Ocean Colour Scene: Heading to York Barbican
OCEAN Colour Scene will play York Barbican on July 26. Tickets go on sale on Friday (25/4/2025) at 10am at https://www.yorkbarbican.co.uk/whats-on/ocean-colour-scene/.
Formed in 1989, the Birmingham band spent six years fine-tuning their sound before lighting up the Britpop party with three Top Five albums, 1996’s Moseley Shoals, 1997’s chart-topping Marchin’ Already and 1999’s One From The Modern.
A run of nine Top 20 singles took in The Riverboat Song, You’ve Got It Bad, The Day We Caught The Train, The Circle, Hundred Mile High City, Travellers Tune, Better Day and It’s A Beautiful Thing (with PP Arnold).
In all, they have accrued five Top Ten albums (that list being completed by 1997’s B-sides, Seasides And Freerides and 2001’s Mechanical Wonder), alongside 17 Top 40 singles, with six making the Top Ten. They last released a studio album, Painting, in February 2013, reaching number 49.
The poster for Ocean Colour Scene’s July 26 show at York Barbican
In the line-up are singer and acoustic guitarist Simon Fowler, guitarist and keyboard player Steve Craddock (who also plays in Paul Weller’s concert band and on the Modfather’s albums); drummer Oscar Harrison and bassist Raymond Meade. Together, their live performances are noted for communal outpourings of hope, joy and life-affirming sing-a-longs.
Over the past decade, Ocean Colour Scene have honed their craft in the spirit of the soul, folk and blues greats who inspired them, returning the favour in 2018 when they took Motown legend Martha Reeves and The Vandellas out on tour. “We couldn’t quite believe that Martha Reeves was supporting us, it seemed absurd,” said Fowler. “But our crowd loved it, she went down really well.”
Fowler and Harrison appeared previously at York Barbican in An Evening With Simon & Oscar in October 2015, later playing an acoustic gig together at Harrogate Theatre in June 2023.