Grunge-punks Hands Off Gretel aim to pick up where the pandemic forced them off the road – and are Still Angry.
Formed in 2015, the band – who combine riot grrrl rage with punk and bubblegum pop – had just started their biggest tour to date when Covid-19 took hold.
After visiting Ireland in February 2020, they were due to continue playing around the UK for the next three months.
But their plans were scrapped, and the dates – promoting their Angry EP – rearranged again, and renamed the Still Angry tour.
Starting on September 1 in York, it ends with a date in vocalist Lauren Tate’s hometown Barnsley a week before Christmas.
She’s the creative force behind Hands Off Gretel, writing both albums, and designing all its artwork and merchandise.
She also released a solo album in 2019, and followed it last year with new music as hip-hop brat-punk Delilah Bon.
Hands Off Gretel are her main focus again, and she says: “We are so happy to finally be announcing our UK tour dates.
“Before Covid-19 we were celebrating the release of our Angry EP. We only played a handful of shows before it got cancelled, and then it was rescheduled three times!
“The Still Angry tour will go ahead this year and we can’t wait to scream it out with you all. It’s been too long!”
Hands Off Gretel are Tate (vocals and guitar), Becky Baldwin (bass), Sean McAvinue (guitar) and Sam Hobbins (drums).
Live favourites
The three tracks on the Angry EP – She Thinks She’s Punk Rock ‘N’ Roll, Don’t Touch and Bigger Than Me – are live favourites which fans had repeatedly asked the band to release.
The EP is available on CD and 10in white vinyl from the band’s website HERE, as well as all major download and streaming platforms.
At the time of the EP’s release, Tate described the tracks as “honest and raw, just how punk rock should be”.
For the forthcoming live shows, the band will be airing a couple of new songs which they’ve worked on post-lockdown.
Being located in Bristol, Barnsley and Scunthorpe meant they went 12 months without seeing each other due to the pandemic.
As Tate says: “It’s been great to finally get back in the rehearsal room and start playing music again together.”
