The Wombats announce 20th anniversary tour for ‘A Guide To Love, Loss & Desperation’
The Wombats have announced a UK and European tour for April 2027 to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their debut album, 'A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation'. The Liverpool trio will perform the record in full each night, revisiting the songs that helped establish them as one of the most recognisable British indie bands of the late 2000s.
The tour begins in Paris on 1 April before travelling through Cologne, Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam and Antwerp. Four UK dates will follow in Manchester, Glasgow and London, before the celebrations conclude with an intimate hometown performance at Liverpool's Arts Club on 18 April.
Released on 5 November 2007, 'A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation' arrived during a period when British guitar music dominated the charts, festival line-ups and indie club nights. Arctic Monkeys, The Kooks, The Fratellis and The Enemy were among the bands enjoying considerable success, but The Wombats brought something different to the scene. Their songs were frantic, funny and frequently ridiculous, mixing infectious guitar melodies with Matthew Murphy's observations about relationships, rejection, nights out and the anxieties of growing up.
The album reached Number 11 on the UK Albums Chart and introduced a collection of songs that would become staples of indie discos for years to come. 'Kill the Director' was an early standout, combining an irresistible chorus with Murphy's frustration at the unrealistic expectations created by romantic comedies. Its references to 'Bridget Jones' captured the band's ability to turn everyday romantic disasters into something amusing and immediately relatable.
'Moving to New York' combined bouncing guitars with Murphy's tales of jealousy and romantic disappointment, while 'Let's Dance to Joy Division' became the album's defining anthem. Inspired by a night out in Liverpool, the latter turned the unlikely idea of dancing through life's difficulties to Joy Division into an indie disco favourite, eventually winning Best Dancefloor Filler at the 2008 NME Awards.
Backfire at the Disco' continued the band's fascination with disastrous relationships, while 'Party in a Forest (Where's Laura?)' and 'School Uniforms' captured their more eccentric side. Beneath the humour, songs such as 'Here Comes the Anxiety' revealed a more vulnerable songwriter. The anniversary shows will offer an opportunity to revisit these lesser-played tracks alongside the singles that have remained part of their live performances for two decades.
Speaking about the anniversary, drummer Dan Haggis said the band felt it was only fair to throw "a bit of a party". He recalled how the album transformed their fortunes, taking them from travelling around Britain in his grandmother's car and sleeping on promoters' floors to performing across Europe, America, Japan and Australia.
The record laid the foundations for everything that followed. Their second album, 'This Modern Glitch', produced favourites including 'Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)' and 'Jump Into the Fog', while 'Glitterbug' introduced 'Greek Tragedy', which later found a new audience through TikTok. Further albums followed, including 'Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life' and 2022's 'Fix Yourself, Not the World', their first UK Number One album.
The band returned in February 2025 with their sixth studio album, 'Oh! The Ocean', which reached Number Four in the UK. Haggis has also hinted that more new music is on the way, suggesting the anniversary celebrations will not mean putting their future plans on hold.
Each night of the tour will be divided into two halves. The first will feature 'A Guide to Love, Loss & Desperation' performed from beginning to end, while the second will draw on the band's subsequent albums. Although the additional songs have yet to be confirmed, their extensive catalogue offers plenty of possibilities, including 'Greek Tragedy', 'Tokyo (Vampires & Wolves)', 'Turn' and 'If You Ever Leave, I'm Coming with You'.
Support across selected dates will come from The Snuts (Europe Only), Cherryholt, Abbie McCarthy and Filip Clements.
The Wombats 2027 Anniversary Tour Dates
April 2027
- 1 April – Paris, Le Trianon
- 3 April – Cologne, Palladium
- 4 April – Berlin, Columbiahalle
- 5 April – Munich, Zenith
- 7 April – Amsterdam, Gashouder
- 8 April – Antwerp, Trix
- 10 April – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse
- 13 April – Glasgow, O2 Academy Glasgow
- 16 April – London, O2 Academy Brixton
- 18 April – Liverpool, Arts Club
Pre-sale tickets will be available from Wednesday 14 October at 9am BST, with general sale opening on Friday 16 October at 9am BST. Tickets and further information are available through The Wombats' official website.