The Divine Comedy Tease 'Rainy Sunday Afternoon' With New Single Invisible Thread
Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Written by Jon Stickler
Photo: Kevin Westenberg
The Divine Comedy have shared another single from their upcoming album.
Written, produced and arranged by frontman Neil Hannon, Invisible Thread explores the emotional point in parenthood when children start to become independent and chart their own paths. Appropriately, it features guest vocals from Hannon's daughter, Willow.
"It's about that pang of worry when they board the bus for a camping trip," Hannon explained. "The heart tug when they go on their first date. It's not as simple as 'the ties that bind'. They are a part of you."
Serving up piano, soft strings and acoustic guitar, the poignant chamber-pop offering arrives with a video directed by Wolf James and starring comedian and actor Ardal O'Hanlon. Debbie (aka Wolf James) said:
"Neil is such a beautiful writer and artist and it's been a joy to work with him. There's a sense of loss and grief under those sunny lyrics and when I spoke to Neil about his inspiration - parenthood, ageing, letting go - the idea of the tailor of time emerged. A man trapped by his work but freed by the creativity he feels in the presence of his daughter. Ardal was the perfect choice for the role; himself a father, also at the cusp of change in the relationship. And such a lovely link between himself and Neil. Another invisible thread!"
Hannon added: "Debbie and her tremendous cast and crew have made a magical video. And my old friend Ardal O'Hanlon is the heart and soul of the piece. The very essence of careworn fatherhood."
The song offers a further glimpse into 'Rainy Sunday Afternoon', due out on September 19. It follows the earlier previews The Last Time I Saw The Old Man and Achilles.
The band will support the LP with a previously scheduled UK tour in the autumn, followed by Irish and European dates early next year. Tickets are on sale now.
The Divine Comedy will also support David Gray on select UK and Ireland dates of the British singer-songwriter's summer 2026 extension of his Past & Present World Tour. Tickets for those dates go on general sale at 10am on Friday (September 5).
The Divine Comedy Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows
Fri September 19 2025 - KINGSTON UPON THAMES Circuit
Thu September 25 2025 - BRIGHTON AND HOVE CHALK Brighton
Mon October 06 2025 - LIVERPOOL Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Tue October 07 2025 - NOTTINGHAM Royal Concert Hall
Wed October 08 2025 - BATH Bath Forum
Fri October 10 2025 - GATESHEAD Glasshouse International Centre for Music - Sage 1
Sat October 11 2025 - LONDON Barbican Hall
Sun October 12 2025 - LONDON Barbican Hall
Mon October 13 2025 - BRIGHTON Brighton Dome Concert Hall
Wed October 15 2025 - CAMBRIDGE Corn exchange
Thu October 16 2025 - SHEFFIELD City Hall
Fri October 17 2025 - WOLVERHAMPTON University of Wolverhampton at The Civic Hall
Sat October 18 2025 - SWANSEA Swansea Building Society Arena
Mon October 20 2025 - GLASGOW Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Tue October 21 2025 - YORK York Barbican
Thu October 23 2025 - OXFORD New Theatre
Fri October 24 2025 - MANCHESTER Bridgewater Hall
Sat October 25 2025 - BRISTOL Bristol Beacon
Wed February 25 2026 - MILAN Magazzini Generali (Italy)
Thu February 26 2026 - ZURICH Kaufleuten (Switzerland)
Fri February 27 2026 - GENEVA Antigel Alhambra (Switzerland)
Sat February 28 2026 - LUXEMBOURG CITY Philharmonie (Luxembourg)
Mon March 02 2026 - PARIS SALLE PLEYEL (France)
Tue March 03 2026 - PARIS SALLE PLEYEL (France)
Wed March 04 2026 - TOULOUSE Le Bikini (France)
Thu March 05 2026 - BARCELONA Sala Apolo (Spain)
Sat March 07 2026 - MADRID Teatro Eslava (Spain)
Sun March 08 2026 - LISBON Aula Magna (Portugal)
Mon March 09 2026 - PORTO Casa da Musica (Portugal)
Wed March 11 2026 - BORDEAUX Le Rocher de Palmer (France)
Thu March 12 2026 - NANTES Stereolux (France)
Fri March 13 2026 - RENNES Le MeM (France)
Sun March 15 2026 - COLOGNE Stadthalle (Germany)
Mon March 16 2026 - AMSTERDAM Paradiso (Netherlands)
Tue March 17 2026 - BRUSSELS Cirque Royal (Belgium)
Wed March 18 2026 - HAMBURG Fabrik (Germany)
Fri March 20 2026 - STOCKHOLM Sodra Teatern (Sweden)
Sat March 21 2026 - OSLO Kulturkirken Jakob (Norway)
Sun March 22 2026 - COPENHAGEN Lille Vega (Denmark)
Mon March 23 2026 - BERLIN Huxleys Neue Welt (Germany)
Wed March 25 2026 - LILLE Laeronef (France)
Fri March 27 2026 - BELFAST Waterfront Hall
Sat March 28 2026 - DUBLIN National Concert Hall
Sun March 29 2026 - DUBLIN National Concert Hall
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