THE SKIDS + Spear Of Destiny
November 6 @ 7:00 pm - 10:45 pm
£27.50
THE SKIDS + Spear Of Destiny
7pm, Weds 6th November, Bedford Esquires
We are very pleased to announce THE SKIDS and Spear Of Destiny will be warming up for their UK tour at Bedford Esquires on Weds 6th November. Both headliners in their own right and selling out the venue in their own right at Esquires the band were last paired together in Bedford at the Corn Exchange in 2018 which saw over 700 people in attendance. With Esquires being the smallest venue on the tour we would advise picking tickets up nice & early for this date.
Tickets priced £27.50 are on sale now from Seetickets and will be available in person from Slide Record Shop and Esquires Bar (booking fee free) from Fri 2nd August.
THE SKIDS
“Memories fade but some linger for a reason. The Skids was the definitive part of my early life. A brilliant adventure into the world of creativity and adulthood. I was a kid when I joined the band in 1977 – 16 years old. By the time the adventure had run aground I was a dazed and confused young man. We were fearless in the beginning, always trying new things and not afraid to be different in a musical world that was beginning to sound very derivative and safe. Contrary to the reports from people who were never near the centre of the band, Stuart Adamson and I got on very well – in fact for a long time we were very close. I enjoyed writing with him – he was generous and incredibly adaptable to my unmusical ideas. The Skids were not just another punk band – we were creatively ambitious as well as being close to the core beliefs of our hard-won fans. But most importantly we loved playing live. Taking these memories and replanting them into 2017 has not been easy. How do you do it? How should it sound? Are we little more than a tribute band? These were the questions rattling around my head as I tried to find a way to celebrate the bands 40th anniversary last year. The answers ended up being very simple – Don’t over think it – Just do it. Enjoy every minute of it. Play the songs like it might be the last time. Give it everything. And then……. there’s the new stuff!!! The beginning of something new rather than the end of something old. Enter DESTINATION DUSSELDORF”
Richard Jobson
The Skids were at the heart of the punk scene in Scotland and took their music to London where they were signed by Virgin records. They made 4 albums and had numerous hit singles including Into the Valley, The Saints are Coming, Masquerade and Working for the Yankee Dollar.
After the cover version of The Saints are Coming by U2 and Green Day the remaining band members reformed and played to large audiences all over the UK including iconic London venues such as The Albert Hall and The Roundhouse as well as Barrowlands in Glasgow. Their recently released album Destination Dusseldorf went to no.1 in the vinyl charts.
SPEAR OF DESTINY
Formed in 1983 after the demise of Kirk Brandon’s post punk iconic rockers THEATRE OF HATE. (Brandon had also, before TOH, been the main man in every punk rockers favourite band of that era The Pack)
The current line up of Spear is the longest serving to date and features Adrian Portas (New Model Army / Sex Gang Children), Craig Adams (Sisters of Mercy / The Cult / The Mission) and Phil Martini (Jim Jones and the Righteous Mind) on drums. During 2019 the line up was boasted by Saxophonist Clive Osborne. Long time Brandon collaborator Steve Allen-Jones completes the band line up on keyboards for 2022.
Post Pandemic has seen SOD play some fabulous club shows and festivals including sell out shows at the iconic 100 Club in London, Manchester Ritz and Glasgow Oran Mor. SOD’s performances at Sign of the Times, Rebellion and Kubix festivals have heralded fantastic reviews “Festival Stealing Dream set” wrote The Northern Echo.
Late 2024 will see Spear take to the road with long term friend Richard Jobson who will fronting a revitalised line up of the much loved Post Punk Heroes THE SKIDS. This amazing line will be playing close to 30 shows across the UK in November and December 2024, NOT to be missed.
Comments on Kirk Brandon and Spear of Destiny:
The BBC’s Jeremy Vine: “@kirkbrandon is one of our greatest musical geniuses”
John Robb’s Louder Than War: “Spear of Destiny are criminally underrated and are one of Britain’s best, Boys Own, punch the air, grandiose Rock’nRoll bands.
Mojo wrote: “Kirk Brandon is on of the UK’s best kept secrets”.
On SOD’s previous studio album ‘31’(Thirty-One).
BBC Radio’s Jools Holland: “possibly [Spear of Destiny’s] best album in 20 years”
Louder Than War: 9/10 Brandon puts his all into every song with epic bombast, coming across as a tragic rock n roll anti-hero. He is the Wagner of rock n roll. And the haircut’s still pretty cool.
Aberdeen Voice: Thirty years together makes for flawless musicianship, a unique sound, and some remarkable riffs and harmonies.