Hinckley Times

Musical version has toured the world many times War of the Worlds tickets are on sale

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ONE of the most groundbrea­king arena tours of all time, Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of ‘The War of the Worlds’ - Alive on Stage is to make a return to the Midlands.

Marking 40 years since its original release, the iconic album will be played at arenas around the UK including Birmingham’s Genting Arena on November 8 2018.

Nearly 40 years on, based on HG Wells’ dark Victorian tale, Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of The Worlds remains a firm favourite to millions around the globe.

Commanding the stage, Jeff Wayne returns to the podium to conduct the 9-piece Black Smoke Band and 36-piece ULLAdubULL­A strings, while Liam Neeson retains his role in 3D holography as The Journalist, with an exciting full cast to be announced soon.

In 2018 TWOTW will “break through the fourth wall”.

Built arched around bridge a huge running through the centre of the arena brings the action closer to the audience for a most captivatin­g and immersive experience.

This production, mixed live in Surround Sound, will once again feature:

The iconic 3-tonne, 35-foot tall Martian Fighting Machine firing real flame Heat Rays at the audience.

A 100-foot wide ‘Animation Wall’ with two hours of cutting edge CGI.

A ground-breaking levitation effect.

The incinerati­on of a cast member in full view of the audience.

Leaf drops over the audience.

…and more!

Jeff Wayne said: “In June 1978 my original double album was released. I had no idea if it would vanish as quickly as one can say… “ULLAdubULL­A!”

“But here I am today, soon to be celebratin­g its 40th anniversar­y throughout 2018, culminatin­g in what I believe will be the most exciting arena tour much, much we’ve ever performed.

“No one would have believed…”

As part of the 40th anniversar­y celebebrat­ions, to start the year off, Sony Music are proudly reissuing the original 1978 double 12” vinyl album, on January 26.

Stunningly remastered for a superior sounding audio experience, it also includes the original double gatefold with 16-page booklet containing the full script, lyrics, original paintings, and credits.

This vinyl reissue is the first in a number of special releases planned throughout 2018 to mark the 40th anniversar­y of Jeff Wayne’s iconic masterpiec­e.

The reissue is available to pre-order on Amazon now.

Jeff Wayne’s double album was originally released by CBS Records in 1978.

It has enjoyed huge success and critical acclaim across the globe with over 15 million records sold and spending over 330 weeks in the UK Album Charts (to date) plus achieving two Internatio­nal hit singles - ‘Forever Autumn’ and ‘The Eve of The War’. It has been Top 10 in 22 countries and Number 1 in 11 of them.

The War of The Worlds has also won two prestigiou­s UK Ivor Novello Awards, the US Best Recording in Science Fiction and Fantasy (the judges included Alfred Hitchcock, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg), as well as winning for Jeff, Classic Rock’s ‘Showman of The Year’ Award.

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