Big Big Train are to return to the stage with seven gigs confirmed for March 2022. It’s the collective’s first tour since 2019 – which included the London show filmed for their Empire Blu-ray – and will feature three shows with Marathon, the band led by Marillion keyboardist Mark Kelly.
Big Big Train's Greg Spawton says, “I am delighted that Mark Kelly’s Marathon will be joining Big Big Train for our Birmingham, Bath and London shows. I’ve been a fan of Marillion since their very early days 40 years ago and have long admired Mark for everything he has accomplished both within and beyond Marillion.
“The debut Marathon album [Mark Kelly’s Marathon] that Mark and his bandmates released last year was one of my musical highlights of 2020. I’m looking forward to hearing the material played live and am confident that Big Big Train’s fans will enjoy it enormously.”
The support for the York, Cambridge, Glasgow and Manchester shows will be announced later in the autumn.
Says Mark Kelly of the tour, “I’m very excited to finally have the chance to play the first ever Marathon live shows and I can’t think of a better way to do it than opening for Big Big Train, one of my favourite bands. I’m really grateful to BBT for the opportunity to play for their audience.”
In addition to the keyboard player, Marathon's line-up comprises vocalist Oliver Smith, guitarists John Cordy and Pete Wood, bassist Conal Kelly and drummer Henry Rogers.
To coincide with the announcement Big Big Train have released a new video for The Connection Plan, which is taken from the recently released Common Ground. Watch it below.
Big Big Train Common Ground Tour 2022
March 15: York Barbican
March 16: Cambridge Corn Exchange
March 18: Birmingham Symphony Hall
March 19: Bath Forum
March 21: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
March 22: Manchester Bridgewater Hall
March 23: London Palladium
