The Delines debut album Colfax surprised fans and critics alike making many ‘records of the year’ lists after its release. Uncut gave it 9/10 stars and praised its songs claiming them to be “the richest collection of songs (Willy) Vlautin has written.” Sadly, lead singer Amy Boone was hit by a car, put into the hospital and recovery for many months.

The band put themselves on hold while Boone went through rehabilitation. During this period songwriter Willy Vlautin’s book Lean on Pete was released as a major motion picture and the previous vehicle for his songs, Richmond Fontaine, released their final album before breaking up after releasing more than ten records.

Now it’s January 2019 and, 5 years after their debut (and with their front-woman back to full fitness), the band’s sophomore offering The Imperial picks up the ‘widescreen romanticism’ of its predecessor.

Making it their Album Of The Month for January, Rough Trade call The Imperial “…a fully realized country-soul anthology of under-class, provincial America.

“Much like Colfax, The Imperial draws on the dark and seedy underbelly of the States (lonely bars, violent men and living out of cars) but Boone’s warm, maternal voice is sympathetic not derisive. In fact, it’s Boone’s vocals, along with the character-led lyrics, that set the foundations for ten vignettes about hard-living, hard-drinking, flawed but ultimately romantic American heroes.”

On this UK tour, Willy Vlautin is joined by Amy Boone (The Damnations, TX), Cory Gray as well as former Richmond Fontaine members, Sean Oldham and Freddie Trujillo.

Support for this gig comes from hugely talented Spanish singer-songwriter Joana Serrat.