New Wilko interview!
Jim Drury (author of ‘Ian Dury And The Blockheads: Song By Song’) has interviewed Wilko while in Lockdown for his podcast – listen to Part One here!
Or if Spotify’s more your bag, click here.
News
Wilko in the Guardian
Wilko wrote a little piece for the Guardian on ‘lockdown life’…. and the place he most wishes he could go. Have a read, it might surprise you:
Announcement: UK Tour Rescheduled (Updated)
Here’s the news you’ve all been anticipating – the UK Spring tour has been rescheduled to Feb-April 2021.
We thank you all for your patience & continued support.
Check The Gig Cartel thegigcartel.com/Artists-profil for details, but in the meantime, here are the rescheduled dates so far (updated):
4 Feb – Portsmouth New Theatre Royal
5 Feb – Swindon Wyvern Theatre
6 Feb – Peterbrough Cresset (New)
11 Feb – Whitley Bay Playhouse
20 Feb – Nottingham Albert Hall
21 Feb – Cheltenham Town Hall (New)
25 Feb – New Brighton Floral Pavilion
29 April – Shrewsbury Theatre Severn
Advice from Wilko on the perfect socially-distanced greeting
Via the Guardian letters page – pic courtesy of Richard Williams:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/20/best-ways-to-self-isolate-and-distance-yourself
Northern Kin Festival postponed to August 28-30
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Northern Kin Festival has been postponed from May to the August Bank Holiday weekend of 28-30, with Wilko Johnson appearing on 30th at 21.45.
Here is the statement from Northern Kin:
‘In light of the most recent Government announcements in relation to the Coronavirus epidemic and to follow on from our message last week, posted on Facebook and our website, we have taken the decision to postpone Northern Kin Festival until a rescheduled date of the August Bank Holiday Weekend of 28th to 30th August 2020.
‘This is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we have to prioritise everyone’s health and safety and at this time we feel many people would choose not to attend anyway in May. The Government’s advice that the vulnerable and over 70’s should self-isolate from this Friday for 12 weeks, falls directly in the time that Northern Kin would have been held and this will exclude many people from coming who want to attend.
‘We have chosen the next Bank Holiday Weekend as it is nearly 6 months away, to give everyone a chance to come along, and means that the festival will still run for the current equivalent number of days as the original dates, with a Bank Holiday Monday to follow.
‘Final line-up confirmation will follow in the next few days but we can already confirm now that the majority of bands and artists have already confirmed that they are able to appear and have rallied in support and worked their diaries around the new dates, in order to still be able to play, and we must thank them for their support.
‘As a small team of live music lovers we have, for the last 8 years, always sought to bring festivals that not only have fantastic live music but are great value, and at this difficult time we ask you to support us by keeping your tickets, to use on the revised dates. Like all smaller festivals we need your support and choosing to cancel and ask for a refund and then possibly booking again later, not only means paying a booking fee twice, but a large number of cancellation requests could put the festival’s future at risk and force its closure.
‘We would politely ask you to please retain your ticket and come along in August on the Bank Holiday Weekend as your tickets will be valid and if, at that time, you are ill, self-isolating, or unable to make that weekend, simply email us at info@northernkinfestival.co.uk to confirm and we will send you official confirmation that the tickets can then be used at our 2021 festival. By keeping all festival tickets valid, so you can attend in August or at next year’s event, we can ensure that Northern Kin will be here for the long-term, year after year, and give us all something to look forward to.
‘These are unprecedented times and like all small businesses we are now faced with huge challenges that no one could have foreseen, but with your support we can get through this and still have a great weekend, albeit in 24 weeks time.
See you at the show.’
January 2020: Wilko Returns To Finland
It will be a happy new year for Finland – Wilko and the boys will be back for a short tour to help their Finnish fans rock their way into 2020!
The dates for the Finnish tour are:
29th January: Tavastia, Helsinki;
30th January: Lutakko, Jyväskylä;
31st: Kylpylä, Kuopio
February 1st: Apollo, Turku.
Head to our Live Dates section for venue websites / ticket links.
New UK Tour Dates Announced For 2020
We are very happy to share the news that Wilko and the boys will be back on the road next Spring/Summer, touring the UK with John Otway! The tour kicks off on April 9th at Worthing Assembly Hall and concludes on May 30th at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.
Tickets on sale Friday October 4th. More details can be found here.
Wilko Johnson Announced For Rory Gallagher Festival
Wilko Johnson has been added to the Rory Gallagher Festival line-up and will perform on Saturday 1st June 2019 at the Festival Big Top – www.rorygallagherfestival.com. The boys have been added to the bill following the withdrawal of Glenn Hughes (Medical reasons) – www.rorygallagherfestival.com/tickets
Wilko In Conversation At Wanstead Tap – July 24th
A very special event has just been announced! Wilko will be in conversation at the Wanstead Tap on Wednesday July 24th (and it is rumoured he will be bringing his guitar…). Hosting the chat will be ‘Wilko Johnson – Looking Back At Me’ co-author / Lee Brilleaux biographer Zoë Howe.
Wilko speaks to Metro about Game Of Thrones
‘From what I could see from the script, all I had to do was go around giving people dirty looks…’ Wilko reveals to Metro his memories of playing the formidable Ser Ilyn Payne (who is still on Arya Stark’s kill list), amid Game Of Thrones season 8 fever!