East Anglian rockers Bad Touch have announced the postponement of their 2021 UK Tour as a result of the ongoing uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The tour – which had originally been due to take place last year before being rescheduled for April this year – will now take place in November and December 2021, with pre-existing ticket purchases remaining valid for the new dates. The aptly-dubbed Better Late Than Never Tour kicks off in the band’s home city of Norwich on November 17th, with fourteen further gigs to follow.
In a press release, singer Stevie Westwood said: “While we are sorry to move the tour dates a third time, the health and safety of our fans is important to us. We are looking forward to seeing all of you on one of the new dates and to rock out together once again.”
Due to the pandemic we have rescheduled our April UK tour to November and December 2021. Tickets remain valid for all dates. Special guest is @pistonmusic
Tickets: https://t.co/9xmeI8yg0W#badtouch #badtouchrocks #tour #piston pic.twitter.com/qJvJVXaIYL— Bad Touch (@badtouchrocksuk) February 5, 2021
The upcoming tour will provide the Norfolk five-piece with a first opportunity to perform songs from their fourth and latest studio album, 2020’s Kiss The Sky. Recorded at the iconic Rockfield Studios on the outskirts of Monmouth, the LP was warmly received by fans and critics alike. The Rockpit called it “their finest work to date“, while Louder Sound hailed the record’s “rousing choruses, big guitars and bags of energy.”
The album also spawned three superb singles: Strut, which sees frontman Westwood channel the raspy quality of Bon Scott’s early AC/DC vocals on a catchy, country-rock number; the bluesy, Lenny Kravitz-esque I Get High; and the sweeping, anthemic rock ballad See You Again, which wouldn’t sound out of place on an Aerosmith or ’70s Rolling Stones set list.
Kiss The Sky also contained one surprising source of inspiration: Kiki Dee. Bad Touch are not the first act to cover The Kiki Dee Band’s 1974 disco-rock hit I’ve Got The Music In Me – the likes of Aretha Franklin, Celine Dion, Jennifer Lopez, Thelma Houston and Sheena Easton have previously lent their considerable talents to the track – but the Norfolk five-piece’s rendition of the track is probably the most unexpected of the lot.
Stevie Westwood explained the inclusion of the song on Kiss The Sky in an interview with RocknLoad magazine: “That’s right we’ve got a cover on our album. What? It’s a banger! We took what Kiki Dee was going for, and we amped it up, threw it in the dirt and gave it a whole lot more sex. I challenge anyone to listen to our version of this great song and not be smiling from ear to ear. They’ll be screaming the chorus to the heavens by the end!”
Bad Touch will be supported on all but one of their 2021 tour dates (Gravesend, 04/12) by Cannock rockers Piston. The Staffordshire outfit will also warm up for London glam metal veterans Thunder on their rescheduled UK Tour next year.
The full rearranged schedule for Bad Touch’s 2021 Better Late Than Never Tour is as follows:
17/11/21 – The Waterfront Studio – Norwich
19/11 – The Cluny – Newcastle
20/11 – King Tut’s – Glasgow
21/11 – Beat Generator Live! – Dundee
22/11 – The Bread Shed – Manchester
23/11 – The Bodega – Nottingham
24/11 – KK’s Steel Mill – Wolverhampton
26/11 – The Key Club – Leeds
27/11 – The Tivoli – Buckley
28/11 – The Patriot – Crumlin
29/11 – Clwb Ifor Bach – Cardiff
30/11 – The Cavern – Exeter
01/12 – The Joiners – Southampton
02/12 – O2 Academy Islington 2 – London
04/12 – The Red Lion – Gravesend
