Imelda May's Raised on Songs & Stories Tour returns with 'Lock In' edition

Imelda May's Raised on Songs & Stories Tour will return in 2027, with 21 shows around Ireland, this time with a special 'Lock In' environment.

The run will include stops in Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, Waterford, Drogheda and Limerick in February of next year, followed by Kilkenny, Wexford, Galway, Ennis, Cork, Killarney. Castlebar, Letterkenny, Belfast, another Dublin show, Carlow, Derry, Armagh and Donegal in March.

In her announcement, May described the lock in as "one of my favourite times in life when a wonderful night grows momentum and continues well into the morning. It's when laughter becomes louder, stories are elaborated and songs become truer.

"I want to reclaim the misconception abroad that the Irish pub is a place of 'drinking' rather than an important part of our rich culture of sharing songs and stories, where generations both young and old gather and exchange traditional lyrics, melodies, anecdotes and share knowledge with wit, warmth and pure joy," she continued.

This follows her 2026 Raised on Songs & Stories tour, which saw minimalist acoustic arrangements of her extensive music catalogue, including tracks from her breakthrough album Love Tattoo and her UK Top 10 album 11 Past the Hour.

"Imelda May's performance was a return to the essence of live music," wrote Hot Press of her Vicar Street show in February. "This journey through songs and stories fostered a shared sense of nostalgia, bringing strangers together through a personal and intimate experience, one I doubt I will soon forget."

The Dublin-born artist designed the tour to be a conversational, stripped-back experience, blending music with her storytelling. She also integrated live readings from her debut poetry book, A Lick & A Promise,and encouraged audience participation, occasionally inviting local guests onto the stage for unplanned collaborative performances.

"It's not the exact same show as before but it'll have the same elements of being a loose, intimate, personal night of story and song but this time in a 'Lock In' environment (instead of previous sitting room)," she said in her social media post announcing the tour.

May is known for her rockabilly revival sound, which sees her play guitar, bodhrán, bass guitar and tambourine. She formed her own band in 2002, released her debut album No Turning Back in 2003 and gained fame after appearing on Later... with Jools Holland in 2008.

In 2009, she won Best Female Artist at the Meteor Awards and earned Choice Music Prize Nominations.

Tickets go on sale October 27 at 10 am here.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Imelda May (@imeldaofficial)