The Darkness have announced they are set to play their forthcoming jaw-dropping quasi-sci-fi concept album Easter Is Cancelled in full, alongside a set of their very greatest hits, on their upcoming headline tour. To mark the announcement the band have released a new video for latest single ‘Heart Explodes’, taken from Easter Is Cancelled out October 4 via Cooking Vinyl.

The ‘Heart Explodes’ video captures the band on their recent stadium-sized outdoor tour as personally invited special guests and main support for fellow Suffolk-based musician Ed Sheeran with footage shot both onstage as well as featuring some intimate backstage hijinks.

Looking forward to the forthcoming headline tour frontman Justin Hawkins says, “Uncertain times call for the grandest of gestures. The Darkness are entirely pleased to announce that we will encircle the world with the wings of inclusivity, by performing our new magnum opus, Easter is Cancelled, in full, at ludicrous volume, FOR YOUR EARS AND MINDS! Come with us people - let’s fly to a future worth living in...”

‘Heart Explodes’ finds The Darkness baring all in a multitude of heartfelt emotions, while previous single ‘Rock And Roll Deserves To Die’ saw the band hailing the death of rock and roll in an epic five-minute masterpiece featuring monumental riffs, thunderous bass and almighty drums, alongside some beautifully delicate touches from the band. Guitarist Dan Hawkins explains, “That song has been around since before Permission To Land. We played it at really early gigs. We tried recording it for every album, but it never worked.”

The Darkness will be spreading their Easter Is Cancelled message across the land with the full UK and Ireland headline tour this winter and will play 18 dates starting in November 2019. These shows promise to be incredibly special, reflecting the grand scope and vision of the album, alongside the finest hits from the band’s spectacular canon. Tickets are available here.

THE DARKNESS ‘EASTER IS CANCELLED’ 2019 TOUR

NOVEMBER

26th – Belfast, Limelight

27th – Dublin, Academy

29th – Nottingham, Rock City

DECEMBER

1st – Birmingham, O2 Academy

2nd – Leicester, O2 Academy

3rd – Southend, Cliffs Pavilion

5th – Norwich, UEA

6th – Cambridge, Corn Exchange

7th – Bath, Pavilions

9th – Portsmouth, Pyramids

10th – Brighton, Dome

11th – Watford, Colosseum

13th – Manchester Academy

14th – Newcastle, O2 Academy

15th – Glasgow, O2 Academy

17th – York, Barbican

18th – Liverpool, O2 Academy

20th – London, Roundhouse

“Who would win in a sprint between a Wizard, a Lion, a Soldier, a Mime, and a Clown?” It may sound like the kind of chat you’d expect from a band who’ve spent weeks holed-up on a tourbus together, but in Sheafs’ new video for ‘Care Less’ they put this very question to the test. In their new video co-directed with Sam Crowston (The Blinders/No Hot Ashes), Sheffield’s fastest rising five-piece dig out the fancy dress box and hit the running track of Sheffield Hallam University for a showdown like no other. Expertly synced to the break-neck tempo of ‘Care Less’, the clip is a bizarre and brilliant accompaniment to the band’s latest sonic offering.

Fielding ideas for the new video, Sheafs explain how they finally landed upon its fittingly novel concept, plus some of the hurdles they encountered along the way: “Essentially the costumes were used to emulate the attitude of caring less about your image and running a race in those outfits seemed like a fun idea! The running also mapped well to the tempo of 'Care Less' and it is pretty upbeat…It was shot in 30 degree heat and one of the lads had stitches in their leg”

Clocking in at a neat 2’30, ‘Care Less’ is a rush of adrenaline from the moment go. Produced by Dead Nature main-man and Spring King-pin: Tarek Musa, the track was quickly laid down in a matter of days at Whitewood Recording Studio, Liverpool, with additional mastering by Mike Cave (whom recently mixed and mastered Lewis Capaldi’s latest chart topping album).

The ‘Care Less’ track and video swiftly follows a Summer of frenetic activity for the quintet, that seen them release their sensational recent single ‘Popular Music’, win over crammed halls at Dot2Dot in Nottingham, Manchester and Bristol, but also play to a big hometown crowd at Tramlines Festival in Sheffield. Sealing the deal on a summer of groundbreaking shows, Sheafs were also crowned ‘UK Talent Winners’ at Mad Cool Festival in Madrid this year.

Following a stint of high profile support slots with the likes of The Amazons, The Coral, and Idles, plus their recent tour with US rockers Greta Van Fleet which saw them win over audiences all over Europe and at packed-out room at London's Electric Ballroom, Sheafs now look forward to a headline tour of their own. Slating-up gigs this Autumn at prestigious venues such as The Foundry in Sheffield and Rescue Rooms in Nottingham, don’t miss the band as they blow the roof of some of their biggest shows to date.

SHEAFS - AUTUMN HEADLINE TOUR DATES

27th September               The Foundry, Sheffield

2nd October                  Colours Hoxton, London

5th October                    Night & Day Cafe, Manchester

11th October                 Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

12th October               Think Tank?, Newcastle