Ian Anderson Announces 2014 Tour on sale 4th Sept and Prog Awards "Prog God" Award!

Legendary Prog Rock icon Ian Anderson has announced a 2014 22 Date UK tour, which will  follow the release of his new concept album to be recorded early next year and released around Easter.   The UK tour begins in late April and goes through May; the show will feature a selection from his new 2014-release concept album - which he defines as ‘Folk-Prog-Metal’  together with a selection of Jethro Tull highlights. The upcoming record release will feature heavier, less acoustic guitar sounds and more of Anderson’s trademark flute.

Anderson will also be recognised as one of the foremost influencers of rock at this years Progressive Music Awards, by being honoured with the Prog God Award on 3rd September in London.

He says “After winning the Grammy for best “Hard Rock/Metal” album back in 1988, this seems like an opportunity to justify that strange and misplaced accolade with a new album to celebrate the more forceful, full-on rock credentials which are found in many of my songs over the last 45 years. It's not an end to the acoustic and gentler moments but more of an emphasis on the louder aggressive flute style which marked me out from the earliest days of Jethro Tull.”

The Prog God Award celebrates the innovators of rock. The people who have inspired generations and have carved a way for others to be at their creative best. There is no one who has pushed the boundaries more than Ian Anderson, who to this day remains immersed in his love for the music.

On winning the award, Anderson continued, “The innocent voyage of restless souls: that's prog rock. Sometimes bombastic, self-indulgent and worse, it is also an honest, gut-felt reaction to the often simplistic and repetitive nature of much of pop and rock. 

It is, indeed, an honour to receive this illustrious Prog award and dwell in such lofty heights amongst the good and the great of the last forty-plus years. I remain very happy to inhabit the progressive rock world, as both performer and listener. 

And where else could a self-taught, mediocre but extremely loud flute player make a decent living? Not in country and western, I would suppose. But, hey: if the boots fit and the buckskin-fringed coyote crooner calls, then count me in Cowboy! Brokeback Mountain could never sound sweeter.”

Jerry Ewing, Editor of Prog Magazine says, “For 45 years Ian has been playing live, and I don’t think I have ever seen two shows the same! It doesn’t matter if its Jethro Tull or Ian on his own – its always magnificent, groundbreaking and captivating. Without him rock would be a very different and lesser place, so to announce him as our Prog God at the same time as he announces a UK tour seems hugely fitting.”

Following the great success of his current ‘Thick As A Brick’ tour – including a one-off performance at the iconic Royal Albert Hall – tickets for the 2014 shows are expected to go fast when they go on sale on 4th September.

Full dates are:

Date               City                             Venue                        Box Office                Ticket Prices

APRIL

28^th                 Brighton                     Dome                         01273 709 709          £26 + ?30

29^th                 Southampton           Guildhall                    023 8063 2601            £26 + ?30

MAY

                       

01^st                 Salisbury                   City Hall                     01722 434 434        £26 + £30

02^nd                 Liverpool                   Philharmonic            0151 709 3789        £26 + £30

03^rd                 Birmingham               Symphony Hall        0121 345 0600        £27.50 + £32.50

04^th                 Oxford                        New Theatre             0844 871 3020        £28 + £32

06^th                 Bristol                        Colston Hall              0844 887 1500        £28 + £32

07^th                 High Wycombe        Swan Theatre           01494 512 000        £28 + £32

08^th                 Guildford                   G Live                         0844 7701 797        £28 + £32

09^th                 Cambridge               Corn Exchange         01223 357 851        £26 + £30     

10^th                 Ipswich                      Regent Theatre        01473 433 100        £26 + £30

11^th                 Leicester                   De Montfort Hall       0116 233 3111        £26 + £30

13^th                 Derby                         Assembly Rooms    01332 255 800        £26 + £30

14^th                 Manchester               Palace Theatre        0844 871 3019        £28 + £32

15^th                 York                           Royal Opera House 0844 871 3024       £28 + £32

                                                                                                                                   

Date               City                             Venue                        Box Office                Ticket Prices

MAY

16^th                 Newcastle     Sage Theatre                      0191 443 4661                £26 + £30

18^th                 Edinburgh    Festival Theatre                   0131 529 6000                £26 + £30

19^th                 Perth           Concert Hall                           01738 621 031                £26 + £30

20^th                 Aberdeen   Music Hall                               01224 632 080               £26 + £30

21^st                 Inverness  Eden Court                              01463 234 234                £26 + £30

24^th                 London   02 Shepherds Bush Empire     0844 477 2000               £28 + £32

25^th                 London    02 Shepherds Bush                  0844 477 2000               £28 + £32 

           

Tickets go on sale on 4^th September at 9.00am online booking: www.gigantic.com/artist/ian-anderson or from venue box offices.  Tickets are subject to booking fee.  Ian Anderson will be onstage at 7.30pm.  There is no support.