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Wigan band The Lathums announce biggest UK tour yet – but without Johnny

They're officially a three-piece and are hitting the road.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 28th October 2022

The Lathums have announced details of their biggest UK tour to date, and confirmed that it will be as a three-piece.

Fans have recently been filling the Wigan band’s comment section on social media asking where bassist Johnny Cunliffe has been.

In a post on Instagram, The Lathums confirmed that Johnny left the band earlier this year and thanked fans for their support.

The remaining trio – frontman Alex Moore, Scott Concepcion on guitars and piano, and drummer Ryan Durrans – are now preparing for a huge UK tour.

The Lathums’ tour will be in support of their upcoming second album From Nothing to a Little Bit More and will include a date at Manchester’s Albert Hall as well as London’s iconic Roundhouse.

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The Lathums. Credit: Publicity Picture

The first single from the album is out now, titled Say My Name. The album is due for release on Friday 24 February 2023.

Their debut How Beautiful Life Can Be reached the top of the UK albums chart and The Lathums have gone on to perform at some of the world’s biggest festivals.

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They’re also taking to the stage at the AO Arena tonight in support of Kasabian.

Read more: Massive warehouse near Manchester Victoria to be turned into World Cup fan zone – and loads more

They say their new music will be ‘an act of rebellion having seen the rules of the game’ and encompass more of the ‘sad and strange’.

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Reflecting on the track, Moore says: “Say My Name is a more recent song and, like everything we seem to do, has profound personal meanings. It’s a conversation with someone who has gone, with them speaking to the person who is alive, saying the things that they want to hear.”

Tickets for The Lathums’ 11-date spring 2023 tour will go on general sale at 9am on Thursday 3 November, with exclusive fan pre-sales available through thelathums.com.

Full 2023 spring tour dates for The Lathums

Mon 6 Mar – Liverpool, Mountford Hall, Liverpool University
Tue 7 Mar – Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumbria Students Union
Thu 9 Mar – Sheffield, O2 Academy Sheffield
Fri 10 Mar – Glasgow, O2 Academy Glasgow
Sat 11 Mar – Manchester, Albert Hall
Mon 13 Mar – Norwich, The Waterfront
Tue 14 Mar – Cardiff, Cardiff University, Great Hall
Thu 16 Mar – Nottingham, Rock City
Fri 17 Mar – Birmingham, O2 Institute Birmingham
Sat 18 Mar – London, Roundhouse

Featured image: Publicity picture

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Music memorabilia shop with a difference opens in Manchester, and it’s a shrine to all things 1990s

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

A new music memorabilia shop filled with items created by the legendary design outfit Microdot has opened in Manchester.

For the uninitiated, Microdot – founded by industry icon Brian Cannon – was behind some of the world’s most famous album covers.

The studio created record sleeve artwork for every piece of music released by Oasis and Verve in the 1990s, from the living room of Definitely, Maybe to the sunken Rolls-Royce in a swimming pool for Be Here Now.

Unlike other music memorabilia stores, everything inside the new Microdot Manchester store has been created by the design outfit.

It’s all displayed on walls and rails like a museum – but just about everything is up for sale.

One exception is a fireplace standing on one wall, which featured on Oasis’s Definitely, Maybe album cover and is currently on loan from Bonehead himself.

Microdot Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Microdot Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Microdot Manchester. Credit: Supplied

Particularly fascinating are the annotated sketches from Brian, where’s he’s revealed some behind-the-scenes insight into these legendary album covers.

Like the familiar assortment of items around the pool on Be Here Now? Yeah, totally random stuff picked by Liam and Noel. No significance at all.

And that man with a moustache who pops up on three different Oasis covers, including the D’ You Know What I Mean artwork? It’s Brian’s dad…

You’ll also find walls covered in photo prints, from behind-the-scenes images to pictures of bands on tour, from the Gallagher brothers to John Cooper Clarke.

The shop is selling rare signed memorabilia dating back to the 1990s, alongside band t-shirts and prints.

Microdot founder Brian Cannon said: “We are very excited to be in Manchester, bringing with us a unique offering, friendly and knowledgable staff, and a great place to hang out.”

Operations manager Ben Mason added: “Manchester, for so long synonymous with musical heritage, is for us the perfect place to launch the new Microdot store.”

Microdot Manchester is located at 6 King Street and is open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm, and on Sundays from 11am until 5pm.

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Featured image: Supplied

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Graeme Park thanks fans for ‘valued support’ and launches fundraiser in memory of late son

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Graeme Park has thanked fans for their “valued support” following the devastating passing of his teenage son last week.

The former Hacienda legend and his family have also set up a fundraiser in his memory.

The DJ took to social media last week to share the heartbreaking news that his “true warrior” son Oliver had passed away at the age of 18 after a year-long battle with a rare cancer.

In a tribute to the late teenager, Graeme described his son as a “kind, loving, and beautiful soul” who “fought so hard until the very end” but was sadly taken “far too soon” when he “had so much more love to offer to this world”.

Graeme’s initial post drew in thousands of messages of love and support from the Greater Manchester music and entertainment community and beyond, as well as from famous name including from Vernon Kay, Sacha Lord, and DJ Paulette.

He asked fans to “bear with me” and confirmed that he will not be performing DJ sets or appearing on the radio for the time being.

Graeme with his wife Jen and twins Oliver and Ben / Credit: Graeme Park (via Instagram)

Now, a week after sharing the news of Oliver’s passing, Graeme, his wife Jen, and son Ben have taken the time to thank everyone for their “wonderful and valued support” – adding that the family is “heartbroken” to have lost a son, grandson, nephew, cousin and friend.

“Your messages and kind words have been well received and have offered us all some much needed strength and hope at what has been a very difficult time,” Graeme continued.

“Friends, colleagues, fans, followers and complete strangers have all been in touch in person, via phone, email and social media offering support and more, and it really has been heartwarming to read all the messages and to listen to everyone who’s called.

“Apologies if I’ve not responded to everyone, but rest assured we all really do appreciate the sentiment.

“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”

Oliver and Ben / Credit: Graeme Park (via JustGiving)

Graeme also confirmed that, after lots of discussion following so many reaching out and asking if there’s anything they can do to help, the family has decided to set up a JustGiving page in Oliver’s memory to help raise “much needed funds and awareness” for Sarcoma UK.

Sarcoma UK is a national charity that funds vital research, offers support for anyone affected by sarcoma cancer, and campaigns for better treatments.

“After complaining of leg pain over a long period, Oliver was eventually diagnosed as having a malignant nerve sheath tumour that was a type of sarcoma, hence our decision to help Sarcoma UK,” Graeme explained.

Sarcoma is a type of cancer that develops in the bone and soft tissue. It is difficult to diagnose and one of the hardest to treat – “but by donating in memory of Oliver, you can help change this.”

“Your donation will help researchers find answers, keep the specialist Support Line open, and raise awareness to improve treatment and standards of care,” Graeme concluded, “Your donations go so far in helping the sarcoma community.”

Over 200 people have already donated to the JustGiving fundraiser, with the total now at £6,900 and counting by the minute.

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If you’d like to support, help, or donate in memory of Oliver, you can do so here.

Featured Image – Graeme Park

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