About This Event
Del Amitri mainstays Iain Harvie and Justin Currie remember the good old days, when a Glasgow indie band “who never really cut it as Orange Juice and Josef K copyists” became, in effect, overnight successes. Suddenly, after a critically-acclaimed but still-born first album (1985’s Del Amitri, being re-issued this year), with 1989’s Waking Hours, the hit single ‘Nothing Ever Happens’ saw them sharing a Top of the Pops stage with Phil Collins, then in the imperial phase of his solo career, newcomer Sinead O’Connor singing 'Nothing Compares 2 U', and the premiere of Public Enemy’s ‘Welcome to the Terrordome’ video. Two years later, Del Amitri were still regulars on the nation's favourite chart show. Promoting 1992 hit 'Always The Last to Know', the band appeared on an episode alongside an En Vogue video ('My Lovin'), Shakespear's Sister ('I Don't Care') and, performing smash US hit 'Jump', adolescent rap duo Kriss Kross, they of the backwards-jeans.
“I remember hearing their manager shouting at someone from the BBC,” says guitarist Iain Harvie, “complaining about the sound: ‘Even that fucking Scottish rock band sound better than my guys!’”
Del Amitri also remember the other side of the good old days. That happens when being successful enough to bag a stadium support with one of the biggest bands in the world isn’t quite enough success to insulate you from the indignity of a breakfast TV outside-broadcast from Blackpool and being upstaged by a dancing omelette.
“We did a gig with REM in Cardiff Arms Park, third on the bill with Belly and The Cranberries,” begins singer/guitarist Justin Currie. “And REM were mingling round the catering area after and invited us to their aftershow. We’re like: ‘Oh yes! We’re going to get to party with REM!’”
“Oh no – we had to get on the bus at midnight, drive through the night to Blackpool, sit outside the beach on the tour bus, waiting on the 5.30am call-time, then got put in a Portakabin, ignored for three hours. What the fuck are we doing here? We could still be partying with REM!
Dates: 16th Nov 26, 6:30pm - 11:00pm
Venue: YO10 4NT, York, City of York, England, United Kingdom
Categories: Festivals, Tours & Guides, Entertainment, Family Friendly, Great Outdoors
Book tickets at the event website.
Contact: Email: info@yorkbarbican.co.uk