Blossoms and Rick Astley announce pair of shows celebrating the songs of The Smiths

Blossoms and Rick Astley have announced they’ll be teaming up for a pair of shows that will celebrate the songs of The Smiths.

• READ MORE: Blossoms talk ’70s-inspired new single ‘Care For’ and tease their next album

It comes after Blossoms surprised fans during the first of three nights at London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum last night (September 13) by inviting Astley on stage to run through a selection of Smiths covers.

Taking place at Manchester’s Albert Hall on October 8 and London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town on October 9, the shows will see Blossoms become Astley’s backing band for a full set of theirs and fans’ most-loved Smiths songs.

“The Smiths have always meant so much to Blossoms, with even their rainiest songs complete with wry humour and soul-reaching musicianship and melody,” Blossoms said in a statement. “Their poppier moments are pure, joyful, danceable poetry.

“Imagine backing Rick Astley to play the songs of The Smiths? We’ve had wilder dreams, but not many. We’ll barely be able to believe it until it happens, but the dates are set, we’re studying every note, line and beat to say ‘thank you’ to The Smiths alongside Rick and do both of them proud.”

WTF. @rickastley // @BlossomsBand // The Smiths – This Charming Man. The crossover no one asked for but everyone needed. pic.twitter.com/zJrKLR1wJU

— At Most One Tour (@atmostonetour) September 13, 2021

Astley added: “From the moment The Smiths emerged in 1983 I was hooked and it’s as a fan, with deep respect as a musician for Morrissey, Marr, Rourke and Joyce, that I’ll be joining the endlessly enthusiastic and talented Blossoms on stage to sing their songs.”

The two gigs – billed as ‘The Songs Of The Smiths’ – make good on a suggestion Astley made in a 2016 Rolling Stone interview that he’d one day perform an entire set of Smiths songs.

“It’s no secret that it’s been an ambition of mine to turn an idea that first sounded crazy,” Astley said, “making more sense as Blossoms and I talked about it and then rehearsed it, into a reality. These shows will be nights that I’ll never forget.”

Tickets for the two shows go on sale on Friday (September 17) at 9:30am – you can get them here. See the dates for ‘The Songs Of The Smiths’ shows below.

OCTOBER 2021

8 – Albert Hall, Manchester
9 – O2 Forum Kentish Town, London

Blossoms’ UK tour continues with another gig at The Forum tonight (September 14) and Wednesday (September 25) before they perform at Newcastle’s This Is Tomorrow Festival and at Manchester’s AO Arena, as well as supporting Courteeners with Johnny Marr and Old Trafford.

More headline shows in Europe and the UK will follow in 2022. Visit here for tickets and more information.

News is expected soon of Blossoms’ new album after they teased details of it in a recent interview with NME.

The post Blossoms and Rick Astley announce pair of shows celebrating the songs of The Smiths appeared first on NME.