Following her successful 2023 UK tour, such has been the demand, that acclaimed guitarist Erja Lyytinen will be returning to the UK as soon as April next year, for ten dates up and down the country.
“After our long-awaited visit to UK in November 2023, I realised that I have really missed touring in this country,” said Lyytinen. “We have some hardcore fans in the UK, real blues rock enthusiasts who certainly show their appreciation when you’re on stage and that feels good!”
She continued, “I can’t wait to come back in April 2024 for a full tour, consisting of altogether ten shows. I will be flying straight from Australia to London. I’m looking forward to enjoying England in the springtime.”
The tour will go by the same handles as her current live album, Diamonds On The Road, available on double CD, vinyl and digitally here.
Some may argue that music is born in the studio, but it comes to life and evolves when performed live on stage. With a live album, there is no safety net. You get one shot at capturing those perfect moments and preserving them forever. Erja Lyytinen’s live album Diamonds On The Road is evident of this.
“When playing live, you’ve got one moment to get it right, and then the moment is gone,” she said. “There is no correcting stuff later. It is very raw and exciting to play and sing at the same time. The adrenaline runs through your body, and everything around you affects your performance.
Diamonds On The Road marked Lyytinen’s fourth live album, and follows on from Songs from the Road, Live in London, and Lockdown Live. The new album is the first concert release from the gifted guitarist to capture the post-covid live experience. Diamonds On The Road is available to purchase here.
“Diamonds On The Road was recorded towards the end of our Spring tour in March 2023,” she said. “We played ten shows in a row, of which eight were sold out. The band had a good flow going, and the songs were rolling nicely.”
The guitarist attributes some of those changes to her equipment and repertoire of trusty axes. “Since my last live recording, my live guitar arsenal has grown quite a bit. I have five to six guitars, from Strats and Teles to custom-made guitars, on stage with me. It´s quite cool to dig out the different characteristics of each guitar. I´m using my road-worn Fender Custom Shop guitar on the songs ‘Black Ocean’ and ‘Never Really Had You’. I had the guitar fine-tuned right before the tour and added it to my live arsenal. I feel as though it has been a sin to keep this Strat as my sofa guitar for years!”
The songs featured on Diamonds On The Road highlight the old, the new, the borrowed and the blues. “For the set list of the live album, we had a mixture of my favourite old songs and then a selection of the songs from my latest studio album, Waiting for The Daylight,” explained Erja. “We also recorded a Jimi Hendrix classic, ‘Crosstown Traffic’. I made my own version of it by playing the song using slide! It is so cool to play the song, and, on the recording, it is our first encore.”
You can check out a live music video of her performing ‘Väinämöinen Tuonelassa (Live)’ here at RAMzine.
Diamonds on The Road showcases Lyytinen and the band doing what they do best, playing concerts for their fans. “I have always loved performing live, but now, I enjoy playing even more and saying this on behalf of my band; I think they do, too. Performing live is stronger, more relaxed, and empowering. I’m grateful to be a guitarist and singer who is giving her best for the audience each night. It is the best thing you can do with your pants on,” the guitarist concluded.
Tickets for the Diamonds On The Road 10-date UK Tour are available from here.
