Live From Sefton Park! The Lathums release their historic return to live performance…

It was the moment that everyone had been waiting for – bands returning to perform in front of thousands of jubilant music fans and The Lathums made every second count, making history to perform before 5,000 people at Sefton Park, Liverpool on Sun 2 May 2021. Unimaginable for over a year, yet suddenly possible, the popular, sharp-witted four-piece led a loud, mass expression of hope as the Covid clouds parted. Now the band releases the entire performance on Island Records as a thrilling document of the balmy spring evening life began to feel normal again.

In reality, life felt anything but normal for unassuming, literary front man, Alex Moore alongside Scott Concepcion on glistening, jangly Marr-esque guitars, Jonny Cunliffe on bass and Ryan Durrans at the drums, as they tore into opening track Villainous Victorian. Slowly oiling the joints of their performance after last appearing before an audience in March 2020, The Lathums put passion ahead of perfection to make unforgettable moments in harmony with the huge crowd before them.

Mass sing-alongs for favourite singles Fight On and The Great Escape seemed to melt the lockdown anxiety, homebound boredom and heavy headlines of the year just gone.

Sharing the stage with Blossoms and Zuzu, the UK Government-sanctioned event was restricted to fans from the Liverpool City Region and conducted under strict testing criteria. With so many unable to obtain tickets and join the party under the specially-installed Big Top, the visceral live recording is a chance to experience the magic of the unforgettable night joyous, live music returned for real. The entire, 10-song set, including singles, I See Your Ghost and Oh My Love, is released as Live At Sefton Park, which was only the band’s second ever appearance in Liverpool, having played the 200-capacity Shipping Forecast venue on their first headline tour in February 2020.

With reports that only eleven attendees of all weekend test events in Liverpool tested positive for Covid, and zero cases followed the Brit Awards, held at the O2 Arena as a further test event, the recording of The Lathums’ performance marks a turning point for artists, the touring music industry and fans looking forward to the return of festivals and gigs.

Alex Moore said: “It’s only now, knowing that everybody could enjoy themselves and it remain safe, that the picture is complete and we’re so grateful to have been there. The atmosphere at Sefton Park before the show was a real buzz and then our time on stage went so quickly. The feeling afterwards will never leave me, just overjoyed to have played our songs to that many people and for that many people to respond so generously. It was a privilege for all of us.”

Hailing from the overlooked outskirts of Greater Manchester, The Lathums continued to make strides throughout 2020 despite their touring plans being derailed by the pandemic, debuting in the UK Official Album Charts Top Ten with vinyl-only EP compilation, The Memories We Make, making their maiden appearance on BBC’s Later… With Jools Holland and becoming the only guitar band tipped for greatness on the BBC Sound Poll 2021.

Having completed their debut album, produced by The Coral’s James Skelly, the band looks forward to scaling even greater heights through 2021. A huge SOLD-OUT return to the North West awaits them at Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse, with limited tickets remaining for landmark shows at Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom and London’s O2 Forum Kentish Town as part of an expanded and upgraded, 21-date headline UK Tour. Festival dates include debut appearances at Tramlines, Sheffield and TRNSMT, Glasgow.

The full list of The Lathums 2021 UK Headline Tour dates and confirmed festival appearances are as follows:
Fri 9 Jul – Glasgow, TRNSMT 2021
Fri 23 Jul – Steventon, Truck Festival
Sat 24 Jul – Sheffield, Tramlines
Fri 30 Jul – Pikehall, Y Not Festival
Sat 31 Jul – Kendal, Kendal Calling
Sat 28 Aug – Portsmouth, Victorious Festival
Sun 5 Sep – Warrington, Neighbourhood Weekender
Sun 26 Sep – Manchester, Castlefield Bowl – w/Snow Patrol
Wed 29 Sep – Newcastle, O2 Academy*
Thu 30 Sep – Birmingham, O2 Institute*
Sat 2 Oct – Nottingham, Rock City*
Sat 3 Oct – Liverpool, Sound City
Mon 4 Oct – Cambridge, Junction
Tue 5 Oct – Brighton, Concorde
Thu 7 Oct – London, O2 Forum Kentish Town*
Fri 8 Oct – Southampton, The 1865
Sat 9 Oct – Bristol, SWX
Mon 11 Oct – Sheffield, O2 Academy*
Tue 12 Oct – Leeds, O2 Academy*
Thu 14 Oct – Glasgow, Barrowland Ballroom*
Sat 16 Oct – Manchester, O2 Victoria Warehouse* SOLD OUT
Fri 12 Nov – Hull, Social – SOLD OUT^
Sun 14 Nov – Leicester, O2 Academy 2 – SOLD OUT^
Mon 15 Nov – Stoke, Sugarmill – SOLD OUT^
Tue 16 Nov – Cardiff, Globe SOLD OUT^
Wed 17 Nov – Oxford O2 Academy 2 – SOLD OUT^
Fri 3 Dec – Dunfermline, PJ Molloys – SOLD OUT^
Sat 4 Dec – Dundee, Fat Sam’s^
Mon 6 Dec – Aberdeen, The Lemon Tree – SOLD OUT^
Tue 7 Dec – Edinburgh, The Liquid Room – SOLD OUT^