The Undertones - “50th Anniversary Tour”

On 16 April 2026 The Undertones will perform at SPOT/De Oosterpoort in Groningen as part of their 50th Anniversary Tour. The band from Derry formed in the mid-1970s and quickly found a distinctive blend of punk energy and pop melody. Short, direct songs with simple, striking riffs and lyrics about teenage years, everyday scenes and romantic troubles form the foundation of their sound.

The story begins with their self-titled debut from 1979, full of fast, melodic tracks, followed by Hypnotised in 1980, where the power-pop side is further sharpened. With Positive Touch (1981) and The Sin of Pride (1983) the arrangements moved toward more elaborate structures and pop- and soul-influences, until their first hiatus. By the late 1990s the band was back, with Paul McLoone on vocals alongside the four original members, and with new work such as Get What You Need (2003) and Dig Yourself Deep (2007).

On stage The Undertones draw on fifty years of material: compact, melodic, rhythmic songs at the intersection of punk rock, garage and power pop. A set that reveals the band’s DNA, from the early explosive phase to the later material, straightforward and focused on the song.