SINGER James Walsh described it as being ‘catapulted into a world of madness’ when Starsailor’s debut album, Love is Here, came out. A year before the record’s release, the four-piece could easily have been written off as a ‘college band’. But everything changed after October 8, 2001, when they reached number two in the charts, sold 150,000 copies in the first week and had interest in their music all around the globe. Starsailor will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the album with a gig at Parr Hall. They be playing Love is Here from start to finish exactly two decades since its release.
ONE of Warrington s most promising new music acts have made it through to the semi-finals of the Open Mic UK competition. George Young, from Old Hall, and Greg Dixon, from Orford, have been impressing the judges in the biggest online search for British artists. Every year more than 10,000 people enter – from solo singers and songwriters, to rappers and bands – and the duo have made it through all the heats, which have this year been online due to the coronavirus crisis. There are now only around 30 bands and artists left in the talent search and George and Greg s qualifier to reach the final will be at the end of May.
The Stranglers Announce New Album Dark Matters , Post First Single And If You Should See Dave Wednesday, 05 May 2021
The Stranglers have announced their 18th album. Dark Matters will arrive on September 10 via the band s own Coursegood imprint, via Absolute, marking their first full-length in nine years.
Alongside the news, the legendary punks have dropped the record s first single, And If You Should See Dave…, a touching yet bright, strummed guitar-led tribute to their late keyboard player Dave Greenfield, who passed away from COVID-19 in 2020. Bassist JJ Burnel said: A year ago, on May 3rd my great friend and colleague of 45 years, Dave Greenfield, passed away, another victim of the pandemic.
STARSAILOR are to play a homecoming show in Warrington to mark the 20th anniversary of their debut album. Love Is Here, which peaked at number two in the charts and went on to be certified platform, came out on October 8, 2001. The band – whose line up includes bassist James Stel Stelfox and drummer Ben Byrne who both grew up in Warrington – will be playing the record track by track in full at Parr Hall 20 years to the day since the release. Love Is Here featured one of their most successful singles – the top 10 Alcoholic as well as the top 20 hits, Fever and Good Souls.
EVERYTHING Everything are coming to Warrington as part of the return of Rivfest. The twice Mercury Prize nominated band, who have three UK top five albums, are one of the headliners for the three-day charity festival which is, this year, taking place at Golden Square between August 6 and 8. The other headliners are Hacienda icon Graeme Park, who is widely credited as one of the original founders of the UK’s rave/club scene, and Birchwood’s own emerging singer-songwriter Abi Rose Kelly. Singer-songwriter Abi Rose Kelly with the festival organisers pictured by Dave Gillespie Abi has been championed by BBC Introducing and was nominated in Glastonbury Festival’s emerging talent competition. With a full programme over three days, Rivfest 2021 is described as the organisers’ ‘biggest music festival yet’.