The Skids will celebrate their landmark third studio album, The Absolute Game, with twelve special live shows across the UK in 2026.
Originally released in 1980, The Absolute Game became the band’s most commercially successful release, peaking at #9 on the UK Albums Chart and cementing their place as one of the most vital and inventive bands of their generation.
Featuring hit singles Circus Games, Goodbye Civilian, and A Woman in Winter, The Absolute Game captured the raw spirit and ambition of The Skids at their creative peak. More than four decades on, the band is bringing this iconic album back to the stage, offering fans a rare chance to experience it live in full force.
Formed in Dunfermline, Scotland, in 1977, The Skids quickly made their mark with a run of ten UK chart singles. These include the enduring anthem Into The Valley, as well as The Saints Are Coming — later reimagined by U2 and Green Day — alongside Masquerade, Working For The Yankee Dollar, Animation, and Charade.
The anniversary celebrations extend beyond the stage. To coincide with the tour, Glasgow label Last Night From Glasgow will re-release The Absolute Game, giving fans the chance to rediscover the album in a new light. Richard Jobson will also publish a memoir — also titled The Absolute Game — offering an intimate reflection on the writing, recording, and touring of the record. In addition, his new novel The Alabama Song, illustrated by Jonny Hannah, will be available throughout the tour.
Further tributes to Skids’ enduring legacy include Dunfermline Athletic FC unveiling a new strip inspired by their debut album Scared to Dance, with all Skids profits donated to The White Ribbon Charity, which works to end male violence against women. Meanwhile, a new documentary directed by Mark Sloper will premiere at Edinburgh’s Cameo Cinema on October 1st before being shown on Sky Arts.
Adding to the excitement, legendary post-punk group Au Pairs will be special guests at every show except London. These performances mark the Au Pairs’ first return to the stage in over four decades
Formed in Birmingham in 1978, AU Pairs became one of the most influential bands of the post-punk era, fronted by the striking presence of Lesley Woods — vocalist, songwriter, and guitarist — once described as “one of the most striking women in British rock.“
Together, these groundbreaking bands promise to reignite the raw energy, innovation, and urgency of the late ’70s and early ’80s alternative music scene—making this tour an unmissable celebration of two of the most influential acts of their era.
Skids Tour dates in full
January
16th Southampton The 1865
17th Cambridge Junction
23th Bath Komedia
24th Birmingham The Crossing
30th London Electric Ballroom
31st Brighton Chalk
March
28th Manchester 02 Ritz
April
17th Cardiff Y Plas
18th Liverpool Grand Central Hall
24th Glasgow Barrowland
25th Edinburgh The Queens Hall
Tickets available from AGMP.co.uk
