Republica ready 30th anniversary edition of debut album, including unreleased Crystal Palace live set
Republica, the 90s rock band who were peers with the likes of Elastica and Lush, have detailed a 30th anniversary reissue of their self-titled debut, adding a live set recorded at Crystal Palace in 1997 to the original album. The double-vinyl edition is due on 9 October, ahead of a UK tour starting 16 October.
The new edition pairs the original Republica tracklist – including “Ready to Go” and “Drop Dead Gorgeous”, songs that have found new audiences thanks to recent sync placements – with A Day at the Races,
captured at the National Sports Centre in August of 97. Six songs
from that set had a brief CD release at the time; the remaining three
are now mixed and mastered from the original multi-track recording. The LP colouring is a nod to lead singer Saffron’s
trademark red-and-black hair do.
The original album broke Republica in 1997, peaking at No. 4 in the UK and going Platinum during a six-week Top 10 run. “Ready to Go” reached No. 13 and “Drop Dead Gorgeous” No. 7. The record also found traction in North America, charted in the Modern Rock Top 10, and appeared on the Scream soundtrack after director Wes Craven requested it. Its sync history now clocks in at over 500 placements, including Captain Marvel, Ted Lasso, and Yellowjackets, alongside a Dua Lipa / Vogue campaign and the new Trainspotting musical.
The anniversary tour, billed as “30 Years of Ready to Go”, runs from 16 October at Strings on the Isle of Wight to 29 November at Thekla in Bristol. Stops include Southampton, Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester, Glasgow, and London. Tickets are on sale now.
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