News

James Yorkston Announces February Tour

• 11th Jan 2011

James Yorkston will be touring in February 2011 in support of his first book, It’s Lovely to be Here – The Touring Diaries of a Scottish Gent. James will be performing songs old and new, as well as reading excerpts from his literary debut. The nine date tour will end with a date at St. Giles Church in London on February 23rd.

James has also confirmed an interview and performance in Glasgow in January as part of Glasgow Celtic Connections. The lunchtime event is a free Q&A with BBC Scotland Radio presenter Ian Anderson (no live music) and the evening event is a live performance.

Full dates are as follows:

26th January: Glasgow Celtic Connections: 'Conversation Pieces’ 12pm – 1pm, Ian Anderson interviewing James Yorkston live for Celtic Music Radio. Free event, Exhibition hall of The Royal Concert Halls, Glasgow G1 1NQ / link / 0141 353 8000 ‘
26th January: Glasgow Celtic Connections: 7pm – James Yorkston performing live at The Recital Room at Glasgow City Halls , Candleriggs, Glasgow G1 1NQ / link / 0141 353 8000
3rd February: Berwick upon tweed The Maltings Theatre & Cinema link 01289 330999 Eastern Lane, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, TD15 1AJ
5th February: Thirsk, The Old Courthouse – £12.00 – link – 01845 595980
11th February: Edinburgh, Old St Paul's Church Hall, 63 Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh EH1 1DH, link, tickets £8/£6 from link
16th February: Manchester Deaf Institute link / 0161 276 9350 The Deaf Institute, 135 Grosvenor Street, Manchester, M1 7HE
17th February: Wakefield Henry Boons link / 0113 245 5570 130 Westgate, Wakefield WF2 9SR
19th February: Birmingham Midlands Arts Centre link / 0121 446 3232 Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH
20th February: Cambridge The Junction link / 01223 511511 2 Clifton Way, CB1 7GX
21st February: Norwich Norwich Arts Centre link / 01603 660352 St Benedict Street, Norwich, Norfolk
22nd February: Brighton Brighton Ballroom link / 01273 606312. 83 St. Georges Road, Kemp Town, Brighton, BN2 1EF
23rd February: London St Giles Church link / 08444771000 60 St Giles High Street, London, WC2H 8LG

It’s Lovely to be Here – The Touring Diaries of a Scottish Gent will be available from 3rd February 2011 as the first ever publication from The Domino Press, the new publishing imprint from Domino Records. (Priced at £9.99, paperback)

Presented as a series of tour diaries, It’s Lovely to be Here offers a mix of deadpan humour and wide-eyed wonder whilst mapping out the realities and endless disorientations of life on the road. By turns poignant, witty and philosophical, James Yorkston’s account becomes an ongoing search for meaning in the lyrics, chords, bars and van window-views of a modern day troubadour.

James' style of songwriting: self-aware, self-deprecating, conversational and highly romantic – paired with his gift for storytelling – has made a natural transition to the printed page. Like the man himself it is by turns amusing, charming and occasionally a little despondent.

A welcome antidote to the celebrity memoir, this compelling account of life on the road is a must for music fans across the board. All human life is here, and quite a lot of whisky.