After the recent announcement of their forthcoming new studio album, synth pioneers Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) reveal details of their return to the stage, with the band taking to the globe next year with South Africa tour dates in toe.

Across February & March 2024, OMD will play 22 dates across the UK & Ireland, including their biggest-ever London headline show at London’s O2 Arena on March 24th, 2024 on 100% Records. For April next year, the band confirms South Africa tour dates for Cape Town and Joburg as part of the ‘Greatest Hits Tour’. 

OMD frontman Andy McCluskey says of the South African leg of the tour: “It’s been far too long since we played live in South Africa!, so we are really excited to be coming to do concerts in April 2024!”

The new album sees the band’s most explicitly political record and the crowning achievement of their desire to be both Stockhausen and Abba - born from the impetus to kickstart new explorations during lockdown. A broad, electronic, sonic masterpiece that lyrically tackles the topics of the future, it was predominantly written, recorded, and mixed by both McCluskey & Paul Humphreys (who has recently become a second-time father).

OMD have sold an astonishing 25 million singles and 15 million albums, which has established them as electronic synthesizer pioneers and one of Britain’s best-loved pop groups. Their 13 albums include reissued ‘Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’ (1980), ‘Organisation’ (1980), ‘Architecture & Morality’ (1981) and ‘Dazzle Ships’ (1983).

By rights, OMD should be in semi-retirement, performing classics like 'Enola Gay' and 'Maid Of Orleans' on the nostalgia festival circuit like so many peers. Instead, they’ve created a landmark album worthy of their finest work. If real life meant OMD was happy to get help, ‘Bauhaus Staircase’ remains unmistakably the work of a duo who are still perfectly in sync 45 years after their first gig at legendary Liverpool club Eric’s.