Blancmange have announced that they’ll be setting off on tour this November, playing a newly re-interpreted version of their 1982 debut Happy Families album in full.
One half of the duo, Neil Arthur, has re-recorded the album, re-titling it Happy Families too…, using current studio tools to give it a new spin, saying: “I just wanted to approach the songs using today’s technology. Every time we perform it’s a different interpretation. So rather than just dust off the old songs, I wanted to bring something fresh to the project and make it a contemporary reworking rather than an exact imitation.”
Arthur will be touring with long-time associate and sound engineer Adam Fuest and guitarist David Rhodes (Arthur’s fellow founding member Stephen Luscombe is unable to join owing to continuing health issues). A limited edition first run of the album will be available to buy exclusively from the merch stand, with deluxe and digital versions on the way following the tour.
Of the live shows, Arthur says: "The intention is to do something a bit like Roxy Music did with Brian Eno processing sounds live during a performance. It might be less predictable, it might even be a bit chaotic! But I like the excitement of that, the chance element – the feeling I’m moving forward creatively."
Have a look at the dates below and head to Blancmange’s website for tickets:
NOVEMBER
Sun 3 – The Grand, Clitheroe
Mon 4 – Library, Darwen
Tue 5 – Library, Darwen
Wed 6 – Sound Control, Manchester
Fri 8 – Think Tank, Newcastle
Sat 9 – The Brook, Southampton
Sun 10 – Concorde 2, Brighton
Mon 11 – Robin, Wolverhampton
Tue 12 – Rescue Rooms, Nottingham
Wed 13 – Erics, Liverpool
Thu 14 – The Hop, Wakefield
Fri 15 – The Garage, London
Sat 16 – Ifor Bach, Cardiff
