The Commoners are coming back, and they’re bringing JUNO Award nominee Spencer Mackenzie along as their special guest.
We’re talking 12 dates in November, with new venues for old fans and for those yet to experience the blues and roots rockers’ live shows to get hot and bothered by, despite the time of year.
“We can’t wait to get back to the UK,” said the band’s lead singer, Chris Medhurst. “British audiences are the best in the world. We always love playing live to our UK fans.”
The tour runs under a ‘Runnin’ Blind‘ banner, and whether or not that’s also the title of their next album, due in 2027, we can’t say. What we do know is that from 24 July ‘Runnin’ Blind‘ is the band’s new single, the second to be taken from that record.
“‘Runnin’ Blind’ hits hard right out of the gate,” Medhurst continued. “Musically, we wanted something that carried a lot of swagger and rock and roll grit, but lyrically it confronts that uneasy feeling of moving forward when you can’t see what’s right in front of you. It sets a bold tone for the next record.”
Bassist Ben Spiller, who crafted the initial iteration of the track, shed light on its development. “We wrote ‘Runnin’ Blind’ as a reflection on the last few years we’ve spent living on the road. Touring has a way of throwing you into situations you could never plan for. Sometimes you just have to trust your instincts and keep moving. It’s a lighthearted look at the chaos, misadventures and unpredictability that come with chasing this dream, but it’s also a love letter to that lifestyle, and a reminder that some of the best stories come from the moments you never saw coming.”
Guitarist Ross Hayes Citrullo picked up the theme. “The song symbolises running full speed down a dark road and trusting you’ll make the turn before it’s too late, so we wanted to capture that high-octane energy where everything feels urgent, loud and off the rails. We tracked live off the floor to lock in that massive, driving groove, with blazing guitars and a driving organ for that authentic retro attitude. It’s a track built to strip gears and rattle some speakers, and we’re already dialling up the engine in rehearsals so we can rock these UK venues in November.”
The Commoners ‘Runnin’ Blind’ November UK tour (with Spencer Mackenzie)
- Hastings, The Carlisle, Thursday 12 November
- Bristol, The Exchange, Friday 13 November
- Plymouth, Junction, Saturday 14 November
- Birmingham, Castle & Falcon, Sunday 15 November
- Norwich, Waterfront, Tuesday 17 November
- Leeds, The Wardrobe, Wednesday 18 November
- London, Dingwalls, Friday 20 November
- Birchington, Kent, The Centre, Saturday 21 November
- Nottingham, Rescue Rooms, Sunday 22 November
- Newcastle, Anarchy Brew, Wednesday 25 November
- Troon, Winterstorm Festival, Thursday 26 November
- Manchester, Band on the Wall, Friday 27 November
