Wilt on

The tour – their first with new guitarist and backing vocalist Derren Dempsey – kicks off on February 12th at Dolan's Warehouse, Limerick and then swings by Cuba, Galway (13th); Temple Bar Music Centre, Dublin (15th); Half Moon Club, Cork (16th); and the Zoo Bar, Kilkenny (17th). Support throughout is provided by Turn and possibly ex-Therapy? man Graham Hopkins' new outfit, Hopper.

Fans will be able to get a sneak preview of their second album, which has been produced by Manic Street Preachers man Dave Erringa.

"It's a bigger record (than Bastinado) in terms of dynamics, use of different instruments and general cohesiveness," Cormac Battle reveals. "Derren is great. He didn't play on the record but we wanted to bring everything out of the new songs live and asked him along to rehearsal one day. He just came around, plugged in and was completely into the songs from the word go."