Billy Bragg

Billy Bragg, the great English performer and songwriter, releases a new single ‘The Beach Is Free” / “I Almost Killed You” as a double A side single, on download only, from Monday July 21st. The single is taken from his highly acclaimed new album, ‘Mr. Love & Justice, which was released on March 3rd. Following on from his sold out UK tour earlier this year, which included a show at London’s Roundhouse, Billy has announced a thirteen-date solo tour which includes a date @ Vicar St. on December 4th. Tickets are €28 on sale from Monday June 16th @ 9am through Ticketmaster and other usual outlets nationwide. Booking Line: 0818 719 390. Bragg has recently been championed by a new generation of musicians. The Nationwide Mercury Prize-shortlisted Hard-Fi, for instance, invited Billy to support them for six nights at London’s Brixton Academy in May last year. The band later covered Bragg’s ‘Levi Stubbs’ Tears’ for a BBC Radio One session while Kate Nash performed ‘A New England’ with Billy at the NME Awards in February. Bragg was also presented with Q magazine’s prestigious ‘Classic Songwriter’ award by KT Tunstall in October 2007. Bragg made a special guest appearance with Kate Nash at London’s Union Chapel on 26th November 2007. This show was part of the Little Noises Sessions which is curated by Radio One’s Jo Whiley in aid of the Mencap charity. This was the second time Bragg had appeared with Nash - they shared a stage at London’s Electric Ballroom earlier in 2007 as part of the Camden Crawl. Nash later told the NME: "When I watched him at the Electric Ballroom it was the best thing ever, to see him, one guy, one guitar and for him to have such an effect on such a huge amount of people. Everyone was smiling and singing along. It’s about connecting with people."