Thomas Dolby was always so much more than just the iconic 1980s song, "She Blinded Me with Science." He might not have produced a long run of hits, but he helped scope the sound of what became New Wave. If you have any questions about what to do with a synthesizer, Dolby can tell you, and do so with charm.
But his song structure was always solid. Just because he used an instrument where he could bend the notes and sounds to his will doesn't mean the songs are weak. To prove that, on his new tour, fans will hear a bit of a more stripped-down production. If you want to get real, Dolby will bring you reality.
He will also intersperse the tunes with tales of the same. He will explain exactly how the song came to be, how he wrote it, and what was the inspiration.
Thomas Dolby announces unique tour: Here are the dates
Dolby released a book in 2018 called Speed of Sound, which is a memoir but discusses how the proverbial sausage is made. His 2026 tour will do the same thing, so it is part learning about the songs, but getting to hear them bare-bones and finding out how tunes such as "I Scare Myself" became the versions they did should be fascinating.
Tickets for the tour go on sale to the general public on Friday, January 30, the same date as VIP sales. For more information, one can visit Thomas Dolby's official website.
Thomas Dolby 2026 tour dates:
- April 14 - Plymouth, MA @ Spire Center
- April 15 - New York, NY @ Racket
- April 16 - Kingston, NY @ Assembly
- April 18 - Lansing, MI @ Grewal Hall
- April 19 - Indianapolis, IN @ The Vogue
- April 20 - Chicago, IL @ House of Blues
- April 21 - St. Louis, MO @ City Winery
- May 15 - Manchester, U.K. @ O2 Ritz
- May 16 - Bournemouth, U.K. @ O2 Academy
- May 17 - Bristol, U.K. @ O2 Academy
- May 20 - Birmingham, U.K. @ O2 Institute
- May 21 - London, U.K. @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire
- May 24 - Leeds, U.K. @ O2 Academy
- May 26 - Edinburgh, U.K. @ The Queen's Hall