Alabama 3 announce four Irish dates

Our favourite South London reprobates Alabama 3 bring their full line-up to Mandela Hall, Belfast (June 26); Button Factory, Dublin (27); Daytripper Festival, Waterford (28) and Westport Festival (29).

Also due before then is a second Robert Love & Ghost Flight album, a “rebel resistance songs meets Merle Haggard” collaboration between the Bammies lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Brendan O’Connell who we suspect has a wee bit of Irish blood in him. They’ve been assembling the collection in LA with Buffy St Marie, Rumer and Liza J among the ladies – typical Rob! – contributing.

Mr. Love has also paid his respects to Butch Reynolds whose son Nick is Alamaba 3’s harp player.

“While some of us aspire to the status of outlaw he was the real deal and an example to us all that to live outside the law you must be honest,” he says of the Great Train Robber who passed away last month aged 81. “A notable wit and raconteur, Alabama 3 were lucky enough to share both stage and studio with him, and of course to work with his son… of whom his Dad wryly mused, ‘Glad to see you got a proper fucking job!’ Our love and thoughts are with Nick and family and to the man who crossed the line and pulled off one the greatest ‘jobs’ of all time.”