The Undertones announce 50th anniversary tour date in Shrewsbury
The Undertones are set to bring their legendary sound to The Buttermarket next month
Northern Irish punk legends The Undertones are set to bring their 50th anniversary celebrations to Shrewsbury next summer as part of an extensive UK and European tour.
The band will perform at The Buttermarket on Thursday, August 6, with tickets priced at £30 plus booking fee. Doors open at 7pm, with the show starting at 8pm.
The tour celebrates five decades since The Undertones formed in Derry in 1976, when friends John O’Neill, Damian O’Neill, Feargal Sharkey, Billy Doherty and Michael Bradley began learning to play rock and roll together.
The band rose to fame after recording John O’Neill’s ‘Teenage Kicks’ in 1978 for Belfast label Good Vibrations. The song caught the attention of legendary BBC Radio One DJ John Peel, who famously played it twice in a row on his show.
Following a deal with Sire Records, ‘Teenage Kicks’ was re-released and The Undertones made their debut appearance on Top of the Pops. Over the next five years they released four acclaimed albums and a string of much-loved singles including ‘Here Comes The Summer’, ‘Jimmy Jimmy’, ‘You’ve Got My Number (Why Don’t You Use It)’, ‘Wednesday Week’ and ‘My Perfect Cousin’.
The band split in 1983 after Feargal Sharkey departed to pursue a solo career, but reunited in 1999 with fellow Derryman Paul McLoone taking over vocal duties.
Since reforming, The Undertones have continued to tour and release new music, including the critically acclaimed album ‘Get What You Need’. They have also celebrated their influential back catalogue with vinyl reissues and anniversary releases, including a singles box set marking the 40th anniversary of ‘Teenage Kicks’ in 2018.
As part of their 50th anniversary celebrations, the band are also promoting their first live album, ‘16 Live Humdingers’. Recorded in Glasgow in 2023, the album features songs from the post-1999 line-up with Paul McLoone on vocals and is currently available exclusively at live shows on green vinyl.
The Undertones remain celebrated for their energetic live performances and timeless short, sharp pop songs, with ‘Teenage Kicks’ continuing to be regarded as one of the most iconic tracks of the punk era.
Tickets for The Undertones at The Buttermarket, Shrewsbury, on Thursday, August 6, are available online.