Tribute act The Smyths are to play The Queen is Dead in its entirety to mark the album’s 40th anniversary with shows in Leicester and Nottingham

They will also perform a special encore of greatest hits

It’s now forty years ago that seminal 80s Manchester outfit The Smiths released The Queen Is Dead – an album that would come to define a generation.

Its ferocious blend of jangling guitars, mordant wit, and lyrical vulnerability, the 1986 record became a cultural touchstone — not just for disaffected youth of the Thatcher era, but for anyone who ever felt out of step with the world.

The album us timeless tracks including There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, Big Mouth Strikes Again, The Boy with The Thorn in His Side, I Know It’s Over, Cemetery Gates.

And to celebrate this milestone, THE SMYTHS will perform The Queen Is Dead along with a special encore of greatest hits that includes This Charming Man, Panic, Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now, Ask, How Soon is Now, Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want, Hand in Glove, What Difference Does It Make, Girlfriend in a Coma plus some Morrissey solo gems.

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The tribute act will play The Queen is Dead in its entirety at shows in Leicester and Nottingham

The tribute act have been acclaimed by Johnny Marr (on Radio 6) and Stephen Street (Smiths Producer), and focus on a live experience that imagines what the original line-up would sound like today after more than 40 years of playing the songs to several generations of fans.

The anniversary tour takes in a large number of venues across the UK, with tickets up for grabs at their shows in Leicester and Nottingham – their Derby show at The Flowerpot is already sold out.

They play Nottingham’s The Level on October 3 and Leicester’s 02 Academy on October 23.

The band will be joined by Billy Blagg for the Leicester date. His Billy Bragg tribute setlist will include A New England, Greetings to the New Brunette, Levi Stubb’s Tears, Sexuality, Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards plus more.

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You can buy tickets to the Nottingham gig HERE and the Leicester show HERE

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