Thomas Dolby

Thomas Dolby brings his singular blend of new wave and synth-pop to O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on 21 May 2026. A key figure of the early 80s, he built his sound around analogue synths, pop writing and cinematic arrangements, moving with ease between funk, ambient textures and jazz-soul inflections. His first albums, The Golden Age of Wireless and The Flat Earth, set the tone with tracks like She Blinded Me with Science and Hyperactive!, before he pushed into funkier territory on Aliens Ate My Buick and explored more rootsy colours on Astronauts & Heretics. Also active as a producer and composer for screen and games, he returned to record with A Map of the Floating City, extending his taste for hybrid pop and detailed storytelling.

Support comes from Martin McAloon, performing the songs of Prefab Sprout. It’s a fitting connection: Dolby has collaborated with Prefab Sprout, and McAloon brings that catalogue’s melodic clarity and crafted lyrics to the stage. The evening draws a line between two strands of sophisticated British pop, from Dolby’s electronic palette to McAloon’s songbook.