The Lathums Descend on Wigan, UK, For A Huge Hometown Show At Robin Park, 19th July 2024

July 21, 2024
UK Concert Reviews
by Michael Bond Photographer/Writer

WORDS AND IMAGES MICHAEL BOND

Not a bad way to start the weekend, the suns out (for a change) and I’ve got 4 bands ahead of me to enjoy. This is all courtesy of The Lathums, who tonight have the opportunity to play to packed hometown crowd at Wigan Warriors own, Robin Park. Support for the band is strong round here, with the locals really taking The Lathums to their heats along their 6-year journey, that tonight culminates in a dream come true for the band.

The first of 3 support slots is filled by Alex Spencer, a 17-year-old singer songwriter from Manchester. Fresh off a slot at Transmit festival earlier this month Alex is making good progress and really getting himself noticed. With a stage presence he connects with the crowd like someone far more established, playing songs that draw influence from the likes of Jake Bugg, amongst others.

Second up is Edinburgh’s Brooke Combe, taking her soulful sound from her Motown and R&B influences. A real talent with a voice that fits perfectly and really starts to set the mood for the evening.

The main support tonight comes from Jake Bugg. Joined by bass and drums, adding an extra dimension to his previous solo acoustic shows. He delivers a mix of old and new tracks, ahead of an upcoming autumn tour and eventual new album. Playing crowd favourites like ‘Troubled Town’, ‘Two Fingers’ and ‘Lightning Bolt’ which trigger collective singing across the crowd, and smoke flares to be held aloft by people on top of shoulders. Bugg’s set is brought to a close with ‘All I Need’, leaving the crowd primed and ready for the upcoming show.

As the anticipation builds and everyone is singing along to The Housemartins ‘Caravan of Love’, the band make their way to the stage to a huge welcome befitting of local heroes. With frontman Alex walking back and forward on the stage, taking a moment to soak it all in. First up is ‘Villainous Victorian’ as the band settle their way into a night that has got to be a bucket list moment. Next song up is ‘Say My Name’ and on a night where you would wish everything to go to plan it was clear part way through the song that lead guitarist, Scott was having technical issues. With all his sound cutting out as he continued to sarcastically mime playing. Feeling sympathetic lead singer, Alex comes over and brings him close so they can both see out the song, singing the closing lines together.

As techs scurry around the stage in an attempt to fix the issue, Alex begins to fill by chatting to the crowd and brakes into an impromptu rendition of ‘Your My Sunshine’. Still with no joy on the technical issue, thinking on his feet, Alex picks up his acoustic guitar and perform ‘All My Life’. A song that usually sits further down the set list that he quickly pulled forward to fill the gap and maintain momentum. Although something that couldn’t be predicted, the band delt well with the disruption and maintained composure to keep their dream gig on track.

Moving through the set playing ‘Facets’ Alex next reminisces of the time he & Scott were sat in Scott’s box room at home and began to write their first song, as they dreamt of an escape from their lives. Setting the scene for ‘The Great Escape’. Which ends like many other of the band’s songs, with Alex saying, ‘Thank you very very much’.

As the band weave their way through songs taken from both studio albums. Alex again addresses the crowd, asking to tell them a story, saying this isn’t something he usually discusses. This leads into an emotional and heartfelt story about his dad passing away when Alex was 16, at which point he started writing to help him process his feelings. Leading the crowd in a toast to ‘all the people who can’t be here, and hope you enjoy the song like I know my dad would’ as the band play ‘Struggle’, which then then leads onto ‘How Beautiful Life Can Be’.

Another highlight of the evening is when Alex begins to introduce a special guest to the stage, re-affirming he is one of the reasons we started writing music and how he had been a huge influence, as Jake Bugg takes to the stage to perform an acoustic duet with Alex, of Buggs song ’Simple as This’. Following the song, Alex is having a pinch me moment as he declares’ I aint being funny, that was mint’!

Next up ‘No Direction’ sees the whole band all playing acoustic guitars together including drummer Ryan. This then leads into ‘Circles of Faith’, with the main part of the show concluding in ‘Artificial Screens’.

Back out for the encore and the set begins to build with an inevitably, from ’Fight On’ to ‘I See Your Ghost’ with the crowd in good voice, as the show is brought to a close with a collective sing along of ‘Sad Face Baby’. On a night that will stay in the band’s memory for a long time to come, Wigan’s own The Lathams have put on a triumphant performance that has been 6 years in the making.