Coral have announced their first headline UK tour in almost three years a month after surprise releasing their acclaimed, thirteenth album, 388. Opening in Sheffield on Fri 2 October 2026, a run of six shows including Manchester’s Albert Hall plus three arena support dates with The Mary Wallopers, are celebrated by the Merseyside five piece by simultaneously releasing a new video for optimistic new single, Leave It In The Past.
Pursuing a purposely low-ley, no hype non-strategy for the release of the 11-track, 388, the album was fully released at the end of May following two weeks under cover, stocked unannounced on independent record shop shelves in just one, standard black vinyl format.
As inspired by the band’s innocent formative days as the taped compilations they shared, Rocksteady, the earliest Wailers recordings and 60’s girl groups, The Coral enjoyed complete artistic freedom cut loose from outside expectations and commercial considerations.
Recorded to an original 1970’s Tascam 388 tape recorder and employing a ‘warts and all’ policy of retaining the essentially human, profoundly analogue sounds within the studio, mistakes included, the album was revealed with focus on the album opener, Let The Music Play, With a continued sense of introspection and focus on their roots, the release of a new video for Leave It In The Past finds the band performing amongst the bargains of Birkenhead Market in the company of director, James Slater.
Singer and songwriter, James Skelly, says of the location choice:
“Ian and I used to live above a pub in Charing Cross, Birkenhead and wander round the market at weekends. It was a magical place to us. The atmosphere of the place, and the characters you still find there, reflect the ethos of ‘388’. It’s simultaneously of today and another time entirely.”
Fri 23 October – Manchester, Albert Hall
Tickets for all dates go on sale Fri 3 July 2026 at 9.30am via links published on www.thecoral.co.uk
