Bear's Den Confirm UK And European Shows For March, Announce 10th Anniversary Edition Of 'Islands'

Photo: Gregg Houston

Bear's Den have announced a run of UK and European shows for next spring.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut album, 'Islands', the London folk duo will call in Gateshead, Edinburgh, Manchester and London, where they'll perform at the Royal Albert Hall on March 13, before heading to Cologne, Amsterdam and Brussels. Tickets go on general sale at 10am local time next Friday (September 13).

The band have also shared details of a special edition reissue of 'Islands', due out on October 18. Alongside the news, Andrew Davie and Kevin Jones have shared a heartfelt, acoustic reworking of the track Above The Clouds Of Pompeii, featuring guest vocals from Dermot Kennedy. Commenting on the original version, Davie said:

"It's about a trip I took with my dad, when I was a kid, to Pompeii. And my dad's mum had just passed away and my parents were going through a divorce...it was a very sad time and I remember, as a young boy looking up to my dad and trying to make him happier, that was kinda the story of the song and the idea of the song came from that".

On the collaboration with Kennedy, he added: "Whilst it's a song with a lot of emotions for us as a band, hearing Dermot sing it, you get to listen to the song in a whole new way again and it's a really powerful feeling and that's the thing that's the most exciting about doing this to us, is getting to hear our song through the voice of Dermot but also through his perspective and his way of telling a story, through his incredible and it's just kind of blowing my mind."

Kennedy said: "When I think back, I think the first time I ever heard this song I was in Switzerland and I was playing some shows at a pub every night kinda playing for three hours, four hours, it was this relentless kinda covers gig and even though I was happy to be doing it I realised I was quite, I wouldn't say I was hopeless, but I was very far from doing what I wanted to be doing and then I heard this song, and it just kinda hit me in a way that no other song had previously.

"I feel it's a beautifully poignant song about the idea of grief or loss or just yearning and it's one of my favourite songs of all time, and so to be here singing on it, it feels incredible to me."

The reissue will be available in several formats, including colour vinyl, double CD and vinyl, which includes a disc of b-sides and rarities, and a box set featuring the double vinyl, a photobook, and a 4" tiny vinyl record. All copies bought from the band's official store will come with a signed print.

'Islands' standard tracklist:

1. Agape
2. The Love We Stole
3. Above the Clouds of Pompeii
4. Isaac
5. Think of England
6. Magdalene
7. When You Break
8. Stubborn Beast
9. Elysium
10. Bad Blood

'Islands' b-sides disc tracklisting (for the double disc vinyl, the double CD and the box set vinyl):

Side A:

1. Above the Clouds Of Pompeii (Cardigan EP Version)
2. Bad Blood (Cardigan EP Version)
3. Sophie (Demo)
4. Writing on the Wall (Demo)
5. Horses Revisited (Demo)

Side B:

1. Hold On, We're Going Home
2. Stay With Me
3. Coffee
4. Don't Let The Sun Steal You Away (Live)
5. Sophie (Live)
6. Isaac (Live)

4" Tiny Vinyl:

A side - Above the Clouds of Pompeii [featuring Dermot Kennedy]
B side - Hard Life

Bears Den Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows

Sun March 09 2025 - GATESHEAD Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage 1
Mon March 10 2025 - EDINBURGH Queens Hall
Tue March 11 2025 - MANCHESTER Bridgewater Hall
Thu March 13 2025 - LONDON Royal Albert Hall

Compare & Buy Bears Den Tickets at Stereoboard.com.

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