Inspiral Carpets concluded their four-day weekend of shows with a visit to the wonderful Lowther Pavilion in Lytham to perform a mix of hits and deep cuts to a bank holiday Sunday audience. With Martyn Walsh back in the saddle on bass, they rolled back the years and reminded us why we fell in love with them in the first place.
Inspiral Carpets have been out on the road this week on a mini UK tour, calling in at some of their favourite venues in Scotland, England and Wales. The opening night – at Carlisle's Old Fire Station – celebrates the 10th anniversary of the venue. Stuart Ralston enjoyed a phenomenal twenty song set and an impressive opening performance from new 4 piece Malcom.
James headed to the seaside on Sunday night with Orca 22 orchestra and the Manchester Inspirational Voices Gospel Choir in tow to headline the final night of Lytham Festival supported by Johnny Marr, Inspiral Carpets, The Magic Numbers and The Kairos.
Inspiral Carpets continued their run of intimate live shows around their summer festival appearances with a sold-out show at a hot and sweaty Live Rooms in Chester supported by Stanleys.
Inspiral Carpets played their smallest show in decades on Monday night with a packed out show at AMP in Stockport as part of its Town Of Culture celebrations. With a set full of most of their back catalogue of hits the intimate hot and sweaty gig was a real throwback to their roots as a garage band that grew up on stages of this size before fame came their way.
When Happy Mondays and Inspiral Carpets announced their tour last year, tickets for the shows were in high demand with some venues selling out instantly, resulting in no fewer than three Glasgow shows. Tonight was the first of those sell out shows. Stuart Ralston ventured home for the evening.
Stuart Ralston made the short trip down the road to Dunfermline as Inspiral Carpets continue their renaissance.
Blossoms returned to the scene of their triumphant 2017 headline show at Castlefield Bowl that saw out the end of the era of their debut album for the first of two huge shows to mark the end of the Ribbon Around The Bomb era, their fourth album and third number one. Support came from old friends Inspiral Carpets and rising star Seb Lowe.
Inspiral Carpets play their first Scottish date of 2023 to a packed and adoring audience. Stuart Ralston popped home to join the celebrations.
No one ever said it was going to be easy. When a good friend messaged me last autumn with the news that Inspiral Carpets would be touring this year, it came as a lovely surprise. It was unexpected, but welcome news and the prospect of seeing my favourite band again helped sustain me through a long winter.
To accompany their massive tour Inspiral Carpets release the most definitive and complete collection of their singles on a remastered double vinyl album and a 3 CD set with a whole host of classic and new remixes.
Inspiral Carpets are back after an eight year hiatus following the tragic death of drummer Craig Gill to promote a career-spanning The Complete Singles collection with a series of dates across the UK, Australia and New Zealand including a full festival season. We caught up with organ player Clint Boon for a chat about how the comeback came together, finding a replacement for Craig and excitement at pulling together a new full career retrospective with both front men.
2023 promises to be a busy year for Tom Hingley; next month sees the return of his post-Inspiral Carpets band The Lovers, plus extensive solo and band dates with his latest band The Kar-pets. But first, he starts the year with an exciting new project. Tom has taken time to record a new mini-album with his life long friend, former Hacienda co-worker and band mate from his pre-Inspirals beat combo, Too Much Texas, Gordon Mackay. It marks the first time they have recorded together in 38 years.
Not content with his roles as a living legend, a figurehead of Manchester's music scene and the creative industries guru in residence for British Libraries, Inspiral Carpets bassist Martyn Walsh has been busy over the past year creating new music. The Afterglow EP is his collaboration with Simon Lyon and his second new release, following on from his ¡La Ruta! project at the end of last year.
