Legendary British ska band Madness have announced that they will be playing Galway Summer Sessions next August as part of their C'est La Vie tour. Having played Trinity College last June, the band are set to make their Irish return, marking the release of their latest studio album, which dropped earlier this month.

A characteristically punchy suite of timeless Madness brilliance, the band's 13th album Theatre Of The Absurd Presents C'est La Vie was conjured up by the band under the governing mission statement: "let Madness be Madness."

reflecting the bumpy years of its creation, the record's 14 songs represent the cream of the bumper crop of tunes the group cooked up, whittled down to a sonically eclectic collection that offers a new take on the band's signature sound. With moments of ineffably catchy pop excellence, drummer Daniel ‘Woody’ Woodgate’s beguiling, bittersweet carousel ‘Round We Go’, and Chrissy-Boy’s anarchic, punk-inflected anthem ‘Run For Your Life' ; Theatre Of the Absurd Presents C’Est La Vie also has its more wistful cuts, with titletrack 'C'est La Vie' reflecting on the perils of everyday life, whilst the record is bookended by two of Suggs’ finest compositions.

Of the new release Madness had this to say: "Well, well, well, here we are.. Our thirteenth album (lucky for some) Theatre Of the Absurd Presents C’Est La Vie is ready for your ears. For us, recording it was the perfect antidote to the chaos of the past few years - we were all there, properly in the zone. It was just us, in an industrial unit in Cricklewood, playing together. We loved it!”

Emerging from the backstreets of Camden town in the late '70s, Madness consists of Graham "Suggs" McPherson (vocals), Chris Foreman (guitar), Mike Barson (keyboards, piano, backing vocals), Dan Woodgate (drums), Lee Thompson (saxophone, percussion, vocals) and Mark Bedford (bass).

Scoring an impressive array of hits through 40 years, with hits like 'It Must Be Love', 'Our House,' 'One Step Beyond' and 'baggy Trousers,' Madness are renowned for their energetic stage presence, fiercely danceable sonics and upbeat ska anthems. Taking to the stage in their trademark black hats, the band's live shows are riotous displays of  nostalgia-inflected theatrics, steeped in incisive humour and infectious rhythms, as the band run through the well-loved hits and striking newer cuts at a rip-roaring pace.

Set to grace Galway's Summer Sessions on Saturday 10th of August, Madness's gig is bound to be one for the ages...

Madness will play Galway Airport as part of Galway Summer Sessions on Saturday 10th of August 2024, with tickets from €59.90 including booking fee available via Ticketmaster from Friday December 1st at 9am.