Don McLean has announced his final UK and Ireland tour, with the singer-songwriter set to bring his 55-year live career in the region to a close in May 2027.
Billed as The Farewell Tour, the eight-date run will mark McLean’s final concerts for British and Irish audiences, ending at London’s Royal Albert Hall on 22 May 2027.
The tour will begin at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on 11 May, before travelling to Belfast, Dublin, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester and Gateshead.
The Royal Albert Hall finale will have particular significance for McLean. He first performed at the iconic London venue in 1972, following the huge international success of “American Pie”, making the 2027 concert exactly 55 years after his first appearance there.
Don McLean Farewell Tour 2027 dates
The eight-date UK and Ireland tour will visit:
- 11 May 11, 2027: Glasgow, Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
- 13 May 2027: Belfast
- 14 May 2027: Dublin
- 16 May 2027: Birmingham
- 18 May 2027: Bristol
- 19 May 2027: Manchester
- 21 May 2027: Gateshead
- 22 May 2027: London, Royal Albert Hall
Tickets for the UK and Ireland dates will go on sale at 10am on Friday 18 September 2026.
Tickets for the Royal Albert Hall finale will go on sale separately at 10am on Friday, October 2, 2026.
Don McLean brings 55 years of live performances to a close
McLean’s farewell comes after more than five decades of performing for audiences across the UK and Ireland.
The singer-songwriter first found international success with “American Pie”, while songs including “Vincent” and “Crying” also became major hits in the UK.
His connection with British audiences stretches back to the early 1970s. In 1975, McLean performed at Hyde Park in London, where he reportedly attracted a crowd of around 100,000 people.
He has also remained an influential figure from the 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene, with his songwriting continuing to influence artists and audiences across generations.
McLean’s songs have been recorded by artists including Madonna and Shirley Bassey, while the original working manuscript for “American Pie” sold for more than $1.2 million at auction.
Don McLean to perform American Pie and new material
McLean will perform songs from across his extensive catalogue during the farewell shows, alongside material from his 2024 album American Boys.
The concerts will therefore combine the songs that established McLean as an international star with music from the later stages of his career.
The tour will conclude shortly after McLean turns 81, with the Royal Albert Hall providing a significant final stop for an artist whose relationship with the venue dates back to the beginning of his international success.
McLean has described the Royal Albert Hall as the first room that felt like it belonged to him, making it a fitting location for his final UK and Ireland concert.
Don McLean Royal Albert Hall finale
The Royal Albert Hall show on 22 May 2027 will bring McLean’s UK and Ireland farewell tour to an end.
The venue has been part of his story since 1972, when he first appeared there after “American Pie” had established him as one of the most recognisable singer-songwriters of his generation.
Fifty-five years later, McLean will return to the same stage for what is being billed as his final live appearance in the UK and Ireland.
