Culture

Eighties chart-topping rock icons make return with massive UK tour

24 Sep 2026 3 minute read

Mike and the Mechanics on tour in April 2025 L-R: Luke Juby, Nic Collins, Andrew Roachford, Mike Rutherford, Anthony Drennan and Tim Howar (Credit: Wikicommons)

Nation.Cymru staff

They’ve scored number one hits on both the UK and US, now they’re back with an extensive tour including a show in Wales.

Formed in 1985, Mike + The Mechanics have evolved over its 40+ years. Originally Mike Rutherford’s “side project” to Genesis, as a band they have released some of the most beloved songs of a generation including ‘The Living Years’, ‘All I Need Is A Miracle’ and ‘Over My Shoulder’ and have always been a formidable and celebrated live band.

Tickets for their Back On Track Tour 2027, which includes a show in Wales at the Swansea Building Society Arena on May 11, 2027, go on sale from 9am, Friday 25 September.

After a hiatus from 2005 to 2010 Mike, with an insatiable appetite to perform and create music, decided to resurrect the band bringing together a completely new line-up of Andrew Roachford, Tim Howar, Luke Juby, Anthony Drennan and Gary Wallis which has largely remained the heart-beat and core of the Mechanics since.

Soon after they began playing together, the creative chemistry flowed and they released ‘The Road’ in 2011 and toured for the first time. They have now played an incredible 374 shows together, have released three albums, two of them breaking into the UK top 10.

Wiesbaden Stadtfest 2013 Mike+The Mechanics (Credit: Wikicommons)

With Nic Collins (son of Phil Collins) joining the band on drums in 2023 for the Refuelled! Tour (for Gary Wallis), they have continued to deliver phenomenal performances tour after tour with The Telegraph rating the last Royal Albert Hall show 4/5 saying how they “… bring down the house” and “… caught fire magnificently” and the Northern Echo simply calling the Newcastle show an “Exemplary performance”.

Mike Rutherford says: “It occurred to me when we started talking about this tour that the core of this line up is the longest standing we have had with The Mechanics. It is absolute testament to Roach, Tim, Luke and Anthony that we are going back on the road again – they are wonderful musicians and wonderful people, and the way Nic slotted in not only brought down the bands average age quite considerably, but brings a different energy, which has been a real cherry on the cake! I can’t wait to be doing this again, I honestly don’t think we would if it wasn’t for these gentlemen, 17 years have flown by! We look forward to seeing you soon.”

Divided into two legs, the UK tour kicks off on 8 May 2027 before heading to Germany. They return to the UK at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 7 June. Full UK tour details are below.

Tickets can be purchased from from 9am, Friday 25 September via www.mikeandthemechanics.com, www.ticketmaster.co.uk, and www.ticketline.co.uk

UK Tour Dates

May 2027

Saturday 8th – Harrogate Convention Centre

Monday 10th – Birmingham, Symphony Hall

Tuesday 11th – Swansea Building Society Arena

Wednesday 12th – Bath, The Forum

June 2027

Monday 7th – London, Royal Albert Hall

Tuesday 8th – Portsmouth Guildhall

Thursday 10th – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Friday 11th – Manchester, The Bridgewater Hall

Sunday 13th – Gateshead, The Glasshouse

Monday 14th – Sheffield City Hall

Wednesday 16th – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Thursday 17th – Brighton, Dome

www.mikeandthemechanics.com

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