hello from tour + first look at some pics from the road (Patreon)

hello SDC! greetings from a beautiful sunny brussels. today we play a venue attached to a botanical gardens! life is good

well, wow: somehow we're alrEADY on the 12th show of my HERO tour. I can't believe how quickly the last few weeks have flown by 🦸‍♀️ and I *cannot believe* how much I'm enjoying these shows. I've been wearing a cape on stage and everything lads - AM I PEAKING? AM I REACHING MY FINAL FORM? I think so.

here are a selection of my favourite on-stage & BTS photos Em has taken of the adventure so far (Em is in the SDC btw - so everyone say thank youuuuu Emmmmmm). our tour gang on the road this time around is made up of:

Andy - tour manager, front of house

Scarlet - bass, keys, BVs

Sara - drums, playback

Jordan - guitar tech, stage managing

Em - photos/vids, merch

and a few others not with us helped with the creative elements: Jamie, Rosie & Jack helped put together the lights & set pieces we're touring and the über talented Francesca helped style me, putting together all the looks I've been borrowing for these shows (left to my own devices I'm not always how the hell to dress myself.. so the help really is appreciated. cue that Fleabag confession box scene where she's like "I want someone to tell me what to do, what to wear...").

y'all know I'm a stickler for the details & I feel I've really had the chance to go IN on the details for these shows.. I feel soo very lucky to have this band & crew with me, a small but mighty gang who care as much as I do about putting on an amazing show (despite limitations such as budget, there not being that many of us on the road, etc)!

speaking of - boring logistical talk - I'm losing a bunch of money on these EU/UK shows; we're talking tens of thousands.. (a hole we're hoping will be somewhat filled w merch income 🤞). I know it sounds nuts (and it is) that you could be playing to hundreds, sometimes 1000+ people a night and still be losing so much money - but at this level even when you run a tight ship the costs simply outweigh the show fees. the bus, hotels, band + crew wages, fuel.. it's hugely, eye-wateringly expensive. there are decisions I could make to soften the blow: increasing the cost of tickets, paying the band/crew less.. but none of them sit right with me, so I accept the loss & focus on the positives.

so if tours lose money, WHY TOUR? (many have asked me) - well, because it's the greatest reminder of why I do what I do, god damnit. HUMAN CONNECTION !!!!! it's the most powerful thing I could possibly fucking imagine - seeing the effect your music has on people in such a tangible way, the role it plays in their lives; hearing your lyrics yelled back at you, making a whole room of people think/cry/dance.. it's simply what this is all about. nothing online can ever replicate the feeling of being up there on these stages; it's cathartic, it's grounding, it's a frickin privilege

also - shoutout to you lot on this patreon for collectively cushioning the financial fall when I do choose to take risks like this! whether or not you can make it to a show, by virtue of being here in the SDC you're contributing to keeping my project afloat and allowing me to tour /release these records independently. as someone who doesn't come from FAMILY MONEY (my god you have nooo idea how many of your fave artists do) it's a hugely tangible thing for me, an honour I don't take lightly. thank you.

tomorrow we play Paris (remaining tickets here!) and then I'll have a day at home before we head up to GLASGOWWW, MANCHESTER + LONDON ! all these UK shows are sO close to sellout (particularly glasgow + ldn) so if you're on the fence please do come through and see the bloody rock show! it's mega and I so love to see the SDC there. ticket links for all shows (including our north america HERO run in April/may) here : )

all my love

bisous bisous

OG xxxx