Dave McCabe (The Zutons) & very special guest James Jay Lewis

Zutons frontman Dave McCabe announces UK solo tour for April 2026 with very special guest James Jay Lewis

Zutons frontman Dave McCabe will tour the UK in April 2026, embarking on a new chapter in his musical journey as a solo artist.

Performing under the name Dave Zuton, McCabe will bring a stripped-back, intimate live show to towns and cities across the UK. He will be joined on the road by very special guest James Jay Lewis, a celebrated singer songwriter in his own right and a regular member of both Cast and The Zutons.

Lewis is expected to perform a set of his own music during the tour, accompanied by McCabe. McCabe’s own performances (also accompanied by Lewis) will draw from across his songwriting career, including Zutons classics, deep cuts and songs he has written for other artists. Most excitingly, the shows will introduce a new collection of solo material that McCabe has been quietly developing in recent years.

A debut solo single, “When You’re Young”, is expected ahead of the tour, with a full solo album slated for release later in 2026.

Speaking about the tour, McCabe said:

“I’ve been writing loads of new songs over the last few years and it just felt like the right moment to get out and play them properly. These shows are stripped right back, just me, a guitar and the songs. I’ll play some Zutons stuff, a few deep cuts, things I’ve written for other people, but the real buzz for me is sharing the new material I’m working towards a solo record that’ll be out in 2026.

I’m even more thrilled to be joined on the road by my mate and bandmate James Jay Lewis. We’ve known each other a long time and played together in all sorts of different set ups over the years. He’s one of the best people you could ask to travel round the country with, and we’re really looking forward to hitting towns off the beaten track as well as places we’ve been before, and just playing our music together. It feels exciting to get back to seeing the whites of people’s eyes, and to have him by my side as I head into this new chapter.”

About Dave McCabe

Dave McCabe is the songwriter, frontman and founding force behind legendary Liverpudlian band The Zutons, and one of Britain’s most distinctive voices of the last two decades.

Raised in Liverpool and shaped by the city’s famously uncompromising music scene, McCabe has always written from instinct rather than fashion. His songs draw on soul, rock and roll and classic pop songwriting, delivered with a vocal style that is as fearless as it is emotionally direct.

With The Zutons, McCabe helped carve out a sound that stood apart from the guitar-led trends of the early 2000s. Albums including Who Killed…… The Zutons? and Tired of Hanging Around established the band as a vital force in British music, while songs such as “Pressure Point”, “Why Won’t You Give Me Your Love?” and “Valerie” became modern classics. “Valerie” in particular achieved global reach, cementing McCabe’s reputation as one of the great British songwriters of his generation.

Alongside that body of work, McCabe has continued to write constantly, for himself and for others. In recent years he has been quietly building a new collection of songs that mark the beginning of an exciting solo chapter. These acoustic shows are the first opportunity for audiences to hear that next phase take shape, with brand new material written for an upcoming Dave Zuton album due for release in 2026.

Stripped back to voice, guitar and songwriting, the performances offer a direct connection between artist and audience. This is not about looking back, but about hearing great songs in their purest form, and discovering new ones at the moment they come to life.

About James Jay Lewis

“Brilliantly innovative, and quite different to a lot of music currently around. The songs are all diverse and infused with different flavours such as blues, garage rock and psychedelia, recalling a retro flavour of the late ’60s and early ’70s” ~ Waiting For The World album review.

Self-taught multi-instrumentalist, James ‘Jay’ Lewis has graced some of the biggest stages across the globe as part of three of the biggest bands to come out of Liverpool (apart from you know who!), performing in 1990’s legends The La’s, before moving on to his current roles as bass player for long time friend, fellow LA’s band member, and musical cohort John Power’s band CAST, and lead guitarist in The Zutons.

James picked up his first guitar at the age of 8 and embarked on a lifelong journey in music. Self- taught he honed his craft through countless hours of listening to the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Nick Drake, and many more.

James’ two solo albums both written and produced by himself, ‘Back to the Fountain’ and ‘Waiting for the World’ are a testament to his diverse musical talent.

‘Back to the Fountain’ is an acoustic odyssey where every note and sound tells the story of a beautiful masterpiece.

His more recent ‘Waiting for the World’ on the other hand is a unique low-fi experience. It has a captivating charm as James plays all the instruments on the record. A rough and ready garage blues masterpiece.

As James continues to forge a journey in music, he has had the privilege of working with Nile Rodgers at Abbey Road Studios, and integral involvement in the latest Zutons album. Earlier this year he performed with CAST as support on all the UK, Ireland, and American Oasis reunion stadium gigs.