BAUHAUS STAIRCASE UK & EU TOUR

We are thrilled to announce the UK & Europe legs of the Bauhaus Staircase Tour!

Tickets will go on sale on 22nd September.

More details at https://t.co/63Az6qhwgE pic.twitter.com/iJuOIqDWGN

— Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (@OfficialOMD) September 18, 2023

OMD have released 13 albums, including Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark,  Architecture & Morality and Organisation, over an astonishing 45 years, and are considered one of Britain’s most loved pop groups. They have sold over 25 million singles and over 15 million albums, making them legends in the electronic music genre.

The new album will mark the duo’s first music release since their 2017 LP The Punishment Of Luxury. Lead singer Andy McCluskey shared in a press release,“‘Slow Train’ is a bonkers song and the video is stunningly crazy! It feels nice to be able to challenge people’s expectations of the band after 45 years of creating music.”

McCluskey continued, “We are so excited to be able to tour again with a brand new album to showcase. It’s been six years since we learned new songs for live performances. The songs from Bauhaus Staircase will fit beautifully into our setlist – we just have to choose which five to play, as we have to treat people to the hits as well!”

OMD will be joined on their upcoming tour by Walt Disco, and Howard Jones, who will only be supporting in London. Tickets for the Bauhaus Staircase tour will go on sale on Friday September 22nd at 10am. For more information and to buy tickets, click here.

Tour dates:

22/01/2024 – Rockerfeller – Oslo

24/01 – Munchen Brewery – Stockholm

25/01 – Tradgar’n – Gothenburg

27/01 – Grey Hall – Copenhagen

29/01 – Sparkassen Arena – Jena

30/01 – Jahrhunderthalle – Frankfurt

01/02 – Mitsubishi Electric Halle – Dusseldorf

02/02 – Sporthalle – Hamburg

03/02 – Stadhalle – Chemnitz

06/02 – B90 – Gdansk

07/02 – Stodola – Warsaw

08/02 – ICE – Krakow

10/02 – SaSaZu – Prague

11/02 – Haus Auensee – Leipzig

12/02 – Tempodrom – Berlin

14/02 – AFAS – Amsterdam

15/02 – Cirque Royal – Brussels

16/02 – La Cigale – Paris

27/02 – Ulster Hall – Belfast

28/02 – 3Olympia Theatre – Dublin

01/03 – O2 Apollo – Manchester

03/03 – M&S Bank Arena – Liverpool

05/03 – First Direct Arena – Leeds

06/03 – Usher Hall – Edinburgh

08/03 – Royal Concert Hall – Glasgow

09/03 – O2 City Hall – Newcastle

10/03 – City Hall – Sheffield

12/03 – De Montfort Hall – Leicester

13/03 – Royal Concert Hall – Nottingham

15/03 – Civic Hall – Wolverhampton

16/03 – Swansea Arena – Swansea

17/03 – Cliffs Pavillion – Southend-On-Sea

19/03 – Beacon – Bristol

20/03 – New Theatre – Oxford

22/03 – Guildhall – Portsmouth

23/03 – Regent – Ipswich

24/03 – The O2 – London

26/03 – Dome – Brighton

27/03 – Winter Gardens – Eastbourne

Who gets your vote? @SAYaward public vote is open now! https://t.co/ITwVkQWw3g https://t.co/BVLJfcj4uy

— Fruitmarket (@fruitmarket) October 3, 2022

On October 6th, the SAY Award shortlist will be revealed. The Modern Scottish Classic Award winner, a Scottish record of enduring impact selected by the longlisted artists, will also be announced, along with the five Sound of Young Scotland Award nominees. In order to reduce barriers to entry, the SAY Award does not ask artists to pay participation fees and accepts albums that have at least 6 tracks and/or 30 minutes in length as qualifying albums. The SAY Award winner will earn one of the most generous prize amounts in the UK: £20,000. The nine runners-up will also get customised art prizes made through The SAY Design Commission. The winner will be revealed during the final event on Thursday, October 20^th, at The Albert Halls in Stirling.

The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) created and organised the SAY Award, placing accessibility, inclusion, and diversity at the centre of their flagship initiative. Creative Scotland, Stirling Council, Stirling Alive With Scotland, YouTube Music, Go Forth, Ticketmaster, Spotify, PPL, Youth Music Initiative, Youth Music, Brewgooder, Stirling Distillery, and Music Declares Emergency are some of the additional partners for 2022.

According to Robert Kilpatrick, the Scottish Music Industry Association’s (SMIA) and The SAY Award’s creative director, “The SAY Award public vote is the chance for music fans to have their SAY in the determination of the Shortlist. From the 20 outstanding Scottish albums that made up this year’s Longlist, the public’s choice will automatically be guaranteed a place in the 10-strong Shortlist along with a minimum prize of £1,000.”

He continued,“In any year prize money is significant for artists, but in the face of the current financial crisis, this support will make an instrumental difference. Now’s the time to get behind your favourite record, and we look forward to revealing and then championing 10 of the best Scottish albums of the last year in the lead up to 2022’s SAY Award Ceremony on Thursday, 20 October.”

Tickets for the SAY Award Ceremony on Thursday, 20^th October are available here.

SAY AWARD CEREMONY:

20/10/2022 – The Albert Halls – Stirling

The SAY Award Longlist for 2022 is:

AiiTee – Better Days
Andrew Wasylyk – Balgay Hill: Morning In Magnolia
Annie Booth – Lazybody
Bemz – M4
C Duncan – Alluvium
Callum Easter – System
Constant Follower – Neither Is, Nor Ever Was
Declan Welsh and the Decadent West – It’s Been A Year
Duncan Lyall – Milestone
Fergus McCreadie – Forest Floor
Hamish Hawk – Heavy Elevator
Hen Hoose – Equaliser
Kathryn Joseph – For You Who Are The Wronged
Kobi Onyame – Don’t Drink The Poison
The Ninth Wave – Heavy Like a Headache
Niteworks – A’Ghrian
Proc Fiskal – Siren Spine Sysex
Rebecca Vasmant – With Love, From Glasgow
Seonaid Aitken Ensemble – Chasing Sakura
Walt Disco – Unlearning

Alfie Templeman
BABii
Black Country, New Road
Eloise
Employed To Serve
Far Caspian
Gunship
Idles (pictured)
John Smith
Max Cooper
Poppy Ajudha
Puma Blue
Sainté
Snapped Ankles
Strawberry Guy
The Anchoress
Theon Cross
Violet Skies
Walt Disco
Yard Act

British music is undeniably a global export, 1 in 10 songs streamed globally are produced by British artists. But this number is not as high as it used to be. In 2015 the UK’s share of the global market was at 17%, now that has slipped to 10% today. This scheme is here to allow some smaller British artists to achieve their full potential overseas, by giving larger access to equipment, licensing, travel, and any other aspects of a band’s routine that allow their music to be heard in other countries. In 2020, the scheme generated £36 million in revenues. Put another way, for every £1 put in by the government, the artists generated 12x that amount. Geoff Taylor, the chief executive of the BPI, backs this by saying “The UK punches well above its weight as the largest exporter of music in the world after the US”.

In regards to boosting the UK’s music scene after covid, Taylor said “Labels continue to invest very heavily in developing new talent and they’re working on new ways to get artists out there. As an industry, we are working on new ways to bring new music to fans, but there’s no doubt it’s harder under a Covid environment.” He adds, “MEGS funding provides a crucial avenue for UK artists to invest early and develop audiences in markets that are traditionally expensive to break. For years, Idles’ renowned live show has been in demand across LATAM, and this support helps us meet that demand with genuine marketing and promotional activity and continue to grow their profile”.

Mike Freer MP, Minister for Exports at the Department for International Trade (@tradegovuk) praised the UK music industry, and reiterated the ambition to grow British music.

Read the story in full https://t.co/yY9GjZgxL6 pic.twitter.com/LPeDHhUhGD

— BPI (@bpi_music) November 18, 2021

The scheme tries to cover as much popular music as Britain has to offer. IDLES, Black Country – New Road, Yard Act, and Snapped Ankles all fall under the ever-increasing brand of Post-Punk. Eloise, BABii, and Sainté are all making moves in the realm of British Pop. Acts like Strawberry Guy and Gunship also offer their own takes on folk and synthwave that also prove that British music comes in many, many forms.

The British Music Embassy typically takes over a venue every year at SXSW in Austin, Texas, putting a spotlight on the best new music from around the UK. As the festival is virtual this year due to the ongoing global health crisis, the British Music Embassy has recorded live performances which can be watched on the SXSW portal. A selection of performances will also be made available after Easter for all to view on SXSW’s YouTube channel.

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A post shared by The British Music Embassy (@thebritishmusicembassy)

The full British Music Embassy line-up for SXSW Online 2021 includes 404 Guild, Afronaut Zu,  Anna B Savage, Baby Queen, Beauty Sleep, Black Country, New Road, Chubby and The Gang, Connie Constance, Do Nothing, Drug Store Romeos, Ego Ella May, Enola Gay, Finn Askew, The Goa Express, IDER, Katy J Pearson, Lau.ra, Lilla Vargen, Matilda Mann, The Mysterines, Nayana IZ, Olivia Dean, Onipa, Penelope Isles, Phoebe Green, Porij, PVA, Ryan McMullan, Sinead O’Brien, Squid, Tayo Sound, TV Priest, Virginia Wing, Walt Disco and Yard Act.

Speaking about the event in a press release, Paul Pacifico, Chief Executive Officer at AIM said; “We’re delighted to be returning as a British Music Embassy partner for SXSW 2021. It has always been a key stepping stone for the careers of independent artists, and a valuable way to accelerate their journeys on the international stage. Although we can’t attend in person this year, the positioning of British Music within the virtual showcase platform is the next best thing and a crucial moment to showcase exciting British talent to the world.”

Northern Irish singer-songwriter Lilla Vargen shared her excitement about being on the virtual line-up saying; “The past year has been devastating for live music, and SXSW being able to go ahead in some form is a light at the end of the tunnel, and hopefully can signal the return of more opportunities like this. I can’t wait to head to Austin when it is safe to do so.”

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A post shared by Lilla Vargen (@lillavargen)

The British Music Embassy is brought to you this year by AIM, BBC, BPI, the Department for International Trade, PPL, PRS for Music, and PRS Foundation, with further support from ATC, media partner DIY Magazine and Belfast City Council. Since 2008 it has hosted over 450 UK artists, positioning them in front of a global audience in order to help them to break into new markets and advance their careers. The British Music Embassy also uses UK-only production and equipment, giving artists from the UK an unparalleled platform on the world music stage.

Check out the SXSW showcase at The British Music Embassy through the SXSW portal or on SXSW’s YouTube channel.

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Shows are one of the most magical things on the planet and it’s all because of you lot! Without them my life feels a bit empty This Tour is gonna so emotional as it’ll have been a year since our last show in the UK, and we’re gonna make it extra special to show how much we have missed you Get tickets using link in you know where

A post shared by WALT DISCO (@waltdisco) on Sep 8, 2020 at 9:30am PDT

An early review of Young Hard and Handsome by DIY magazine gave it 4 stars, which the band was very happy with. They also had a recent interview with NME in which they talked about the upcoming release. The band, who all share a flat together, told the interviewer that ‘if it weren’t for lockdown, the whole EP would have a completely different look’ as they worked on a lot of the art and video work during that period.

Young Hard and Handome contains tracks that harken back to ‘new romanticism’ while also including modern ‘pop bangers’. The interviewer described the ‘honesty’ in Walt Disco’s lyrics as ‘what sets them apart from their peers’. The upcoming album will include songs that talk about gender identity, societal judgement and personal insecurities.

These worthwhile topics have long been present in the bands music. 2018 single Drowning in Your Bed, was an angst ridden rally against perfection. Here, the feedback sounds and urgent guitar playing make way for frontman James Potter’s powerful voice, singing: ‘perfection what do you make of this// draw me a picture, I’ll sit very still’.

James Potter is a force of life. With a restless energy reminiscent of David Byrne, he commands the stage in flamboyant clothes and makeup. His musical icons include The Blue Nile, Simple Minds and The Associates. This 80’s influence can be heard in tracks such as Strange to Know Nothing, which features a funky bass line and upbeat synth melody.

There is also a definite homage to the 70’s glam rock movement in Walt Disco’s music. Potter’s stage persona has more than a whiff of Marc Bolan about it. In the band’s video performance for BBC Introducing, he can be seen winking flirtatiously at the camera and dancing about to the beat in his feather pink jacket.

In an interview with DIY he stated that he cares deeply about ‘the show… the vision as a whole’; this is clear to see and explains why the band are so praised for their live performances. The upcoming album, and its promotional tour to follow next year, will not be one to miss.