Tours may be postponed but artists itch to return

Jools Holland has had to postpone his upcoming autumn/winter tour, which will now take place in 2021 with special guest performances to be announced shortly.

Jools’ 31-date autumn / winter tour was due to kick off in Southend, Essex on October 29 and end in Birmingham on December 20 at the city’s Symphony Hall.

Jools Holland said: “Since the age of 17, I have spent my entire life performing on tour. Therefore, it is with sadness and disappointment that myself, my orchestra and our special guests have been forced to postpone our autumn and winter shows. Due to the world pandemic the tour will take place in 2021, with special guest performers to be announced shortly. If you bought tickets, you can be refunded or hopefully come and see us next year. Please check for further details on my website. I apologise to everyone who was looking forward to seeing us, and I speak for my whole orchestra and crew, when I say we are all longing to return to the boogie playing field next year. I hope that all of you are alright.”

Ticket holders will be contacted by their point of purchase to move their tickets to the rescheduled dates, customers who cannot attend the new dates can apply for a refund up until October 30. Special guests for the 2021 autumn tour will be announced soon.

The Stranglers have also announced new touring plans, with their Birmingham O2 date moving to April 10.

The band said: “Unfortunately, due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and restrictions on live concerts, we need to consider everyone’s welfare and therefore have no choice but to defer the planned autumn UK tour until the spring next year. The tour will now take place from late March to the end of April. “As you can imagine, with numerous other artists wanting to reschedule their tours in that period, the dates available at the venues were limited and this has meant that, in some cases, the equivalent day of the week to the original date wasn’t always free. For example, the original Friday and Saturday at Glasgow have now become a Thursday and Friday instead, with Aberdeen moving to the Saturday. Sadly, the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena show has been moved to the Cardiff Great Hall instead due to availability issues but all the original dates have been rearranged with the addition of a new gig in Warrington. The two Brixton shows on April 16 and 17 mark the exact 44th anniversary of the band’s first headline shows at the Roundhouse on the Rattus tour back in ‘77.

“Tickets for the original dates are all valid for the rescheduled shows and, for Glasgow, a Friday ticket will now be for the Thursday and Saturday for the new Friday date. Special guests will be Ruts DC for all dates. The tour, which is dedicated to Dave, kicks off on his birthday, March 29, in Lincoln. It was also decided that the tour should finish at the Corn Exchange in Dave’s adopted hometown of Cambridge, a fitting finale to the tour.

“Apologies for any inconvenience that the rescheduling of the tour causes but circumstances are clearly out of our control. See you on the road in 2021.”

Meanwhile, revered British singer, songwriter and musician Andrew Roachford has also postponed his tour to May and June 2021.

Andrew will also be performing at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2021 as well as joining Lionel Ritchie for concerts at Wrexham Racecourse and Cardiff Castle next summer.

He said: “I can’t wait to get back out to play live again, it means everything to me. It’s also why I’m thrilled to become a patron of the Music Venue Trust. I have always loved playing at smaller venues around the UK and I prefer seeing bands and artists play at the more intimate venues. This is often where most artists start so, without these venues, music in the UK will not continue to thrive.”

The news coincides with the forthcoming release of his new album, Twice In A Lifetime. It was due out in April but has moved to September 11. Roachford has enjoyed success for over 30 years, with hits including Cuddly Toy and Only To Be With You; ten solo albums; songwriting credits for artists including Chaka Khan and Joss Stone; and being a member of Mike Rutherford’s Mike & The Mechanics. In 2019, he was awarded an MBE for services to music.

Twice In A Lifetime is an album full of grit and the most tremendous sonic energy, and was produced by Jimmy Hogarth, who has previously worked with Paolo Nutini, Duffy and Amy Winehouse, and features several members of Winehouse’s band and a powerful duet with the ‘Queen of British Soul’ Beverley Knight. It was also a hugely satisfying album for Roachford to make.

“With this album, I finally get to showcase just who I am – an artist, a songwriter, a pianist,” he says. “I never wanted to be a fleeting popstar chasing momentary fame; I’ve always been in this for the music and for the long haul – and I’m still here.”