The Smiths are set to be remembered in grand fashion this autumn as legendary drummer Mike Joyce and acclaimed producer Stephen Street team up for a special UK tour celebrating four decades of the band’s masterpiece, The Queen Is Dead. Four decades after its 1986 release, the album remains one of the most celebrated records in British music history, having previously been named NME’s Greatest Album of All Time. This landmark anniversary tour offers fans an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the creative magic, studio sessions, and enduring legacy of an album that defined a generation.
The Smiths fans can look forward to an engaging evening of conversation as Joyce and Street take to the stage alongside a special guest host. Together, the pair will deliver a track-by-track breakdown of the entire record, sharing personal memories, unreleased insights, and technical details from the original recording sessions. Beyond the storytelling, each event will feature archive video footage, rare memorabilia on display, and an opportunity for attendees to participate in a live audience question-and-answer session alongside signing opportunities.
The Smiths tour kicks off on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the Arc Theatre in Stockton, before making its way across the country throughout the autumn months. The October leg includes stops at Manchester’s New Century Hall on October 4, the Cheese & Grain in Frome on October 8, Kidderminster Town Hall on October 18, and the Y Theatre in Leicester on October 22.
The Smiths celebrations continue into November and December with dates at the Tung Auditorium in Liverpool on November 8, Sheffield’s Foundry on November 12, and the Queens Hall in Edinburgh on November 26. The nationwide tour will wrap up with a final performance at Kings Place in London on Saturday, December 5, 2026, offering music lovers across the UK a rare chance to celebrate one of indie rock’s defining moments with two of the key figures who helped create it.
