'Watusi 30' Tour Announced
Updated: Nov 9
The Wedding Present will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release their 'Watusi' album with a concert tour in the UK in May 2024.
The band will be playing all twelve tracks from 'Watusi' – along with a selection of other songs from their extensive repertoire – in a 90-minute set over two bank holiday weekends.
The support band for the tour will be Melys.
May 2024
2 Southampton 1865
3 Cambridge Junction
4 Nottingham Rescue Rooms
5 Wolverhampton Newhampton Arts Centre
22 Aberdeen Lemon Tree
23 Glasgow Room 2
24 Manchester Academy 2
25 Sheffield Leadmill
26 Bristol Marble Factory
David Gedge often calls 'Watusi' The Wedding Present’s "lost album" because it has never been quite as readily available as the others. But it could also be called their "Marmite album" because it polarised opinion like no other release. 'Watusi' was the first time that the band committed to their lo-fi pop sensibilities… bravely eschewing their usual snarling guitars.
By 1994, The Wedding Present had long since departed their frenetic jangly beginnings and travelled, via Steve Albini’s intense production on 'Seamonsters', the twelve Top 40 singles of their 'Hit Parade' series and even a liaison with Ukrainian folk music, into the welcoming arms of legendary Seattle producer Steve Fisk.
No other Wedding Present album comprises such an eclectic array of material. It’s thoughtfully arranged and consistently strong throughout… the ghostly heartache waltz of 'Spangle', the tautly groovy 'Let Him Have It', the Velvet Underground zone-out of 'Catwoman', the Monkees ramalama of 'It’s A Gas', the poptastic 'Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah', the surf strains of 'Hot Pants'... all would rightfully vie for inclusion on a Wedding Present best-of. Most captivating of all is 'Click Click', a hypnotic duet of sexual compulsion...