Gavin James Australia Tour September 2016

Gavin James is one of Ireland’s fastest rising stars, soaring to the top end of the Irish charts for his debut album, Bitter Pill, and the having the likes of Ed Sheeran and James Corden singing his praises. Now after stirring up quite the fuss in the Northern Hemisphere James has announced he will tour Australia for the very first time this September.

Last year was a blast for Gavin James, but it was only the beginning for the down-to-earth Dubliner. Named as a ‘Spotify Spotlight Artist of 2016′, his heavenly voice and habit of jumping in to audiences to start sing-alongs has won an army of adoring admirers from across the globe. His world tour follows an enormous year of highlights for the Choice Music ‘Irish Song of the Year Award’ winner. Touring with the likes of Sam Smith, opening for friend and fan Ed Sheeran in Dublin in front of 164,000 people, and opening for Taylor Swift in Hyde Park, his star continues to rise internationally.

The 24 year old honed his craft playing raucous Dublin pubs, and in 2013, aged 21, independently released single ‘Say Hello’ winning the Meteor Choice Award for Song of The Year. An EP led to several of his songs become radio hits, but his success in Ireland didn’t immediately translate abroad.

In summer 2014, a chance meeting with Ed Sheeran in a pub in Dublin saw the pair sit up jamming and drinking whisky all night and Sheeran tweeting that record labels were missing out if they didn’t sign his new mate. A publishing deal soon followed, before Gavin recorded Live At Whelan’s. By the time of its release in January last year, deals with Sony in Europe and Capitol in the States were in place.

What no one expected for the live album to take off in America, where its only cover, a haunting version of Magnetic Fields’ ‘The Book Of Love’, became a radio staple. Gavin found himself on the US TV chat show circuit – Dancing With The Stars, Jimmy Kimmel, twice on super-fan James Cordon’s show. Then Sam Smith heard his music and took him on tour.

“The crazy bit is that ‘Book Of Love’ wasn’t supposed to be on the album,” says Gavin. “It was just my warm-up song. But when I’d finished the encore and the crowd was leaving, for some reason, I ran back on stage, called people back in and added it to my set.”

“It was a real ‘fate’ moment. And funny – because I said I’d quit doing covers then my only cover takes off.”

But you won’t hear Gavin complaining.“Never,” he says. “I’m loving every minute of this. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted and I can’t wait to know what comes next.”

James will showcase Bitter Pill when heads south to play four intimate shows in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth this September.

Gavin James  – Australian Tour 2o16

*General Tickets on-sale from  www.troubadour-music.com*
Thu 22 Sept – Black Bear Lodge, Brisbane

Fri 23 Sept – Plan B, Sydney

Sat 24 Sept – Ding Dong Lounge, Melbourne

Sun 25 Sept – The Boston, Perth