'Nothing but good memories' - The Fratellis star on why performing at Blackpool Winter Gardens is so special
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Blackpool Live continues to prove the resort still has a stage to shout about writes Craig Isherwood.
Blackpool Live’s ambitious bid to put the resort back on the map as a live music destination took another step forward on Friday, as the second of seven planned events brought The Cheap Thrills, The Lilacs, The Twang and The Fratellis to a packed Winter Gardens.
The all-ages audience was particularly enthusiastic for Liverpool’s The Cheap Thrills, who opened with the hugely uplifting Hairs, a wonderful introduction that immediately began building anticipation for their forthcoming debut album, Keep Cheap.
Their latest track, Looking, released on Friday, brought a funky groove that the crowd were more than happy to be swept along with, while Codependence provided a powerful and emotive finale to a confident set from a band whose music is rooted firmly in people and community. Drummer Anton Eager even chose to stand for the song,reinforcing the importance of its message.
What makes The Cheap Thrills’ rise particularly remarkable is that Keep Cheap is not due for release until September, yet they have already built an astonishingly passionate and powerful following. The youthful response they received on the night suggests this is a band with a very bright future.
Frontman Lewis Pike says the band are already developing a special relationship with the resort.
“We really love Blackpool and this is our third show here this year! We’d never played here before and then we came in February and then also in March with the band Good Health Good Wealth. We feel like we have a stronghold here in Blackpool and we’re just honoured to be on the bill with The Fratellis at the Winter Gardens which is a stunning venue.”
Wigan’s The Lilacs followed with huge smiles and an equally huge reception, with fans travelling from as far away as Motherwell to see the band who won’t be releasing their debut album, Keeping Up with the Joneses, until October. Their latest single Put The World To Rights, also released on Friday, was a particular highlight, while the enormous response to the question of who’d seen the band before demonstrates just how quickly their following is growing.
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For frontman Ollie Anglesea, playing the Winter Gardens is part of something bigger.
“Live music is awesome. It’s the best thing in the world, so to perform here at the Winter Gardens, which is an iconic venue, is amazing! As a step to put Blackpool back on the map, I’m happy to be a part of this event for sure!”
Then came The Twang, bringing a generation of experience to the stage with a hugely strong and consistent set that drew across their 20-year career. Their performance was a reminder of why they have endured, combining experience, energy and plenty of fun, with Drinking in LA, from their 2007 debut album Love It When I Feel Like This, receiving a massive reception from the Blackpool crowd.
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But it was headliners The Fratellis who transformed the evening into a full-scale spectacle.
The Glasgow three-piece brought a highly polished show to the Winter Gardens, with a horn section and backing performers adding another dimension to the performance. With so much happening on stage, it became a visual feast as well as a musical one, creating a sense of occasion that perfectly matched the size and history of the venue.
They launched into Henrietta, before fan-favourite Whistle for the Choir turned the venue into one enormous singalong. Their unexpected cover of the 1970s disco classic Boogie Woogie, a single they recorded in 2021, added another twist, but there was no question about the night’s ultimate highlight. Chelsea Dagger was performed with passion and pride, producing an enormous response from the crowd.
For Jon Fratelli, Blackpool remains deeply personal.
“Growing up I used to come to here twice a year, and it wasn’t just me, my mum, dad and my sisters, it was my grandparents too. We would all come down, and I have nothing but good memories. The Fratellis first played here in 2006 and we’ve been back many times since. It always just transports me back.”
That sense of history and belonging was perhaps the real story of the second of Blackpool Live’s seven planned events. Four bands, different generations of fans and one packed Winter Gardens proved there is a huge thirst for live music in the resort — and, if this second night is anything to go by, Blackpool is more than ready to quench it.
FUTURE GIGS
⁜ Fri 28th Aug The Enemy | Blackpool, Winter Gardens
With special guests We Are Scientists, Alex Spencer & Shambolics.
⁜ Sat 12th Sept Cast | Blackpool, Winter Gardens
With special guests Sleeper, Echobelly & Pastel
14+ | £45 Adv | Doors 18:00
⁜ Fri 18th Sep Doves | Blackpool, Winter Gardens
With special guests The Slow Readers Club, IST IST & Bank Holiday
⁜ Sat 19th Sep The Pigeon Detectives | Blackpool, Winter Gardens
With special guests The Rifles, M60 & Alright
14+ | £39 Adv | Doors 18:00
⁜ Happy Mondays | Blackpool, Winter Gardens
With special guests Inspiral Carpets & common goldfish
14+ | £45 Adv | Doors 18:00
For more information or tickets visit Blackpool Live website here.