FLAT-CAPPED chart-topper Gary Jules has announced a date at Portsmouth's Wedgewood Rooms - but no prizes for guessing which song the audience will be cheering for.
The American singer-songwriter, whose second album Trading Snakeoil for Wolftickets hit record shops yesterday, scored one of the unlikeliest Christmas number ones ever when his single Mad World shot to the top of the charts in December.
The sparsely arranged and softly sung cover of the old Tears for Fears hit was originally recorded, with musical partner Michael Andrews, for the film Donnie Darko, a cult hit in 2002.
The song swept aside favourites including the Pop Idol contestants' version of Happy Xmas (War Is Over) to grab the top spot over the festive period.
Despite being relatively unknown in the UK before that, Jules has been a signed artist in the States since 1996. His debut album, Greetings from the Side, was released in 1998. In 2001 he met up with Michael Andrews in their home town of San Diego and worked on the songs that eventually made it on to his second album.
You can see Gary Jules at the Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth, on February 12 at 8pm. Tickets cost £10. Box office: 023 9286 3911.
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