If ever there has been a travesty in the past couple of decades, it's that Ed Harcourt isn't playing stadiums by now. No matter - it means that wherever the Lewes-based troubadour does lay down his tunes, the audience can feel part of the performance.

Shows are normally very intimate and in keeping with his impressive catalogue thus far, from the early days of the "Maplewood" EP and the Mercury Music Prize-nominated "Here Be Monsters", past the lovely mid-point of "Strangers" and up to last year's "Lustre". Apart from a brief dalliance with the charts in 2003 and 2004 with the singles "All of Your Days Will Be Blessed" and the #41 smash, "This One's for You", Ed hasn't bothered compilers too often, or radio for that matter - you see, a travesty.

Will things change with his next full-length album, "Back into the Woods"? Probably not but that's good - no crazy piano versions of "Gangnam Style" going on here (perish the thought), just nourishing piano-driven torch-ballads and stories from one of our most treasured secrets.

In May, Harcourt will pop down to his local festival and perform in Brighton at The Great Escape 2013, before heading out on tour. Rather than standard live venues, Harcourt's aim this time is to covet the spatial advantage to be gleaned from churches and concert halls, such as Cadogan Hall in London on 30th May, Leeds' Holy Trinity and the Sage in Gateshead, plus many more throughout May and June.

Tickets on sale now, except for Leeds which is on sale now. Prices weigh in at around £12.50, even for London (which does rise up to £17.50, mind you). Bargain!