Another trip over the bandit country; this time it’s Leigh, which I‘m pretty certain is only the 2nd or possibly 3rd time I’ve visited in the 56 years I’ve been on this earth, such is the pull of this town… This time it’s to witness the next stage of a band I first saw almost 7 years ago to the day, which was at Bearded Theory Festival (a festival I’ve not missed visiting since) when they played on its wonderful Woodland stage, we just happened to be in there when they were due on next, I’ll be honest, I completely forgot about them, someone told me in passing before the festival were worth checking out until checking the lanyard to see who’s on next and the name The Lottery Winners was there sparking the memory so we stuck around and the rest, as they say, became history.
It’s crazy to see a band who were bricking themselves about whether they had overstretched themselves later in 2019 when they booked the Bread Shed to play, moving on to be in 2026 putting on a “stadium” show for 12,000 people in their hometown; I’d go as far as saying it’s fucking nuts! But yet here we are, and arriving in time for The Lilacs we get the 1st scare as when calling into the box office to pick up my guest list the chap behind the laptop says just 1 ticket when both me and the missus were stood in front of him, “Nope it should be +1” I said, “I only have you down for 1 here.” Oh balls was going through my mind as I’m trying to find my confirmation email and there’s no bloody signal – who was it on The Lottery Winners facebook fan page who said Leigh isn’t the back of beyond when there was zero signal in the town centre and signal but no data by the time I got to the stadium eh? Thankfully, whilst trying to get my phone to work, he checked another list and there it was, 2 tickets – phew, wasn’t a wasted journey after all..
The Lilac’s
Wigan-based Lilacs got a very generous 50 mins and by the sounds of their set, a decent soundcheck too, which is rare for the 1st band on at a stadium gig. I suspect that their absolutely faultless performance will have brought them some new fans, much like how a large number of people found out about The Lottery Winners by arriving early to see them supporting the “band” they came to see. It’s been a couple of years since I last saw them play and I’m happy to see they have moved away somewhat from being a Lancastrian version of The Reytons as I originally saw them as into gaining their own style which latest release, Misbehaving, and a previously unheard new song, What’s The Worst Thing That Could Happen, strengthened this case, check em out or even better, catch them live – you won’t regret it.
Scouting For Girls
Although some of the crowd enjoyed their set, I’m not going to lie. I thought this band were beige and boring as porridge 20 years ago, and absolutely nothing about their performance tonight managed to change that. Yeah sure, they’re lovely folk and their songs are generally upbeat but Christ, it’s like listening to Coldplay whilst on Prozac and not the early “decent” Coldplay from the early years but the MOR turds they turned into. Honestly, if I never have to listen to them again it will still be far too early. Why were they even on the billing? Surely it must have been a label stipulation or Roy has something incriminating on Thom…
The Lottery Winners.
Now where do you start with this bunch? By far one of the hardest-working bands that I know of, they really have put the legwork in, had so many kickings to step back up from and showed resilience over matters that would have broken many a band and its all ended up here tonight, a 12k-cap venue in their hometown. From the opening skit on the screen before they entered the stage featuring several local characters and known faces sprinkled with typical TLW’s self-defeating humour of being the underdogs to the cheer when they walked out to on stage. Hitting the crowd with long-time opener Worry, it was business as usual for the foursome, except this time they had actual backing singers, a string quartet and a brass section – and they said fame wouldn’t change them. It was during Superpower, the second track, where a 1st for me happened. In over 4 decades of live music I’ve never seen someone singing vocals on stage whilst being tattooed at the same time; Thom took this in his stride like it was a perfectly normal day, as did the tattooist who was obviously having to work to a schedule.
Katie’s turn to take over the vocals arrived early for Sunshine just before Rob got his opportunity by doing his best Boy George impression with Let Me Down, and it wasn’t long before the 1st guest of the night was to appear because Dirt and Golg coime after Favourate Flavour and that meant the wonderful Frank Turner who helped The Lottery Winners massively by taking them on tour with him (I actually just missed him but a week ago as he did a surprise set at Bearded Theory and I was at the very stage he played before his appearance and only left to see another band with a TLW connection, Pet Needs!). It wouldn’t be the last we’d see of Frank for the night but for now it was time for the gang to do a “Coldplay” and record a video, in a stadium, for a new song Steady We Go because, as Thom mentioned the video for Fix You was filmed up the road at Bolton’s stadium; ironically, I was at that gig too…
It was time for the night’s second special guest as Katie also got her second shot in the spotlight as someone I did actually see just a week before, the Rev himself, Jon McClure, popped by for a flying visit to sing You Again with her before having to shoot off down to Manchester to appear in the tribute to Mani gig. 21 made a surprise early entrance which seemed to phase a lot of the crowd as traditionally it was used as a set ender which actually it did as the first part of the show came to a close and the band headed off stage.
After a break which a heartfelt video message from Thom was shown about wondering if there was something wrong with him, if he was an Alien or something, the band members finding each other, growing up together, finding love and all the ups and downs and how together they have become something that is bigger than family. He then goes on to describe playing to an audience in their home town that isn’t just an audience but have become their people, an audience who have grown up with the songs the same as the band have, full of people who get them and the band, so naturally UFO was really the only option to return to the stage with which was lifted above and beyond thanks to the addition of the brass section and finished off with Purple Rain as a reprise for good measure.
Struggling was a rare addition to the set list but was well received, and The Meaning Of Life was dedicated to Andy McHugh by a tearful but tremendously grateful Thom. Andy used to drive the band everywhere in the early days, but now ill health has sadly got the better of him and it was touch and go on if he could make it to the stadium, but he did, and he got the biggest of roars from the crowd. After embarrassing Katie by putting up a school picture of her on the big screen, it was her turn to shine once more; sadly (or perhaps thankfully for some), no sign of Chad Kroeger this time; it was time for her big moment with Ragdoll, with Kroeger doing his bit on the screens as Thom didn’t fancy singing as deep as he does
. As the sun had set by this point, You Are Not Alone saw the stadium lit by thousands of phone torches. Much Better was book-ended with the crowd singing Erasure’s A Little Respect and finished with Can’t Take My Eyes Off You; well, I say finished, the 2nd verse of the chorus was a bit iffy as most folk only know the 1st part including Thom… Time for Frank to return to the stage for a double header, with Letter To Myself, which brought a few tears to the band and audience alike, before Start Again closed the main set with one big party atmosphere.
For the encore with the screen asking Do You Wank More? Before the text was scrolled back to change the k with a t, and with time rapidly approaching the curfew, Turn Around continued the party before Burning House, complete with real flames, brought the lights down on a night that no doubt will live on forever in the memories of the band and audience alike. It is hard to sum up the evening; at times it felt like being in a cult, other times, at a self-help group but one thing is for certain and that is the love that this band has brought to its fans, its bonded people, seen others through their darkest days and helped others celebrate big moments; 4 weirdos from Leigh have achieved so much in the time I’ve known them and they deserve all the success they have worked so hard for to this point and all the accolades thats going to come their way in the future.
Bravo, The Lottery Winners, Bravo!
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