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Steely Dan announces four UK arena shows in 2019
The quintessential American band will cross the pond and tour with special guest Steve Winwood.
The Grammy Award-winning jazz rock band Steely Dan is returning to the UK early next year. With co-founder Donald Fagen (below left) in the lead, they’ll perform at arenas in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London this February. Legendary British artist Steve Winwood (below right) will also appear on the tour as a special guest.
Founded in 1972 Steely Dan have sold over 40 million albums worldwide. Their debut album Can’t Buy a Thrill, 1974’s Pretzel Logic and 1977’s Aja were named on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list. Released in 2000, Steely Dan’s album Two Against Nature won four Grammys, including Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album.
Although band members have changed throughout the years, Fagen has been assembling a crack group of acclaimed musicians to support him on recent tours. Known for their intelligent lyrics and infectious harmonies, Steely Dan boasts an extraordinary catalogue of material to showcase that’s packed with hits. Plus, Fagen has his own blazing work from four solo albums – the latest being 2012’s Sunken Condos featuring the acclaimed track Weather in My Head.
Recently Steely Dan wrapped up a co-headline North American summer tour with The Doobie Brothers. In October they’ll do some more US shows on the East Coast including a nine-night residency of themed performances at New York’s Beacon Theatre.
Steely Dan last appeared in the UK at 2017’s BluesFest where their set was described as “sumptuous but indulgent” by The Telegraph, while The Independent said that “Fagen’s voice couldn’t have been better”.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Steve Winwood has joined Steely Dan on tour before. The British composer, vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and producer has also racked up impressive numbers over the past five decades. Not only has Winwood sold more than 50 million records, but he was honoured as a BMI Icon in 2005 for his “enduring influence on generations of music makers”.
Winwood first came onto the music scene in 1963 with the Spencer Davis Group. He tried his hand at several creative partnerships in groups like Traffic and Blind Faith before going solo in 1977. Among his 11 solo albums are Arc of a Diver, Roll with It and Back in the High Life, which not only scored him three Grammy Awards, but also featured the iconic hits Back in the High Life Again, The Finer Things and Higher Love.
Here are the UK dates for Steely Dan and Steve Winwood’s upcoming tour:
20 February 2019 – The SSE Hydro, Glasgow
21 February 2019 – Manchester Arena
23 February 2019 – Genting Arena, Birmingham
25 February 2019 – The SSE Arena, Wembley, London
Tickets go on sale at 10:00 on Friday 7 September 2018 via Ticketmaster.co.uk.
