The Fratellis announce ‘Costello Music’ 20th anniversary UK tour
The Fratellis have announced a UK tour to mark the 20th anniversary of their debut album, ‘Costello Music’. Find all the details below.
Released in 2006, the Scottish indie band’s first record features the UK top five single ‘Chelsea Dagger’ and the top 10 hit ‘Whistle For The Choir’. The LP peaked at Number Two, and earned an 8/10 review from NME.
The review described the project as “a debut stuffed full of tunes to match [The Fratellis’] skinny-jeaned swagger”, adding: “The Fratellis have delivered a brilliantly retro album that relies on the past for inspiration, but has the hips and attitude of 2006.”
Today (May 23), the group have confirmed that they’ll be showcasing ‘Costello Music’ in full on a special run of UK gigs next year.
“We’re excited to celebrate 20 years of Costello Music in 2026 with a huge UK tour!” The Fratellis wrote alongside the forthcoming dates. They also teased that Scottish dates would follow “real soon”.
The trek is set to kick off in Nottingham on February 5, ahead of further stops in Cardiff, London, Norwich, Lincoln, Liverpool, Manchester, Wolverhampton, Portsmouth, Southend, Leeds and Newcastle.
Tickets go on general sale at 9am BST next Thursday (May 29) – you’ll be able to buy yours here. Alternatively, fans can sign up to access a pre-sale at the same time on Tuesday (27).
Check out the announcement post and the full itinerary here:
The Fratellis’ 2026 ‘Costello Music’ 20th anniversary UK tour dates are:
05 – Rock City, Nottingham
06 – Great Hall, Cardiff
07 – Eventim Apollo, London
09 – UEA, Norwich
10 – Engine Shed, Lincoln
12 – Olympia, Liverpool
13 – Albert Hall, Manchester
14 – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
16 – Guildhall, Portsmouth
17 – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend
19 – O2 Academy, Leeds
20 – NX, Newcastle
Next month will see The Fratellis perform in the Field Of Avalon at Glastonbury 2025. They’ll then appear at Bristol Sounds and open for Catfish And The Bottlemen at their big show in Glasgow. The group will also appear at numerous other summer festivals.
The Fratellis have released six full-length studio albums in total, their latest being 2021’s ‘Half Drunk Under A Full Moon’. In a three-star review, NME described the record as “10 classy, lush songs audibly inspired by ’60s girl group doo-wop”.
Speaking to NME in 2022, frontman Jon Fratelli (real name Jon Lawler) recalled Justin Timberlake and Scissor Sisters beating The Fratellis to Number One following the release of ‘Costello Music’.
He also talked about the group’s music being described as “indie landfill”, telling NME: “Some might think it’s snobbery, but let’s face it, we’ve all got a bit of the snob about us – I certainly have.
“‘Chelsea Dagger’ produces this sort of total abandon that’s a pleasure to stand back and watch. Most nights you don’t even have to sing it ‘cause the audience will take care of that. It’s a song that’s never dipped below a level of sheer fucking happiness for us.”
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Tom Skinner
NME
