Canadian indie rock group The Dears have announced a string of UK shows, the band are set to make their long-awaited return to the UK this September. The Dears promise a setlist full of nostalgia and will perform classics taken from their decades-long career. The Montreal-based rockers’ setlist will also include tracks from their recent release Lovers Rock, the upcoming tour marks the live premiere of the album in the UK.
The group includes founding member and guitarist/vocalist Murray Lightburn and vocalist/pianist Natalia Yanchak, the husband and wife duo have remained at the helm since its formation in the 90s. After The Dears released their debut album in 2000, they quickly amassed a loyal following and received praise from critics and fans alike. Entitled End Of A Hollywood Bedtime Story, the album caught the attention of music fans and The Dears were placed at the forefront of a resurgence of popularity for Indie rock in Canada. The group’s recent release marked their eighth studio album, Lovers Rock was released in 2020 and was met with critical acclaim and rave reviews.
On tour this fall… https://t.co/j5lKBfM252
— Natalia Yanchak (@nataliayanchak) May 20, 2022
The band had initially planned to tour in support of Lovers Rock two years ago but due to COVID and the subsequent lockdowns, they were forced to postpone any live performances of its material. Speaking in a press release, Yanchak has given the following statement, “After all this time, the re-re-scheduling of tour dates and the re-re-re-anticipation of playing shows — it’s a little hard to believe these shows are finally going to happen. We originally released ‘Lovers Rock’ in 2020. It was an album we were, and are still, very proud of. So it was hard to put out a record and then not play a single one of those songs live. We did a streaming show, but it’s just not the same as being in the same sweaty club, all together.”
The album saw Lightburn and Yanchak work with long-time drummer Jeff Luciani, guitarist Steve Raegele and bassist Remi-Jean LeBlanc. Along with a full-string section, Lovers Rock features E Street Band’s Jake Clemons and Alex Francoeur on saxophone. Also included in the album is Sam Roberts, the fellow Montréal-based musician also known for his work within Canada’s indie rock scene.
Lightburn gives the following statement concerning the group, “The Dears aren’t fucking around, We don’t have time to waste. We’ve got a job to do. And we’re going to do it. 20 years ago, I knew I had a sound in my head, but I didn’t know how to get that down. Now I know how to get that sound. The question we’re asking in the music is, ‘how do we navigate so much bullshit in this world?’, We’re still playing this dumb rock music. But there’s always gonna be a little twist of the knife, cutting into something deep to make you feel like you’re alive. To say, ‘I know what you’re going through. And I’m hearing you, and I’m with you.’ That’s what the music is supposed to do.”
The Dears’ six-date UK tour kicks off on 30th September 2022 with a set at Cambridge’s Portland Arms, the band will then play Liverpool’s Zanzibar on 1st October 2022. After a set in Manchester on 4th October 2022, the group will perform in the capital at Highbury’s The Garage with support from Perfect Son. The tour concludes with a performance at Bristol’s Exchange on 6th October 2022, click here to purchase tickets.
The Dears UK tour dates
30/09/2022 – Portland Arms – Cambridge
01/10 – Zanzibar – Liverpool
02/10 – Hug & Pint – Glasgow
04/10 – Deaf Institute – Manchester
05/10 – The Garage – London
06/10 – Exchange – Bristol
Photo Credit: Misael Hiram
