The Wedding Present - Spangle [Live at Academy 2, 24/05/2024]

The Wedding Present can boast 18 Top 40 singles. It all started in 1985 when David Gedge boarded a coach with 500 7”s and delivered the band’s debut single Go Out And Get ‘Em Boy! to a distributor. That pioneering spirit has been at the core of the band’s philosophy ever since.

Early releases saw a reputation acquired for breathtakingly honest love songs immersed in whirlwind guitars, as may be heard on George Best and Bizarro but, for their 3rd album, Seamonsters, the band turned to American engineer Steve Albini for a weightier sound. Then, in 1992, for The Hit Parade series, came 12 Wedding Present singles, one a month, equalling Elvis’ record for “most hits in a year”. Watusi saw the band exploring lo-fi pop & three-part acapella harmonies while 1996’s Saturnalia saw them in experimental guise.

In 1997, Gedge launched a new project, Cinerama, indulging his love of film music - from John Barry to Morricone via easy listening! By 2005, however, he was reviving the Wedding Present name for Take Fountain, to a torrent of critical acclaim.

2008 saw the band re-assembling in Albini’s studio to record El Rey, which was described as “some of the funniest, cleverest and most relevant indie” while 2012 saw the release of Valentina to more rave reviews.

In 2016 The Wedding Present released Going, Going..., - described as Gedge’s masterpiece - and this was followed in 2017 by George Best 30 – a 30th anniversary re-recording of the debut LP.