Celebrating forty years since their formation this year Spear of Destiny head to Manchester’s O2 Ritz on Friday.
The Manchester gig supporting Big Country is one of 38 dates they are playing across the UK in April, May and June during which Spear of Destiny will be mixing in their own headline dates.
As part of the run they play a Liverpool gig at Hangar 34 supporting Big Country.
Having made a stir with their punk-influenced power-rock since 1983, Spear of Destiny emerged from the wreckage of iconic post-punk band Theatre of Hate. Formed by original duo Kirk Brandon and Stan Stammers, the band named themselves after the weapon used by Roman centurion Longinus as he pierced the body of Jesus as he hung on the cross.
Since then Spear of Destiny has undergone multiple line-up changes whilst releasing countless studio albums; they have encountered legal issues and experienced a devastating diagnosis on the eve of a Reading Festival performance and debut US tour.
The current Spear of Destiny line-up featuring Kirk Brandon joined by Adrian Portas (New Model Army/Sex Gang Children), Craig Adams (Sisters of Mercy/The Cult/The Mission) and Phil Martini (Jim Jones and the Righteous Mind), as well as Clive Osborne on saxophone and Steve Allen-Jones on keys is the longest serving to date.
Over recent years Brandon has supervised a major reissue campaign of the band’s back catalogue, and Spear have played sell-out shows at the likes of London’s iconic 100 Club, Manchester’s Ritz and Oran Mor in Glasgow, as well as festival slots at Sign of the Times, Rebellion and Kubix.
Still continuing to look toward the future, Brandon has penned fourteen new tracks for the latest Spear of Destiny album ‘Ghost Population’.
When do Spear of Destiny perform at Manchester’s O2 Ritz?
Spear of Destiny perform at the O2 Ritz Manchester on 7 April 2023. They perform at Liverpool’s Hangar 34 on 8 April 2023. The Manchester and Liverpool gigs are two of 38 dates they are playing through April, May and June:
5 April – York, Crescent
6 April – Newcastle-u-Lyme, Rigger
7 April – Manchester, Ritz (supporting Big Country)
8 April – Liverpool, Hangar 34 (supporting Big Country)
13 April – Bath, Moles
14 April – Norwich, Epic Studios (supporting Big Country)
15 April – Leamington Spa, Assembly (supporting Big Country)
16 April – Brighton, The Albert
20 April – Bradford, Tapestry
21 April – Bexhill on Sea, De La Warr Pavilion (supporting Big Country)
22 April – Birmingham, The Crossing (supporting Big Country)
23 April – London, Water Rats
26 April – Stockton-on-Tees, Georgian Theatre
27 April – Cannock, The Station
28 April – Sheffield, Foundry (supporting Big Country)
29 April – Leeds, Beckett Union (supporting Big Country)
3 May – Winchester, Railway Live
4 May – Milton Keynes, Craufurd Arms
5 May – London, Islington Assembly (supporting Big Country)
6 May – Bury St Edmunds, Apex (supporting Big Country)
11 May – Huddersfield, Parish
12 May – Nottingham, The Level (supporting Big Country)
13 May – Lincoln, Engine Shed (supporting Big Country)
17 May – Blackpool, Waterloo
18 May – Guildford, Holroyd Arms
19 May – Southampton, The 1865 (supporting Big Country)
20 May – Frome, Cheese & Grain (supporting Big Country)
23 May – Exeter, Phoenix
24 May – Leicester, Musician
25 May – Bristol, Rough Trade
26 May – Cardiff, Y Plas University (supporting Big Country)
27 May – Northampton, Roadmender (supporting Big Country)
31 May – Newcastle, Wylam Brewery (supporting Big Country)
1 June – Edinburgh, Queens Hall (supporting Big Country)
2 June – Aberdeen, Music Hall (supporting Big Country)
3 June – Glasgow, QMU (supporting Big Country)
