Darlington's Dedicated Live Music Venue & Studios
Their first track was the now classic ‘I Can’t Give You Up’ recorded at Mike Porter’s house as his Hammond Organ was immovably wedged in his utility room! If you listen closely to the (now extremely expensive) original 7 inch recording released on the German label Club Tikka you can still hear Mike’s mum retrieving a pack of peas from the freezer… The track was so popular in the underground Mod and Northern soul scene all initial 500 pressings of the record sold out, resulting in online bidding wars, with the record going for as much as £160.
It was in fellow soul head Craig Charles that they found their first radio champion as he supported them heavily on ‘The Craig Charles Funk & Soul Show’ which was a kick-starter for their assault on national radio eventually landing Radio 2 record of the week twice and a playlist on 6 Music.
By the time their second album – Eccentric Audio was released the band had already been touring far and wide building up a loyal fan base helped by continued support from radio which culminated in two playlists and a New Year’s Eve live session on Radio 2. With two critically acclaimed albums under their belts and word starting to spread across the pond to America – S&T tracks were used on TV shows, feature films and an ABC network primetime ad campaign, as well as in video games such as The Crew.
2019 then saw the band celebrating 10 years in the business with the release of “Solid Brass – 10 Years of Northern Funk” a retrospective of the biggest tracks from their blistering live shows with the added bonus of two new tracks – “I’m A Man” and “Give It Back”. A sell out Solid Brass tour saw them delivering a set of strictly the hits to rapturous reception. The band returned in 2020 with “Stratos Bleu” their 6th studio album and one that continued to pair Turrell’s conscious lyricism with Smoove’s impeccable production. Keyboard player Mike Porter’s collection of analogue synths comes to the fore on the new album with a nod to the heady days of early 90’s clubbing which may be a surprise to some but in the context of this band as dance floor favourites makes perfect sense.
‘Red Ellen’ was released in 2023, not quite as electronic an odyssey as Stratos Bleu, but still firmly centred on the dance floor and with an overwhelmingly optimistic message of love and compassion, the album is tempered as always with the gritty reality of working class life in the North East of England.
With support from DJ’s, Tosh & Dave.
How To Buy Your Ticket
A non-refundable 50p booking fee is added to each ticket when buying online. On the door ticket sales are subject to availability and not guaranteed
