Procol Harum major tour and new album book

Procol Harum are set for a major British concert tour in March, taking in 12 cities and coinciding with the release of the group's new album. The tour schedule for Harum, whose last British appearance was a sell-out at London Rainbow last September with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is: York University March 3, Bristol Colston Hall 5, Portsmouth Guildhall 6, Birmingham Town Hall 7, Liverpool Mountford Hall 8, Lanchester Poly 9, Manchester University 10, Oxford Town Hall 12, Edinburgh Usher Hall 14, Glasgow City Hall 15, Newcastle City Hall 16, Leeds Town Hall 17. Support act on all concerts is Hemlock.

Harum's new album Grand Hotel is the follow-up to their best selling gold LP Live with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra . It has taken six months to complete at the AIR London studios, and cost over £25,000 to make. It also marks the recording début with Harum of new guitarist Mick Grabham, who joined the band from Cochise to replace Dave Ball.

The album will be packaged with a special 24 - page booklet containing illustrations and the lyrics of the nine new songs on the LP penned by Gary Brooker and Keith Reid. It will be released by Chrysalis on March 2.

Hemlock, who support Harum on the tour, are a new group formed by Miller Anderson and Mick Weaver. Rest of the line-up is Jim Leverton, Eric Dillon (both formerly with Fat Mattress) and Peter Dines. The outfit are also set for a seven-week tour of America starting in May.

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This weekend marks the end of Procol's 12-city tour with support act Hemlock: two other gigs are Thursday and Friday. The tour has marked the live début with the group new guitarist Mick Grabham, who replaced Dave Bell [sic] and very well he's been doing to. If for some inexcusable reason you are unable to see Harum in the flesh, then settle for their new Chrysalis album Grand Hotel .