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Gorstey Lea
The Bluetones with support from Gorstey Lea AKA - Friday 31st October - Birmingham O2 Academy 2
O2 Academy Birmingham
16-18 Horsefair
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About this concert
Prepare yourselves for a 'spooktacular' evening of entertainment on October 31st at Birmingham O2 Academy 2 with 90's indie stalwarts The Bluetones.
The Bluetones first came to prominence in 1995, when their debut release ‘Are You Blue Or Are You Blind’ broke into the Top 40. The single proved to be the launching pad for a run that saw 14 hit singles and 6 albums follow on from it.
2024 saw the band release the first new Bluetones material in 14 years, culminating in a packed out tour across the UK. In 2025, the promise of new music continues, as the band gear up to release more Bluetones joy into the world, alongside a huge tour, taking in some of the prominent cities and towns in the land.
Support comes from Gorstey Lea a genre-blurring, emotionally-charged band drawing inspiration from a wide sweep of their influences – from the punk and ska of The Clash and The Specials, to the shimmering psychedelia of Echo & The Bunnymen and the poetic pop of Richard Hawley and Cherry Ghost.
Doors 7:00pm
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Gorstey Lea Biography
'A tonic for the times' Chris Hawkins BBC 6 Music
***************************************************
So here's a story that you may need to grab a cup of tea and the biscuit barrel for, are you sitting comfortably? Then, let us begin...
Gorstey Lea AKA 'The Gorstey Lea Street Choir' formed one cold winters night in 2016. Two friends on a life long journey.
Michael first met Russ in 1985, Michael was 15, Russ was 19. Russ played in 'the' up and coming local band ‘Soul Exit’. Michael admired his musical craft and ended up following the band around the country. A gig in Manchester was planned. Michael needed to go and went to Russ’s house (on Gorstey Lea) with a gift, a tape in hand. On one side The Pale Fountains ‘… From Across the Kitchen Table’ on the other Dexys Midnight Runners ‘Don’t Stand Me Down’. Russ welcomed Michael in and he attended the gig travelling in the bands van.
The future was cast... the following year Michael formed his first band ‘The Great Divide’ inspired by what he had seen and the world of endless possibilities and free expression.
Fast forward some 31 years to August 2016 and a big birthday bash for Russ. Michael attends Russ's party. Talk turns to days gone by and Russ pops the question... “It’s about time we got together and did some music Michael, what do you reckon? No pressure. I have converted my garage into a recording studio, you should come round and we’ll have a play”.
Michael was not sure, for 15 plus years he has not played an instrument, not sung a song, not written down his thoughts. The conversation was left. A mutual friend then messages Michael 4 months later to tell him that Russ is doing a gig and he thinks it would be good if they did a couple of their favourite cover versions together.
Messages are exchanged and the meeting is arranged at Russ's new house in Gorstey Lea, 4 houses up the road and 31 years since that first knock on the door. Without any rehearsal the two friends agree to play together for the first time on that Friday evening…
The reaction from the crowd and the landlord is overwhelming 2 songs turn to 2 hours and at the end of the evening the landlord books the duo to play the following month. ‘What’s your band name boys? ‘The Gorstey Lea Street Choir’ is quickly retorted an amalgam of that first meeting point and Van Morrison’s LP ‘His Band And The Street Choir’ … a door is unlocked, a journey is born.
So, to the ‘here and now’. The duo release their first track in October 2019 'The British Isles' which picks up national radio play from 6 Music, BBC Introducing and great digital stations such as Brum Radio, with the wind in their sails a double A side limited vinyl 'Lions' and 'Somedays' follows in January 2020 and in December 2020 their debut EP snazzily titled 'extended play one' hits the digital shops...
Summer 2021 - the boys release an 8 track mini LP ''...from Prince's Park to Farsley (Volume I)' a tale of new found collaborations and two towns... aided and abetted by Gavin Monaghan, George Shilling, Choque (Black Star Liner) and Mark Gardener... Volume II will be a long before you know it!!!!...
Well it should have been... Covid came and went, then Russ and Michael regrouped and decided to put the 5 piece 'live version' together.
New songs are been written and recorded sporadically.
The first fruits are now available... just like buses there will be more along very soon
Stay safe, be well
The Flat White Kid
Read More***************************************************
So here's a story that you may need to grab a cup of tea and the biscuit barrel for, are you sitting comfortably? Then, let us begin...
Gorstey Lea AKA 'The Gorstey Lea Street Choir' formed one cold winters night in 2016. Two friends on a life long journey.
Michael first met Russ in 1985, Michael was 15, Russ was 19. Russ played in 'the' up and coming local band ‘Soul Exit’. Michael admired his musical craft and ended up following the band around the country. A gig in Manchester was planned. Michael needed to go and went to Russ’s house (on Gorstey Lea) with a gift, a tape in hand. On one side The Pale Fountains ‘… From Across the Kitchen Table’ on the other Dexys Midnight Runners ‘Don’t Stand Me Down’. Russ welcomed Michael in and he attended the gig travelling in the bands van.
The future was cast... the following year Michael formed his first band ‘The Great Divide’ inspired by what he had seen and the world of endless possibilities and free expression.
Fast forward some 31 years to August 2016 and a big birthday bash for Russ. Michael attends Russ's party. Talk turns to days gone by and Russ pops the question... “It’s about time we got together and did some music Michael, what do you reckon? No pressure. I have converted my garage into a recording studio, you should come round and we’ll have a play”.
Michael was not sure, for 15 plus years he has not played an instrument, not sung a song, not written down his thoughts. The conversation was left. A mutual friend then messages Michael 4 months later to tell him that Russ is doing a gig and he thinks it would be good if they did a couple of their favourite cover versions together.
Messages are exchanged and the meeting is arranged at Russ's new house in Gorstey Lea, 4 houses up the road and 31 years since that first knock on the door. Without any rehearsal the two friends agree to play together for the first time on that Friday evening…
The reaction from the crowd and the landlord is overwhelming 2 songs turn to 2 hours and at the end of the evening the landlord books the duo to play the following month. ‘What’s your band name boys? ‘The Gorstey Lea Street Choir’ is quickly retorted an amalgam of that first meeting point and Van Morrison’s LP ‘His Band And The Street Choir’ … a door is unlocked, a journey is born.
So, to the ‘here and now’. The duo release their first track in October 2019 'The British Isles' which picks up national radio play from 6 Music, BBC Introducing and great digital stations such as Brum Radio, with the wind in their sails a double A side limited vinyl 'Lions' and 'Somedays' follows in January 2020 and in December 2020 their debut EP snazzily titled 'extended play one' hits the digital shops...
Summer 2021 - the boys release an 8 track mini LP ''...from Prince's Park to Farsley (Volume I)' a tale of new found collaborations and two towns... aided and abetted by Gavin Monaghan, George Shilling, Choque (Black Star Liner) and Mark Gardener... Volume II will be a long before you know it!!!!...
Well it should have been... Covid came and went, then Russ and Michael regrouped and decided to put the 5 piece 'live version' together.
New songs are been written and recorded sporadically.
The first fruits are now available... just like buses there will be more along very soon
Stay safe, be well
The Flat White Kid
Contemporary Folk
Indie
Indie Pop
Indie Rock
Folk Rock
Electro Pop
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