James Bay announces intimate shows for Independent Venue Week
James Bay will be performing some intimate solo shows as part of Independent Venue Week in early 2022.
The BRIT award-winning singer-songwriter will be touring grassroots music venues across the UK, with dates confirmed in England, Scotland and Wales. The ‘New Songs New Stories’ solo tour starts in Cardiff on January 24 and finishes up in Stockton on February 4. See the full dates below.
“In celebration of Independent Venue Week I’ll be travelling around the UK next Jan & Feb, just me and my guitar,” he wrong on Instagram. “But to keep it extra special I’m going to bring you a load of brand new songs and stories too! I’ve been lucky enough to keep busy through all these lock downs and I have so much to share from what became a very creative time.”
Bay has previously supported the Save Our Venues campaign, playing a live-streamed gig in 2020 with all profits going towards to the campaign. Marking the release of his latest single ‘Chew On My Heart’, Bay performed live to fans on YouTube on July 16, benefitting UK grassroots music venues at risk of permanent closure due to COVID-19.
He said: “Big or small, spending time honing your craft and performing in venues is vital on the journey to becoming a successful touring and recording artist. We must never live in a world where live music venues don’t exist.”
Bay was also selected by the Music Venue Trust (MVT) as one of their seven new artist patrons. He joins the roster of MVT artist patrons which includes the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Bill Bragg, Frank Turner and KT Tunstall.
In other Independent Venue Week news, SOAK, Joesef and Mace The Great were recently announced as ambassadors for IVW 2022 for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales respectively. The news came after Wet Leg were announced as England’s ambassadors for the event.
The event, which champions the annual celebration of independent music venues, will take place across the UK from January 31 to February 6.
Tickets for James Bay’s ‘New Songs New Stories’ solo tour go on sale Friday, December 3 at 9am.
