After live music was all but wiped out in 2020 and early 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions, festivals and live music venues are gearing up to make up for last time.
With Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown planning to end social distancing rules in late June, musicians are gearing up for a busy summer of festivals, such as Y Not, near Matlock, and Tramlines, in Sheffield, before a busy autumn of touring.
Here are nine of the biggest acts of the Nineties heading out on tour later this year…
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1. Gary Barlow
Take That may not have any tour dates lined up, but their star songwriter Gary Barlow is heading out with his rescheduled Music Played by Humans tour, which includes dates at Sheffield's Fly DSA Arena, on December 12, and Nottingham's Motorpoint Arena, on December 7. See garybarlow.com Photo: Submitted
2. The Bluetones
The Britpop stars are heading out this summer on their co-headline tour with fellow Nineties favourites Sleeper. The tour has already been rescheduled twice due to Covid, with new dates including Manchester's O2 Ritz on Firday, August 13. Tickets are now available from gigantic.com, while The 'Tones also have a warm-up show lined up for Sheffield's The Leadmill on Thursday, August 5. Photo: Ben Meadows
3. Shed Seven
Shed Seven have just confirmed the dates for their biennial #Shedcember tour for November and December, this time celebrating their latest live album Another Night, Another Town. Dates include Sheffield's O2 Academy on November 30 and Nottingham's Rock City on December 10, with tickets on sale from 9am on Thursday, April 29, from gigsandtours.com and ticketmaster.co.uk Photo: Submitted
4. Levellers
The Brighton folk-rockers formed in 1988 and are still going strong - their 2020 album Peace reached number eight - but enjoyed their biggest success in the Nineties with three top-five albums, including 1995 chart-topper Zeitgeist. They have a UK tour lined up for November - rescheduled from October 2021 - including a sold-out show at Sheffield's The Leadmill on November 22 and two nights at Nottingham's Rock City on December 17 and 18, although the second show is also sold out. See levellers.co.uk/events Photo: Submitted