Happy 10th Birthday LYs…!

As we were walking out onstage at Wembley Stadium a couple of weeks ago, Tony reminded me that we played our first gig together almost exactly ten years previously, on 29 April 2000, in a tiny venue in Oxford called The Jam Factory. I can’t be certain how many people were there but it definitely wasn’t 50,000. Probably more like 20.

Either way, this makes today The Lightyears’ official 10th birthday.

Although The Lightyears per se didn’t officially come into existence until 2004, this date marked the first time George, Tony and I ever gigged together in public. As far as I’m aware, no photos exist of this momentous occasion. However, we have managed to dig out this priceless pic of the LYs (or “Satellite” as we were known at the time) busking on the Royal Mile at the Edinburgh Festival, circa 2003. Note the presence (far-right) of the only man ever to have left the band, Mr Tom Mansfield, looking (like the rest of us) rather fresh-faced.

And so… Happy Birthday to us. Here’s to the next ten years!

I think I’ve got some party poppers in the back of a cupboard somewhere…

2011 South African tour confirmed

We’ve been asked back to headline at the 2011 Rugby Tens Tournament in Cape Town, South Africa, for the third year running.

The CT Tens have a proven track record for attracting thousands of revellers to Hamiltons RFC (just round the corner from the new Green Point World Cup Stadium) every February for a thrilling sports programme and a post-match shindig to, erm, end all other shindigs.

Click here to read my 2010 Cape Town Tour Diary.

And to anybody reading this from CT… we look forward to seeing you again next year!

Wembley Stadium – London – 17/04/10