful rebellion and the responsibility of being a grown-up; and tension between the old world and the new. He’s been rocking audiences for decades…With his trademark swagger, magnetic stage presence, and gloriously unfiltered wit, the consistently magnificent, Tom Stade Rules!
“unrepentant, undiminished and undeniably funny”
ONE4REVIEW ****
“Observational, tight, smooth & insightful”.
ENTERTAINMENT NOW ****
30 years on the comedy frontline this Canadian legend remains as engaging, innovative, and hilarious as ever. His last smash hit show ‘Naughty By Nature’ toured the UK extensively in 2025. Tom has amassed a legion of loyal fans, which is no surprise as he possesses an innate ability to draw everyone into his world; effortlessly transcending generational gaps and skillfully weaving audience members into his shows – to tremendous comedic effect. Regarding them as old friends, he creates an endearing intimacy every time – adding a frisson of spontaneity to the expertly crafted material.
“So cool, he could well be the answer to global warming…gloriously funny, silly and smart”
SCOTSMAN
“Every inch a star, if comedy is the new rock ‘n’ roll, then Tom Stade is Keith Richards”
DAILY RECORD
Canadian émigré Tom Stade has earned a reputation as one of the most distinctive and engaging stand-up talents around. Arriving in the UK back in 2001, he instantly made a splash on the circuit with his magnetic stage presence and first-class storytelling. He chose to make the UK his home, and after many years as a headliner and playing at international comedy festivals around the globe, he remains a highly sought-after talent. Prolific and innovative, Tom is a regular at the Edinburgh festival; and has toured the UK with a brand-new show every year since 2011, playing to packed houses and garnering rave reviews.
Tom’s irrepressible charm translated effortlessly to TV, and he has been invited onto every major stand-up TV show in the country. He has performed on BBC One’s The John Bishop Show and has performed twice on BBC One’s Live at the Apollo. His other numerous TV performances include Ch4’s Comedy Gala at London’s O2 arena, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow and Lee Mack’s All-Star Cast, both for BBC One and the BBC 2’s topical panel show Mock The Week. He’s a regular guest on the hugely popular ‘Have A Word Pod’ – and has also guest hosted, standing in for Adam Rowe. In 2025, he was invited to perform on Jim Jefferies and Friends – a comedy TV series in Australia featuring a hand-picked selection of talent. Tom was also the co-writer and co-star of Frankie Boyle’s Ch4 infamous and edgy series Tramadol Nights.
A stylish and engaging live performer, Tom remains in great demand internationally and has accepted invitations to perform at notable comedy festivals worldwide including New York, Aspen, Montreal, Toronto, Amsterdam, Kilkenny, Adelaide, Melbourne and New Zealand. He has regularly entertained British troops overseas, braving the freezing cold Falklands, and been under fire in Afghanistan and Iraq, proving his utter versatility and universal appeal. His brilliance and flair earned him a nomination for Best Headliner at the Chortle Awards. His multiple comedy specials available online and he continues to produce a new show every year.
THE CRITICS ON TOM STADE RULES:
“wonderfully written material… his personal reflections and carefully chosen anecdotes make for a tight, unified hour of comedy. He executes the technical elements of stand-up as easily as breathing. The callbacks are smart; the setups gorgeous; the payoffs cracking. Stade has spent his professional career honing his craft, and it’s wonderful to watch him in action”
QUINTESSENTIAL REVIEW *****
“Tom Stade at his absolute best.I went in expecting a good night of stand-up and came out completely convinced of why he has built such a strong reputation. I was simply hanging on every word, which is exactly what you want from a stand-up performance.A brilliantly funny and relatable hour of stand-up with excellent storytelling, natural crowd work and a performer who completely commands the room. A must-see for any stand-up fan.”
EDINBURGH REVIEWS *****
“Stade delivers one hell of a show, in which he absolutely “Rules” the stage. Well-crafted across a very broad age demographic, Tom has something for everyone, from the Gen Z’s and millennials to older folks in the audience. He’s a natural born storyteller…Every punchline is effortless, his timing is on point and his material is brilliantly outrageous at times. He consistently hits the mark and has the measure of the audience and this hilarious set really is a master class in stand up”.ONE4REVIEW *****
“an hour of jokes and stories that hit the mark. Taking aim at the rules surrounding culture, race and politics he manages to turn what could be very dry topics into superb humour. It’s obvious why he is a past master of the comedy circuit, delivering a great show that leaves you wanting more. He’s a man at the top of his game.”FRINGE RADIO *****
“As soon as he arrives on stage, Stade brings the energy. He is a punchy performer, who is loud and assured. He is also incredibly likable and is able to get the crowd on his side within seconds. He is very natural in his performance, nothing feels like an act, and this only adds to the charm and the humour of the show. A joyous hour of comedy…. You’ll definitely laugh and maybe think about your own relationship and place in the societal norms of modern times. What is clear, is that you’re in safe hands with Tom Stade.”YOUNG PERSPECTIVE **** ½
sundots, the Connecticut indie rock band, share the third single and video for “Someone Else’s Song”, off their upcoming album,‘On The Quay’, due 6 November.
Marking the band’s first full-length written and recorded as a true five-piece, ‘On The Quay’ is a confident step forward as the first true full-band sundots record, and as a result, it’s a full-bodied and forceful level-up representation of the group’s sound, a record that feels timeless and in-the-moment all at once.
On the track, Drew Collins says, “Someone Else’s Song actually came about after we had thought we had finished the record. It was something I had started jamming on and felt pretty excited about. It definitely had a different energy from the other songs on the record. It was short and had super high energy right off the bat. It’s sort of a relentless song that doesn’t give much time to breathe, but I think that works in its favor.
He adds:
“Lyrically, I was very inspired by ‘The Dead’ by James Joyce. I had recently finished Dubliners and had a ton of imagery from that floating around in my head, and naturally, I explored that headspace when approaching the lyrics for this track. It was about this same time that the album artwork idea had fully come to me, and it just made sense for us to go back to Kevin [S. McMahon] to record this last track for the record.”
Beginning next month, sundots will set out on their extensive fall tour with a run of East Coast dates supporting rehash, followed by a co-headline tour in the UK and Europe with Lots of Hands, including performances at Pitchfork Music Festival London and Paris. Tickets on sale now. All dates below.
Much of ‘On The Quay’ came together during a marathon weekend of creative kismet in a secluded Vermont Airbnb at the end of 2025, where the band retreated with one goal: to write and demo as much music as possible. Removed from distractions and immersed in the mountains, the five-piece emerged with the foundation for the record before enlisting Kevin S. McMahon(Real Estate, Widowspeak, Swans) to produce, engineer, and mix all twelve songs. Working closely with the band, McMahon helped translate the immediacy and chemistry of sundots’ live performances into a record that feels both spacious and deeply lived-in, preserving the spontaneity that has become central to the band’s identity.
sundots is vocalist and guitarist Drew Collins, guitarist Jake Fucci, bassist Austin Traver, guitar and synth player Teo Hernandez, and drummer Nick Restivo.
This January, these two titans of the shoegaze and post-punk genres will go head-to-head at eight venues across the UK. Tickets are on sale this Friday at 10AM. Further details below.
Masterminded by Scottish brothers Jim and William Reid in 1983, The Jesus and Mary Chain, transformed alternative music with their noisy, feedback-heavy yet melodic sound. Their influential 1985 debut ‘Psychocandy’, featured eternal tracks like “Just Like Honey” and established their reputation as a new force in rock’n’roll. From their chaotic performances to their distinctive style, they inspired the shoegaze genre that remains as regarded today as it ever did. Reuniting in 2007, the band have continued to tour and record, releasing their highly acclaimed and Top 10 charting eighth record ‘Glasgow Eyes’ in 2024.
Formed in 1977, The Psychedelic Furs redefined the very meaning of punk and art rock. With Richard Butler’s raspy vocals a definitive signature of their enrapturing sound, their landmark 1981 album ‘Talk Talk Talk’ brought major recognition, while the classic single “Pretty in Pink” also featured in John Hughes’ 1986 film. Refining their sound throughout the ’80s, the band reunited after a ’90s hiatus, and have continued touring and recording, releasing the acclaimed ‘Made Of Rain’ in 2020 and touring worldwide.
With dates across England and Scotland, the tour follows a series of co-headline dates between the two bands across the US in 2024.
The full list of upcoming UK shows in 2027 is as follows:
PIONEERING POP CULTURAL DESIGN STUDIO HITS THE ROAD FOR 40TH ANNIVERSARY CONVERSATIONS IN PUBS ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Ian Anderson, founder of The Designers Republic™, brings tales of four decades of creating with musicians, labels, architects, gamers, fashionistas and global brands
From the visual identity of dance music, to the bottles of Coca-Cola, via Aphex Twin, Adidas, Issey Miyake, Pulp, The Orb, Pop Will Eat Itself, Sony, Warp and WipEout
Collectable Tour Special: Bespoke Verdant pale ale with can design featuring ten new pieces of TDR work
This autumn, forty years of inspirational design and the trailblazing times of one of the UK’s most transformative designers will be celebrated across eleven nights of conversation. 40 Years of TDR is a new collaboration between Cornish brewer Verdant and The Designers Republic™ (TDR), whose founder Ian Anderson, will bring tales of a life spent influencing pop cultural design to pubs across the country, in conversation with musician and writer Matthew Shaw. Verdant has brewed a new pale ale specially for the tour; DR:ink will carry bespoke labels, featuring ten new and collectable pieces of TDR work.
23 September – Falmouth, The Seaview Inn; 24 September – Bristol, Small Bar;
14 October – Brighton, The Prince Albert; 15 October – London, The Mary Wollstonecraft;
2 November – Glasgow, The Old Toll Bar; 4 November – Todmorden, The Golden Lion;
9 November – Manchester, Port Street; 10 November – Birmingham, Dark Horse;
11 November – Sheffield, Shakespeare’s; 19 November – Newcastle, Mosaic Tap
25 November – Leeds, Cardigan Arms.
The Designers Republic™ began in 1986 in Sheffield, South Yorkshire (dubbed SoYo, North of Nowhere by Ian Anderson). Forty years – and thousands of record sleeves – later, TDR has redesigned Coca-Cola bottles, shaped the aesthetic of computer games and become synonymous with some of the UK’s most exciting music and musicians. Its hand-in-glove work with Warp Records, video game visuals, cartoon characters, slogans, attitude, humour and use of eye-widening colours are instantly recognisable as TDR and are also extremely collectable. The 40 Years of TDR conversations will roam over all of these and more, including notable collaborations with the likes of Coca-Cola, Adidas, Comme des Garçons, Pringles, E4 and MTV.
Musician, writer and 40 Years of TDRhost, Matthew Shaw, said, “Forty years after it began, TDR’s signature aesthetic and provocative slogans feel no less urgent and arresting. Its work for Warp Records, Pop Will Eat Itself and the WipEout video game series defined the look of a generation and its dizzying array of logos, icons and geometries challenged the norms of branding and commercialism. If you love music, design and pop culture, our pub evenings with Ian Anderson will be right up your street, whether you were there while it was all happening or didn’t realise that TDR’s designs were all over your favourite things.”
About Verdant: BEER, COMMUNITY & GOOD TIMES It’s as simple as that. Make beer we love, for everyone to enjoy. Good times for all. It all started in Autumn 2014 with “Let’s try making some beer”, on the sidelines of a five-a-side football match. Over ten years later, with all the successes and failures along the way, we couldn’t have imagined what Verdant has become. The love, support, and community we share is what drives us, with everything stemming from that first batch, brewed in a shed on the Cornish coast. www.verdantbrewing.cohttps://verdantbrewing.co/blogs/brewing-folk/the-designers-republic
About The Designers Republic™
Founded by Ian Anderson in 1986, The Designers Republic™ is an internationally renowned pop-cultural hyper-creative design studio focussing on graphic design and brand communication across all media, fuelled by strategic thinking, problem solving (thinking and doing) and strong narrative. www.thedesignersrepublic.com
About Ian Anderson: Born before England won the World Cup, in Croydon, London’s erstwhile orbital city of the future. He went to school in Bracknell New Town. He studied Philosophy at The University of Sheffield 1979 – 1982. As a designer he is self taught. He declared The Designers Republic™ on Bastille Day 1986 in Sheffield, the city he dubbed SoYo™ North of Nowhere™. TDR™’s work is credited with defining the visual language of late 20th century dance music, techno and the post Playstation WipEout gaming generation. Ian has collaborated with architects (publishing a book with Sadar + Vuga), branded locations with environment developers Urban Splash and RREEF, worked with fashion designers such as Issey Miyake and Commes des Garçons, and has developed global branding campaigns, identities and Special Projects for the likes of Coca-Cola, Sony (including Aibo), Nokia, Telia, MTV, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, The University of Sheffield and Manchester School of Art.
After a year of international growth, packed rooms and major festival appearances, Edinburgh rock-funk trio High Fade are heading home for the biggest UK and Ireland headline run of their career to date, with new single ‘T.M.I.’ arriving on Wednesday 16 September.
Following the release of their second album, Twice As Nice, via their own RPN Records, the band have spent the campaign building momentum across the UK, Europe and North America. Now, with their time in the States behind them and the summer festival season wrapped, High Fade return to home turf for a run of dates spanning October and November.
The story of the Twice As Nice so far has been one of significant growth. Spotify monthly listeners have increased by 30% across the campaign, while the band’s French tour leg sold out and a full run across the US and Canada has further established High Fade as an international live force. Their return to the UK and Ireland marks the next stage of that journey, with their biggest headline tour in the region to date.
‘T.M.I.’ arrives as a post-album statement from a band refusing to stand still. Following the release of Twice As Nice, the new track continues High Fade’s instinct for blending funk, rock and relentless live energy, pushing the sound forward while retaining the raw, irreverent character that has defined their rise.
Comprised of founder Harry Valentino (guitar, vocals), Oliver Sentence (bass, moustache) and Heath Campbell (drums), the band have built their career entirely on their own terms. Despite interest from major labels, High Fade remain independent, releasing their music through their own imprint, RPN Records (“Rippin’ Records”).
Released earlier this year, Twice As Nice marked a significant expansion of that independent sound. Recorded between East Iris Studios in Nashville, Tennessee and RAK Studios in St John’s Wood, London, the album pushed High Fade beyond their established funk-rock foundations, moving between swampy grooves, riff-driven rock, disco, punk, soul and heavier textures.
The album followed their debut, Life’s Too Fast (2024), which charted across the UK, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, the USA and Australia, and further cemented the band’s growing international audience. With more than 1.3 million followers globally, High Fade have moved firmly beyond the idea of being a viral busking success story. Their international touring schedule has taken them across the US, Canada and Europe, while festival appearances at Boomtown, Suwannee Hulaween and Glastonbury have placed the band in front of increasingly large and diverse audiences. Their Glastonbury history includes a remarkable triple performance in a single day in 2024, an achievement that neatly captures the band’s relentless approach to live music.
Now, the focus turns back to the UK and Ireland.
With ‘T.M.I.’ landing on 16 September and the tour beginning in London on 3 October, High Fade are bringing everything they’ve built overseas back to the places where the story began.
HIGH FADE — UK/IRELAND TOUR DATES
October/November 2026
Sat 3 Oct — Unlocked — London
Sun 4 Oct — Papillon — Southampton
Thu 8 Oct — Sneaky Pete’s (Secret Show) — Edinburgh
Fri 9 Oct — Stramash — Edinburgh
Sat 10 Oct — Whistlebinkies — Edinburgh
Thu 15 Oct — Pilgrim (Secret Show) — Newcastle
Fri 16 Oct — Digital — Newcastle
Sat 17 Oct — Arts Club — Liverpool
Fri 23 Oct — Belgrave Music Hall — Leeds
Sat 24 Oct — The Welly — Hull
Thu 29 Oct — Hare & Hounds v2 (Second Show) — Birmingham
Fri 30 Oct — Castle & Falcon — Birmingham
Sat 31 Oct — Sidney & Matilda (Night 1) — Sheffield
Sun 1 Nov — Sidney & Matilda (Night 2) — Sheffield
Thu 5 Nov — Jam Jar (Second Show) — Bristol
Fri 6 Nov — Trinity Centre — Bristol
Sat 7 Nov — Clwb — Cardiff
Sun 8 Nov — Hot Box (Show 1) — Chelmsford
Mon 9 Nov — Hot Box (Show 2) — Chelmsford
From Edinburgh street corners to international stages, High Fade’s trajectory has always been defined by movement. The Twice As Nice campaign has taken that momentum further than ever, and with ‘T.M.I.’ opening the next chapter, the band are ready to bring it all back home.
High Fade are no longer simply building an audience. They are building a movement around one of the most distinctive and exhilarating live bands to emerge from the UK.
‘T.M.I.’ is out Wednesday 16 September 2026.
High Fade’s UK & Ireland headline tour begins 3 October 2026
Following a summer spent bringing their acclaimed debut album ‘Johnny’s Dreamworld’ to festival stages across the UK and Europe, including Vida Festival, Wilderness, Green Man and End of the Road, Modern Woman have announced a new run of UK headline dates for early 2027, adding to their previously announced shows for autumn 2026.
The London art-rock outfit will begin the headline run at Leeds’ Hyde Park Book Club on October 27th, followed by shows in Edinburgh, Manchester and Bristol, before a headline London show at the ICA on November 25th. They then return to the road in the new year for dates beginning at Cambridge’s Portland Arms on January 28th and taking in Sheffield, Nottingham, Southampton, Brighton and Birmingham before finishing at Where Else? in Margate on February 5th.
Before headline dates begin, Modern Woman continue a run of festival appearances with Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Sŵn Festival in Cardiff, Mutations in Brighton and Boia Festival in Pembrokeshire, followed by Crossing Border Festival in The Hague in November and Rockaway Beach Festival in January.
The dates arrive in support of Modern Woman’s debut album ‘Johnny’s Dreamworld’, released via One Little Independent Records. The record represents the culmination of the band’s journey from frontwoman and primary songwriter Sophie Harris’s early, intimate songwriting project into a full-bodied band, folding post-punk, avant-garde and folk traditions into something volatile and distinctive.
Delicate one moment and raw and untamed the next, the album pairs layers of violin and saxophone with propulsive drums and bass, while Harris’s vivid, literary songwriting explores the strange poetry buried within the ordinary and the contradictions of womanhood.
Harris explains, “A vital theme I’ve always wanted in Modern Woman is the idea of conflicting things, of the tender/harsh, loud/quiet and scrappy/polished. The style of everybody’s playing, drawing from a melting pot of influences, coming together to form something new.”
Across their live shows, that tension is pushed further still. Harris, along with bandmates David Denyer (violinist and composer), Juan Brint-Gutiérrez (bass and saxophone), and Adam Blackhurst (drums), bring together backgrounds in experimental composition, jazz and punk to turn the album’s shifting dynamics into an intense and unpredictable live experience.
