Gene Tickets

After being approached late last year about the possibility of playing again as Gene by Creation Records founder Alan McGee and Toura Toura’s Kevin Fitzgerald, who co-manage the likes of Sleeper, Huey Morgan and Alabama 3, the four band members only met for the first time in December The speed at which things have progressed since is testament to the group’s enduring passion and immediate reconnection.

Gene formed in 1993 and made their debut with the single ‘For The Dead’ the following year on the indie label Costermonger, which was founded especially for the release by the journalists and authors Keith Cameron and Roy Wilkinson. Limited to 1994 copies, the seven-inch sold out in two days.

The band’s debut album, Olympian, followed on 20 March 1995 and quickly became one of the era’s best and most appreciated records – including singles ‘Sleep Well Tonight’, ‘Haunted By You’ and the stately title track – as it reached the UK Top 10.

Olympian’s enduring and superior status was recognised when NME took the rare step of revising its opinion of the record, overriding its initial on release review to praise the record in 2011 as they declared the album possessed “a strong and commanding soul.”

Demonstrating the depth of Gene’s artistic vision, Olympian was followed in 1996 by rarities and b-side collection To The See The Lights, which became an immediate fan favourite, before their second full album, Drawn To The Deep End, also went straight into the Top 10 in 1997, boasting the hits ‘Fighting Fit’, ‘We Could Be Kings’, ‘Where Are They Now?’ and ‘Speak To Me Someone’.

With 1999’s more muscular Revelations ably capturing the fin de siècle uncertainty and hope in the air at the time, Gene initially ended on the creative high of 2002 album Libertine which Q Magazine praised for its “grace and guile” as the album gained widespread critical acclaim.

While Olympian’s 30th birthday year adds a great sense of occasion for the band and fans alike, the four-piece is keen to ensure the upcoming shows show will be a celebration of everything Gene stood for.

“Olympian’s anniversary is a good reason for doing it, but we’re looking forward to playing songs from all of our career,” says James. “It is going to be a lot fun playing as Gene again.”