Macclesfield’s favourite alt-rock duo, The Virginmarys, have announced that they’re heading back into the fray with a new album, Beyond The House Of Fires, arriving on 15th May. The record serves as a companion piece to their 2024 release, The House Beyond The Fires, offering a stripped-back and atmospheric reimagining of those tracks.
While the original record was all about the high-octane power we’ve come to expect from Ally Dickaty and Danny Dolan, this new version peels back the layers. By ditching the heavy distortion, the band is shining a light on the songwriting and raw emotion underneath. It’s a bold move, but one that highlights the storytelling that has always been at the heart of their music.
Frontman Ally Dickaty explains the inspiration behind the project:
“Growing up in the 90s, we used to really love the MTV Unplugged albums that the big rock bands would release, showcasing a completely different and more intimate side of the songs. This is what we’ve done with ‘Beyond The House Of Fires’ and it’s been great to bring all those influences we’ve often cited—Neil Young, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, Peter Green – more to the forefront.”
To celebrate the release, the guys are hitting the road for a UK tour that promises to be a bit different from their usual sweat-soaked club shows. Aiming for that same 90s unplugged intimacy, Ally will be swapping some of his usual guitar duties for the piano, and they’ll be joined on stage by guitarist Gareth Price to flesh out the sound.
Before they get to the UK dates, they’ve got a massive 15-date headline run across Europe and a main stage slot at 2000 Trees to look forward to. It’s been a busy time for the band, who also recently signed a new publishing deal with MaxMusic. If you’ve followed them as long as we have, you’ll know they never sit still for long.
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The Virginmarys UK Tour Dates 2026:
- 20th March – Crumlin, The Patriot
- 7th May – Southampton, Joiners
- 8th May – Doncaster, Ey Up Mi Duck Festival
- 9th May – Stalybridge, Stalyfest
- 16th May – Bury St Edmunds, Just Push Play Festival
- 24th May – Kings Norton, Breaking Bands Fest
- 28th May – Edinburgh, The Mash House
- 29th May – Northwich, Salty Dog
- 30th May – Wolverhampton, The Giffard
- 31st May – Leeds, Hyde Park Book Club
- 1st June – Barnoldswick, Barnoldswick Arts Centre
- 4th June – Tunbridge Wells, The Forum
- 5th June – Norwich, Waterfront Studio
- 6th June – London, The Grace
- 7th June – St Albans, The Horn
Tickets are available now via the band’s website. Given how much we loved the original record – which we called “authentic as it gets” in our review last year – this new perspective is one to look forward to.
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Header image by Sean Larkin
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