Aqualung has announced a run of UK tour dates including a Manchester gig at the Deaf Institute in November.
The producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist will play six rate UK dates, opening at the Manchester venue ahead of shows in Glasgow, Newcastle, Brighton, London and Bristol.
Aqualung shared his critically acclaimed album Dead Letters late last year. The album followed 2015’s 10 Futures.
In the time since 2015’s 10 Futures, Aqualung (aka Matt Hales) has collaborated with the likes of Lianne La Havas, Jason Mraz, Mika, Bat for Lashes and more. During that run he has also landed an Ivor Novello and Grammy Award.
Aqualung’s latest album Dead Letters landed after returning to the UK having spent much of the past decade living in Los Angeles. Disorientated by the odd feeling of being unmoored despite back home, Hales gravitated to channelling those emotions – and a whole lot more – into writing songs at his favourite old piano.
As those songs evolved into a catalogue of material, Hales reunited with some of the team behind the second Aqualung album, Still Life, for sessions at Real World near Bath, where that album was recorded. Those demos were finessed over the course of two years with some of his trusted collaborators: his brother Ben Hales, his wife Kim Oliver, and Matt Vincent-Brown, his bandmate in his pre-Aqualung projects The 45s and Ruth.
Aqualung first came to attention in 2002 when the debut single Strange & Beautiful (I’ll Put A Spell On You) became a surprise UK Top 10 after being discovered via a Volkswagen Beetle advert. While that song created a magnetic allure, the strength and versatility of Hales’ songwriting further enamoured audiences. The debut self-titled Aqualung album reached Gold status in recognition of over 100,000 domestic sales, while the brighter symphonic scope of his second album, Still Life, led to another chart hit with Brighter Than Sunshine. By the time Aqualung’s third album, Memory Man emerged, glowing comparisons had been made with everyone from Bacharach to Radiohead via The Beach Boys, while his music has featured in Twilight, Gossip Girl and Grey’s Anatomy.
When does Aqualung headline at Manchester’s Deaf Institute?
Aqualung headlines at the Deaf Institute, Manchester, on 11 November 2023. The Manchester gig is the opening date of his six show UK tour:
11 November – Manchester, Deaf Institute
12 November – Glasgow, Oran Mor
13 November – Newcastle, Cluny
20 November – Brighton, Old Market
21 November – London, Islington Assembly Hall
23 November – Bristol, Fyfe Hall
When do tickets go on sale for Aqualung’s UK tour?
Tickets for Aqualung’s UK tour go on sale at 10am on 16 June 2023.
