Billy Bragg Returns To NZ With ‘One Step Forward, Two Steps Back’ Tour

Handsome Tours ​is thrilled to announce that ​Billy Bragg​ will be returning to New Zealand with his “One Step Forward, Two Steps Back​” tour.

This time, it’s Wellington’s turn, after his sell-out series of Auckland shows in November 2018. Bragg will perform three unique shows on consecutive nights at San Fran. The first night’s performance will feature ​Bragg​’s current set, which ranges across his 35 year career. The second will see ​Bragg​ perform songs from his first three albums: his punk rock debut ​Life’s a Riot with Spy Vs Spy ​(1983), its similarly raw follow-up ​Brewing Up with Billy Bragg (1984)​ and ​Talking with the Taxman about Poetry​ (1986). The third performance will see Bragg perform songs from his second three albums: the positively jangled Workers Playtime (1988), the pop classic ​Don’t Try This at Home​ (1991) and the back-to-basics ​William Bloke ​(1996).

Says Billy​: “After more than three decades of travelling around the world in a van, or spending all day flying vast distances to play a gig, I’m looking forward to having some time to explore cities that I usually only get to see between the soundcheck and the show. And this three night stand format is a way of keeping things interesting, both for me and the audience. I tried it out in Auckland recently and had a lot of fun revisiting my back pages.”

Billy Bragg​ has been a fearless recording artist, tireless live performer and peerless political campaigner for over 35 years. Politicised by a Tory government operating without love or justice, this previously adrift young man from Barking, whose failure at national exams had reduced his career opportunities to two, eventually bought himself out of the British Army in 1981 (‘the best £175 I ever spent’), determined to make a living out of song.

Don’t miss the orator, entertainer, rabble-rouser, negotiator, pamphleteer, the fabled ‘Bard of Barking’, ​Billy Bragg​, across three extraordinary evenings.

BILLY BRAGG ‘ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK’ WELLINGTON

San Fran, Wellington

Thursday 28 May: Current career spanning set

Friday 29 May: Songs from the first three albums

Saturday 30 May: Songs from the second three albums

Tickets go on-sale Thursday 1 August at Midday, and are available from Just The Ticket – justtheticketnz.com .

PRAISE FOR ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK

“…​with such a rambunctiously entertaining and inspiring set, Billy Bragg should probably think about setting up a residency, because we could all do with the joyous feeling I left with, every night.”

– Radio 13

“​There’s a simplicity and honesty of emotion that cuts through the crap. At best it hits home with a subtle power.​”

– Louder than War

“…​you would be a fool to miss Bragg, an artist that is as relevant and thought-provoking today as he always has been.”

– Ambient Light