James and Happy Mondays announce Manchester Arena gig for 2021

Manchester music titans James and the Happy Mondays will head out on a new UK tour for 2021 that will include a triumphant homecoming to the AO Arena in December.

The new dates mark 33 years since the two Factory label mates toured together back in 1988 and promises to be an exciting reunion of two of Manchester’s most celebrated bands.

James are one of the UK’s most creatively restless and loved artists. Well into their fourth decade, they last toured 2018 with their biggest ever tour of 86 shows across 14 countries following no. 6 and no. 2 UK chart debuts for their most recent two studio albums.

After signing to Factory Records in 1982, the band went on to release a series of successful hit singles and albums released over three decades, with hits including Sit Down, She’s A Star, Laid, Come Home, Sometimes and Just Like Fred Astaire.

Frontman Tim Booth heralded the recent announcement of a successful vaccine against COVID-19 as a “new dawn” for frustrated musicians.

In announcing the tour, he said: “So looking forward to seeing you. We will pack two years of frustration and explosive joy into these gigs.

“It feels like a new dawn to trumpet a celebratory tour, a week after the first news of hope.  We’re can i order phentermine from canada playing with the brilliant Happy Mondays. We last played with them in 1988, hopefully this time they won’t steal our rider or try and spike my drink…”

Following their original line up reformation in 2012, legendary Manchester band Happy Mondays will join James for the new arena tour.

Happy Mondays were first discovered by Factory’s mastermind Tony Wilson in the Haçienda and have become synonymous with the Manchester music scene.

Since their first album Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile (White Out) which debuted in 1987 Happy Mondays followed up with two classic albums; Bummed in 1988, then Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches which went on to achieve platinum status in the UK alone.

Expect to hear songs Step On, Kinky Afro, Hallelujah, 24 Hour Party People and many, many more.

 How to get tickets

Tickets for James with very special guests Happy Mondays go on general sale at 9.30am on Friday 20^th November and will be available from gigsandtours.com / ticketmaster.co.uk.

Full tour dates

Thursday 25 November          Leeds First Direct Arena

Friday 26 November               Birmingham Utilita Arena

Sunday 28 November              Cardiff Motorpoint Arena

Tuesday 30 November            Glasgow The SSE Hydro

Wednesday 01 December       Dublin 3Arena

Friday 03 December               Manchester AO Arena

Saturday 04 December           London The SSE Arena, Wembley