Five reasons why you can’t miss Echo and the Bunnymen play live

Liverpool legends Echo and the Bunnymen have announced a new series of dates performing their seminal 1984 album Ocean Rain.

But this will be no ordinary tour. The band will be performing with The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and will come to the M&S Bank Arena on Saturday, 16^th September.

Tickets go on sale today and you can get them here.

Here are five reasons why you don’t want to miss Echo and the Bunnymen live in September next year.

Ocean Rain is one of the all-time great albums

The album was recorded in Paris with a 35-piece orchestra and was produced by Henri Loustau. Adam Peters provided the string arrangement and played both cello and piano. There was more acoustic instrumentation on this record than their previous work, with drum brushes, autoharps and orchestration. It created a masterpiece and one that will be brought to life perfectly with The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

You will here some of their best tracks live

Ocean Rain features the songs My Kingdom, Nocturnal Me, Seven Seas and Silver among others. The stand-out though is The Killing Moon which was released as a single in January 1984.

Music lovers have tried for years to interpret the lyrics to this song, but it’s probably best summed up by frontman Ian McCulloch, who said: “It’s about everything, from birth to death to eternity and God – whatever that is – and the eternal battle between fact and the human will.” 

You will get to witness the genius of a live orchestra

Most of us watch our favourite bands from time to time, but seeing The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra for the first time is quite the experience.

It is the UK’s oldest continuing professional symphony orchestra, with its origins in the early 19^th century. During World War II, they performed low price concerts for factory workers and members of the armed forces in a bid to help lift the national mood.

Domingo Hindoyan became the Chief Conductor in 2021 and the orchestra performs more than 70 concerts every year in Liverpool. They have worked with Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello and Ian Broudie and the Lightening Seeds, with inclusivity and relevance at the forefront of their values.

The Bunnymen are one of Liverpool’s most long running and successful acts

McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson formed Echo and the Bunnymen and they played their debut gig at the legendary Eric’s in 1978,as the opening act for The Teardrop Explodes.

Their first single, The Pictures on My Wall, was released the following year. Like many bands, there have been ups and downs, break ups, reforming and tragedy. However, there is no doubting their long-lasting influence on British music.

The band received the Q Inspiration awards in 2002 for “inspiring new generations of musicians, songs and music lovers in general” and many other local and national musicians have spoken of the influence of The Bunnymen on their work.

They are the quintessential rock stars

There is never a dull moment with Echo and the Bunnymen and their image is ultimate rock ‘n roll.

Whether Ian and Will are making cheeky quips to journalists, or telling audiences they are about to hear the best song in the world (The Killing Moon of course) they have that admirable rock star swagger. And we love them for it.