Rick Wakeman announces The Even Grumpier Old Christmas Show tour

Rick Wakeman
Rick Wakeman (Image credit: Sergione Infuso/Corbis - Getty)

Rick Wakeman has announced plans for a late 2020 UK tour.

Wakeman has named the tour The Even Grumpier Old Christmas Show, and the 17 performances will see the keyboard wizard playing tracks from his 2019 album Christmas Portraits along with other music from his solo career, Yes material, early David Bowie songs and Beatles tracks – all interspersed with “knockabout – and sometimes bawdy – humour.”

The tour will get under way on November 27 at London’s Cadogan Hall and wrap up with a set at Bexhill’s De La Wars Pavilion on December 21.

Wakeman says: “It’s so difficult to imagine how live music is going to be in the future, but I have to believe that there will be sensible and workable answers to enable us all to enjoy concerts, the theatre and other social events.

“So, with my positive hat on, I’m looking forward to a new Even Grumpier Christmas Show to hopefully play my part in putting smiles back on all our faces and prepare us for a healthier and continually caring 2021.”

Tickets for the tour will go on sale this coming Friday (May 15) from 10am.

Wakeman will release his new album The Red Planet on June 28, with a trailer for the project arriving last month.

Rick Wakeman: The Even Grumpier Old Christmas Show UK  tour 2020
Nov 27: London Cadogan Hall
Nov 30: Dorking Halls
Dec 01: Basingstoke Anvil
Dec 02: Leicester De Montfort Hall
Dec 04: Birmingham Town Hall
Dec 06: Gateshead The Sage
Dec 07: Manchester Bridgewater Hall
Dec 08: Middlesbrough Town Hall
Dec 12: Edinburgh Queen’s Hall
Dec 13: Bradford St George’s Hall
Dec 15: Hull City Hall
Dec 16: Southend Palace Theatre
Dec 17: Cambridge Corn Exchange
Dec 18: High Wycombe The Swan
Dec 19: Southampton City Hall
Dec 20: Salisbury City Hall
Dec 21: Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.