aaamusic | On 23, Nov 2010

HIT THE ROAD IN 2011

NEW ALBUM, NEW LABEL, NEW LINE-UP, NEW TOUR

London, Tuesday 23 November 2010: It was confirmed today that multi-million selling Mike + The Mechanics will return in 2011 with a brand new album, UK tour and a new line-up having signed a new record deal with Sony Music labelArista.

Following a six-year hiatus and a massive reunion world tour with Genesis, Mike Rutherford has joined forces with one of the UK’s most successful R&B acts Andrew Roachford and Canadian born actor and singer Tim Howar for a new generation of Mike + The Mechanics.  The result is a stunning new and refreshing album entitled ‘The Road’ that will be released in April 2011.

Richard Connell, General manager of Arista Records said, “To be involved with this new chapter in the incredible story of Mike and The Mechanics is a dream come true for everybody at Arista Records. Everything about them is just sheer class and represents everything that Arista Records is all about. Great music from great artists, it’s a privilege to be involved.”

It is also announced today, following a triumphant return to the live stage at the Prince’s Trust Rock Gala last week, that Mike + The Mechanics will tour the UK in April and May 2011 for 22 dates. Tickets for the ‘Hit The Road Tour 2011’ go on sale at 09:00am on Friday 26 November 2010 (full tour dates listed below).

Formed in 1984, Mike + The Mechanics was a side project that would go on to sell over 10 million records worldwide. Originally featuring vocalists Paul Carrack and Paul Young (formerly of Sad Café), the group developed a rich catalogue of hit after hit including Silent Running, All I Need Is A Miracle, Over My Shoulder and the massive worldwide hit single The Living Years.

The ‘Hit The Road Tour 2011’ will bring all these hits and more back to life alongside the debut live performances of new tracks from ‘The Road’.

APRIL 2011
Wednesday      27th     HULL City Hall
Thursday          28th     DONCASTER Dome
Saturday          30th     BRADFORD St George’s Hall

MAY 2011
Sunday              1st       YORK Grand Opera House
Tuesday           3rd       OXFORD New Theatre
Thursday          5th       NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall
Sunday            8th       BOURNEMOUTH BIC
Monday           9th       LONDON Royal Albert Hall
Wednesday      11th     PORTSMOUTH Guildhall
Thursday          12th     BRIGHTON Centre
Friday              13th     BRISTOL Colston Hall
Sunday            15th     PLYMOUTH Pavillion
Tuesday           17th     CARDIFF CIA
Wednesday      18th     IPSWICH Regent Theatre
Friday              20th     MANCHESTER O2 Apollo
Saturday          21st      BLACKPOOL Opera House
Sunday            22nd    LIVERPOOL Empire
Tuesday           24th     EDINBURGH Playhouse
Wednesday      25th     GLASGOW Clyde Auditorium
Thursday          26th     GATESHEAD The Sage
Saturday          28th     SHEFFIELD City Hall
Sunday             29th     BIRMINGHAM Symphony Hall

TICKETS:            £60 / £55 / £40 / £35 (London)
£40 (Brighton / Sheffield / Cardiff)
£40 / £35 (All other venues) (All tickets subject to booking fees)

Buy Online at www.livenation.co.uk <http://www.livenation.co.uk/>

December 2009 marked the moment that Mike Rutherford revealed to Rolling Stone magazine that he was currently working on new material for Mike + The Mechanics. A year later and a new generation of Mike + The Mechanics are ready to hit the road with the Arista album release of new material due next spring.

Both co-writing and taking to the mic on the new album is one of the most successful UK R& B acts of the 90’s Andrew Roachford. Breaking into the UK music scene in his early twenties, Roachford stormed the UK Charts with the anthem ‘Cuddly Toy’ and became Columbia’s biggest selling UK act for ten years. Tunes like ‘Only To Be With You’ to ‘The Way That I Feel’ became international hits and gave Roachford the opportunity to tour the world and hone his talent – becoming the truly great entertainer that he is today. Throughout his career he has organically blended different sounds and genres from rock to soul music and has become a prolific songwriter.

Joining Roachford and sharing the vocal duties is Tim Howar, a Canadian actor/singer who came to the UK 10 years ago to start a band in the country where his icons were born. He formed and toured with Vantramp supporting the likes of Rod Stewart, Paulo Nutini, the Sugarbabes and Newton Faulkner. Vantramp’s debut album was released to critical acclaim. Additionally Howar’s acting career has seen him starring on Broadway and the West End as well as touring the US and Canada and saw Tim take the starring role as Rod Stewart in the show ‘Tonight’s The Night’. Despite all the exciting things he has done to date, reforming The Mechanics over the past year has been the most fun, exciting project he has worked on to date.