Among the big bands of the 1980s, Wet Wet Wet has to be up there. Next year, they will be heading to Basingstoke to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their debut album.
Popped In Souled Out was the record that saw they reach global heights: going multi-platinum in the UK, and making the Billboard Charts in the United States. And no wonder: among the hits on it were Wishing I Was Lucky, Sweet Little Mystery, Angel Eyes, and Temptation.
In the end, it spent 70 weeks in the UK album chart, and led to more successful number one records: With A Little Help From My Friends, Goodnight Girl, and their cover of The Troggs’ 1960s hit Love Is All Around.
While 1987 may seem a long time ago, the music is still fresh and played frequently by millions.
So it’s no wonder that the group are preparing for their 40th anniversary with a 40-date tour, split into two halves starting in February and October next year.
The Wets, as they were known, will perform songs from Popped In Souled Out alongside a catalogue of hits spanning their remarkable career. The show will celebrate both where it all began, as well as what followed.
Special guests on the 2027 Popped In Souled Out tour spread across selected dates will be Roachford, Nick Heyward, Rebecca Ferguson, Heather Small, Johnny Hates Jazz, The Christians and The South. Getting by with a little help from their friends indeed!
This tour follows on from their first European headline tour in more than 25 years, starting this May, and they are also performing some more intimate acoustic shows across the UK.
The band today features founding member Graeme Clark, long-standing guitarist Graeme Duffin, and lead vocalist Kevin Simm. Together, they continue to perform the songs that first made their name while introducing them to new audiences.
Graeme says: “When we made Popped In Souled Out, I was just a young guy. Forty years later, those songs have taken on a life of their own, and this tour is about celebrating where it all began without forgetting what followed. It will feel like stepping back into those original PISO shoes – only now with a lifetime of experience and with an audience who’ve been with us through every twist and turn.”
This view has been echoed by Kevin, who says he is really excited about being back on tour and celebrating 40 years of success.
“It’s an absolute honour and a privilege as always to sing these iconic and timeless songs, and to perform them in so many venues across the UK to so many fans of the band is really a dream come true,” he says.
And Graeme is looking forward to getting on the road and wowwing audiences.
“I’d have been gobsmacked if anyone had told me 40 years ago that the tracks on Popped In Souled Out would still be loved by so many and that I’d still be performing them with the band after all that time,” he says.
“These shows are going to be a blast, and I know that fans are going to enjoy the shows just as much as us when we hit the road again next year.”
When is Wet Wet Wet coming to Basingstoke and how do I get tickets?
Wet Wet Wet will perform at The Anvil in Basingstoke on Thursday, 11 February, 2027. Tickets cost £62.50, £49.50, £43.50. VIP package £145.50, VIP add-on £95.50.
The VIP package includes: exclusive sound check experience, meet and greet including photo opportunity, signed A4 tour print, souvenir laminate and lanyard, seat within the front 4 rows
VIP add-on: customers purchasing seats elsewhere in the auditorium can add on the VIP package.
For booking information, dates, and times, fans can visit the Ticketmaster website or the venue website at www.anvilarts.org.uk. The venue box office can be reached at 01256 844244.
They will also appear at the New Theatre in Oxford on Tuesday, 5 October, 2027, and the London Palladium on Tuesday, 12 October.
For more details on the tour, or to book, log on to: https://wetwetwet.co.uk/
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