Big Satsuma News Team
26 Sept 2023
Bauhaus Staircase is coming
We at Big Satsuma Radio are very excited about the forthcoming new Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album Bauhaus Staircase....
We will be sharing exciting news about the album with listeners soon....
For now...
Bauhaus Staircase arrives as the band’s most explicitly political record and the crowning achievement of their desire to be both Stockhausen and Abba - born from the impetus to kickstart new explorations during lockdown when, as Andy McCluskey admits: “I rediscovered the creative power of total boredom.”
Predominantly written, recorded, and mixed by both McCluskey & Paul Humphreys (who has recently become a second-time father), Bauhaus Staircase’s other main external influence was David Watts, mainly known as a rock producer who helmed Sheffield band The Reytons’ recent No 1 album and mixed two tracks on the new OMD record.
OMD have sold an astonishing 25 million singles and 15 million albums, which has established them as electronic synthesiser pioneers and one of Britain’s best-loved pop groups. Their 13 albums include reissued ‘Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark’ (1980), ‘Organisation’ (1980), ‘Architecture & Morality’ (1981) and ‘Dazzle Ships’ (1983).
By rights, OMD should be in semi-retirement, performing classics like Enola Gay and Maid Of Orleans on the nostalgia festival circuit like so many peers. Instead, they’ve created a landmark album worthy of their finest work. Bauhaus Staircase remains unmistakably the work of a duo who are still perfectly in sync 45 years after their first gig at legendary Liverpool club Eric’s.
“I’m very happy with what we’ve done on this record, McCluskey summarises. “I’m comfortable if this is OMD’s last statement.”
On Sept 18th the band announced details of a UK tour for 2024 alongside an official video for album track ’Slow Train’ - the full list of shows is as follows:
UK Headline tour 2024:
February:Tue 27th Belfast, Ulster HallWed 28th Dublin, 3Olympia Theatre
March:Fri 1st Manchester, O2 ApolloSun 3rd Liverpool, M&S Bank ArenaTue 5th Leeds, First Direct ArenaWed 6th Edinburgh, Usher HallFri 8th Glasgow, Royal Concert HallSat 9th Newcastle, O2 City HallSun 10th Sheffield, City HallTue 12th Leicester, De Montfort HallWed 13th Nottingham, Royal Concert HallFri 15th Wolverhampton, The HallsSat 16th Swansea, ArenaSun 17th Southend-On-Sea, Cliffs PavillionTue 19th Bristol, BeaconWed 20th Oxford, New TheatreFri 22nd Portsmouth, GuildhallSat 23rd Ipswich, RegentSun 24th London, The O2*Tue 26th Brighton, DomeWed 27th Eastbourne, Winter Gardens
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