Tour starts this week and it’s got me thinking about how there’s nothing quite like playing live…
It’s a heady mixture of nerves and excitement that is the current cocktail swilling around my head as we enter two days of rehearsals to prepare for the upcoming live shows that start this Friday. First up I’ll be supporting the Manics for two nights at Shepherd’s Bush Empire, before heading North for a special Easter Sunday show in Leeds (who fancies a road trip?) followed by a stop in Manchester and Liverpool the following week.
I often get asked what it feels like to be up on stage, playing my songs. It really is an incomparable feeling of human connection that can’t be approximated by anything else on this earth. It’s hard to put into words. I’m not someone who tends to feel at ease in rooms full of people. But there’s something different about being onstage that makes me feel like I know just what to do and what to say in a way that I never do in normal life.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that, for me, playing live can be magical, and I’m very lucky to be able to do this with a bunch of lovely people in a time when it’s becoming increasingly hard to justify the wonky economics of taking a band out on the road. I’m not sure when, or if we will get to do this again.
It’s been nearly a year since we last played live, and I’m really excited to sneak a couple of new songs into the set that you’ll be hearing soon on the forthcoming new studio album.
We have some wonderful supports on the tour including Roxanne De Bastion, Leoni Jane Kennedy, Sister John and Xan Tyler. Make sure that you get down early to catch them onstage at 7.45pm sharp as we are planning to be offstage at 10pm every night to make it a little easier to get those last trains home, get up for work the next day, organise childcare or public transport if you’re travelling to a show.
For those of you that don’t need to rush off I’ll be signing at the merch desk after the shows. And don’t forget that you’ll be able to grab a copy of the Communion reissue on vinyl and CD at the merch stall, including the ltd edition marbles purple variation.
Can’t wait to see you all!
Tickets 👉 www.theanchoress.co.uk/live
APRIL 2025
Fri 18th April, LONDON, Shepherd’s Bush Empire (supporting Manic Street Preachers)
Sat 19th April, LONDON, Shepherd’s Bush Empire (supporting Manic Street Preachers)
Sun 20th LEEDS, Old Woollen
Wed 23rd MANCHESTER, The Deaf Institute
Thur 24th LIVERPOOL, Philharmonic Hall
MAY 2025
Fri 9th May HEBDEN BRIDGE, The Trades Club
Sat 10th May GLASGOW, CCA
JUNE 2025
Wed 11th ALDERSHOT, The West End Centre
Thur 12th MILTON KEYNES, The Craufurd Arms
Fri 13th CARDIFF, Tramshed
NOVEMBER 2025
Fri 14th LONDON, Union Chapel