Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott announce new album and 2020 UK tour

Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott at O2 Academy (1 & 2), Bristol on Sun 25th May 2014

Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott will release their fourth studio album 'Manchester Calling' on 6th March 2020.

To coincide with the album release Paul, Jacqui and the band will be embarking on a tour of the UK in April & May. As with the previous live shows, Paul & Jacqui have requested that the ticket price for the tour remains at £30. 

Tickets for the tour go on sale at 9:30am on Friday 25th October available from here.

The dates are as follows:-
Thu 16th Apr - Glasgow, SEC Armadillo
Fri 17th Apr - Leeds, First Direct Arena
Sat 18th Apr - Newcastle, Utilita Arena
Tue 21st Apr - Hull, Bonus Arena
Wed 22nd Apr - Hull, Bonus Arena
Fri 24th Apr - Birmingham, Arena
Sat 25th Apr - Liverpool, M&S Arena
Sun 26th Apr - Leicester, De Montfort Hall
Wed 29th Apr - London, Palladium
Thu 30th Apr - London, Palladium
Fri 1st May - Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena
Sat 2nd May - Stoke, Victoria Hall

'Manchester Calling' boasts all the hallmarks of Heaton's beautifully bittersweet songwriting - effortlessly catchy melodies allied with an everyman's biting exasperation at the modern world alongside some truly heartfelt love songs.

Produced by long time collaborator John Williams who produced both Housemartins albums and the previous three Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott albums - 'What Have We Become' ('14), 'Wisdom, Laughter & Lines' ('15), and 'Crooked Calypso' ('17) - the record was recorded at Blueprint Studios in Salford, Manchester. As is Paul Heaton's habit the lyrics were written in various locations in North Holland and Belgium while the music was composed in a hotel in Puerto Rico, Gran Canaria and in Limburg An Der Lahn in Germany.

Says Paul: "I've lived in Manchester for 17 years now and recording an album here for the first time, was looking forward to cycling to work. That was never possible as Manchester is now being turned into a business centre for the rich, which I can't stand. If there's a theme to the record, it's anti growth, anti greed, against the continuous tearing down of old buildings and sticking up soulless offices, and the disappearance of local accents on TV, along with the creeping spread of Americanese. So, some curmudgeonly moans, plus some hopefully uplifting love songs. Originally it was set up to be a double LP like 'London Calling' but alas the double album has also become a victim of time"

Says Jacqui: "I'm so pleased and excited about the new album, it was wonderful to work on new songs and even more so that we did double what we have done for the last few records. It'll be a joy to see others react to something we took such pleasure out of making"