Just as he did earlier this year with thinly disguised hints about Los Angeles concerts, Jeff Lynne took to social media today (March 24) to tease upcoming dates in New York. On his Facebook and Twitter accounts, Lynne wrote: “Could our ship be landing soon in NYC?” and offered a special URL, jefflynneselo.nyc. Later that day, Lynne posted an image of the familiar ELO spaceship hovering over the Manhattan skyline.
Could our ship be landing soon in NYC?https://t.co/00GxLnEiaz
— Jeff Lynne’s ELO (@JeffLynnesELO) March 24, 2016
Lynne’s announcement was almost identical to what he did on February 1, three days before announcing several dates at the Hollywood Bowl. Those dates are scheduled for September 9-10-11 with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Strings.
Jeff Lynne’s ELO U.K. and European tour kicks off in Liverpool on April 5 and continues through June 26, which includes a roughly six weeks off, which could presumably be filled with more overseas dates.
The re-tooled Electric Light Orchestra has played a handful of dates over the past 18 months. A huge comeback event before 50,000 in London’s Hyde Park in September 2014 gave Lynne the confidence that the public interest was not only there, it was insatiable. He recorded Alone In The Universe and signed a worldwide deal with Columbia Records.
Under the moniker Jeff Lynne’s ELO, the album was released on November 13, 2015 and the band did an intimate show at London’s Porchester Hall on November 9th. Club dates in New York (November 20th) and Los Angeles (November 24th) with the 12-piece orchestra followed while Lynne did tons of press and TV appearances.
In its review of the NYC Irving Plaza gig, Best Classic Bands called it a “triumph” and wrote Lynne’s “singing voice sounded great and even at 67 was able to hit most of the high notes of songs that he originally recorded while in his twenties.” Here’s “Mr. Blue Sky” from that performance…
2016 Alone In The Universe Tour Dates:
April 05 – Liverpool Echo Arena
April 07 – Nottingham Capital FM Arena
April 09 – Leeds First Direct Arena
April 10 – Manchester Arena
April 12 – Glasgow SSE Hydro
April 14 – Newcastle Upon Tyne Metro Radio Arena
April 16 – Birmingham Genting Arena
April 17 – Birmingham Genting Arena
April 20 – London O2 Arena
April 22 – London O2 Arena
April 23 – London O2 Arena
April 26 – London O2 Arena
April 29 – Dublin 3 Arena
May 1 – Amsterdam Ziggo Dome
May 3 – Zurich Hallenstadion
May 5 Oberhausen Koenig Pilsener Arena
June 22 – Manchester Manchester Arena
June 24 – Birmingham Barclaycard Arena
June 26 – Somerset Glastonbury Festival
Sept 9 – Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl
Sept 10 – Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl
Sept 11 – Los Angeles Hollywood Bowl
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