Saving Grace, the musical collective featuring former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant, have announced a UK tour. The run of dates will kick off at the Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion on April 8, and climax at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival on May 1.
Alongside Plant, the line-up of the band includes Suzi Dian (vocals), Oli Jefferson (percussion), Tony Kelsey (mandolin, baritone, acoustic guitar), and Matt Worley (banjo, acoustic, baritone guitars, cuatro).
Saving Grace made their live debut in January 2019 with a surprise performance at the Sparc Theatre in Bishop’s Castle, and followed this with a short run of low-key dates including two supporting supporting Fairport Convention.
The band announced US tour in 2020, but the shows were cancelled as lockdown bit. They also cancelled a planned appearance at that year's G! Festival in the Faroe Islands in protest at the country's whaling operation.
Saving Grace returned to the stage last summer with a run of UK dates, performing covers of songs by the likes of the Derek Trucks Band, Bob Dylan, Planxty, Moby Grape, Low, Donovan, Los Lobos, and Richard and Linda Thompson.
Speaking to the BBC's Zoe Ball last November, Plant was asked about the likelihood of Saving Grace recording an album.
“Saving Grace is a bunch of friends back from on the Welsh borders, Worcestershire," responded Plant, "and we do shows, very discreet, undercover shows. It’s a beautiful sound, a magnificent sound and it’s delicately tiptoeing its way to one day being yet another thing that we mustn’t know or talk about… so yes."
Support on all UK dates will come from Wolverhampton singer/songwriter Scott Matthews. Tickets are on sale now.
Saving Grace UK Tour
Apr 08: Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion
Apr 10: Folkestone Leas Cliff Hall
Apr 11: London Hackney Empire
Apr 14: Hull City Hall
Apr 15: Scunthorpe Baths Hall
Apr 16: York Grand Opera House
Apr 19: Bewdley Treetops Safari Park (Tickets)
Apr 20: Rhyl Pavilion
Apr 22: Liverpool Eventim Olympia
Apr 23: Middlesbrough Town Hall
Apr 26: Halifax Victoria Theatre
Apr 27: Stockport Plaza
Apr 29: Aberystwyth Arts Centre (Tickets)
May 01: Cheltenham Jazz Festival (Tickets)