Coinciding with news of their  upcoming album Step 13, out on August 20, Alabama 3 are set to play two Irish dates, as part of their 2022 tour. Tickets for their headliners at the Academy, Dublin (March 25) and Limelight, Belfast (March 26) are on sale now.

Last week, they shared a new single, 'Whacked', taken from their highly anticipated new album. It's the first taste of fresh Alabama 3 material since the tragic passing of their beloved  frontman and songwriter Jake Black, aka The Very Reverend D. Wayne Love, in May, 2019. Jake had Addison’s disease and passed away several days after falling ill during a show at the Highest Point Festival in Lancashire at only 59 years old.

Over lockdown, the band immersed themselves in their work – teaming up with producer Cam Blackwood (George Ezra, Jack Savoretti, Tom Walker, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes) to focus on a new project. With the release of ‘Whacked’, Alabama 3 are also paying their respects to the late co-writer of the song, Pete Dunne.

"A product of old skool Brixton, the legendary Seven Kevin’s Pete Dunne threatened us with this song prior to his untimely death,” explains founding member Larry Love. “Despite the heavy manners we are proud to declare we rose to the challenge."

“'Whacked' was made in the early weeks of the first UK lockdown in March 2020,” says producer Cam Blackwood. “I think the hedonistic spirit of the song was amplified a million times by the fact we were making the record remotely – with the musicians in the band recording their parts at home, sending them all to me to collate and arrange – then I would send the instrumental track to Larry to record vocals on. The energy was pretty insane – we were like caged animals desperate to get out. We managed to find time three months later (when the first lockdown ended in July 2020) to get together and put the finishing touches to the song. Being in the studio with a few beers seemed like a fitting way to finalise the tune and put the last 1% of energy into the recording. This song feels like classic Alabama 3 to me. It’s a banger!”

Take a look at the video for 'Whacked', directed by the Sitcom Soldiers company, below:

Alabama 3 2022 Tour Dates

Thursday 17 March 2022 Cambridge, The Junction
Friday 18 March 2022 Birmingham, Institute 2
Saturday 19 March 2022 Liverpool, O2 Academy
Friday 25 March 2022 Dublin, Academy
Saturday 26 March 2022 Belfast, Limelight
Thursday 31 March 2022 Brighton, Concorde 2
Friday 1 April 2022 Southampton, Engine Rooms
Saturday 2 April 2022 Exeter, Phoenix
Sunday 3 April 2022 Bournemouth, Old Fire Station
Thursday 7 April 2022 Newcastle, Boiler Shop
Friday 8 April 2022 Edinburgh, Liquid Rooms
Saturday 9 April 2022 Glasgow, SWG3
Sunday 10 April 2022 Kendal, Brewery Art Centre
Thursday 14 April 2022 Cardiff, Tramshed
Friday 15 April 2022 Holmfirth, Picturedrome
Saturday 16 April 2022 Manchester, O2 Ritz
Sunday 17 April 2022 Leeds, Warehouse
Wednesday 27 April 2022 Reading, Sub89
Thursday 28 April 2022 Oxford O2 Academy
Friday 29 April 2022 Bristol, O2 Academy
Saturday 30 April 2022 London, SBE