The Smyths - The Strangeways Tour

The Smyths play Exeter Phoenix on Friday 16 July 2027, with special guests still to be announced. It's part of their Strangeways Tour, a run of shows built around Strangeways, Here We Come, the final studio album The Smiths released in 1987. The thing about that record is that the original band never actually played its tracks live, so this is one of the few places you'll hear them on a stage.

For those who don't know them, The Smyths have been at this since 2003. They're billed as the world's premier tribute to The Smiths, and they've spent more than twenty years on the road, with over 900 shows across the UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. That includes festival slots at Glastonbury, the Isle of Wight and Bestival. They've been praised by Johnny Marr on Radio 6 and by producer Stephen Street, which is a fair bit of weight to carry when your whole act is based on another band.

They're also quite clear about how they do things. They steer clear of the usual tribute tropes — no silly props or clichéd costumes — and instead focus on what The Smiths would sound like today after more than forty years of playing the songs to several generations of fans. They describe it as re-defining what a tribute is, and the Strangeways tour is the latest expression of that. The set centres on the 1987 album, so you'll hear the songs from it played out in full.

The gig is in The Auditorium at Exeter Phoenix on Gandy Street, starting at 7pm. Tickets are £20 for standing and £22.50 for the balcony, with a £1.50 ticketing system charge on top. Special guests are still to be announced, so keep an eye out for that.