NME have announced the line-up to the NME Awards Tour 2016 with Austin Texas, which accompanies the annual NME Awards ceremony. The tour will begin 29th January in Cardiff, winding its way though the UK until it reaches Birmingham on the 16th February.

The tour is headlined by indie rockers Bloc Party, along with supporting acts Drenge, Rat Boy and Bugzy Malone. The NME’s editor-in-chief, Mike Williams, said of the lineup: “The line-up for the NME Awards Tour 2016 with Austin, Texas is amazing for UK music fans – where else next February could you see three of the most exciting, game-changing new artists around, as well as a bona fide festival headliner in such an intimate setting?”

Bloc Party have recently announced a new album Hymns, with the release date being penned for around January 2016, coinciding neatly with the NME Awards Tour. Drenge have also released a new album, Undertow, so expect a healthy dose of new material being played by both bands. Meanwhile Libertines flavored rap act Rat Boy and 2nd wave Grime champion Bugzy Malone give the lineup some exciting new acts.

According to NME, exclusive ticket pre-sale begins at 9am on Wednesday (November 4) at NME.com/tickets. Tickets go on general sale at 9am on Friday (November 6).

The NME Awards Tour with Austin, Texas dates are as follows:

Cardiff, Great Hall (January 29)
Southampton, O2 Guildhall (January 30)
Bristol, O2 Academy (February 1)
Nottingham, Rock City (February 2)
Newcastle, O2 Academy (February 4)
Glasgow, Barrowland (February 5)
Manchester, Academy (February 6)
Leeds, O2 Academy (February 8)
Cambridge, Corn Exchange (February 9)
London, O2 Academy Brixton (February 11)
Birmingham, O2 Academy (February 12)