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Regional secretary with the National Education Union
Still some fire in Donelly's Belly

Belly
Leeds Beckett University

TANYA DONELLY was recording a series of swansong EPs and planning her retirement from the music industry when the opportunity arose to tour with a re-formed Belly in 2016.

The Rhode Island quartet, who’d burned out after the commercial failure of second album King, had such good fun that they decided to work on some new songs. The result is the just-released Dove, their first original material in 23 years and their most collaborative effort to date.

This isn’t the only indication that time has healed any rifts among the personnel. The two-part set is characterised by the affectionate teasing families indulge in. Bassist Gail Greenwood is the ringleader, walking on stage and immediately informing drummer Chris Gorman that he can text during the largely acoustic Thief.

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