Acclaimed singer-songwriter David Gray is bringing his Past & Present tour to Limerick next week, with a highly anticipated performance at Live At The Castle on Thursday May 1. With 27 dates across the UK and Ireland, many of which have already sold out, the tour sees Gray performing a long and generous set filled with fan favourites and new material. Rising artist Talia Rae will be joining him as a special guest for this leg of the tour.
A Tour to Remember
Gray’s Past & Present tour has been receiving rave reviews, with the artist himself expressing gratitude for the experience. “Every single show so far on the Past & Present Tour has felt super special,” he said, adding that his band—Clune, Robbie Malone, Tim Bradshaw, Tony Shanahan, and Ben de Vries—has played an instrumental role in making each performance unforgettable. Over the course of the tour, he has performed 66 different songs, keeping his setlists fresh and dynamic for audiences.
Fans attending the Limerick concert can expect to hear some of Gray’s biggest hits, including Please Forgive Me, Babylon, and White Ladder, alongside a selection of new material from his latest album, Dear Life. He has also been treating audiences to covers of Depeche Mode and Soft Cell classics.
Dear Life: A Critically Acclaimed Return
Gray’s newest album, Dear Life, has been met with widespread acclaim, with critics hailing it as one of his most powerful works to date. The Telegraph described it as “a brooding triumph,” while Clash Magazine called it “his most confessional and emotive work to date.” Others have compared it to his seminal album White Ladder, with Rolling Stone noting, “the sonic DNA of White Ladder is present here.”
Described as an album of emotional crisis and resolution, Dear Life explores themes of mortality, faith, love, and heartbreak. Gray worked closely with producer Ben de Vries to craft a richly layered sound, incorporating orchestral strings, horns, and woodwind arrangements to enhance the scale of the themes. Much of the album was recorded in a makeshift studio in Norfolk, adding a raw, intimate quality to the music.
A Legacy of Timeless Songwriting
David Gray’s rise to fame was nothing short of extraordinary. After nearly a decade of striving for success, he broke through in spectacular fashion with White Ladder, which became one of the best-selling albums of recent decades. His poetic songwriting and ability to convey deep emotions have positioned him as one of the most respected artists of his generation.
While the likes of Ed Sheeran, Adele, and Hozier have cited him as an influence, Gray has continued to forge his own artistic path. Speaking about Dear Life, he reflected, “There’s been change on so many levels, all the ups and downs and dramas and tragedies and joys that life brings. This record has been a reckoning with stuff that’s been building up for years.”
