11 Mar 2019
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) continue their 40th anniversary celebrations with the announcement of a special world tour, visiting York Barbican on Sunday 27th October 2019. The world tour starts in October in Portugal, stretching through to February 2020 finishing in Paris, and the band will be joined by both Martin Cooper and Stuart Kershaw.
Today’s announcement comes as part of another exciting installment of the band’s 40th anniversary celebrations which first saw the reissue of their first four classic albums on 180g vinyl, mastered at half speed by Miles Showell at Abbey Road and housed in their original iconic die cut sleeves designed by the legendary Peter Saville.
“Electronic music is our language,” Andy McCluskey says. “It’s how we talk.”
“We’re at our best when we’re in a room together, working,” Paul Humphreys adds. “That’s when the sparks and ideas happen. It’s the same now as it ever was.”
The band were formed in 1978 by teenage friends Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys. They quickly became electro-pioneers with a string of hit albums released throughout the 1980’s, eventually selling over 25 million singles and 15 million albums across their career to date, establishing them as electronic synthesiser pioneers and one of Britain’s best-loved pop groups.
Last year OMD also played two acclaimed concerts at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in October. Both shows sold out and featured orchestral arrangements of many of OMD’s biggest hits, with The Times’ four star review describing the arrangements as “working perfectly with the orchestra and demonstrating how uncompromising OMD have been“. It also went on to say that the band “rejected every rock’n’roll cliché going and made the Philharmonic Hall seem like their spiritual home.” The shows coincided with the anniversary of OMD’s first ever gig which took place at legendary Liverpool club Eric’s in October 1978.
The celebrations also spawned a must-read special 40th anniversary book which tells the story of OMD from the garage beginnings right through to the latest sell out tours. Featuring memories from band members, other musical artists that they have influenced, famous admirers and loyal fans.
As part of their world tour, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark will also join The B-52’s and Tom Tom Club for a run of US dates in the August & September. They are also set to release a definitive singles collection later this year. More info is set to follow.
Tickets go on sale Thursday 14th March 2019 at 10am.