Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark, those witty wizards of wistful futurism, are back on the road, bringing their blueprint of synth-pop perfection across North America this summer. Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, still harmoniously in sync nearly 47 years after their debut gig from Liverpool’s iconic Eric’s club, are poised to embark on their 2025 North American tour. Fresh off a triumphant performance at Pasadena’s Cruel World Festival, where McCluskey commanded the stage, effortlessly holding the audience in the palm of his hand, guiding them to jump up and down, and sway their arms side to side, creating the kind of electricity you only get from an OMD Set.
The performance comes hot on the heels of last year’s “Bauhaus Staircase,“ marking OMD’s first full-length album since 2017’s “The Punishment of Luxury.” They sound more plugged in than ever. This new album is a vibrant jolt of protest-pop, born from the stasis of lockdown. It masterfully fuses the avant-garde discipline of Stockhausen with the addictive hooks of ABBA, creating a captivating blend that demands attention.
“I rediscovered the creative power of total boredom,” McCluskey quips, turning pandemic ennui into electric anthems with Humphreys, who also welcomed his second child during the album’s incubation.
Bauhaus Staircase was largely engineered by the duo themselves, with Sheffield’s David Watts adding voltage to two tracks. The result: a record that isn’t just a career coda, it’s a high-rise hymn to persistence and politics.
Listen to Bauhaus Staircase below:
Catch OMD as they blitz through major cities, including two-night stands at Washington D.C.’s Lincoln Theatre, L.A.’s Greek Theatre, and New York’s Terminal 5. Tickets are available here.
Tour Dates:
- 5/22/25 – Washington, D.C. – Lincoln Theatre
- 5/23/25 – Washington, D.C. – Lincoln Theatre
- 5/24/25 – Glenside, PA – Keswick Theatre
- 5/28/25 – Orlando, FL – The Plaza Live
- 5/29/25 – Atlanta, GA – Buckhead Theatre
- 6/1/25 – Dallas, TX – Majestic Theatre
- 6/2/25 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
- 6/3/25 – Austin, TX – The Moody Theater
- 6/5/25 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
- 6/6/25 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Union
- 6/9/25 – Vancouver, BC – Orpheum Theatre
- 6/10/25 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
- 6/11/25 – Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre
- 6/13/25 – Forest Grove, OR – Cruel World
- 6/15/25 – Oakland, CA – Fox Theater
- 6/17/25 – San Diego, CA – Balboa Theatre
- 6/18/25 – San Diego, CA – Balboa Theatre
- 6/20/25 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
- 6/21/25 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre
- 6/22/25 – Las Vegas, NV – House of Blues
- 6/26/25 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue
- 6/28/25 – Chicago, IL – Riviera Theatre
- 6/29/25 – Royal Oak, MI – Music Theatre
- 7/1/25 – Cleveland, OH – House of Blues
- 7/3/25 – Toronto, ON – History
- 7/4/25 – Toronto, ON – History
- 7/6/25 – Huntington, NY – Paramount
- 7/7/25 – Boston, MA – House of Blues
- 7/8/25 – New York, NY – Terminal 5
Across four decades, give or take a well-earned hiatus, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (OMD) have cemented their status as synthesizer trailblazers and one of Britain’s most beloved pop exports, selling over 40 million records worldwide. Their thirteen-album discography includes a string of genre-defining releases: the self-titled debut Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark and Organisation (both 1980), the exalted Architecture & Morality (1981), and the experimental Dazzle Ships (1983). While already royalty in the UK’s synth-pop court, OMD fully cracked the American mainstream with their 1986 hit If You Leave, immortalized on the Pretty in Pink soundtrack.
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