British pop-soul favourites The Blow Monkeys have announced an extensive UK & Ireland tour for September and October 2026, marking the next chapter in a career that now spans more than four decades. The run of dates follows the release of their 13th studio album, Birdsong, which is out now.
The Blow Monkeys
The tour will see Dr Robert and co. bringing the new record to stages across the country, alongside a catalogue that has long cemented The Blow Monkeys as one of the UK’s most enduring and socially aware pop-soul bands. Tickets go on general sale at 10am on Friday 6th February 2026.
Birdsong was released via Creation Youth, the independent label founded by Alan McGee and producer Martin ‘Youth’ Glover. Recorded at Paul Weller’s Black Barn Studios in Surrey, the album was produced by frontman Dr Robert and features founding members Neville Henry (sax) and Mick Anker (bass), with Crispin Taylor on drums. The sessions also welcomed contributions from Mick Talbot, Gina Foster and Steve Sidelnyk, resulting in a vibrant, confident collection of songs that balance warmth, groove and optimism.
Reflecting on how the album came together, Dr Robert explained how a chance encounter helped set the creative wheels in motion, with the songs flowing quickly and instinctively once the project was underway. “It’s a very ‘up’ album, and deliberately so,” he said.
Alan McGee added his own praise for the release, describing Birdsong as standing proudly alongside the band’s classic material, and celebrating the unmistakable chemistry of the near-original line-up.
Since first emerging in the early 1980s, The Blow Monkeys have enjoyed major global success with era-defining singles such as Digging Your Scene and It Doesn’t Have To Be This Way, while their cover of You Don’t Own Me famously featured on the hit Dirty Dancing soundtrack. Beyond the hits, the band’s history is defined by collaboration, curiosity and a willingness to evolve — working with artists as diverse as Curtis Mayfield, Paul Weller, Cheb Khaled and EEK-A-Mouse, while Dr Robert also played a role in shaping early UK house music.
With Birdsong now out in the world, the upcoming tour promises a celebration of both new material and a rich back catalogue, delivered with the soulful urgency that has always defined The Blow Monkeys.
UK & Ireland Live Dates – ‘Birdsong’ Tour 2026:
SEPTEMBER
11th – Southampton, The Brook
OCTOBER
2nd – Dublin, Opium
3rd – Belfast, Limelight
6th – Glasgow, Cottiers
7th – Gateshead, Sage
8th – Leicester, Y Theatre
9th – Liverpool, The Dome
11th – Manchester, Stoller Hall
12th – Worcester, Huntingdon
13th – Exeter, Corn Exchange
15th – Christchurch, Regent Theatre
16th – London, Union Chapel
17th – Brighton, St George’s
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