Faithless announce return to stage after eight years with UK and European shows and tease new music plans
Faithless have announced their return to the live stage after eight years, and teased that new music is on the way. Check out the newly announced shows below.
Announced today (April 19), the band have announced a new run of live shows, set to take place across the UK and Europe later this summer. It marks their first live events since the death of founding member Maxi Jazz.
Real name Maxwell Fraser, Maxi Jazz sang, played guitar and produced in the band from its inception in 1995 until its breakup in 2011. He then rejoined the line-up when the group reunited in 2015, however, left the outfit again a year later. He died on December 24, 2022 at the age of 65.
Now, shortly after Faithless promised fans that new music and “special” live shows were on the way, the members have revealed details of four upcoming headline shows.
The dates kick off on June 6, with an opening slot at the Ancienne Belgique venue in Brussels, followed by a gig at Den Atelier in Luxembourg City on June 9.
The penultimate show takes place at Paradiso in Amsterdam on June 12, and the final stop of the new headline shows sees Sister Bliss and co. head to the UK for a performance at The Roundhouse in London on June 14. Visit here to find tickets and look below to see a full list of dates.
Faithless’ headline shows for 2024 are:
JUNE
6 – Ancienne Belgique, Brussels (Belgium)
9 – Den Atelier, Luxembourg City (Luxembourg)
12 –Paradiso, Amsterdam (Netherlands)
14 – Roundhouse, London (UK)
“As many of you have noticed, we’re back…Some shows have already been announced but we couldn’t start the summer without a little personal note. Maxi died just over a year ago and obviously we miss him every day. Thank you all for all of your kind words of support over this last year. It has really, really meant a lot,” the band said of the new headline shows.
In the meantime, we never stopped (couldn’t stop, never wanted to stop!) making music. Even during Maxi’s long illness we recorded and released ‘All Blessed’ and now finally, 8 years after our last live performance, we are returning to festival stages across the summer and are planning some of our own shows later this year…”
The dates are set to include a seven-piece band, and have ‘borrowed’ Jean Michel Jarre’s set and lighting director, Jvan Morandi. According to a new press release, Faithless also have “a new album signed and being made”, which will see them “enter an exciting new era and continue their reign at the forefront of dance music.”
This summer will also see them perform at various festivals around the country, including slots at Glastonbury, Camp Bestival and Wilderness Festival 2024.
“We are very nervous, but also very EXCITED,” the members said when teasing their return earlier this month. “We know the show has to be something special: a celebration of our past, of our musical loves, of the man himself and of course, our musical future.
“We will also be releasing new music; we are, in fact, in the studio as we write this…See you all very soon. Much love Rollo and Bliss.”
The upcoming Faithless material will come after Sister Bliss released a solo single called ‘Life Is A Melody’ back in March last year – her first new music since the death of Maxi Jazz. She followed it up in February this year, dropping another solo track called ‘Do It Right’.
It was the members who broke the news of Jazz’s passing in 2022, and tributes flowed in the wake of his death, with notable figures paying tribute including MistaJam and UB40. A second tribute was posted on New Year’s Eve – confirming that a private memorial had taken place in Jazz’s honour.
In February last year, it was reported that a mural dedicated to the late frontman had been unveiled in Crystal Palace.. It featured a close-up red-and-black painting of his face alongside the lyric ‘THIS IS MY CHURCH‘ from Faithless’ 1998 single ‘God Is A DJ.
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Liberty Dunworth
NME
