Tear the Signs Down album tour

The Tear the Signs Down album tour was a tour by the Welsh rock band the Automatic, in support of their third album Tear the Signs Down. The band made their live comeback at Cardiff Barfly on 19 September 2009 and soon after announced a string of dates in November where they would preview new material from their then upcoming album.[1][2] The band undertook a full UK tour, with plans to tour in Europe and America.[3]

Tear the Signs Down album tour
Tour by The Automatic
Location
Associated albumTear the Signs Down
Start date19 September 2009 (2009-09-19)
End date23 July 2010 (2010-07-23)
The Automatic concert chronology

Background

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During 2009 the band only played a handful of dates, Jarocin Festival in Poland and Tamworth Midlands Music Festival in July and August, and then their 'comeback performance' on 19 September 2009 in their native Cardiff at Barfly, where they performed new material for the first time. Soon after they announced a small 10 date tour across parts of the United Kingdom, in November 2009.[4] Prior to the November tour the full album tour was also announced, across the England, Scotland and Wales in March 2010.[5] Three sold out London dates were at the start of the tour, at Hoxton Bar and Kitchen, The Borderline and Camden Barfly.[6]

During the March 2010 tour dates the band were supported by Straight Lines and White Belt Yellow Tag.[7] Throughout the tour the Automatic ran a competition via Twitter, giving fans the chance to win a free guest list place every night of the tour.

After the March 2010 tour the band played sporadic gigs and festivals across the summer. They were also favoured to support Ash in April or May on tour, this never became.[8] In late June The Blackout supported the Automatic at a charity performance at Pontypridd Muni Arts Centre, whilst later in July the Automatic supported Funeral for a Friend on their Casually Dressed & Deep in Conversation tour dates.[9]

Reception

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Despite NME's poor reaction to the album Tear the Signs Down[10] the magazine praised the performance at Liverpool on 14 March 2010 - also contradicting their album review calling Tear the Signs Down "an impressive third record", Mike Haydock wrote "They look happy, and it's infectious, translating into a hugely impressive, enjoyable show that puts smiles on people's faces. And surely that's the whole point, right?", noting also that hit singles "Steve McQueen", "Monster", "Raoul" and "Recover" all gained the most response.[11]

Set list

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Many of the tracks from Tear the Signs Down have been alternated throughout the tour, with "Run and Hide", "Interstate", "Something Else" and "Cannot Be Saved" remaining present at all dates. "Steve McQueen", "Magazines", "This Is A Fix" and "Light Entertainment" along with an alternation of Sleepwalking and other tracks from This Is A Fix. "Monster", "Campaign Trail", "Raoul" and "Recover" have all been present from Not Accepted Anywhere whilst "That's What She Said" and "By My Side" have been included on occasion. You Shout, Keep Your Eyes Peeled, Seriously I Hate You Guys, Team Drama and Rats have yet to be performed with Paul Mullen as a member of the Automatic.

  • Interstate
  • Recover
  • Magazines
  • Run and Hide
  • Raoul
  • Race to the Heart of the Sun
  • Monster
  • Something Else
  • This Is A Fix
  • Can I Take You Home
  • On The Campaign Trail
  • Sleepwalking
  • Cannot Be Saved
  • Light Entertainment
  • Steve McQueen

Tour dates

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Date Location Country Venue Opening Act(s)
First leg
19 September 2009 Cardiff Wales Barfly
3 November 2009 Dubai United Arab Emirates Sound City
10 November 2009 Royal Tunbridge Wells England The Forum[12]
11 November 2009 Southend Chinnerys
12 November 2009 Kingston upon Thames McCluskys
13 November 2009 Rhondda Wales Cwmparc Hall
14 November 2009 Wrexham Central Station
20 November 2009 Preston England Lava Ignite
21 November 2009 Ipswich Liquid
25 November 2009 Sunderland Independent
26 November 2009 Carlisle Brickyard
27 November 2009 Stockton-on-Tees Ku Bar
28 November 2009 Coventry Kasbah
Second leg
21 January 2010 London[13] England Hoxton Bar and Kitchen
4 February 2010 The Borderline
18 February 2010 Camden Barfly Autopilots
22 February 2010 Swansea Wales Brangwyn[14]
Third leg
2 March 2010 Swindon England 12 Bar Straight Lines
4 March 2010 Exeter Cavern
5 March 2010 Falmouth Princess Pavilion
6 March 2010 Yeovil Orange Box
7 March 2010 Gloucester Guildhall
8 March 2010 Oxford O2 Academy
9 March 2010 Colchester Arts Centre
11 March 2010 Northampton Roadmender 2
12 March 2010 Stoke Sugarmill
13 March 2010 Hull Adelphi
14 March 2010 Liverpool O2 Academy
16 March 2010 Glasgow Scotland King Tuts White Belt Yellow Tag
17 March 2010 Newcastle England O2 Academy Newcastle
18 March 2010 Sheffield O2 Academy
19 March 2010 Manchester Academy
20 March 2010 Leeds Brudenell Social Club
22 March 2010 Norwich Arts Centre
23 March 2010 Nottingham Rescue Rooms
24 March 2010 York Fibbers
25 March 2010 Birmingham O2 Academy
27 March 2010 Brighton Audio
28 March 2010 Bristol Thekla
29 March 2010 Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
30 March 2010 London Relentless Garage[15]
31 March 2010 Cardiff Wales Barfly Straight Lines
White Belt Yellow Tag
Fourth leg
25 June 2010 Pontypridd Wales Muni Arts Centre The Blackout
Ladies Love a Superhero
High Demand
18 July 2010 Monmouth Monmouth Festival 2010[16] Festival
23 July 2010 London England Wimbledon Calling Festival[17]
1 August 2010 Southport Jedi Music Festival[18]
Fifth leg
22 July 2010 Cardiff Wales Cardiff University Funeral for a Friend headline
The Automatic
Young Guns
23 July 2010 London England Shepherd's Bush Empire

References

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  1. ^ November tour dates Archived 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine theautomatic.co.uk, 21 September 2009
  2. ^ The Automatic announce UK tour NME, 3 November 2009
  3. ^ 2010 Tour Dates, Interstate on MTV2 theautomatic.co.uk, 16 November 2009
  4. ^ November 2009 tour dates Archived 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine theautomatic.co.uk, 21 September 2009
  5. ^ 2010 Tour dates theautomatic.co.uk, 16 November 2010
  6. ^ London shows in Jan/Feb theautomatic.co.uk, 11 January 2010
  7. ^ Glasgow theautomatic.co.uk, March 2010
  8. ^ The Automatic catch the hearts of Manx audience Isle of Man Today, 7 March 2010
  9. ^ Cardiff and London July shows with Funeral for a Friend/ Archived 7 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine theautomatic.co.uk, 16 June 2010
  10. ^ Album Review: The Automatic - 'Tear The Signs Down' (Armoured)NME, 12 March 2010
  11. ^ Live review: The Automatic NME, 30 March 2010
  12. ^ The Automatic announce UK tour clashmusic.com, 4 November 2009
  13. ^ London Shows Jan/Feb 2010 theautomatic.co.uk, 11 January 2010
  14. ^ London and Swansea dates theautomatic.co.uk, 10 February 2010
  15. ^ London and Swansea dates theautomatic.co.uk, 10 February 2010
  16. ^ Monmouth Festival '10 efestivals.co.uk, 25 June 2010
  17. ^ Wimbledon Calling Festival 2010 efestivals.co.uk, 25 June 2010
  18. ^ Jedi Music Festival 2010 jedimusicfestival.com, 25 June 2010