David Gray announces rare track release and 3Arena gig

Multi-platinum, multi-Brit award and Grammy-nominated, singer-songwriter David Gray is today announcing a 12-date Irish, UK, and European arena tour. White Ladder: The 20th Anniversary Tour will celebrate the trailblazing album’s 20-year anniversary.

The biggest-selling album of all time in Ireland and one of the greatest word-of-mouth successes in music, White Ladder will be performed by Gray with all the original band members and with all the original equipment to recreate the record in its entirety, plus a set of the greatest hits.

In addition to the tour, Gray is also premiering the rare track, 'Over My Head', today. The track originally featured as a B-side on various single releases of 'Babylon' and 'This Year’s Love', as well as being the bonus track on the Japanese White Ladder release.

"It’s the 20th anniversary of White Ladder, a unique record with its own remarkable history," reminisces Gray. "It’s an album that came from nowhere to steal the hearts of millions all over the world, completely transforming my life in the process. Twenty years on and it feels like White Ladder is just as alive for people now as it was back then - so to celebrate this milestone, I will be releasing a special anniversary version of the album."

The expanded 20th anniversary edition of White Ladder will be released on 2xCD, 4xLP, and digital formats. This will include a special remastered edition of the iconic album plus White Ladder era previously-unreleased rarities, B-sides, and demos. Physical versions will be accompanied by an extensive booklet with writings by Gray about the whole White Ladder experience, from the people involved, to the stories behind the songs and memorable shows.

The newly-remastered original album will also be released on 2LP white-colored vinyl for the first time, as well as on CD and digital.

White Ladder was born of difficult circumstances. Gray had been struggling on the margins for a decade as a lonely figure with an acoustic guitar swimming against the tide of Britpop, grunge, hip hop, and electro. With three albums to his name, he found himself advertised at a gig third on the bill to beer and a barbecue.

“Futility was so thick on the ground it was utterly soul destroying,” he remembers. He came close to quitting. But instead, he challenged himself to write a better record and decided to persevere.

Written and recorded on minimal budget by Gray in the bedroom of a tiny terraced house in Stoke Newington, David experimented with drum machines and electronic elements, creating a blend of folktronica that has since become a familiar part of the musical landscape, aided by drummer Craig McClune and engineer Lestyn Polson.

Self-released at first on his own kitchen sink label, White Ladder slowly found an audience, primarily in Ireland. White Ladder eventually spent six consecutive weeks atop the Irish charts and to this day remains the best-selling album ever in Ireland.

Its success spawned a new wave of singer-songwriters in an acoustic boom that resonates to this day. Ed Sheeran has covered ‘This Year’s Love’ live and British superstar Adele is also an admirer, citing the song as one of her all-time-favourite break-up songs.

“What happened with White Ladder involved more than music," insists Gray. "It was a sort of heart-and-soul moment of total surrender for everybody involved, for me and the audience. That was it. It doesn't get any better than that.”

The 20th anniversary edition of White Ladder is available for preorder here.

Tickets for the tour will go on sale at 9am on Friday 11 October. Fans can have access to presale tickets on Wednesday October 9th by pre-ordering products from the remastered collection here.

White Ladder: The 20th Anniversary Tour Dates

20 March - Liverpool @ M&S Bank Arena
21 March - Glasgow @ The SSE Hydro
22 March - Cardiff @ Motorpoint Arena
24 March - Bournemouth @ International Centre
26 March - London @ The O2 Arena
27 March - Leeds @ First Direct Arena
28 March - Birmingham @ Resorts World Arena
31 March - Belfast @ The SSE Arena
02 April - Dublin @ 3Arena
07 April - Antwerp @ Lotto Arena
08 April - Amsterdam @ AFAS Live
09 April - Cologne @ Palladium

Expanded Track Listing

CD1 / LP1&2

White Ladder 2020 remaster:
1. Please Forgive Me
2. Babylon
3. My Oh My
4. We’re Not Right
5. Nightblindness
6. Silver Lining
7. White Ladder
8. This Year’s Love
9. Sail Away
10. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

CD2 / LP3&4

Unreleased rarities & B-sides:
1. Lights Of London
2. Over My Head
3. Monday Morning
4. Tired Of Me
5. Roots Of Love
6. Walking In Circles
7. Through To Myself
8. Over My Head (demo)
9. What On Earth (demo)
10. Silver Lining (demo)
11. This Year’s Love (demo)
12. Please Forgive Me (demo)

White Ladder: 2020 Remaster

Available on: CD, 2LP (Gatefold, white vinyl), digital

CD1 / LP1&2

White Ladder 2020 remaster track listing:
1. Please Forgive Me
2. Babylon
3. My Oh My
4. We’re Not Right
5. Nightblindness
6. Silver Lining
7. White Ladder
8. This Year’s Love
9. Sail Away
10. Say Hello, Wave Goodbye