Why this is bloody marvellous news, Manchester Apollo & Leeds booked.

There is a rumour that there will be some stuff off the first album played. As someone who came to them as I suppose most people did for Waking Hours, and last saw them play in York for the "Can You Do Me Good" tour a constant regret is that I've never heard the early stuff live.

Can't wait, will be at Harrogate & Salford for the solo stuff this week too. Bring it on!!!!! 

Hi!!!
I'm going to quite a few (can't tell you how many but a lot!)!!! Considering that I was never able to see the band live I've got a lot to cath up on!!!! 

Ooh, it's all so exciting!!!! I'll just say for now that my first one will be the last date added and the first concert of the tour:

Jan 21st, 2014 Cypress Avenue, Cork

I shall be going to the Dublin gig next week. I can't wait!

Superb night in Dublin! Really enjoyed myself... I just hope it's not another 12 years before I get to see them again!

I've put a gallery of my photos from the gig up, if anyone's interested...

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10201329647231750.1073741832.149023301...

Hope to have the link to my interview with Justin available soon, too.

Great photos Cristina, much better than my efforts!

I had an amazing time in Dublin, and was very lucky to be given the opportunity to record an interview with Justin before the gig (I work for a radio station). I'd interviewed him once before, but that had been down-the-line from another studio when he was promoting his solo album last year, so I was very nervous about actually meeting him in person!

As he's a witty and clever Glaswegian and I'm just some random weedy bloke from the south of England I was a bit worried he'd just think I was a complete knob. Which he may well have done, of course, but he gave a very nice interview and even answered my very silly question about which he'd choose out of Smokie's "Always the Last to Know" and Manfred Mann's "Nothing Ever Happens"... (he went for Smokie!)

The gig was a blast, I thought it would be a bit odd at those cafe-style tables, but aside from being so close to the front I got a bit of a crick in my neck, it was fabulous. So many old favourites, performed with such enthusiasm and energy...

I did feel sorry for Justin with all the problems he kept having with his bass, but he dealt with it very well. I think all the crowd got a bit of a laugh when Iain's acoustic guitar started giving up the ghost string-wise during "Just Before You Leave" near the end, too!

It was interesting that Kris and Iain were each given a verse to sing on "Drunk in a Band" as well - usually you just associate the vocal sound of Del Amitri purely with Justin, so strange to see others singing lead, even if only briefly! I don't remember if this happened on the last tour back in 2002 - mind you, I can't even remember off the top of my head if they did "Drunk in a Band", but as it was on the new album at the time I would have thought so...

Anyway, thanks to all the band, and also to Quinner for looking after me when I was waiting to do the interview. I'll post a link to it when it's gone out on Sunday.

Great interview, Paul, thanks for sharing! I like the first question and how Justin feels about getting together like "we're floating between the present and the past"... I hope you have a fab time in Cambridge!!!

The Hydro gig in Glasgow was amazing, with all the audience standing up since the first chords of "Always the Last to Know" started! They had a guest musician, Aidan O'Rourke on fiddle who played in "Hammering heart" and "This side of the morning". Great atmosphere and good playing... There are a few clips around Youtube:

Driving with the Brakes on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naxOuzdR0no

Food for songs: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-xcDa7m5Rc (a brilliant acoustic arrangement, enhanced from Justin's last solo tour version).

And more to come next week for me! 

Thanks for the info Bob, and glad you liked the interview Cristina!

Sorry, I must have missed this - are you saying there's going to be a live album made from one of the gigs on this tour, Nicky?

Ah, thanks Cristina - I'd managed to miss that! I must check the news page more often!

Mind you, it's an odd (but of course pleasant) idea that there actually is Del Amitri news to look out for again. Hard to get back into the habit of looking for it again after all this time!