TRACK OF THE DAY : Badly Drawn Boy - Is This A Dream?

Is This A Dream? is Badly Drawn Boy's first new material since 2012's Being Flynn soundtrack album. With his immediately recognisable voice and ability to craft lyrics drenched in equal parts in romance and world-weariness, Is This A Dream? has a streak of optimism and hope running through it if those you love stick together.

James / Badly Drawn Boy / Get Cape Wear Cape Fly - Scarborough Open Air Theatre - 18th August 2018

James' summer of promotion of their new album Living In Extraordinary Times continued in the picturesque surroundings of Scarborough's Peasholm Park in the Outdoor Theatre. A perfect summer's evening opened by Get Cape Wear Cape Fly and Badly Drawn Boy saw the band mix tracks from the new album with old favourites in a spectacular set.

James, Razorlight, The Fratellis, The View, Embrace, Badly Drawn Boy, The Pigeon Detectives, The Membranes, Clay - Liverpool Hope And Glory Festival - 5th August 2017

Given the events that occurred at Hope And Glory on Saturday and the subsequent cancellation of Sunday's festival (documented here), the music almost feels like an aside, but despite the difficult circumstances in some areas of the site, the bands themselves manage to brave on against technical issues, stage times overrunning by up to two and a half hours and curtailed sets to deliver a show for those fans that stayed.

Beck / Badly Drawn Boy - Manchester Albert Hall - 29th June 2016

Beck's much-anticipated return to Manchester sold out in minutes when they finally went on sale a few months back and The Albert Hall was rammed to steaming capacity upstairs and down for a set that spanned twenty years of Beck's diverse musical outputs from his breakthrough 1994 single Loser to his critically acclaimed 2014 album Morning Phase. Support came from Manchester's own Badly Drawn Boy.

Badly Drawn Boy - Manchester Bridgewater Hall - 31st July 2015

It's fifteen long years since Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Gough) won the Mercury Music Prize with his debut album The Hour Of Bewilderbeast. After a couple of years off the scene, he's returned to play it in full ahead of a new album later in the year. We caught up with him at an emotional homecoming Manchester show that acted not just as a celebration of the album, but also as a form of personal catharsis.

Liam Frost / Badly Drawn Boy - Manchester Roadhouse - 12th July 2014

Tonight's gig was to celebrate the life of Roadhouse co-owner Steve Lloyd who passed away with cancer earlier this year and to raise funds for the Christie Hospital in Manchester.  We caught the top two bands on the bill - Liam Frost and Badly Drawn Boy.

Badly Drawn Boy and Liam Frost Team Up For Christies Charity Gig

Badly Drawn Boy and Liam Frost have teamed up for a charity show with all proceeds going to Manchester's Christies Hospital.  The show takes place at The Roadhouse on Saturday 12th July.

Badly Drawn Boy - Manchester Deaf Institute - 6th September 2013

Badly Drawn Boy

Manchester Deaf Institute

6th September 2013

This sold-out show at the Deaf Institute in Manchester is Badly Drawn Boy (aka Damon Gough)'s first headline show for a couple of years.  In that time he's gone through a series of personal crises that his music has got him through.  What we witnessed was an emotional and cathartic evening for one of Manchester's finest songwriters and personalities.