RICO SEZ:
“Really pleased to invite THE LOFT back to The Continental after their last gig there 14 years ago! I saw them on the sell out tour to promote their new album 'Everything Changes, Everything Stays the Same' a few weeks ago and they provided a stunningly good set. I'm also delighted that 14 ICED BEARS agreed to support. Very keen to see a full band set from Rob Sekula's outfit after his great set at the last Preston Pop Fest. Add Preston's own indie-pop legends BINGO BAY and this is going to be a fantastic show!”
ONLINE TICKETS HERE and on SKIDDLE and there’ll be some in Action Records with no booking fee by the end of the week.
THE LOFT
THE LOFT notched up an impressive list of firsts for Creation Records’ artists back in the mid-80s. First Creation band on TV, first to hit the top of the indie singles chart, first to be invited on to a major UK tour and first Creation band to record a coveted BBC radio session - for Janice Long’s Radio One show in 1984. Then they split up.
Since that infamous onstage tragedy; splitting up mid-song, at the Hammersmith Palais in front of 3,000 people when on the verge of Big Time indie greatness, the band has reunited. Just as their status as one of the UK’s most influential guitar bands of the 80s continues to grow and to influence a host of younger artists, and thirty nine years after that acrimonious split, it seemed the time was right to record their debut album.
Last year, after a sell-out show at London’s MOTH club and their heralded appearance at the Glas-Goes Pop festival, the group was invited by BBC 6 Music’s ‘Riley & Coe’ to record its fourth BBC session, at Maida Vale’s famous Studio 4. Within 6 months the session was rush released by Precious Recordings of London on glorious ten inch vinyl. Enter Hamburg based, Tapete Records, who, hearing rumours about new Loft material, snapped up the album and signed the band without hearing a single note. The ten song collection, ‘Everything Changes, Everything Stays The Same’, is released by Tapete on 14th March, 2025. The album was recorded in Hackney in August and produced by Dexys’ Sean Read with the original Loft line up of Pete Astor (guitar /vocals) Andy Strickland (guitar), Bill Prince (bass) and Dave Morgan (drums).
“Time has been kind to us I think; where once the world felt impossible and threatening, we seem to have learned to be more careful of each other and focus on playing together,” says singer, guitarist and songwriter, Pete Astor.
“We’re having a blast. It’s incredibly exciting to not only be setting out on tour again, but now with a brand new set of songs to play alongside some of our, ahem, ‘greatest hits’, says drummer, Dave Morgan.
“The Loft has always been just the four of us and it’s a real thrill to be writing and recording and playing across the UK with the band again. We’re sounding better than ever….” says guitarist Andy Strickland
14 ICED BEARS
14 ICED BEARS started out being dismissed by a jaded music press as a generic twee outfit but over time developed into an undeniably ground-breaking indie band whose psychedelic excursions set the template for the early 90s shoegaze sound, which is enjoying a huge renaissance today.
Formed in Brighton in 1985, by Robert Sekula and Nick Emery the band featured a shifting line-up of musicians across their initial seven-year run, centred on songwriter and vocalist Rob and guitarist/songwriter Kevin Canham.
Their jangly indie pop was characterised by a fuzzy protopunk-influenced guitar sound, and saw them receive modest critical acclaim in Britain's music press and approval from John Peel who requested a couple of sessions from the band. The group released a handful of singles for a variety of labels, including "Come Get Me" for the legendary Sarah Records, and two full-length albums: the eponymous 14 Iced Bears (1988), and Wonder (1991).
After their LPs were reissued by the boutique Optic Nerve label, 14 Iced Bears reformed in 2010 and toured the US east coast, the US west coast in 2011, as well as some concerts in London and Indietracks festival before fading into the background again, although front-man Rob Sekula continued to play solo and put out occasional singles. But over the last couple of years there has been a resurgence of activity from the Bears, and they have played a number of Pop Fests in the UK and Europe finding new fans who recognise their status as indie-pop greats.
Tuff Life Boogie is delighted to bring the full band to the Continental, after Rob Sekula's well-received solo spot at Preston Pop Fest in 2021.
plus BINGO BAY!
Preston indie-pop stalwarts BINGO BAY, featuring the stellar song-writing of Kevin Cross, will be opening the show
All happening on Friday 10th October 2025! Doors at 7.30, standing show.
ONLINE TICKETS HERE and on SKIDDLE and there’ll be some in Action Records with no booking fee by the end of the week.
Skiddle tickets:
To buy tickets for this event please visit our events page: The Loft / 14 Iced Bears / Bingo Bay tickets from Skiddle .