David Gray announced as first headline act for Live at Llangollen Pavilion 2026
David Gray will bring his Past & Present World Tour to Llangollen in 2026 as part of next summer’s TK Maxx Presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion.
Following his headline Legends set at Electric Picnic this weekend, David Gray today announces a brand-new summer run of UK & Ireland dates for 2026, including a date at Llangollen Pavilion on Friday June 26, where he will be joined on the night by special guests The Divine Comedy.
David said: “We’ve had the most amazing tour this year, from the opening night in Boston to the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, and then on to the Royal Albert Hall in London and the 3Arena in Dublin.
“These have been some of the most memorable and magical shows of my entire career. We’ve pushed ourselves as a band but it’s been richly rewarding and SO MUCH FUN! When everyone is in such fine form it would seem wrong to stop the ball from rolling – so with that in mind I’m delighted to announce a string of further dates for the summer of 2026. Exciting times!”
David Gray’s story is unlike any other. He spent almost a decade striving to make a breakthrough, and when it happened it did so in the biggest way imaginable as White Ladder became one of the best-selling British albums of recent decades and established him as an arena-filling artist.
As the years have passed, his songcraft has only deepened — his natural ability to convey specific emotions, atmospheres, or, as heard on his acclaimed 2021 album Skellig, a sense of place, has positioned him firmly in the lineage of classic poetic singer-songwriters.
While the likes of Ed Sheeran, Adele and Hozier have acknowledged his influence, Gray has continued to follow his own artistic path.
The response to Gray’s 13th album Dear Life has been extraordinary. Produced by Ben de Vries, critics have hailed it as “a brooding triumph” (Telegraph), “his most confessional and emotive work to date” (Clash), and “a slow-burner that catches fire” (Mojo).
The album has also drawn comparisons to Gray’s multi-platinum White Ladder — “the sonic DNA of White Ladder is present here” (Rolling Stone) and “his poppiest and most successful album since White Ladder” (Music OMH). His artistry as a songwriter has also been singled out — “this 13th album confirms Gray’s not lost his touch” (Guardian) and “a soulful collection of richly poetic songs about love, change and mortality” (Independent).
The headlining show is presented as part of an ongoing partnerships with the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and Live Nation promoters Cuffe and Taylor.
Cuffe and Taylor co-founder Peter Taylor said: “We’re delighted to once again be working with the team in Llangollen. This venue is in such a beautiful part of the world, and it is a pleasure to bring artists of the highest calibre here.
“We’ve had two great years in Llangollen so far and what a great way to kick off our plans for 2026 than by announcing David Gray – a multi award-winning artist with his own Welsh roots.”
Artistic Director of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod Dave Danford added: “We’re thrilled to be making our first announcement for summer 2026, ahead of our third year collaborating with Cuffe and Taylor on the Live at Llangollen Pavilion series of shows.
“David Gray is a hugely successful and popular artist, with strong roots in Wales after growing up in Pembrokeshire, so we’re really looking forward to welcoming him to Llangollen next year!”
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