Jethro Tull – The Rock Opera

Progressive rock pioneer Ian Anderson has announced six dates of a 2015 UK tour, titled Jethro Tull – The Rock Opera. The shows will take place in September, with tickets on general sale from 9^th March.

Jethro Tull – The Rock Opera honours that 18th Century English agriculturalist after whom the band was named back in 1968. The shows tell the story of his life, reimagined as if in the near future and illustrated with Anderson’s best-known material from the repertoire of the rock band Jethro Tull.

The set list will include many songs that Anderson found ran parallel with Tull’s life story: ‘Wind Up’, ‘Heavy Horses’, ‘Aqualung’, ‘Back to the Family’, ‘Farm on the Freeway’ and ‘Songs from the Wood’ to name a few. Some songs have been incorporated with slightly revised lyrics and five newly written songs have also been added to the mix.

Performing with Ian Anderson will be David Goodier on bass, John O’Hara on keyboards, Florian Opahle on guitar, Scott Hammond on drums plus some virtual guests on a big HD video screen.

Anderson explained: “Instead of spoken introductions to the songs in the show, there will be the use of that operatic device, the recitative, where the links are made by short sung vocal segments in a usually-simple musical backdrop, making it a little easier and more entertaining for non-English-speaking audiences.”       

Jethro Tull – The Rock Tour September Tour Dates

8^th                   Basingstoke              Anvil

10^th                 London                      O2 Shepherds Bush Empire

11^th                 Birmingham               Symphony Hall

12^th                 York                           Barbican

13^th                 Gateshead                 Sage Theatre

14^th                 Salford                       Lowry Theatre