Flutes at the ready, mun! Ian Anderson and the prog titans are dusting off their cloaks and cranking up the time signatures because Jethro Tull are hitting the road across the UK in April and May 2026 for what they’re calling The Curiosity Tour.
And before you ask—yes, the flute is still mightier than the sword. 🪈⚔️
🧐 What’s Occurring?
Starting at Perth Concert Hall on Sunday 19 April and wrapping up at Eastbourne Congress Theatre on Saturday 16 May, this tour clocks in at 19 shows across the land. That’s nearly a month of prog wizardry, folk trickery, and flute solos sharp enough to slice a Greggs sausage roll in half.
They’ll be celebrating not just their whopping 24-album back catalogue, but also their latest studio release Curious Ruminant, which proves that even after half a century in the game, Tull aren’t content just to play the oldies—they’re still writing, experimenting, and keeping prog properly weird. Tidy! 🏴🔥
📍 Where You Can Catch Them
Here’s a tasty sampler of the dates (full list on the band’s site):
- Sun 19 Apr – Perth, Concert Hall
- Mon 20 Apr – Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall
- Wed 22 Apr – Edinburgh, Usher Hall
- Thu 23 Apr – Newcastle, O2 City Hall
- Tue 28 Apr – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
- Wed 29 Apr – Sheffield City Hall
- Sat 3 May – Birmingham, Symphony Hall
- Early May – London, The Palladium & Leicester, De Montfort Hall
- Sat 16 May – Eastbourne, Congress Theatre (Final night blowout)
That’s a run through some of the UK’s swankiest concert halls—so polish your shoes, behave yourselves, and maybe leave the inflatable hammers at home.
🎶 What To Expect
You can bet your last pint that “Aqualung” and “Locomotive Breath” will make an appearance, but Tull don’t do lazy nostalgia. Expect:
- New cuts from Curious Ruminant to prove Anderson’s still got the fire.
- Prog monsters pulled from the vault—deep cuts that’ll make the die-hards in cardigans lose their minds.
- Theatrics galore: Anderson’s storytelling, precision lighting, and that pin-drop silence between flute blasts. (Seriously, even their official site reminds punters to be sat before the lights go down—prog gigs don’t mess about 😅).
💷 Ticket Prices
These halls don’t come cheap, butt. Most venues are showing prices around £45–£65, depending on where you plonk yourself. If you want prime sightlines to watch Ian Anderson prance about like a demented stork, you’ll need to cough up a few extra quid.
Pro tip: move faster than a runaway “Locomotive Breath”—the Glasgow show was already showing strong sales. 👀
🤓 Why It’s Worth It
Jethro Tull aren’t a nostalgia jukebox—they’re a living, breathing prog machine still making new music and playing with surgical precision. Louder put it best: they’re “a bunch of old guys having fun”—and isn’t that the dream? Lush.
This isn’t just about hearing the hits; it’s about soaking in the strange, theatrical, utterly unique world of Jethro Tull—a band that’s never fit into any box (unless that box was carved out of oak and played in 13/8 time).
🥖 The Riff Report Crew’s Quick Tips
- Pick your venue wisely. These are seated shows—sightlines matter.
- Plan your travel. April and May are prime train strike season—don’t get stranded in Glasgow Queen Street at midnight.
- Merch is a must. A 2026 Tull tour poster will look lush framed above the mantlepiece.
- Respect the etiquette. Be in your seat before lights down. Nothing kills a prog flute solo like someone clattering in with a pint of Carling.
🎤 Bottom Line
Whether you’re a lifer who’s followed them since This Was (1968) or a curious newbie looking for your first taste of prog flute warfare, The Curiosity Tour is shaping up to be a masterclass.
And if you’ve never seen an audience headbang to a flute solo—well, mun, this is your chance. 🤘🪈🔥
Tickets are on sale now via venues, Ticketmaster, and Gigantic. Don’t dither. Grab a seat, warm up your neck, and we’ll see you there.
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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