Damian Lewis extends UK tour for debut album due to popular demand
The British actor is taking his new band on the road for the first time this autumn.
Damian Lewis has announced extra dates for the upcoming tour of his debut album, Mission Creep, due to popular demand.
The 52-year-old British actor, best known for starring in TV dramas including Band Of Brothers and Homeland, is taking his new band on the road for the first time this autumn.
He has now extended the eight-show run by adding a further three shows in Basingstoke, Eastleigh and Milton Keynes in November.
Lewis said: “I can’t wait to get out on the road with my band this autumn for our first UK tour.
“We’ve played London, we’ve played New York, but now we’re getting serious and bringing the music to the great towns and cities of Gateshead, Nottingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff and many more.
“And, am I allowed to say this, ‘due to popular demand’, we’ve just added three more dates at the start of November so, all of you in Basingstoke, Eastleigh and Milton Keynes, get your glad rags on.”
The tour is due to kick off on September 9 in Nottingham before heading to Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, Brighton and Manchester – and then playing shows shows in Leeds and Gateshead in October.
The news dates will start on November 1 in Basingstoke and continue on to Milton Keynes and Eastleigh.
In June, Lewis released his first studio album, which is described as a “thoughtful collection of rootsy, rock and jazz-tinged songs that reveal a deep love of music, and a deep need to communicate”.
Its origins go back to when the actor left school and took to the road with his guitar and went busking through continental Europe.
This experience is said to have impacted the album, which came about after Lewis rediscovered the guitar during the lockdown.
As his acting schedule freed up due to the pandemic, he began playing and writing songs and later teamed up with various musicians including Italian-American Giacomo Smith, who offered to produce the album.
Smith also introduced him to some musicians from his jazz outfit Kansas Smitty, and together they formed a group who have been performing gigs.
Lewis previously performed at Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire last year and has taken to the stage at Cheltenham Jazz Festival and Black Deer Festival so far this summer.
His tour also follows on from the group playing a string of sold-out shows at London venues including Omeara, Koko, Union Chapel, The Tabernacle and Hoxton Hall.
Last month, Lewis performed the national anthem to open proceedings at the grid ceremony of the Formula 1 British Grand Prix.
Reflecting on the upcoming shows, the actor-turned-singer added: “I’ve been blown away by the critical response to Mission Creep, and I hope everybody likes it as much as the critics seem to.
“All written by me and produced by my friend Giacomo Smith, with one or two favourite tracks thrown in as covers, you might think it’s a little weird that Major Winters is singing you a love song, or that Bobby Axelrod is getting all tender with some Neil Young, or that Nicholas Brody is wailing some up tempo rock ‘n’ roll at you, but come along, see for yourself.
“Because actually, none of those guys are up there, it’s just me with my incredible band of jazz ‘n’ rock musicians, and we’re in town to give you a great night out.”
Lewis also revealed he hopes to play the festival circuit next summer including a slot at Glastonbury 2024.
