Best known for their crossover indie disco floor filler, 'The Whole of the Moon', The Waterboys were formed back in the early eighties by Mike Scott, who remains the only founder member in the current line-up.

Never short on numbers, the band has worked its way through around 50 members in nearly three decades. All musicians have been drawn from England, Ireland and Scotland, contributing to the Waterboys' reputation for producing faithful folk-rock with strong Celtic accents.

With their trademark 'Big Music', The Waterboys are a cornerstone of British rock history, bracketed alongside Simple Minds, Big Country, The Alarm and Hothouse Flowers and influencing the likes of Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam and Miles Hunt of The Wonderstuff.

World Party were formed by former members of the band and other alumni include Eddi Reader (once of Hothouse Flowers) and singer-songwriter extraordinaire Guy Chambers, best known for writing or co-writing the majority of Robbie Williams' best-loved solo work.

The Waterboys are more than hod carriers for Celtic rock, not just poster boys for Big Music or one hit wonders; they are British and Irish rock royalty and they inspire feelings of deep love across the nations.

Such ardour will be in evidence next spring as The Waterboys head out on a UK and Ireland tour, packing some grand old venues with their grand old tunes.

The tour kicks off in Gateshead on 20th March, followed by gigs in Leeds, York, London (Hammersmith Apollo) and more, before the final England date in Manchester on 30th March.

We will have tickets for the English leg of the tour when they go on sale at 9AM on Saturday 29th October, priced around £28.

The tour then moves across the Irish Sea to Dublin and the Grand Canal Theatre on Sunday 1st April, followed by a series of shows in Scotland; beginning in Glasgow on 3rd April, then Perth, Aberdeen, Inverness and finally Edinburgh, on 8th April 2012.

We have tickets for the Ireland and Scotland dates available now, priced €45.50 for Dublin, £25 for Aberdeen and £26.50 for the remaining shows.

Ahead of the spring dates, you can catch them at the Virginia Pumpkin Festival in Ireland on 29th October, priced €30.