Johnny Marr to play orchestral shows in Manchester
12 September 2023, 12:06 | Updated: 12 September 2023, 12:08
The former Smiths guitarist will mark a decade of his solo career with a pair of unique shows in his home city.
Johnny Marr has announced two special shows to mark a decade of his solo career.
The former Smiths guitarist issued his debut solo album The Messenger in 2013 and to celebrate, he will be performing a pair of concerts with a live orchestra in Manchester.
The gigs will take place at the new Aviva Studios as part of Factory International on 7th and 8th December 2023 and Marr will be joined by a 30-piece orchestra that the guitarist has assembled from musicians across the North.
The shows will songs from across Marr's extensive catalogue and caps a summer of performances that have seen the musician play perform headline shows, summer festivals and outdoor gigs as special guests with The Killers and Noel Gallagher.
Marr says of the forthcoming Manchester shows: “I’ve had two experiences of playing with an orchestra – Hans Zimmer, obviously, and also with Pet Shop Boys – but to actually sing in front of an orchestra playing my own work, that’s a first. You can’t help feeling a little bit emotional.
"It’s been really enjoyable working on the arrangements. I’ve been doing a lot of pre-orchestration work, and some of the songs have taken on a sort of highly pumped symphonic feel.”
Tickets are on sale from 15th September at 10am from the Factory International website and there will be a pre-sale for Factory International Members from 13th September.
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Glastonbury 2023 saw Johnny team with his former "employers" the Pretenders for a special ecret set, and at Halifax’s Piece Hall he was joined by The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess for a version of the Electronic single Get The Message.
On 17th October, a new book Marr’s Guitars will be published by Thames & Hudson, which presents the most significant of the star's extensive collection of electric and acoustic guitars, with thoughts and memories from the man himself.