Rick Astley and Blossoms announce The Songs of The Smiths shows

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Rick Astley and Blossoms have announced two shows celebrating the music of The Smiths.

After Tom Ogden and co surprised fans at their first of three shows at London’s O2 Kentish Town Forum earlier this week, by bringing out the 'Never Gonna Give You Up' hitmaker to perform The Smiths' classics 'Panic' and 'This Charming Man', they've announced 'The Songs of The Smiths' concert series.

The 'Charlemagne' rockers and the 80s pop legend will play Manchester’s Albert Hall on October 8 and return to the O2 Forum Kentish Town on October 9.

Blossoms' frontman Tom, 28, said: “The Smiths have always meant so much to Blossoms, with even their rainiest songs complete with wry humour and soul-reaching musicianship and melody. Their poppier moments are pure, joyful, danceable poetry. Imagine backing Rick Astley to play the songs of The Smiths? We’ve had wilder dreams, but not many. We’ll barely be able to believe it until it happens, but the dates are set, we’re studying every note, line and beat to say ‘thank you’ to The Smiths alongside Rick and do both of them proud.”

Rick, 55, added: “From the moment The Smiths emerged in 1983 I was hooked and it’s as a fan, with deep respect as a musician for Morrissey, Marr, Rourke and Joyce, that I’ll be joining the endlessly enthusiastic and talented Blossoms on stage to sing their songs. It’s no secret that it’s been an ambition of mine to turn an idea that first sounded crazy, making more sense as Blossoms and I talked about it and then rehearsed it, into a reality. These shows will be nights that I’ll never forget.”

Rick - who previously joined Foo Fighters on stage in 2017 to perform a mashup of Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' and 'Never Gonna Give You Up' - is making his dream come true, as he previously vowed to perform a concert of Smiths covers in Manchester.

He said in 2016: "I do like doing that. Age has made me think I have to stop giving a s*** what anybody else thinks and do exactly what I want to do, so one day I’m going to do a gig in Manchester where I’m going to sing [all] Smiths songs because I absolutely love The Smiths. I’ll probably get lynched for it, but I just want to do it. Why not?"

Tickets for the pair of shows go on sale on Friday at 9am from seetickets.com.

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