The Happy Mondays have announced a 22-date UK and Ireland tour for spring 2026, celebrating the 35th anniversary of their landmark album Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches.
The run kicks off in Newcastle on 13 March, travelling through Leeds, Nottingham, Cardiff, London’s Roundhouse, and a homecoming show at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse, before wrapping in Belfast on 24 April. A Liverpool date at Mountford Hall on 21 March promises to be one of the standout nights.
For the shows, Shaun Ryder, Bez, Mark Day, Gary Whelan, Dan Broad, and Firouzeh Berry will revisit the record that defined their career. Fans can expect the hits — Step On, Kinky Afro, Loose Fit — alongside Madchester staples 24 Hour Party People, Hallelujah and W.F.L..
Released in November 1990 on Factory Records, Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches blended funk, house, psychedelia, and working-class swagger into a sound that caught the spirit of the rave era. It peaked at #4 on the UK Albums Chart and stayed there for six months, becoming one of the defining albums of the decade. More than three decades on, its influence is stamped across British pop and dance culture.
The Mondays’ reputation as Madchester’s most unruly exports has been matched by recognition too, in 2016, they received the Ivor Novello Inspiration Award for their role in shaping UK music.
Joining the tour are The Farm and Northside, who both played with the Mondays at their now-legendary 1991 Elland Road gig. For The Farm, that means bringing back hits like Groovy Train and All Together Now, while Northside return with cult favourites like Shall We Take a Trip and My Rising Star.
Frontman Shaun Ryder says: “I’m really looking forward to getting back on tour with the Mondays in 2026, especially with our old mates The Farm who are touring with us.”
Bez adds: “There’s no better feeling than playing to the fans of live music. I’ll see you all next year.”
For both the band and the fans, this tour isn’t just about nostalgia, it’s about revisiting a record that helped shape British music, and experiencing it live with the energy only the Mondays can bring.
Tickets
A venue pre-sale opens at 9am on Wednesday 17 September, with general sale following at 9am Friday 19 September via alttickets.com and happymondaysofficial.co.uk
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