Suzanne Vega – new album and tour

Widely regarded as one of the foremost songwriters of her generation or any other, Suzanne Vega is set to release her first full-length album of new music in over a decade. Flying With Angels is due May 2 on Cooking Vinyl. The record is produced by Vega’s longtime collaborator and guitarist Gerry Leonard (David Bowie, Rufus Wainwright, Laurie Anderson, Duncan Sheik). Flying With Angels is available for pre-order HERE. 

 ‘Each song on the album takes place in an atmosphere of struggle’, notes Vega. ‘Struggle to survive, to speak, to dominate, to win, to escape, to help someone else, or just live.’ 

The album’s new single, ‘Speakers’ Corner’, acknowledges the increasingly political nature of communication today, when the ability to speak one’s mind is easier than ever on social media, and yet that privilege is often misused. Vega elaborates:

‘That’s something you don’t want in democracy: the shutting down of the Speakers’ Corner where people get a say. This is a moment in time when people are saying a lot, but sometimes they’re not making sense or not telling the truth. People should be accountable for what they say. They can’t just lie. One would think that that would be self-evident.‘   

In celebration of the forthcoming album, Vega will tour throughout Europe and North America, performing an evening of career-spanning songs as well as showcasing material from the new album. Her extensive UK run takes in London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall, and stops in Gateshead, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Cambridge, Brighton, Bristol, Birmingham and Stoke. Vega and Leonard will be joined on stage by cellist Stephanie Winters. Vega’s special guest on the UK dates is critically acclaimed UK singer-songwriter, Katherine Priddy. See below for full details. Tickets for all upcoming shows are available for purchase at suzannevega.com/tour.  

 Renowned for her live shows, of Vega’s performances Louder Than War commented: ‘Suzanne Vega held a thousand people in the palm of her hand for an hour and a half and made it seem like nothing and everything.’ The New York Times notes that she ‘is attentive to the realm of the unseen.’ Finding Connecticut lauded a recent concert as ‘nothing short of mesmerising, weaving tales through her soulful songs in a cosy setting that allowed for a deep connection with the audience.’  

Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has written and recorded numerous songs that have become part of the contemporary music vernacular, including ‘Luka,’ ‘Marlene On The Wall’ and ‘Tom’s Diner,’ an a cappella piece that was remixed by U.K. electronic dance duo DNA and became a major club hit. It remains an oft-sampled and covered standard by artists across the musical spectrum. Her albums, including her self-titled debut, follow-up Solitude Standing and 99.9F have sold millions of copies worldwide. 

Artist’s website: https://www.suzannevega.com/

‘Speakers’ Corner’ – official video:

UK Tour Dates

October 19—Gateshead—Sage Gateshead (The Glasshouse Int’l Centre for Music)
October 20—Manchester—Bridgewater Hall
October 21—Glasgow—Royal Concert Hall
October 23—Edinburgh—Usher Hall
October 25—Liverpool—Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
October 27—Cambridge—Corn Exchange
October 28—Brighton—Dome
October 30—Bristol—Bristol Beacon
October 31—Birmingham—Symphony Hall
November 1—Stoke—Regent Theatre
November 3—London—Royal Albert Hall

Special guest Katherine Priddy

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