Beloved northern band Reverend and the Makers have cancelled their upcoming tour, with frontman Jon McClure sharing a heartbreakingly honest statement.
The acclaimed Sheffield band were set to perform at venues across the UK in support of their seventh studio album, Heatwave In The Cold North.
Their tour in November included a final night at the Academy here in Manchester, as well as at venues in Holmfirth, Leeds and Liverpool.
But Reverend and the Makers have now sadly decided to put their live tour on hold while Jon takes time to ‘grieve properly’ following the sudden death of his father, he wrote.
The star said that he ‘tried to record an album’ while his dad was ill, but said that he was ‘distracted the whole time’ and now needs to re-record the music.
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He wrote that his ‘head was in the hospital ward’.
Jon said: “I owe it to myself and to my Dad to make it as good as it can be.”
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His statement then went on to say that the band are no longer able to tour in November, with Jon adding that he ‘can’t go out with no new music’.
He wrote: “I need that time to be in the studio but also to grieve properly. My heads been all over the shop to be truthful. I’m a bit done pretending otherwise.”
Reverend and the Makers frontman Jon McClure shared this photo of his late dad. Credit: Facebook
“I’m out here asking for your patience and understanding whilst I get all my ducks in a row for 2025,” he added.
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Jon’s full statement on the upcoming Reverend and the Makers tour says: “Gonna try and say this as honestly as possible. My Dad got super poorly and subsequently passed away suddenly earlier this year.
“I didn’t want it to affect me. Stupidly, I tried to record an album whilst nursing him through his final days. But the truth is I was distracted the whole time. The songs are brilliant -The best I’ve ever written.
“But I wasn’t paying enough attention to how it sounded. My head was in the hospital ward.
“And so regrettably, I need to take a few months to re record a bunch of stuff. I owe it to myself and to my Dad to make it as good as it can be. All your preorders are still valid so no need to stress.
Support floods in for Reverend and the Makers as they cancel tour to ‘grieve properly’. Credit: Steve Schofield
“But i guess it does mean that I can’t tour in November now. I can’t go out with no new music. I need that time to be in the studio but also to grieve properly. My heads been all over the shop to be truthful. I’m a bit done pretending otherwise.
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“I get I’ve messed everyone around a bit here but I want this record to be a masterpiece so I’m out here asking for your patience and understanding whilst I get all my ducks in a row for 2025.
“We have some incredible things in the pipeline so please stay tuned. Peace and love.”
Us here at The Manc, The Sheff and The Hoot are sending all the love to Jon and the band and will be back at the front when they are ready to tour again.
Extra date added for festive screening of The Holiday with live orchestra in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
You can watch The Holiday on a big screen with a live orchestra playing the soundtrack in Manchester this Christmas.
The Holiday is one of the best-loved Christmas films of all time.
In case you haven’t got around to watching it before, the 2006 romcom directed and produced by Nancy Meyers stars Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Jack Black, and tells the story of how two women, who have never met and live 6,000 miles apart, find themselves in the same exact place in life.
They meet online through a home exchange website, and impulsively switch homes for the holiday.
Shortly after arriving at their destinations, both women find the last thing either wants or expects – a new romance.
An extra date has been added for a festive screening of The Holiday with live orchestra in Manchester / Credit: Universal Pictures
Since its release nearly two decades ago, watching The Holiday has become an annual tradition for millions worldwide every time the festive season rolls around – but how would you like to watch this classic in the most magical way possible? Streamed live onto a big screen in the theatre with a complete concert orchestra playing its soundtrack by the legendary Hans Zimmer? Well now you can this Christmas.
After a sell-out run in 2023, The Holiday In Concert will be going on a 16-date tour across the UK again this November and December, and will be taking place in the some of the country’s greatest concert halls – including The Bridgewater Hall here in Manchester.
The in-concert experience with a full orchestra and cinema-size screen is described as being an “incredibly unique” and “immersive” way to experience this cult-classic film.
JUST ANNOUNCED // Due to popular demand, The Holiday in Concert returns to the Hall on Monday 23 December for an extra date! Enjoy Hans Zimmer's score played live-to-film by a stunning full concert orchestra 🎼 Tickets on sale Friday 13 September 10am. ℹ https://t.co/TslToqd32Apic.twitter.com/5WpA6X5vQ2
Due to overwhelming demand for the Manchester show on Friday 6 December, a second date in our city has now been added to the tour’s run on Monday 23 December, and tickets for the new show are on sale at 10am tomorrow (Friday 13 September).
Liverpool, York, and Sheffield are some of the other northern English cities forming part of the tour, while the show will also be staged in London, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Swansea, and more.
New Haçienda book to be launched with event featuring all-star guest speaker lineup
Thomas Melia
A launch party is taking place for an exciting new collaborative book about an iconic Manchester nightclub venue.
New Century Hall is going to be hosting a one-of-a-kind event for a book written exclusively about Manchester’s clubbing epicentre, The Haçienda.
This new publication by Rebecca Hook will explain what the atmosphere of the famous nightclub was like from the perspective of everyone who was there at the time.
From performers and staff, to clubgoers themselves, The Haçienda: Threads features excerpts from well-known musicians like Happy Mondays’ Bez, and The Stone Roses’Mani, as well as a foreword from New Order bassist, Peter Hook.
In its heyday, the legendary nightclub – which was founded Factory Records’ Tony Wilson, music manager Rob Gretton, and new-wave band New Order – saw performances from a long list of music giants, as well as being the venue for Madonna’s first UK performance, and three-time performers, Manchester band The Smiths.
A new Haçienda book will be launched with an event featuring an all-star guest speaker lineup / Credit: Supplied
The Haçienda also became a pioneer with the growth of the ‘Madchester‘ movement, thanks to its Ibiza Nights which ran in the late 80s.
Oasis played this revolutionary venue in 1984 to celebrate the release of their debut album Definitely Maybe – with Noel Gallagher becoming a frequent visitor to the club when he wasn’t performing, hence why he’s set to be one of the guest speakers at the book launch event next month.
The launch party is taking place on Wednesday 9 October, and has an exciting timetable planned for the evening once doors open at 6pm.
Programming for the night includes welcome cocktails upon entry, an ‘In Conversation’ segment, a book signing, and then it’s all up to the DJ’s to soundtrack the rest of your night from 9pm until closing.
Throughout the night, there will be guest speakers reminiscing the legacy of The Haçienda – with the likes of Graeme Park, Peter Hook, Mani, Greg Wilson, as well as Noel.
If you want to relive the good old days of the legendary nightclub, you can get your hands on tickets to the launch event here.
Daisy Jackson -
4th September 2024 
