INFLUENTIAL rock band The Stranglers have had to reschedule their show at The Hexagon in Reading to next year.

The band’s tour, which was due to get underway in the autumn but has been put off until 2021, is set to be their last together in a “comprehensive touring format”.

They were planning a visit to The Hexagon this year, but it has now been rescheduled until April 20 because of the ongoing effect of the coronavirus pandemic.

The outbreak has had a personally devastating impact on the band itself - with keyboard player Dave Greenfield tragically passing away after contracting the virus at the beginning on May. He was 71.

In memory of their talented friend, fellow band members will be dedicating this tour to him.

It will also be kicking off on Dave’s birthday, March 29. The tour will end in his adopted hometown of Cambridge at the end of April - something the rest of the band agreed would be a “fitting finale”.

The band will be supported on tour by special guests Ruts DC.

The Stranglers say the set will be covering tracks from their extensive catalogue spanning more than 45 years.

They are expected to treat fans to hits including Peaches, No More Heroes and Walk On By, as well as Always The Sun, Strange Little Girl and Golden Brown.

The band, made up of Jean-Jacques Burnel, Baz Warne and Jim Macaulay have said while they will not be calling it a day completely, this will be the last chance to see them playing together in a comprehensive touring format.

The group formed in the mid-1970s as the Guildford Stranglers, but they soon dropped Guildford - where they formed - from the name.

Since then, they have scored some 23 UK top 40 singles, recorded 17 top 40 albums and are one of the longest-surviving bands to have formed in the UK punk scene.

If you already had tickets to see The Stranglers at The Hexagon, all existing ticket and seats will transfer over to the new date.

To buy tickets - which are selling fast - go online to whatsonreading.com/hexagon. They are priced from £34.50. No under 14s in the standing areas - only seated in the balcony.