Paul Weller Announces Major Live Orchestral Collaboration For February
The show reimagining Weller’s work in orchestral settings will be his first live performance for two years.
Paul Weller has this morning (December 15) announced a London concert at the Barbican on February 6. He will be accompanied by the BBC Symphony Orchestra and its creative artist in association, Jules Buckley, for a show reimagining Weller’s work in orchestral settings. It will be Weller’s first live performance for two years.
The set will include songs from across his expansive catalog of more than 40 years, from The Jam onwards, to as-yet unheard and unreleased new material. Weller staples such as “You Do Something to Me’,” “English Rose,” and “Wild Wood” will be heard alongside tracks from Weller’s No.1 album of this year, On Sunset, in new orchestral arrangements by Buckley. The frontman will also include songs from his next album project, due for release in May 2021.
Weller will reunite with longtime collaborator Steve Cradock for the one-off performance, which is part of the Live from the Barbican series that returns to the arts center in the spring. Other guest artists, to be announced in the new year, will also take part. A reduced live audience will be present in the Barbican Hall for the concert, which will also be available via a live stream on the Barbican website.
Broadcast details for the event will also be announced in the new year, with plans for it to be aired across the BBC on BBC Radio 2, 3, 6 Music, BBC Sounds, BBC TV, and iPlayer.
The collaboration is the latest in a series of concerts featuring the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Jules Buckley in collaboration with non-classical artists. These also included a performance at the Barbican by Lianne La Havas in February this year.
Says Weller: “After what will be around two years without being on tour, to start 2021 with a show put together by Jules and the BBC Symphony Orchestra will be a really special moment for me.” Jules Buckley adds: “To be able to collaborate with Paul Weller and the BBC Symphony Orchestra is truly amazing. Weller’s genre-spanning tunes are timeless and working together to make these orchestral reworks promises to be something special. We are very glad to be able to bring music to people, especially in these crazy times.”
A limited number of tickets will be available for general public sale from 10am local time on Friday (December 18). The performance will be available to stream live and for 48 hours afterwards. More details at www.barbican.org.uk.
On Sunset can be bought here.
Listen to the best of Paul Weller on Apple Music and Spotify.
