PREVIEW: Yorkshire indie stars The Sherlocks bring debut album tour to Hull University

After thousands of miles on the road, front man Kiaran Crook his brother and drummer Brandon, lead guitarist Josh Davidson and his brother and bassist Andy are headlining Hull University Student Union on Thursday, February 15, 2018.

Support is hotly-tipped Sheffield and Hope Valley band Oddity Road and Scotland’s new stars Neon Waltz.

Tickets £13.50 at www.thesherlocksmusic.co.uk.

Tomorrow The Sjerlocks - from Bolton upon Dearne in South Yorkshire - will perform a sold out show before 3,500 fans at Manchester’s iconic Victoria Warehouse, a venue so big that few acts tour there, let alone ones who have only just released their first album.

The Sherlocks and Neon Waltz also join Stereophonics, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Craig David and Jake Bugg at Tramlines festival's new location Hillsborough Park, 20-22 July 2017. Tickets www.tramlines.org.uk.

The Manchester gig sold out months ago and this week social media has been alight with fans searching for last minute tickets. It’s not only fans that are excited, as Brandon revealed: “Everyone on the tour bus, the whole crew, is buzzing for Manchester, it could be a career highlight so far for all of us.”

Now on the verge of completing their second sold out UK tour and with Live For The Moment being the best-selling debut album by any group for more than a year, The Sherlocks can lay claim to be the biggest new band in Britain.

Kiaran added: “This latest set of shows have been absolutely mad. Things have moved to a different level since the album was released, even in towns like Bournemouth where we’ve never headlined before.”

The Sherlocks made national headlines last week when they posted on social media a cheekily edited Y Not Festival poster which swapped their place with The Amazons’ slightly higher position. The story went viral and Brandon even appearing on Newsbeat on Radio 1 to explain the prank.

But it was their night in London that really showed the band’s character and endurance when a technical fault meant they lost all sound, including microphones, for nearly 15 minutes in front of 1,200 bouncing fans and music industry bosses.

“I first heard a distortion in my ear-piece and Josh and Andy signaled to say they had a problem too” explained songwriter Kiaran, 22.

“Then everything went off. We thought about taking acoustic guitars to the front barrier, but the venue was too big, so I stayed on my electric, turned up the stage amps to maximum volume and started playing Chasing Shadows, hoping it was loud enough.

“I had to lip read the first words, but it worked and the audience responded, singing the whole song back.”

While their latest Radio One single had bought them time, with the power still off, many wondered if the gig may still be cut short, but that’s not The Sherlocks’ way says Kiaran.

“A lot of acts would have left the stage, but we’re a people’s band who don’t give up easily, so I started playing Don’t Look Back in Anger and the crowd went nuts. I’ve never seen as many camera phones in the air.

“Our time playing covers in pubs and working men’s clubs in South Yorkshire gave us the experience to handle difficult situations. We learnt then not to shy away from the people. Walking off stage in London wasn’t going to solve anything.”

Kiaran says he wasn’t surprised the three other Sherlocks rallied round. “The band stuck together as it always does. Brandon came down the front to help lead the singing. None of us will forget that gig, though every time we come to London we seem to have a power outage!”

Playing to thousands in London is a half a world away from the band’s first visit to the capital supporting a club DJ set by Steve Craddock after Ocean Colour Scene had performed at The Electric Ballroom in Camden, the very same venue The Sherlocks headlined on this tour.

“Back then, we had no money so afterwards we parked up on the main road and slept in our van” recalled Kiaran.

“Brandon was in the driver’s seat with his head on the steering wheel, Josh and my Dad, Mick, were on the rear seats and Andy and I had an old mattress in the back.

“It is nuts when you look back, but they’re our memories. That same night we looked through the window of the Electric Ballroom, thinking we’d love to play there one day, and now, after years of grafting, we have and we’ll always remember it.”

Oddity Road lead-singer Jack Heath, guitarist Dan Brennan, bassist Joel Gilbourne and drummer Ethan Lambert have also had a great time on this tour, taking their sound around the country and repeating their self-proclaimed high energy indie-rock show that was so electrifying at Sheffield Academy earlier this month. Their debut single Don’t Hold Me Down is out Friday, February 23. Pre-order at www.oddityroad.co.uk

North Scotland stars Neon Waltz, whose first album Strange Hymns was released the same day as the Sherlocks’ record, have also been a hit with fans wherever they’ve played. Singer Jordan Shearer, drummer Darren Coghill, guitarists and brothers Kevin and Jamie Swanson, bassist Calvin Wilson, and keys player Liam Whittles return to Yorkshire to headline Headrow House, Leeds on Monday February 19 as part of their own UK tour. Dates and tickets at www.neonwaltz.com

Next The Sherlocks tour European arenas with Liam Gallagher, play their first festival in Japan, return to America and, along with Neon Waltz, appear at this year’s huge Tramlines festival in Sheffield. Kiaran says he already has 15-20 new songs in progress for their second album, but, for now, their imminent show in Manchester is foremost on this band’s minds.

“We know we’re not the only thing happening there tomorrow, someone else will be at Albert Hall, The Apollo and The Academy, and yet we’ve sold out 3,500 tickets” the lead singer adds modestly. “If all those music fans come to our show while so much else is going on, then we must be onto something.”

* Debut albums Live For the Moment by The Sherlocks and Strange Hymns by Neon Waltz are out now. Debut single Don’t Hold Me Down by Oddity Road is released on Friday, February 23.