After six years in Damien Rice's band, Lisa Hannigan fell out with the singer-songwriter with the pair both citing 'musical differences'. So often a euphemism for a 'proper' tea-cup-throwing bust-up, the reality was simply that Hannigan wanted to make her own music her own way.

Not to say that made for an amicable split; it is reported that she and Rice have not spoken since that 2007 parting. It didn't help Rice hinting that Hannigan's input had become detrimental to the music he was putting out and was in part responsible for the mixed critical reaction.

Having very nicely set herself up for a fall, Lisa Hannigan clearly hadn't read the script and went on to produce one of 2008's best and most highly acclaimed records, the Mercury-nominated 'Sea Sew'. Take that, Rice.

The Irish songwriter then took her self-styled 'plinky plonky rock' to Glastonbury, onto 'Later... with Jools Holland' and to the US, touring with David Gray and subsequently appearing on 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'.

If her first record was unexpected, the follow-up 'Passenger', set for release in the UK in early October, is most definitely eagerly awaited. Said to have been a more personal project for Hannigan, 'Passenger' gets its UK release to coincide with a November tour.

After dates in the US and Australia, Lisa Hannigan begins her autumn UK tour at St Paul's Church in Birmingham on Saturday 19th November 2011, followed by gigs in Norwich, York, Glasgow, Salford, Bristol and Brighton, before the final show of the run at the Shepherds Bush Empire on Wednesday 30th November 2011.

We will have tickets for all dates when they go on sale at 9AM on Friday 23rd September, priced £19.50 for Shepherds Bush and £17.50 for all other dates.