Watch The The play “GIANT” for the first time in 3 decades at ‘Ensoulment’ tour kick-off (setlist, video)

The The officially kick off their Ensoulment tour on Sunday in Dublin but are warming up for it with three very intimate shows in England, the first of which was tonight in Cambridge. On the tour proper, Matt Johnson and the rest of the band will first play their new album Ensoulment (the band’s first in 24 years) front to back followed by a second set of hits, but at tonight’s show they mixed in just a few new songs with lots of oldie-but-goodies.

The setlist of classics is pretty different from what they played on the 2018 Comeback Special tour, including a number of songs The The haven’t played three decades. Those would be “GIANT” and “That Sinking Feeling” from Soul Mining, as well as “August & September” from Mind Bomb, and “Angels of Deception” from Infected.

A deep cut from Soul Mining, “GIANT” has become one of The The’s most popular songs on streaming. “That song developed a whole cult following of its own outside of the album,” Matt Johnson told us recently. “It was a big club track in the ’80s, ’90s, ’00s. It continues to be; it’s one of those tracks that developed a big cult following just by itself.” The The also played “Icing Up” from Burning Blue Soul for the first time in 24 years.

As for the new album, The The played singles “Cognitive Dissident” and “Linoleum Smooth to the Stockinged Foot” and then of course hugely popular songs “This is the Day,” “Uncertain Smile,” “Slow Emotion Replay,” and “Dogs of Lust.” They also played “Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)” and “Heartland,” two songs with strong political messages that feel like they could’ve been written today.

Check out video of “GIANT” and “Uncertain Smile” from the tour kick-off, along with the full setlist, below.

The The’s Ensoulment tour hits North America in the fall, including NYC’s Beacon Theatre on October 17. All date are listed below.

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SETLIST: The The @ Cambridge Junction 8/21/2024
Cognitive Dissident
Infected
Armageddon Days Are Here (Again)
The Sinking Feeling
Heartland
August & September
Slow Emotion Replay
This Is the Day
Angels of Deception
The Whisperers
Love Is Stronger Than Death
Icing Up
Dogs of Lust
Lonely Planet
Encore:
Linoleum Smooth to the Stockinged Foot
Uncertain Smile
GIANT

THE THE – 2024 TOUR DATES

Thursday 22 August – (WARM UP) The Waterfront Norwich, England SOLD OUT

Friday 23 August – (WARM UP) Picturedrome, Holmfirth, England SOLD OUT

Sunday 25 August – National Museum Of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Dublin, Ireland
(supported by A Lazarus Soul)

Friday 6 September – Rock City, Nottingham, England SOLD OUT

Saturday 7 September – Birdwell Venue, Barnsley, England SOLD OUT

Tuesday 10 September – Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway

Wednesday 11 September – Sentrum Scene, Oslo, Norway SOLD OUT

Friday 13 September – Filadelfia, Stockholm, Sweden

Saturday 14 September – Store Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark SOLD OUT

Sunday 15 September – Store Vega, Copenhagen, Denmark SOLD OUT

Tuesday 17 September – Huxleys, Berlin, Germany

Wednesday 18 September – Carlswerk Victoria, Köln, Germany

Thursday 19 September – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels, Belgium SOLD OUT

Saturday 21 September – De Roma, Antwerp, Belgium SOLD OUT

Sunday 22 September – Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands SOLD OUT

Monday 23 September – Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands SOLD OUT

Wednesday 25 September – Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Scotland SOLD OUT

Friday 27 September – The Civic At The Halls, Wolverhampton, England SOLD OUT

Saturday 28 September – Alexandra Palace, London, England SOLD OUT

Monday 30 September – O2 Apollo, Manchester, England SOLD OUT

Tuesday 1 October – Brixton Academy, London, England

Friday 11 October – Tabernacle, Atlanta, GA, USA

Saturday 12 October – Durham Performing Arts, Durham, NC, USA

Monday 14 October – The Anthem – Washington, DC, USA

Tuesday 15 October – The Fillmore – Philadelphia, PA, USA

Thursday 17 October – Beacon Theatre – New York, NY, USA

Saturday 19 October – Orpheum Theatre – Boston, MA, USA

Sunday 20 October – MTELUS – Montreal, QC, Canada

Tuesday 22 October – Massey Hall – Toronto, ON, Canada

Wednesday 23 October – Masonic Cathedral Theatre – Detroit, MI, USA

Friday 25 October – The Salt Shed – Chicago, IL, USA SOLD OUT

Saturday 26 October – Palace Theatre – St. Paul, MN, USA

Tuesday 29 October – Mission Ballroom – Denver, CO, USA

Wednesday 30 October – Eccles Theater – Salt Lake City, UT, USA

Saturday 2 November – Paramount Theatre – Seattle, WA, USA

Sunday 3 November – Roseland Theater – Portland, OR, USA

Monday 4 November – Orpheum – Vancouver, BC, Canada

Thursday 7 November – Fox Theater – Oakland, CA, USA

Friday 8 November – Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Thursday 14 November 2024 – Kiri Te Kanawa, Auckland, New Zealand SOLD OUT

Saturday 16 November 2024 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia SOLD OUT

Sunday 17 November 2024 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne, Australia

Monday 18 November 2024 – Hindley Street Music Hall, Adelaide, Australia

Thursday 21 November 2024 – Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia

Friday 22 November 2024 –Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia

Saturday 23 November 2024 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, Australia SOLD OUT

Sunday 24 November 2024 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane, Australia

Wednesday 27 November 2024 – Fremantle Arts Centre, Perth, Australia