Wallis Bird with new album on tour in Europe
‘Your first album - you have your whole life to do your first album. Some of the songs on ‘Spoons’ were written when I was 12. I think the new album is not what anyone was expecting from me. I hope it does shock people. It’s the entire spectrum of emotions on one body of work, because that’s what I’ve been through in the last two years. It’s not a record that you’d do your dishes to. I’ve lost friends over this album.’ - Wallis Bird, Germany, April 2009
26 year old Irish artist Wallis Bird is back with her second album "New Boots", the follow-up to 2007's 'Spoons' which rocketed into the Top 10 UK Digital Album Charts, and earned her comparisons to Ani diFranco and Janis Joplin. In September the album has been released in the UK and in Ireland, where she entered the Album Charts at amazing position 14 after having released the single ‘LaLa Land’ in June 2009.
Having toured over the last two years with artsits as diverse as the legendary Billy Bragg, who hand-picked her to support him on his UK tour, and Ivor Novello award winner Gabrielle, as well as playing over 80 headlining shows in Europe during 2008, Wallis rounded off the year by clinching one of the biggest TV campaigns of 2008 when her storming cover of 'Just Can't Get Enough' was used on a prime-time nationwide advertisement.
An impassioned performer, "New Boots" captures much of the live energy of her shows. A 5ft2 bundle of white heat, Wallis throws herself around the stage with willful abandon, breaking strings, shredding her fingers from the sheer force of her playing, urging the crowd into a collective sing-a-long and throwing her entire soul into each performance with often breath-taking results. Having impressed everyone with the intensity and passion of her live shows, Wallis has nurtured a gig-going following whose admiration borders on the devotional.
Wallis Bird has just been on tour in Germany and Ireland. But there’s still a few concerts to come in Ireland, so don’t miss out.
In November Wallis Bird will be supporting the famous duo Rodrigo y Gabriela as they play concerts in the UK, France, Switzerland, Italy, The Netherlands and Belgium. Here’s the tour dates:
- 11. Nov. 2009 20:00 La Carriere - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Nantes, France
- 12. Nov. 2009 20:00 Le Casino de Paris - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Paris, France
- 13. Nov. 2009 20:00 Aeronef - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Lille, France
- 18. Nov. 2009 20:00 Les Docks - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Lausanne, Switzerland
- 20. Nov. 2009 20:00 L'Ancienne Belgique - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Brussel, Belgium
- 21. Nov. 2009 20:00 Watt - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- 23. Nov. 2009 20:00 Hammersmith Apollo - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, London, UK
- 24. Nov. 2009 20:00 Birmingham Academy - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Birmingham, UK
- 26. Nov. 2009 20:00 Glasgow Academy - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Glasgow, UK
- 28. Nov. 2009 20:00 Manchester Apollo - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Manchester, UK
- 29. Nov. 2009 20:00 Colston Hall - Supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Bristol, UK
- 03. Dec. 2009 20:00 Alcatraz, Milan supporting Rodrigo y Gabriela, Milano, Italy
For the complete tour list visit Wallis Bird’s MySpace page.
The release of album and single in Continental Europe is planned in Spring 2010.
In Ireland and the UK you can already buy the album in stores or via Amazon.
On her MySpace page you will also find a list of email addresses you can send mail to in order to support her. You may also buy the single ‘LaLa Land’ or keep asking to play her song on the radio.
This is the latest clip – the official video of “To My Bones”
(14.10.2009)