It's late 2007 and a crowd of around 12,000 is standing quietly in a Manchester venue while Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys pulls his Disappointed Face.

"You shouldn't have thrown ketchup... it's all over the stage now," he mutters in his shy, Sheffield brogue. The audience looks at its shoes. "You didn't like The Horrors, then?"

The Essex five-piece had been supporting the Arctic Monkeys in the days before the NME began rotating covers between the two bands, with occasional Gallaghers. The Horrors frontman Faris Badwan (surely a Jedi name) had spent around half an hour doggedly sidestepping open ketchup sachets and, incredibly, some chips, as they showered the shower on the stage [no fish? They would have taken a battering, otherwise... Ed].

The Horrors were dreadful that night. Rushed, incoherent and senseless, yet apparently in no doubt that they were, in fact, The Doors. Seemingly convinced that they were sane and the audience all mad.

Four years later, more or less to the day, and The Horrors are held in high regard. A maturing rock sound, with a Southend accent and hints of Americana here and there, this year's 'Skying', their third record, has been their best (and best performing) to date, reaching the UK top five.

With an already busy diary, including some coveted slots supporting Florence and the Machine, The Horrors have announced yet more dates for 2012.

The May tour kicks-off in Dublin on 12th May, with Belfast the following night. The band then cross the Irish Sea and head to Glasgow on 15th May, followed by Sheffield, Birmingham, Manchester and Bristol, before the final date announced so far at the Brixton Academy on Friday 25th May 2012.

We will have tickets available when they go on sale at 9AM on Friday 16th December, priced from around £14 (£16 for Belfast, €16.50 for Dublin).

The Horrors have a load of other dates in the meantime, including support for Florence on her arena tour, a series of gigs in the New Year and, on Wednesday 14th December, they're playing the London leg of the XFM Winter Wonderland 2011 at the Brixton Academy.