Alanis Morissette and Skunk Anansie added to inaugural State Fayre Festival line-up following the cancellation of Neil Young's European tour

Alanis and Skin — (Image credit: Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images | Lorne Thomson/Redferns))

Alanis Morissette has been announced to replace Neil Young as a headline act at the inaugural State Fayre Festival in Essex following Young's decision to cancel his planned summer European tour.

Skunk Anansie will play in the 'special guest' slot below Morissette on the same evening, Saturday, June 27, the middle day of the weekender.

Neil Young was scheduled to begin a run of UK shows at the Eden Project in Cornwall on June 17, with additional gigs lined up in Manchester, Glasgow, Blenheim Palace and Cardiff. However, on February 7, the 80-year-old singer/songwriter announced that he was cancelling his entire European tour.

"I have decided to take a break and will not be touring Europe this time,” he said in a press statement. "Thanks to everyone who bought tickets. I’m sorry to let you down, but this is not the time. I do love playing live and being with you and the Chrome Hearts."

Billed as "the Uk's biggest music and BBQ festival", the first State Fayre Festival will take place at Hylands Park in Chelmsford on the weekend of June 26 - 28. The festival's opening night will feature Kings of Leon as the main stage headliner, with The Black Crowes headlining the Big Top stage, and the weekend will close with The Lumineers closing the main stage, with Counting Crows in the special guest slot.

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Alanis Morissette has previously announced a summer UK and Ireland tour that will see her perform six further outdoor shows.

She will begin the tour in Cork, Ireland, on June 24, before shows in Exeter, Woodstock, Glasgow, Lytham and London's Crystal Palace Park.

Morissette will be joined on the dates by Skunk Anansie, with Wet Leg set to support in Glasgow.

Announcing the trek in an Instagram post, Morissette said: "UK and Ireland loved our sweaty communing last summer and I am inspired to find you again in 2026."

Alanis Morissette 2026 UK and Ireland tour

Jun 24: Virgin Media Park, Cork, Ireland
Jun 26: TK Maxx Presents Live At Powderham, Exeter, UK
Jun 27: State Fayre Festival, Chelmsford, UK
Jun 28: Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, UK
Jun 30: Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, UK
Jul 02: TK Maxx Presents Lytham Festival, Lytham, UK
Jul 04: Crystal Palace Park, London, UK

Artists

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.

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