Sleeper and The Bluetones announce rescheduled UK dates for 2021

Sleeper and The Bluetones have revised dates for their co-headline tour in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Britpop bands were meant to hit the road together from August until September this year, before the pandemic thwarted plans to play to UK audiences.

Now, the two bands will start their co-headline tour in February 2021, with dates planned in Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow, Leeds, Bristol, London, Bournemouth and Birmingham. Tickets for the original dates remain valid.

Sleeper
Sleeper perform live

Sleeper and The Bluetones’ rescheduled tour dates:

FEBRUARY 2021
Thursday 4 – Manchester, O2 Ritz
Friday 5 – Newcastle, O2 Academy
Saturday 6 – Glasgow, O2 Academy
Saturday 13 – Leeds, O2 Academy
Friday 19 – Bristol, O2 Academy
Saturday 20 – London, O2 Forum
Friday 26 – Bournemouth, O2 Academy
Saturday 27 – Birmingham, O2 Institute

Sleeper will perform their 1995 debut album ‘Smart’ in full during the run, while The Bluetones will play their 1996 LP ‘Expecting To Fly’.

Reflecting on the record’s original release, Sleeper’s singer Louise Werner recalled: “On the day it came out we all jumped on the 73 bus to HMV Oxford Street to see the giant window display.







“Andy and Jon got a bollocking from staff for putting the vinyl at No.1 in the racks – by Saturday it ended up at No.5 – still a totally surreal feeling. We cannot wait to play this record in full and take it out on tour.”

Sleeper initially disbanded in 1998, before returning in 2017 for a run of shows. A new studio album ‘The Modern Age’ followed in 2019.

See NME’s up-to-date list of all the major tour, festival and gig cancellations here.