Electronic legends – 808 State – have announced a new UK tour for 2025.
A celebration of their seminal album ‘ex : el’, the band will be performing the album in-full in live spaces for the very first time.
Due to be a show of two distinct segments, the dates will include ‘Part 01: a full performance of ex:el’ followed by a second set entitled ‘Part 02: great transmissions – new : classics : deep cuts’.
The tour will see 808 State taking in shows in Birmingham, Norwich, Glasgow, Sheffield, London, throughout November and December next year. Plus, following the overwhelming demand for tickets for their SOLD OUT Manchester date this December, the band will return to the city’s New Century Hall for a homecoming finale to close their 2025 tour in style
Released via the ZTT label, 808 State’s ‘ex : el’ was both a major critical and commercial success for the band. Powered by Top 10 single “In Yer Face”, plus pivotal tracks like “Lift”, “Cubik”, and “Olympic”, ‘ex ; el’ saw 808 State fusing their trademark acid-techno beats, with a newfound confidence in catchy melodies and a penchant for pop cultural sampling of the highest calibre. It also featured Björk on no-less than two tracks (“Qmart”, “Ooops”), while fellow Mancunian electronic trailblazer Bernard Sumner (of New Order) lent his vocals to “Spanish Heart”; demonstrative of a band clearly enjoying a creative and collaborative streak.
Receiving adulation from respected titles the likes of Record Mirror (8/10), Select (4/5), and Q Magazine (4*), the latter praised the album as “irresistibly full of fun”. Breaking into Number 4 position on the Official UK Album Charts upon release in 1991, the album remains a critical and cultural milestone in electronic music to this day, with The Guardian citing it as one of its ‘1000 Albums to Hear Before You Die’.
Of the performing ‘ex : el’ at these upcoming dates Graham Massey says:
“ex : el is a broad colourful palette of material that bursts with techno optimism that we can’t wait to translate at our live shows in the UK in 2025. Although the shows are a whole year away I am already thinking of ways to make these shows a wide screen biblical epic for our audience”.
With tickets on sale this Friday @ 10AM, the full list of dates can be found as follows:
808 STATE – ‘EX : EL – LIVE’ 2025 TOUR
Friday – 28-Nov – UK, Birmingham – XOYO
Saturday – 29-Nov – UK, Norwich – The Waterfront
Friday – 05-Dec – UK, Glasgow – SWG3 – Warehouse
Saturday – 06-Dec – UK, Sheffield – Foundry
Friday – 12-Dec – UK, London – Electric Brixton
Saturday – 13-Dec – UK, Manchester – New Century Hall
General Sale – Friday November 29th 10:00 here:
https://pinkdot.seetickets.com/tour/808-state