Three Steps To Shed Seven: past, present and future as 30th anniversary rolls on

Step One: Night two of the Sheds’ 30^th anniversary homecoming concerts, Live At York Museum Gardens, presented by Futuresound, on July 20

Set list: Let’s Go; Speakeasy; Where Have You Been Tonight?; High Hopes (with Duke Witter); Dolphin; Devil In Your Shoes; Tripping With You (with Laura McClure); Bully Boy (with Huntington School Choir); Ocean Pie; Parallel Lines; In Ecstasy (with Rowetta); On Standby; Going For Gold; Suspicious Minds; Talk Of The Town; Getting Better; Let’s Go Dancing.

Encores: Room In My House; Throwaways (with Peter Doherty); Disco Down; Chasing Rainbows (with choir, McClure, Rowetta and support acts Doherty, Brooke Combe and Apollo Junction).

CharlesHutchPress viewpoint: As central as a centre-spot, standing with a cluster of chanting York City fans, former manager Michael Morton (February-August 2023) at their core, and a bunch of Sheds-loving former University of York students, meeting up from all over the country for the first time since 1997.

Different set list? Out went She Left Me On Friday (they left it out on Saturday), People Will Talk and The Heroes. In came: Where Have You Been Tonight? and Parallel Lines.

Other differences?

*Shed Seven arrived on stage at 8.30pm rather than 8.40pm.

*Different members of Huntington School Choir sang Bully Boy.

*The Sheds’ friend Stuart Allan, guitarist and vocalist in York band Johnny And The Dunebugs, guested on guitar throughout the Sheds’ set, introduced by Rick Witter as “the fifth Beatle”.

The same on both nights:

*The show-opening recorded poetry reading of The Boys Are Coming Home – a hymn of praise to York’s “characters, cobbles and quirks” – by Matt Abbott, Wakefield poet, educator, activist and former frontman and lyricist of Skint & Demoralised. Commissioned by guitarist Paul Banks.

*Backing singers Mary Pearce and Beverly Skeete, as featured on the Shed Seven albums Instant Pleasures, A Matter Of Time and the upcoming Liquid Gold.

*Special guests Laura McClure, from Reverend And The Makers, Rowetta, from the Madchester Nineties’ scene, and The Libertines’ Peter Doherty, all reprising their contributions to the Sheds’ number one album, A Matter Of Time.

*Brass section of Tim Hurst, trombone; Andy Cox, saxophone; Jamie Brownfield, trumpet.

*The presence of a film crew, led off on Friday by the camera following Rick Witter from the Museum Street entrance, “walking towards the stage like a boxer entering the ring” (to quote Ste’s comment on CharlesHutchPress’s review of the first night.

Why filming?

“The idea of filming the weekend is trifold,” says Rick. “We wanted to make a video for the most recent Liquid Gold release, Getting Better, which came out on Monday evening (July 22). Worth a watch!

“We’re also releasing a ‘Live At Museum Gardens’ variant to coincide with the release of Liquid Gold on September 27. And then possibly we’ll release a DVD of the Museum Gardens gigs, along with all the promo vids from A Matter Of Time onwards and a small documentary about the Sheds. The year of the Sheds indeed.”

Final CharlesHutchPress thoughts: Loved Room In My House and Talk Of The Town becoming latter-day crowd favourites already. Rick’s “dad dancing” with son and Serotones singer Duke in High Hopes. The set – pre-encores – closing with Let’s Go Dancing’s a cappella coda, “Lonely words seek an empty page/Curtain call, time to leave the stage/ It’s time to stop…”.

Peter Doherty and his dapper chapeau – plonked briefly on Witter’s head – loving every minute, whether in Throwaways or the everything-plus-the-kitchen-sink Chasing Rainbows finale. The departing hordes still singing Chasing Rainbows as they crossed Lendal Bridge, homeward bound and euphoric.

Step two: New single Waiting For The Catch and new album Liquid Gold

“HI MATE. Sorry just shooting a video to a new song. It’s all go.” So messaged Rick Witter, on July 22, explaining his delay in answering a handful of CharlesHutchPress questions.

That song is new single Waiting For The Catch, a duet with Issy Ferris, of UK folk/rock/Americana duo Ferris & Sylvester, who released their second album, Otherness, on March 1 on Arch Top Records.

Premiered on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2 on August 8, Waiting For The Catch is a new reworking of an Instant Pleasures bonus track from the York band’s career-spanning orchestral album Liquid Gold. Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HKKvnD-tII.

“Waiting For The Catch fits perfectly alongside some of our biggest hits,” says Rick. “The song has the classic ‘Can’t live with you, can’t live without you’ sentiment and we felt making it a duet would fit perfectly with the lyrical theme.

“So we invited the amazing Issy Ferris to add her beautiful voice to the track, which gives it a yearning, but also vengeful energy. You want to hear Shed Seven arena-sized? No problem, it’s our pleasure.”

Liquid Gold’s orchestral reinventions were recorded in collaboration with arrangers Fiona Brice and Michael Rendall. Brice had worked previously with Liam Gallagher and Placebo, while Rendall had teamed up with the Sheds for 2017’s Top Ten comeback album Instant Pleasures and A Matter Of Time.

“This year we celebrate 30 years as recording artists and, after reminiscing about our career, we thought we’d celebrate the milestone by revisiting some key songs from our past,” says Rick.

“The idea being that if we cherry picked a hatful of songs and recorded them now, it would be a coherent stroll down memory lane but also sit sonically beside A Matter Of Time. A logical next step.”

Rick continues: “We see this record as a gateway into the world of Shed Seven. We also felt that adding an orchestra to each track would lend the whole project a unique slant. The songs have become widescreen, full of colour.

“The original recordings will always hold a special place in our hearts but re-recording the chosen songs was an exciting prospect for us. It’s a gift from the band to our loyal supporters and will hopefully introduce some golden moments throughout our career to a whole new audience. Enjoy, and here’s to the next 30 years!”

Set for release on Cooking Vinyl on September 27, Liquid Gold can be pre-ordered at shedsevenn.lnk.to/LiquidGoldPR, with formats ranging from signed copies and vinyl to CD and cassette versions.

The Sheds have just launched a new bootleg edition, each with artwork individually hand-stamped by the band, that adds three songs from their BBC Piano Room session, a live recording of Casino Girl, and remix of In Ecstasy.

That Piano Room session in May saw the Sheds perform Chasing Rainbows, Talk Of The Town and a cover of Duran Duran’s Planet Earth with the BBC Concert Orchestra at Maida Vale studios.

The album track listing will be: Getting Better; Speakeasy; Devil In Your Shoes; On Standby; Going For Gold; Waiting For The Catch (featuring Issy Ferris); Better Days; Parallel Lines; Disco Down; Ocean Pie; new composition All Roads Lead To You and Chasing Rainbows.

A special Live @Museum Gardens 2CD edition can be pre-ordered at store.shedseven.com/product/148214?password=LG-YORK-EM. Featuring a bonus disc of live tracks recorded at the two shows, it comes with alternative artwork to commemorate the occasion.

In the immediate aftermath of the Museum Gardens shindigs, the Sheds released a video of the Liquid Gold version of Getting Better, filmed on and off stage over the two days, capturing the band, special guests Peter Doherty, Rowetta and Laura McClure and Friday support acts The Lottery Winners and Serotones, Huntington School choir and audience members…and Witter riding through York on a bike.

Or, as Black Arts PR’s press release puts it: “The video is a joyous celebration of one of the biggest highlights of Shed Seven’scareer. It captures every moment of the day: fans getting the party underway as they arrive; Rick Witter strolling through the audience and posing for photos and pinching a sip of beer; clips of friends including Peter Doherty, Lottery Winners, Rowetta, Laura McClure and Serotones (featuring Rick’s son Duke) all relishing the occasion; and the band embracing before they step on stage. The most emotional moment is saved until the end – the band taking their final bows in front of a sea of adoration.”

Post-gigs, The Shedsposted on social media: “Watch to the end, you won’t be disappointed… you might even feature. Enjoy and thanks once again for making this weekend so special.” Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnJnjir47QE.

Already, the Sheds had previewed the album by releasing two tasters, Speakeasy and Devil In Your Shoes. Pre-orders for Liquid Gold have exceeded the numbers reached with January’s A Matter Of Time. Could Shed Seven notch up two number one albums in a year? Roll on September 27.

Step Three:  T-T-T-Talk Of The Town in multiple towns and cities, 50 shows in all

AFTER in-store performances and personal appearances, including HMV York, to launch A Matter Of Time in January and the 30^th anniversary homecoming celebrations at York Museum Gardens in July, the Shed Seven boys are back in town after town over the rest of 2024.

First up comes a guest spot on Blossoms’ bill at Live From Wythenshawe Park Presents: Blossoms, Inhaler & More @ Wythenshawe Park, Manchester on August 25, followed by BBC Radio 2 In The Park at Moor Park, Preston, on September 8.

Next will be in-store appearances promoting Liquid Gold from September 8 to October 16 and a sextet of gigs in October combining playing 1994 debut album Change Giver in full with a greatest hits set too.

In the traditional biennial Shedcember slot will be a 23-date 30^th Anniversary Tour, the Sheds’ biggest-ever winter itinerary, joined by special guests The Sherlocks. Back home in time for Christmas, Rick Witter and Paul Banks will bring down the curtain on the Sheds’ annus mirabilis with a brace of special acoustic duo performances at Huntington Working Men’s Club. Sheds’ bassist Tom Gladwin will do a DJ set each night

AUGUST

25^th:  Manchester, Wythenshawe Park (guests to Blossoms)

SEPTEMBER

8^th:  Preston, BBC Radio 2 In The Park

27^th: Manchester, HMV (1pm – SOLD OUT)

27^th:  Bury, Wax & Beans (6pm – SOLD OUT)

28^th:  Birmingham, HMV (1pm – SOLD OUT)

28^th:  Leamington Spa, Head Records (5pm – SOLD OUT)

29th: London, Rough Trade East (5pm – SOLD OUT)

29^th: London, Rough Trade East (7pm  – SOLD OUT)

30th – Southampton, Vinilo (1pm – SOLD OUT)

30^th:  Brighton, Resident (6.30pm – SOLD OUT)

OCTOBER

1^st: Bristol, Rough Trade (12 noon – LOW TICKETS)

1^st: Bristol, Rough Trade (5pm – SOLD OUT)

2^nd: Nottingham, Rough Trade (midday – SOLD OUT)

2^nd: Nottingham, Rough Trade (6pm – SOLD OUT)

3^rd:  Sheffield, Bear Tree Records (midday – SOLD OUT)

3^rd: Liverpool, Jacaranda (7pm – SOLD OUT)

4^th:  Newcastle, Beyond Vinyl (6.30pm – SOLD OUT)

10^th: Kingston-upon-Thames, Pryzm (Change Giver show, hosted by Banquet Records)

11^th: Kingston-upon-Thames, Pryzm (Change Giver show, hosted by Banquet Records – SOLD OUT)

12^th:  Coventry, HMV Empire (Change Giver show)

16^th: Edinburgh, Assai Records (midday – SOLD OUT)

16^th: Glasgow, HMV (5pm – SOLD OUT)

17^th: Glasgow, SWG3 (Change Giver show, hosted by Assai Records)

18^th:  Manchester, Academy 2 (Change Giver show, hosted by Crash Records – SOLD OUT)

19^th:  Leeds, Beckett Student Union (Change Giver show, hosted by Crash Records – SOLD OUT)

NOVEMBER – 30th ANNIVERSARY HEADLINE TOUR

14^th:  Sheffield Octagon (SOLD OUT)

15^th:  Cardiff University, Great Hall

16^th: Liverpool University, Mountford Hall (LOW TICKETS)

18^th:  Halifax, Victoria Theatre (LOW TICKETS)

19^th: Hull City Hall

21^st: Aberdeen Music Hall (SOLD OUT)

22^nd: Glasgow, O2 Academy (SOLD OUT)

23^rd: Edinburgh, O2 Academy (LOW TICKETS)

25^th: Leicester, O2 Academy (LOW TICKETS)

26^th: Margate Dreamland

28^th: Bristol O2 Academy (SOLD OUT)

29^th: Newcastle O2 City Hall (LOW TICKETS)

30^th: Leeds O2 Academy (SOLD OUT)

DECEMBER – 30th ANNIVERSARY HEADLINE TOUR

2^nd: Oxford O2 Academy (SOLD OUT)

3^rd: Lincoln Engine Shed (LOW TICKETS)

5^th:  Stockton Globe

6^th: Manchester O2 Victoria Warehouse (SOLD OUT)

7^th: Birmingham O2 Academy (SOLD OUT)

9^th: Norwich, The Nick Rayns LCR, University of East Anglia (SOLD OUT)

10^th: Cambridge Corn Exchange (LOW TICKETS)

12^th: Bournemouth O2 Academy (LOW TICKETS)

13^th: Nottingham Rock City (SOLD OUT)

14^th: London O2 Academy Brixton (SOLD OUT)

DECEMBER – RICK WITTER & PAUL BANKS INTIMATE ACOUSTIC SHOWS

21^st: York, Huntington Working Men’s Club (SOLD OUT)

22^nd: York, Huntington Working Men’s Club (SOLD OUT)

Any remaining tickets are on sale via shedseven.com at https://gigst.rs/SS24.