A Very Special Reunion

The Specials are celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band’s debut album, 1979’s Specials. Hit singles from the album include tracks “Gangsters” and “A Message To You, Rudy.”

NME noted that the band’s April and May U.K. shows was the first time The Specials have officially worked together since parting ways in 1981. Members of The Specials played last September’s Bestival on the Isle of Wight, England, billed as Terry Hall and Friends.

The November tour kicks off at Cardiff International Arena in Cardiff Nov.1 and winds down with two shows at London’s Hammersmith Apollo Nov. 24-25.

Additional dates include Empress Ballroom in Blackpool (Nov. 4), Winter Gardens in Margate (Nov. 7). Edinburgh Corn Exchange in Edinburgh (Nov. 12), The Brighton Centre in Brighton (Nov. 19) and two nights at Rock City in Nottingham (Nov. 21-22).

Tickets for the November show go on sale Friday. According to The Specials Web site, tickets are priced at £32.50 ($50 US) in advance, excluding the shows at London’s Apollo Hammersmith, which are priced at £35 ($57 US).

The Specials play Glastonbury at Worthy Farm in Pilton, U.K., June 26 and T in The Park at Balado in Kinross, U.K., July 11. The band then keeps busy in July and August with dates in Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, U.K. and Japan.

Hall told NME back in December that the big 3-0 was the right time for The Specials to join forces once again.

“It’s the right time to do it [reunite] – we talked about it at 25 but we weren’t together enough. Now we’re all getting on and it feels comfortable again,” the frontman said.

Hall will be joined on stage by Neville Staple, Horace Panter, Roddy Byers, Lynval Golding and John Bradbury. The only member missing is founder and keyboard player Jerry Dammer.

“The door remains open to him,” Hall told NME.

Click here to read the NME story.

Click here to check out the band’s Web site.