Rising stars Greta Van Fleet announce first UK tour

Greta Van Fleet

Michigan rockers Greta Van Fleet have announced details of their first UK tour. The band will play four dates in Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham and London next Easter, after a series of dates in mainland Europe (full dates below). Tickets go on sale on Sunday, while fans who register on the band’s website can access a pre-sale today.

Greta Van Fleet got together in 2012, formed by twin brothers Josh Kiszka (frontman) Jake (guitar), and younger brother Sam (bass). They were joined by drummer Daniel Wagner in 2013, and have since since released two EPs - last year’s Black Smoke Rising, and From The Fires, which came out last week.

The new EP features four new recordings alongside the four tracks that appeared on Black Smoke Rising, including a cover of Sam Cooke’s 1964 classic A Change Is Gonna Come. “All of us are very affected by oppression of any type,” says Josh, “cultural, racial, sexual. I’ve never experienced what Sam Cooke did so I have to admit, it was a little difficult for me, getting behind the mic, but I did it because singing this song meant a lot to me.”

Greta Van Fleet have been on something of a roll since the release of Black Smoke Rising. Lead track Highway Tune spent five weeks at the top of the US Mainstream Rock chart and generated more than seven million Spotify plays, while the band’s current US tour is sold-out.

Greta Van Fleet tour dates

Mar 30: Manchester Deaf Institute
Mar 31: Birmingham O2 Institute3
Apr 01: Glasgow King Tuts
Apr 04: London O2 Academy Islington
Apr 05: London O2 Academy Islington (extra date)

Fraser Lewry

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.