Paul Heaton to tour the UK in 2018 with Beautiful South partner Jacqui Abbott

Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott proved their musical compatibility with a slew of hit singles during their work together in The Beautiful South. More than a decade later, they have rejoined forces and released three brilliant albums along with embarking on the much-anticipated Paul Heaton & Jacqui Abbott tour together.

The vocal dream team will play songs from their back catalogues and hit third album Crooked Calypso – which rose to number two in the UK charts during concerts across the UK – meaning fans up and down the country (and both sides of the Irish Sea) will have the chance to see them perform live. So what are you waiting for? Buy Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott tickets at StubHub today, 

Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott: great times for veteran duo

Paul Heaton got his start in music as an adolescent in Surrey, where he and his older brother Adrian formed their first band, Tools Down, along with the support of their friends, John Box and Stuart Mair. The project didn't last and Heaton left Surrey to hitchhike around Europe for a time before relocating to Hull in 1983. There, in collaboration with his friend, Stan Cullimore, he formed the Housemartins, a project that started out as simple busking and developed into a fully fledged jangle pop band in 1983. Gaining widespread appreciation with the release of singles such as "Happy Hour" and "Caravan of Love", the Housemartins enjoyed significant commercial success with both of their albums, London 0 Hull 4 (1987) and The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death (1988).

After the Housemartins disbanded in 1988, Heaton went on to form The Beautiful South with Dave Hemingway, another former member of the Housemartins. The band's 1989 debut album, Welcome to the Beautiful South, was a major commercial success and started off a string of hits in the 1990s, including the ultra-popular "A Little Time".

It wasn't until 1994 that Heaton met Jacqui Abbott. He met her and her friend outside a nightclub and invited them to a party, where Abbott's friend encouraged her to sing. Heaton was so impressed that he invited her to audition to replace former vocalist Briana Corrigan, who had recently departed The Beautiful South. Abbott proved an excellent addition the group, which went on to release many more top 10 singles, including "Don't Marry Her", "Rotterdam", "Perfect 10" and "Dream a Little Dream of Me".

In 2000, Abbott decided to leave the band, as the touring schedule proved too rigorous for her on top of caring for her son, who had recently received a diagnosis of autism. Meanwhile, the Beautiful South disbanded in 2007, and Heaton changed tack to pursue a solo career, releasing three albums.

Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott reunion

In June 2011, Heaton and Abbott reunited to work on Heaton's musical, The 8th. Reminded of their musical compatibility, the two came together to record a new album, What Have We Become?, which hit shelves in May 2014. Their second joint album, Wisdom, Laughter and Lines, followed in 2015.

The pair have been touring together since 2016 and achieved their greatest success to date in 2017 with third album Crooked Calypso, which peaked at number two on the UK charts. 

Similar to Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott

After buying Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott tickets at StubHub UK, check out listings for some of the other artists currently on tour. Neil Diamond is celebrating his 50-year career with a huge world tour, while rock superstar Jake Bugg has announced a huge acoustic tour in 2018.