Del Amitri/Justin Currie Tour Dates

The excellent Del Amitri were a staple of the Scottish scene between 1989 and 2002. They formed back in 1980, signed with Chrysalis in 1984 and released their self-titled debut the following year. The band were briefly among the darlings of the indie scene and featured on the front cover of Melody Maker. Looking back, it's fair to say the album's new wave sound is more reminiscent of, say, The Cure than of the band's later work. However, it's an interesting diversion from the uniformity of their later albums.

The band signed to A&M ni 1989, releasing its second album 'Waking Hours'. The band had found its niche, veering towards a folk-rock sound that sustained them for over a decade, with Justin Currie's reflective, melancholic lyrics now central to their appeal. Their commercial breakthrough came with the single 'Nothing Ever Happens' in 1990. This gloomy ode to the mundanity of everyday life peaked at number 11 on the UK charts. It would remain the band's highest chart placing, despite scoring another 14 top 40 hits.

Although it has been inactive for several years, the band has never formally split. Justin Currie released his excellent debut album 'What Is Love For' in 2007, and is currently touring his new record 'The Great War'.

Key Tracks:
'Nothing Ever Happens' (Waking Hours)
'Be My Downfall' (Change Everything)
'Driving With The Brakes On' (Twisted)

Justin Currie - 2010 Tour Dates
20 May - Manchester United Kingdom, Manchester University
21 May - Sheffield United Kingdom, O2 Academy Sheffield
22 May - Edinburgh United Kingdom, The Liquid Rooms
24 May - Southampton United Kingdom, The Brook
25 May - London United Kingdom, O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
26 May - Wolverhampton United Kingdom, The Little Civic and Slade Rooms
10 June - Chicago, IL, Lincoln Hall
11 June - Minneapolis, MN Varsity Theater
12 June - Denver, CO, Toad Tavern
13 June - San Francisco, CA, Cafe Du Nord
15 June - Los Angeles, CA, Troubador
17 June - New York, NY, Joe's Pub
18 June - Boston, MA, Paradise
19 June - Philadelphia, PA, Tin Angel
20 June - Washington, DC, Jammin Java

MusicScotland

Through this blog I will dip into the latest news on some of the Scottish bands/artists I grew up with. Think late '80s/early '90s. I will also dig through the archives for interesting material, provide my personal recollections, and throw in a few live mp3s. Finding material on the web has become increasingly difficult for some of these artists so I hope the blog can plug some gaps.

Some bands and artists you can expect to feature: The Big Dish, The Bathers, Aztec Camera, The Silencers, Love & Money, Del Amitri, Kevin McDermott Orchestra, Deacon Blue, Hipsway, Teenage Fanclub, Eddi Reader, Big Country, Danny Wilson, Hue & Cry, Belle & Sebastian, River Detectives, Gun, Idlewild, Trash Can Sinatras, Capercaillie, Lloyd Cole, Goodbye Mr. MacKenzie, and The Blue Nile.