Au Pairs
THE ICONIC BAND RETURNS
‘Playing With A Different Sex’ 45th Anniversary tour
very special guests:
Gina Birch & The Unreasonables*
Lesley Woods, frontperson, lead singer, songwriter, and guitarist of the legendary post-punk band Au Pairs, is thrilled to announce their first concerts in over 40 years. The Au Pairs will perform 20 shows, beginning on 16th January at The 1865 and concluding in London at the Electric Ballroom on 1st May.
“The original Au Pairs formed in B’ham around 1978/1979 in the post-punk era and are regarded as being years ahead of their time. They were (still are) a progressive feminist/political band but by end 1983 the original band had folded
Early this year ( 2025 ) I was invited to re-form the band with new members and offered a UK tour. I felt really privileged to be given that opportunity. It was something I had longed to do and had slowly but steadily been working towards for around the last 15 years in a stop and start fashion and here, finally was the chance to do it for real and also to become part of a community of fellow musicians, writers and other creative peeps.
I then set about finding new members. I wanted to retain the 2 women/2 men balance and so I invited Estella Adeyeri from Big Joanie ( a band I admire a lot ) and who also plays with Widget ( who are a very cleverly amusing and highly entertaining band ) to take on bass duties. I invited Jem Doulton to take on drum duties and Alex Ward guitar duties. Both are in the Thurston Moore group. Alex has also played with Pere Ubu. Alex is a fantastic musician… In truth all of them are and music is their raison d’etre. Having seen them play with their other respective bands, I can vouch for their passion for live performing. I was real chuffed when they all agreed to play with me and I’m hoping to collaborate with them in creating new material for an album. I have been getting positive responses to the idea of making a record but it is very early days at the moment …..
Anyways the result is that we have a shit hot band who will bring a fresh, energised lease of life to the new Au Pairs and the material which is as pertinent and relevant today as ever given the humungous pile of shit raining down on us all. I am even seeing St George crosses painted on the zebra crossing in my part of Hackney… Scarey stuff.
I can assure audiences the show will not be boring. It will be loud, exciting, dancey, beautifully and passionately executed and performed and there will be good energy and vibes between the performers and them and the audience. It will be a total pleasure to the senses of everyone present and the audience will go away feeling totally satisfied and uplifted
We want to attract as diverse an audience as possible including peeps who loved the Au Pairs first time round, new and old friends from the LGBTQ community and peeps who have yet to come to know our music. I know there are some individuals out there who are of the opinion that what I am doing is somehow wrong and who have nothing but negative opinions to express. All I ask of them is that they give us a chance. If they don’t like it, then that’s ok. That’s their choice but just give us a chance, come along and have a dance or as Funkadelic would have it “shit god damn, get off your asses and jam !” We are all on the same side and none of us will be here forever. I have high hopes that at the B’ham gig the ex-Au pairs will join me on stage for a track or two. Much love to you all and keep up the good fight as we gotto fight for wot we believe in harder than ever ……” Lesley Woods.
AU PAIRS 2026 UK TOUR dates in full
January
16 Southhampton The 1865 **
17 Cambridge Junction **
23 Bath Komedia **
24 Birmingham The Crossing **
30 Exeter Phoenix *
31 Brighton Chalk **
February
27 Nottingham Metronome *
28 Lincoln The Drill *
March
7 Belfast Limelight II *
20 Newcastle Wylam Brewery *
21 Sheffield Network *
26 Colchester Arts Centre *
27 Leeds Beckett University **
28 Manchester O2 Ritz **
April
17 Cardiff Y Plas **
18 Liverpool Grand Central Hall **
24 Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom **
25 Edinburgh Queens Hall **
30 Bristol Trinity Arts Centre *
31 London Electric Ballroom
- Gina Birch & The Unreasonables
