Friday 23rd September 2016
Tickets for Shakin’ Steven’s biggest ever UK tour on sale now
Shakin’ Stevens is to embark on his biggest ever UK tour visiting 33 towns and cities across England, Scotland and Wales in spring 2017. The announcement coincides with the release of his critically acclaimed 12th studio album Echoes Of Our Times, a surprising record on which blues, roots, Americana and classic rock take centre stage as Shaky explores his mysterious and intriguing family history.
Tickets for the Echoes Of Our Times Tour are priced from £24 went on sale at 9am Friday 23rd September from
The Echoes Of Our Times Tour will see the UK's biggest-selling artist of a decade hit the road from Easter next year with the opening night on Saturday April 15 in Carlisle. Shaky will then travel the length and breadth of the country, including London’s Shepherds Bush Empire on 2nd May, before ending the tour on the 28th May.
With 33 hit singles and four UK No. 1s to his name, the Platinum-selling entertainer and performer will be exciting his audiences as he performs new tracks from Echoes Of Our Times, along with classic hits, and a few surprises.
Speaking about the tour announcement Shaky said: “I can’t wait to get back on the road, and introduce the songs from ‘Echoes Of Our Times’ to people to have seen me perform in the past, and those who have not.”
Tour Dates:
April
Sat 15 The Sands, Carlisle
Sun 16 The Lowry, Salford
Tues 18 Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
Weds 19 The Orchard, Dartford
Thurs 20 The Coliseum, Watford
Fri 21 The Pavilion, Worthing
Sun 23 The Opera House, Buxton
Mon 24 St David’s, Cardiff
Tues 25 The Forum, Bath
Thurs 27 The Churchill, Bromley
Fri 28 The Hexagon, Reading
Sat 29 Regent Theatre, Ipswich
Sun 30 Assembly Theatre, TunbridgeWells
May
Tues 2 Shepherds Bush Empire, London
Thurs 4 Venue Cymru, Llandudno
Fri 5 The Opera House, Blackpool
Sat 6 Baths Hall, Scunthorpe
Sun 7 Theatre Royal, Norwich
Tues 9 The Queens Theatre Hall, Barnstaple
Weds 10 Hall For Cornwall, Truro
Thurs 11 The Pavilion, Plymouth
Fri 12 Babbacombe Theatre, Torquay
Sun 14 Guildhall, Portsmouth
Mon 15 Alban Arena, StAlbans
Tues 16 City Hall, Salisbury
Thurs 18, The Barbican, York
Fri 19 Parr Hall, Warrington
Sun 21 Grand Theatre, Leeds
Mon 22 Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
Tues 23 Eden Court, Inverness
Fri 26 Town Hall, Birmingham
Sat 27 Corn Exchange, Cambridge
Sun 28 Whiterock Theatre, Hastings
Reviews for ‘Echoes Of Our Times’ include:
“Indulges his inner Woody Guthrie to surprisingly impressive effect – Uncut Magazine
“A radical change of direction…A set of songs full of sincerity and forcefulness…An album which entirely succeeds on its own terms” Q Magazine
“…a dark, socially conscious album” - Guardian
“A few of the newer, younger “stars” coming out of Nashville could learn a thing or three from Mr Stevens about how a darn fine song should be delivered, both on stage and in a studio…..Shaky always was a class act and this is a classy album” - Country Music People
“Even now, almost four decades after his first hit, Hot Dog, in 1980, one thing is clear – the musical desire still burns within Stevens” - Telegraph
‘Last Man Alive’, the first single from the album is on the Radio 2 A List. Shaky recently appeared on The One Show (BBC ONE) and Lorraine (ITV).
“Every family has its secrets, but some harbour more mysteries than their fair share - many of which will never see the light of day.”
Album release September 16th 2016
Released via HEC, distributed through Right Track / Universal
facebook.com/shakinstevensofficial twitter.com/officialshaky
Blues, roots, Americana and classic rock take centre stage on this surprising record. A labour of love, detailing stories from his intriguing family history, Shakin’ Stevens has created a remarkable musical tribute to his once mysterious past.
Platinum-selling Shakin’ Stevens released his 12th studio album ’Echoes Of Our Times’ on September 16th 2016. Known as an entertainer and performer, with 33 hit singles and 4 UK no. 1s to his name, this new record clearly marks Shakin’ Stevens out as an artist, songwriter and storyteller.
’Echoes Of Our Times’ grew from Shaky’s realisation that, like most of us, he knew so very little about the background of his family - the stories of his ancestors’ loves and lives lost, and their struggles to survive. Research revealed tales of poverty and strife in the Cornish copper mines, of bravery and loss in war, of philanthropic preachers and stoic Salvationists, of children suffering and of family secrets and feuds.
These uncovered stories became the inspiration for many of the songs that make up this collection. Having touched on most styles of music during his career (including blues, rhythm & blues, country and Cajun), the new songs were in fact a big departure for Shaky. “I have never before written a song that is so personal. Some of the tracks directly relate to stories and situations about my family past, while others are more of a social comment relating to the world that my ancestors, and we, live in” he explains.
The album gave Shaky the opportunity to experiment and use instruments that he has previously used on stage but never before on a recording. Each story set the scene for the music and dictated which instruments were used. 'Down in The Hole’ features harmonica, Dobro guitar and harmonium to capture the feel and provide the atmosphere - hence it has elements of folk, rock and swampy blues. Keeping the harmonica and adding banjo, flute and military snare, gave a sound that was reminiscent of the past, helping to paint a picture for the title track 'Echoes Of Our Times', by joining folk rock with delta blues.
The song ‘Behind Those Secrets And Lies’ was no exception: every family has at least one secret, or more, somewhere, and by its very nature this song dictated the need for a very dark and mysterious feel. The cello and bottleneck guitar, coupled with the acoustic guitar figure, in a minor key, provides that haunting backdrop to guide the listener through the sadness of the lyrics. By contrast the anthemic rock of ‘Last Man Alive’, with its rousing mix of guitars, brass and piano - an infectious blend of instruments - provides a welcome lift to close the album.
“I would say that, in retrospect, in finding the origins of my family I have gone back to the roots of my music.” Shakin’ Stevens, June 2016
TRACK LISTING:-- Down In The Hole
- Echoes Of Our Times
- Behind Those Secrets And Lies
- To Spread The Word
- The Fire In Her Blood
- Down Into Muddy Water
- Suffer Little Children
- Train Of Time
- Love The World
- Last Man Alive
Produced by: Shakin’ Stevens and John David
Engineered by: John David
Additional recording: Darren Loveday
Additional programming: Dean Barratt
RE-mixed by: Darren Loveday and Shakin’ Stevens
Musicians: Below
Executive Producers: Shakin’ Stevens and Sue Davies
Album Sleeve Design:
Cat No.: HEC101
Shakin’ Stevens – lead vocals, banjo, and tambourine
Jon Bishop – mandolin, banjo, slide guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar
James Compton – piano, harmonium, organ, Wurlitzer
Andrew Coughlan – bass, backing vocals
John David – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums, percussion, backing vocals, keyboards
Kirstie Roberts, Charmain Elliott & Sarah Geary – backing vocals
Julian Greaves – harmonica, tenor saxophone
Matt Holland – trumpet, backing vocals
Martyn Hope – acoustic guitar, Dobro, electric guitar, backing vocals
Darren Loveday – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, flute, cello, backing vocals
Paul Murphy – drums, percussion
Howard Tibble – drums, percussion
For further information please contact Republic Media 020 3213 0135
7 Broadbent Close, Highgate Village, London, N6 5JW
t 020 3213 0135 f 020 8348 7776 e @republic_media