Due to production issues, @GillaBand have had to cancel their o2 Forum show and have announced a residency of shows around London. First is at @WindmillBrixton next Friday (16th). TICKETS ON SALE TOMORROW 10am!! – https://t.co/XV2Z2tiIax pic.twitter.com/RPLHB6UIWi

— RoughTradeRecs (@RoughTradeRecs) September 8, 2022

The band will play The Windmill Brixton on September 9^th, Peckham Audio on October 8^th, Moth Club on October 21^st and Studio 9294 on November 9^th. Tickets for the Windmill show go on sale tomorrow at 10 am; tickets are available here. Tickets for the rest of the shows will be available on Tuesday 13^th September at 10 am.

We are changing our band name. We are also playing some shows in Dublin in January. pic.twitter.com/PNhZ19dL2m — Gilla Band (@GillaBand) November 16, 2021

Gilla Band, formerly Girl Band, changed their name last November, apologising to anyone who may have been hurt by the band’s original name. The four Irish men released a statement via Twitter at the time, stating: “We will no longer be performing or releasing records under the name Girl Band. We apologise for choosing a misgendered name in the first place and to anyone who has been hurt or affected by it.” 

Continuing: “When we were starting off it was chosen without much thought. From a place of naivety and ignorance. We had no grasp of the weight of it at the time and in the past few years have found it impossible to justify or explain.”

They went on: “Regardless of our intention the effect of the name has been damaging to individuals. To try and negate any unfortunate role we’ve played in propagating a culture of non-inclusivity in music or otherwise. We have decided to change it.”

Finishing with: “Thank you to those who spoke up about it and educated us on this. Either directly or indirectly. Moving forward we will be performing and releasing records under the name Gilla Band. Gilla being a given name taken from old Irish.”

Gilla Band will be releasing their new record, Most Normal on October 7^th via Rough Trade Records. Earlier this summer the band released the second single off the album. The track titled “Backwash” was available as a Big Love exclusive 7’, limited to 120 copies and a video animated by Mortis Studios accompanied the release. You can watch the video below.

Speaking to Hot Press singer Dara Kiely revealed the inspiration behind the song: “The initial idea for the whole album was that it would loosely sound like a dream. We didn’t really stick to the brief but it lead us down different sonic avenues. ‘Backwash’ is one of the few tracks where the words represent a dream-like circumstance. The lyrics are from a stream of consciousness rant, weird imagery and all that. The track is about attraction – fancying someone and not knowing what to say exactly. It’s an indirect love song, knowing you like someone but can’t quite articulate it. Thinking that you have already expressed your feelings, but like waking up from a dream you’ve forgotten what you actually have said or felt.”

London residency dates:

16/09/2022 – The Windmill Brixton – London
08/10 – Peckham Audio – London
21/10 – Moth Club – London
09/11 – Studio 9294 – London

The news has been announced in an Instagram post with the following statement:
‘We’re so sorry to announce that Reading and Leeds 2020 will no longer be taking place. Please read our full statement above. Keep safe and see you all next year’

 

 

 

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A post shared by Reading & Leeds Festival (@officialrandl) on May 12, 2020 at 8:29am PDT

Liam Gallagher, Stormzy and Rage Against The Machine had been set to headline this year. Other artists included in the program were MIGOS, Lewis Capaldi, Sam Fender, Solardo, AJ Tracey, Tom Greenan and many more.

The tickets bought for this summer will remain valid, while refunds will also be available, assures the organisation.

The history of the two festivals goes back to the 1960s. Initially Reading and Leeds festivals were known as rock festivals. Over the years, however, the events became more versatile, attracting fans from many different genres.

Last year’s headliners included Post Malone, The 1975, Twenty One Pilots and Foo Fighters. Other acts included Pale Wave, Billie Eilish, Bastille, Blossoms and The Distillers. Billie Eilish’s live performance can be seen on the JmusiCall  YouTube Channel.

 

The decision has been put down to circumstances beyond the control of the band, as announced through their official Twitter account. The band have promised fans that they will be back on the road next year though this may not compensate enough for some of those who had already booked tickets to any of the cancelled shows.

However, the band are still seemingly planning to tour the UK this September and October, beginning in Norwich on 22nd September. This tour, if it goes ahead, will come to a close on 4th October at The Troxy in East London.

Here’s the full list of tour dates, should they go ahead;

The Horrors will play:

September

22nd – Norwich Waterfront
23rd – Bournemouth O2 Academy
25th – Newcastle Riverside
26th – Glasgow O2 ABC
27th – Manchester Albert Hall
29th – Birmingham The Institute
30th – Sheffield The Leadmill

October

1st – Bristol O2 Academy
3rd – Worthing The Pavillion
4th – London Troxy