The long-awaited reunion that fans have been clamouring for is here as Scissor Sisters are back and readying their first live shows in over 12 years. American pop band Scissor Sisters began back in 2000 but have now announced an arena tour for 2025 which includes a gig in Manchester.
2024 marks the 20 year anniversary of the band’s debut album Scissor Sisters, and to celebrate this, the era-defining pop disruptors – lead singer Jake Shears plus multi-instrumentalist Babydaddy and guitarist Del Marquis – will fill the UK’s arenas next May with their signature mix of showmanship, songcraft and queer energy. Scissor Sisters will kick off their tour at Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena on May 16 before heading to Glasgow, Bournemouth, Cardiff, followed by Co-op Live in Manchester on May 21 then performing shows in London, Leeds, Birmingham, Belfast and Dublin with support from Alison Goldfrapp.
The album Scissor Sisters was the best-selling album in the UK of 2004, selling over 3 million copies globally (a staggering 2 million of these were UK sales). Ranked as the 20th biggest-selling album of the 21st century in the UK and the 35th biggest-selling album of all time, the album went 9 x Platinum in the UK, and won three BRIT Awards in 2005, including Best International Album, Best International Group and Best International Breakthrough Act, making Scissor Sisters the first act ever to win all three international categories.
The band plan to perform every single track from the album Scissor Sisters on the tour and will also cherry-pick highlights from their three subsequent albums, 2006’s Ta-Dah, 2010’s Night Work and 2012’s Magic Hour. The band is best known for hits Filthy/Gorgeous, Take Your Mama, I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’ and Laura.
Jake Shears said: “It’s the 20th anniversary of our debut album, so it really feels like the right time to revisit all the intense excitement of that moment. I think the impetus for this reunion was really a YouTube screening of Scissor Sisters: Live at The O2 that happened during lockdown. I don’t think I’d seen that show since it was filmed in 2007, but we were all kind of surprised by how great it was. And chatting with fans during the screening really brought back what a special moment it was for all of us.”
The Scissor Sisters 2025 live experience will have a different dynamic as singer Ana Matronic has decided not to join the tour as she has other projects she is focusing on right now. “The 20th anniversary only happens once and now has to be the time for us to celebrate that album”, said Babydaddy.
“We’ve spent a lot of time collectively thinking about what we can add to our show that isn’t a ‘replacement’ for Ana in any way,” Del Marquis said. “She’s part of the spirit of this band and we want to honour that.”
For Jake, reconvening as a trio adds to the “fun challenge” of working out what their live show looks and feels like after 12 years away. “The way I see it is this,” he adds, “If it’s gonna be different, why not make it an interesting kind of different?”
Scissor Sisters 2025 arena tour dates
Friday 16 May – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham
Saturday 17 May – OVO Hydro, Glasgow
Monday 19 May – International Centre, Bournemouth
Tuesday 20 May – Utilita Arena, Cardiff
Wednesday 21 May – Co-op Live, Manchester
Friday 23 May – The O2, London
Saturday 24 May – First Direct Arena, Leeds
Sunday 25 May – Utilita Arena, Birmingham
Tuesday 27 May – SSE Arena, Belfast
Wednesday 28 May – 3Arena, Dublin
The album Scissor Sisters will be also reissued on vinyl on November 22 with a deluxe expanded edition to follow next year. Fans can expect B-sides, remixes and unheard rarities alongside the original 11-track LP.
Co-op Member pre-sale goes live on Wednesday 10th November 2024 at 10am. General sale to see Scissor Sisters in Manchester goes live on Friday 8th November at 10am.