Hard-Fi announce Sunderland wunderkind Tom A. Smith as support on their 13-date October UK tour
THE BAND’S FIRST UK TOUR IN OVER TEN YEARS - TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Having earlier this year announced their first UK tour in a decade, and made a triumphant festival return at Victorious Festival over the bank holiday weekend playing to over 60,000 people where the band were “back with a bang” [Clash], HARD-FI today announce that Sunderland wunderkind Tom A. Smith and his band will be joining them on the road for their 13-date nationwide tour this coming October.
The influential band returned to the stage in October 2022, selling out the O2 Kentish Town Forum in under 10 minutes while also playing Manchester's Neighbourhood Festival before headlining Stand Up To Cancer's annual charity show with an intimate set at London's Union Chapel at the start of 2023. It was at the latter show that HARD-FI first encountered 19-year old Tom A. Smith, sharing the same stage for the celebrated charity event to raise funds for Cancer Research UK.
Speaking about being selected for the tour Tom A. Smith exudes, “This is a really big deal for me, I played alongside them at Union Chapel earlier in the year and to see everyone knowing the words to all of their songs was amazing. I think my music will work really well supporting them and I’m now counting down the days until it starts.”
The 13-date tour includes shows in Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Birmingham, before rounding things off with a Saturday night date at London’s Troxy on Saturday 21st October, HARD-FI's first live appearance in the East End. Tickets are selling fast, with a number of shows already sold-out and many others soon to follow suit.
Tickets on sale HERE
October 2023 Tour Dates:
Thurs 5th - Cambridge - Junction
Fri 6th - Sheffield - The Leadmill – SOLD OUT
Sat 7th - Leeds - Beckett University
Mon 9th - Glasgow - SWG3 Galvanizers
Wed 11th - Newcastle - NX
Thurs 12th - Liverpool - O2 Academy
Fri 13th - Birmingham - O2 Institute
Sun 15th - Bristol - O2 Academy
Mon 16th - Oxford - O2 Academy
Tues 17th - Brighton – Chalk – SOLD OUT
Thurs 19th - Norwich - UEA
Fri 20th - Nottingham – Rock City
Sat 21st - London – Troxy
ABOUT TOM A. SMITH
Sunderland's Tom A. Smith is a rising star. He recently released his third EP, 'EP3' featuring the singles "Little Bits", "Like You Do", and "Weirdo", which all found airtime on BBC Radio 1, Radio X, and Absolute Radio, as well as on-air support on Sunday Brunch, MTV Gonzo, Soccer AM and MOTD X. The single "Like You Do" was co-written with and co-produced by Miles Kane - they performed the track together live on Soccer AM earlier this year. Watch HERE
'EP3' follows an incredible whirlwind of live performances throughout the last 18 months, including being selected by Elton John to join him at his British Summer Time show at Hyde Park, appearances at Glastonbury in 2022 and 2023 (Left Field stage and Strummerville), BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Dundee, F1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, opening Leeds Festival to more than 6000 music fans, The Great Escape and Neighbourhood Weekender and not to mention supporting Courteeners, Miles Kane, Martha Hill, Vistas, Blondes, The Pale White, Eliza and The Bear, Gang of Youths, whenyoung, Cat Empire, and Sunset Sons to name a few!
He was also previously as Apple Music's Up Next artist of the month and Amazon Music's Breakthrough Artist of the month.
Tom's picked up some great One To Watch in 2023 nods including BBC Introducing North East, Matt Wilkinson at Apple Music, the Daily Star who exclaimed - "Guitar music is back, alive and kicking with the likes of Sam Fender and Tom A Smith keeping it alive. Smith's work so far has seen quality riffs, great vocal qualities and a strength in sound, scope and style that should hopefully steer him up the rising ranks. There is clear direction for his music and with a slot on BBC Music already, Smith could be seeing that rise flare up sooner rather than later. His work is tremendous, and the best place to start is Dragonfly." and THIS FEELING's Big in 2023 picks for GIGWISE who said Tom has "Achieved more at 18 than most do in a lifetime, and he's just getting started. An exceptional talent and human being.”
ABOUT HARD-FI
Though regularly heard over the years, calls for HARD-FI's return became particularly vocal during the 2020 lockdown after Richard Archer staged a solo, livestream show for charity from his home, performing the group's acclaimed debut album, Stars Of CCTV in full.
Once live music returned, a show with the full original HARD-FI of Archer, Kai Stephens (bass), Steve Kemp (drums) and Ross Phillips (guitar) seemed a logical next step, not only due to the fan's clamour but also down to way in which the Staines-based group’s
influence has been increasingly being felt on a new generation of artists who similarly fuse dancefloor-friendly grooves and beats with words that candidly chart modern life.
In addition, supporters of Brentford FC were regularly regaled by the band’s 2005 single, Hard To Beat, as the team made its way up to the Premier League for the first time ever.
A full UK tour from HARD-FI is a welcome addition to the fixture list.
Having made their debut with the Mercury Prize-shortlisted Stars Of CCTV in 2005, the four-piece proved progressive yet accessible, as with its tales of high street life, club-driven weekends and keeping your head above water on the breadline, the album yielded five Top 40 singles.
Stars Of CCTV itself reached No.1 and has since gone double platinum in the UK alone.
Second studio LP, Once Upon A Time In The West, also topped the charts, while its lead single Suburban Knights became a Top 10 hit and a firm life favourite at festivals around the globe.
Third album, Killer Sounds, boasted tracks produced by Stuart Price (Madonna, The Killers, Dua Lipa), Greg Kirsten (Lily Allen, Beck, Paul McCartney, Foo Fighters), Andy Grey (Paul Oakenfold, U2) and HARD-FI’s long-term producer and collaborator Wolsey White. It too was a Top 10 hit.
Having played one of the longest residencies at O2 Academy Brixton (a feat they share with the likes of Bob Dylan, The Clash and The XX) after the band performed at the landmark London venue for five nights straight in 2006, HARD-FI’s shows have been consistently praised by critics and gig-goers alike for living up to good times invoked by their anthemic single, Living For The Weekend.
Their first full UK Tour in over a decade promises to be one of the hottest tickets of 2023.
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