Tony Hadley will hit the road next spring with this ‘Big Swing’ UK tour.
The former Spandau Ballet frontman is set to perform swing classics by icons such as Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, and Frank Sinatra – along with his own classics – as part of the run.
Speaking of the inspiration behind his latest project, the musician says: “My love of swing music began when I was very young. The preparation for Sunday lunch was never without the classic sounds of Sinatra, Bennett and many more…
“Then years later, when we formed our first band at school which eventually would become Spandau Ballet, I was reminded by my parents that although I loved punk rock, if I was serious about pursuing a career as a professional singer, never to forget the classic jazz vocalists.
“So there I was listening to the Sex Pistols and The Clash alongside Tony Bennett and Jack Jones!”
The Gold hitmaker will be joined by the Fabulous TH Band alongside a full brass section for the gigs, which will be “totally different” to his previous concert tours.
He adds: “I’ve always loved performing live, but this swing tour is totally different from our normal rock shows!
“I want audiences to come and enjoy a night of amazing songs from an incredible era of music alongside some great songs from my own repertoire.”
Tickets go on general sale Friday, July 7.
The full list of dates is below.
MARCH
3 – The Guildhall, Portsmouth
5 – G-LiveGuildford
7 – Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
10 – Beacon, Bristol
12 – Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
13 – Symphony Hall, Birmingham
14 – Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
16 – The Sage, Gateshead
17 – Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool
19 – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
20 – Palladium, London
21 – Regent Theatre, Ipswich
In a recent interview with RETROPOP, Tony looked back on 40 years since the release of Spandau Ballet’s classic third album, ‘True’ (1983), and revealed plans for his first solo album in eight years in 2024.
Reflecting on his career to date, he shared: “At 20 I had my first hit record with the band and you kind of think, ‘How long is it gonna last?’
“Then all of a sudden, in the blink of an eye, you’re 62,” he laughed, adding his forthcoming album harks back to some of Spandau Ballet’s biggest hits.
“Some of the album is quite anthemic – it’s always going to be a little bit anthemic because I like that kind of style,” he mused, “but there’s also a beautiful lullaby that was written about my daughter, which is just lovely, so not everything has to be a hit single.”
Recent singles Obvious and Because Of You are set to feature, along with Alibi – a song Tony has been trialling during his live gigs.
“You have to make new music whether the fans want it or not. You have to do it for your own sanity,” he reflected. “What I don’t want to become is my own tribute band. That would be really wrong.”
