Keane - Perfect Symmetry (new album!)

[Matthew T]

I see there's a new single listed for October 29th "The Night Sky". Has anyone heard it yet?

Has the singer sorted himself out?

[Pip Madeley]

He has, AFAIK. He was in fine form when I went to see them at the MEN earlier in the year.

And ooh! I wasn't aware they had a new single coming... I'm a member of the Keane forums so I'll have to see if I can find any more news.

edited to add: And OOOOOOOH!

KEANE CURATES IN AID OF WAR CHILD - Manchester Apollo - WED 31/10/2007 19:00
tickets on sale 21/09/2007 09:00

KEANE CURATES IN AID OF WAR CHILD - Brixton Academy - THU 01/11/2007 19:00
tickets on sale 21/09/2007 09:00

Must be up in the morning to bag a ticket - on sale at See

[Pip Madeley]

Oh, and there's also a live DVD coming out on 5th November, live at the 02 Arena. Yay!

[Pip Madeley]

Single details:

Oct 22: 'The Night Sky' made available exclusively from warchildmusic.com

Oct 26: 'The Night Sky' plus B-sides made available at all digital download stores (iTunes, Napster etc). So you'll be able to buy 'The Night Sky' edit, demo and extended versions, plus the band's 'Under Pressure' cover and the Ffrisco remix of 'Put It Behind You'.

Oct 29: Physical single released on 3 formats, CD single, 7-inch and USB stick single. You can now pre-order all three of those from HMV by clicking here. The USB stick is £4.99, with the CD and 7-inch £2.99 (all including delivery).

Also, the support for the Manchester gig has been announced:

We're pleased to announce that rising Sheffield indie-rockers Milburn will support Keane at their Manchester Apollo show for War Child on October 31st. Also on the bill will be singer-songwriter Findlay Brown (who is also playing the Brixton Academy show).

Which means that unlike the busy London gig, Manchester will be a proper Keane gig

[Si Hunt]

I landed their last album for £1.99p in Virgin. There were stacks of them everywhere.

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

Suprising, considering it's sold 2.6 million copies since release.

[SiHart]

It was the special edition too!

Si xx

[Simon R]

Suprising, considering it's sold 2.6 million copies since release

Not really surprising at all really as Justin's debut solo album and Chritina's "Stripped" both sold millions and yet they go for £2.99 or there about these days. It always seems undignified when you see popular albums cheap even if they've been big hits.

[Rob McCow]

The first Keane album was available to add to your in-flight playlist on the Etihad flight from Heathrow to Abu Dhabi last Monday. Cool! I chose singles 'Everybody Changes' and 'Somewhere Only We Know'. Very good.

[Pip Madeley]

Everybody Changes Good choice though.

My tickets for the 31st arrived today, hurrah!

[Pip Madeley]

I see there's a new single listed for October 29th "The Night Sky". Has anyone heard it yet?

It's been disqualified from charting, I've been told, under rule 4.2 of the OCC rules.

[Pip Madeley]

Well! What an interesting gig that was. Paul & I didn't get there till about 9pm, having gone into town for a few drinks - thankfully the dizziness I was suffering cleared up and hasn't returned, so Tim's bath idea seems to have done the trick! Anyway, we caught the last few songs of the support (Milburn, not great), and chatted to a couple who'd come all the way from Durham, nice people.

As the time approached, we moved forward, and who should come out on stage to introduce the band but Peter Kay! Massive roar from the audience, he stayed on for about ten minutes, telling a few stories about seeing bands at the Apollo & making his views known about Heather Mills (not positive!). Anyway, Keane came on and everyone went bonkers - but before they started, Tom said he wasn't feeling too great. They played the first few songs and he was bouncing around the place as he always does, bouyed on by the crowd's enthusiasm, naturally I was singing every song. But about six songs into the set, he said he was feeling a little dizzy and had to sit at the piano to sing the next song (A Bad Dream). "Typical!" I thought. "He's got it too!"

He sang A Bad Dream, and at the end it was quite obvious that the guy looked unwell. The three members of the band were having words, and Tom left the stage. Looking a little startled, Tim and Richard waved to the audience and also left the stage, and Peter Kay returned to tell everyone Tom wasn't feeling great and couldn't go on. Then some arsehole started booing, and Peter Kay rightly had a go, the poor guy was obviously sick, what did he want him to do, carry on and probably pass out?! It was a disappointing early end to the gig, but I don't feel too shortchanged, as the gig was for charity and I know my £30 has gone to help where help is needed. And I really enjoyed myself for the 45 minutes or so that they were on stage. Here's the setlist:



Would've been great to have heard them do their cover of Queen's Under Pressure. Tim Rice-Oxley has since posted on the band's forum, in reply to a complaint about the early end to the gig:

Dear Christine,

There's a fairly simple answer to your question. When we left the stage Richard and I were totally uncertain as to whether we would be able to come back on and play at least a couple more songs. We had even discussed the option of me singing a couple of the songs if Tom did have to pull out of performing. It was only when we were already off stage that we had to make a snap decision to stop completely and to ask Peter to round the evening off - an eventuality we had agreed beforehand. Once he was on stage and entertaining the crowd in his inimitable style, it would have been rude and unprofessional for me or Richard to interrupt.

It was a incredibly difficult situation and one that had no easy solution. I understand your confusion and frustration, and can only say we're truly very sorry that we couldn't play our whole set. I'd also like to take the opportunity to thank you and everyone else for coming to the show tonight and supporting War Child. Lookling at the wider picture, it has been a momentous night. The ticket sales from tonight alone have raised an incredible amount of money - looks like about £50,000 - that will directly influence and improve the lives of children in Iraq.

I hope that thought, and my attempt at explaining what went on, will offer some consolation.

Thanks again,

tim

They're meant to be playing Brixton tonight, whether he'll be okay remains to be seen.

[Si Hunt]

It's ironic that "Leaving so Soon?" is on their set list.

It's a bit bad the other band members didn't come back on and finish. Not wanting to interupt the compere telling everyone to go home early is a bit of a lame excuse.

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

"Leaving So Soon?" was my favourite song of the night

Anyway, sounds like they were right to end early:

Keane singer Tom Chaplin was struck down with a severe throat infection and gastro enteritis during the first of the band’s two Warchild charity shows, forcing him to leave the stage - twice - to throw up. Hmmm tasty.

As we previously reported, Keane were scheduled to play two live shows to raise money and awareness for Warchild this week. The first at the Manchester Apollo last night (October 31) and the second at Brixton Academy tonight.

However disaster struck on Wednesday when singer Tom became sick. But somehow he battled through last night's gig, with slightly unpleasant and, one imagines, slightly unhygienic results. A statement from the event organisers reads:

“Tom from Keane was struck down with a severe throat infection and gastro enteritis during rehearsals for the Keane War child event. On stage in Manchester, Tom had to leave to vomit on at least two occasions, after being sick all day, but like a true professional Tom played on – delighting the Manchester audience and raising thousands for War Child.

“The show had to finish 15 minutes early as paramedics had to be called, but Peter Kay held court delighting a satisfied and sympathetic audience.”

However, tonight’s show – which also includes performances from Lilly Allen, The Pet Shop Boys and The Magic Numbers – will still be going ahead despite Tom’s illness, as the statement continues “War Child is an extremely important charity to him and Keane and in his own words... The show must go on!”

And we were sympathetic, there was only a few people booing. He seems to be better now though:

TOM'S WAR CHILD BLOG
01.11.07 | 12.29.pm

Happily, Mr Chaplin is feeling rather better today

Hello!

If anyone's ever seen that episode of the Sopranos where Tony gets food-poisoning and ends up veering between nightmarish fantasy and reality, then you'll have a reasonable idea of how I felt yesterday. Admittedly I'm rattling with steroids to get me through it, but what a relief to wake up today feeling something slightly closer to normal again!

Going in to the show yesterday I was more worried about the heavy cold and sore throat I'd had all week and whether I'd be able to sing. Little did I know I was going to be hit by what I can only describe as the worst stomach bug of my entire life, which peaked
about 5 minutes before show-time... bloody typical. Anyway, I'd like to thank everyone who was there for carrying me through - without your help I wouldn't have made it past the first few songs.

I'd also like to thank Peter Kay for his insanely funny chattering, which is a treat that I don't think any of us will forget! I also didn't get the chance to thank Findlay Brown and Milburn for their support.

In fact, all things considered, it was a hugely important night for us and for War Child and THANK YOU again for your unwavering support!

Now onwards to Brixton!!

Lots of love
Tom x

[Pip Madeley]

Keane have finished work on their third album "Perfect Symmetry" (out October 13th) and are celebrating that fact by giving away a new song 'Spiralling' (available until 11th August)...

http://www.keanemusic.com/

Download it and prepare to be surprised! I love it of course, the band can do no wrong.

[Paul Monk]

About time there's a new album! I've played the other two to death

[Paul Monk]

Downloaded it. Its great actually. Its got a little bit of an 80's / Jeff Waynes War of the Worlds sort of synthy sound which is good and then, about 2 thirds of the way in, it goes a bit Talking Heads. Which is all very promising for the album.

[Pip Madeley]

Tom Chaplin said on Radio 1 their influences were Talking Heads, Prince, David Bowie... all very 80s!

[Paul Monk]

Tom Chaplin said on Radio 1 their influences were Talking Heads

Hooray! I recognised an influence!

[Pip Madeley]

The first full single from their new album is The Lovers Are Losing:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GDR60x0HdmI

I love it

[Pip Madeley]

Album cover:



Very nice

[Pip Madeley]

UK TOUR ANNOUNCED

We're very pleased to announce that Keane will be playing live across the UK (and Ireland) at the beginning of next year. The dates are as follows:

JANUARY
23 - Belfast Odyssey
25 - Dublin The O2
27 - Newcastle Arena
29 - Glasgow SECC
31 - Manchester MEN Arena

FEBRUARY
1 - Nottingham Arena
3 - Bournemouth BIC
4 - Cardiff Arena
6 - Sheffield Arena
7 - Liverpool Echo Arena
9 - Plymouth Pavilions
10 - Brighton Centre
12 - London 02 Arena

Hurrah! I'm going to the Manchester gig (obviously) but I'd be tempted to go to the London one too if some PSers fancy it...

[Paul Monk]

I'd be interested but would probably want to go to the Brighton Centre one. Its a lot easier to get to and from than the O2.

[Pip Madeley]

Tuesday 10th February... well, I'll be in London the weekend before (7th/8th) as it's Dex and P-Bal's Hinchcliffe Horror event in Chiswick on the 8th so I could hang around till the Wednesday, book a cheap hotel room, have a couple of days in London and see Keane with you anyone else for Brighton?

[Paul Monk]

Its quite close to my birthday so I may do it as a birthday treat