Foals’ Yannis Philippakis announces further Yannis & The Yaw UK shows

18 October, 2024

Yannis & The Yaw, 2024.

Foals’ Yannis Philippakis has announced more UK shows with Yannis & The Yaw.

The new run of dates comes as the band recently shared their critically acclaimed debut EP, ‘Lagos Paris London’, and celebrated the release with a number of intense live shows.

During the gigs, the collective mixed up tracks from the EP, played Afrobeat-inspired jams, and took on late collaborator and Fela Kuti legend Tony Allen’s track ‘Afro-Disco Beat’.

Now, following the huge response to the shows – which included a sold-out gig at London’s KOKO – Philippakis and co have announced details of a second headline tour.

The new run of shows sees three new dates scheduled, all of which commence after their previously announced set at the Trans Musicales Festival in France (December 7). The new shows kick off with a stop at the New Century Hall in Manchester on December 9, followed by a show at the Marble Factory in Bristol the following night.

The third new date sees them wrap up in London, with a gig scheduled for the O2 Shepherds Bush Empire on December 11. The gig marks their last scheduled gig of 2024, and will be held in association with charity partners War Child and the Music Venue Trust. In this partnership, attendees and guests will have the ability to learn more and offer donations to the respective causes.

“It’s a joy to continue the journey of The Yaw, shaking up the kaleidoscope again at some more shows. Can’t wait to see you there,” the frontman said in a new statement.

As well as Yannis, the live shows will feature key EP collaborators: Vincent Taurelle (keys) and Vincent Taeger (drums), Dave Okumu (guitar, The Invisible), Seye Adelekan (bass, Gorillaz) and the project’s visual collaborator Kit Monteith (percussion, synths).

Tickets go on sale next Friday (October 25) at 9am. Visit here for tickets and find a list of upcoming shows below.

Yannis & The Yaw’s remaining 2024 tour dates are:

DECEMBER
7 – Rennes, Trans Musicales Festival
9 – Manchester, New Century Hall
10 – Bristol, Marble Factory
11 – London, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Yannis & The Yaw are far from the first to be using their live shows to help support the Music Venue Trust. Earlier today (October 18) it was confirmed that Sam Fender would be donating £1 from each ticket sold from his upcoming UK tour to the organisation.

Enter Shikari were one of the first to embrace the ticket levy in their tour, and it was done in a bid to prove how larger venues could help support their smaller counterparts at no extra cost to fans. Other artists have since followed suit, including CKY and Alien Ant Farm.

A similar move has been implemented by Coldplay too, who recently revealed that their upcoming UK tour will see them donate 10 per cent of proceeds to the Music Venue Trust.

The announcement of Yannis’ new UK shows arrives just days after the frontman shared a new video from his project with the late Tony Allen. The clip soundtracked the band’s song ‘Clementine’ which featured on their recent EP.

According to a press release, “it is a video postcard” of the recent tour: “Its grainy photography establishing instant nostalgia for the recent past uniting live footage, rehearsals and behind-the-scenes to document the first chapter in the Yaw’s touring adventures”.

The track followed on from previous singles ‘Rain Can’t Reach Us’, ‘Under The Strikes’ and ‘Walk Through Fire’.

The singer had been steadily teasing the project for years before its official announcement, first revealing news of sessions with legendary drummer Allen to NME back in 2017. Allen, who played with both Fela Kuti and The Good, The Bad & The Queen, died in 2020 at the age of 79, but the music had been in development for some time before his passing.

NME spoke to Philippakis in Damon Albarn’s 13 Studios in West London earlier this year to discuss finally being able to release the songs he recorded with Allen. In the interview, the Foals frontman said he felt “unburdened” now the material was being released, and explained that Allen’s passing made it “much more of a serious project” to tackle.

“There should be a feeling of galvanisation, and that all isn’t lost,” he said. “You can create beauty around and outside of things being on fire. The record is soundtracking this feeling of precipice. It doesn’t impart a specific message other than being the soundtrack to the protest. It isn’t didactic in any way – that isn’t my style.”

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