“We recorded this at the end of last year at a time when it was hard not to feel exhausted by the scale of insincerity everywhere. It’s a sort of Cold War Steve collage, a cut and paste diorama of cronyism, cottagecore and window-dressed Toryism, with the frustrated energy of live performance without a stage.”
– Sports Team
To celebrate the easing of lockdown measures, one of Britain’s most exciting live bands, Sports Team, is sharing “Happy (God’s Own Country),” a summer-of-hope-anthem capturing the raucous energy, and infectious spirit the six piece have become renowned for. Taken from their limited edition B-Sides and Rarities Vinyl Plant Test, “Happy (God’s Own Country)” is the first new music from the band since the release of their critically acclaimed, Mercury nominated, debut album Deep Down Happy. Sports Team are also sharing the satirical Wicker Man inspired video, which encapsulates the band’s ability to poke humor at the status quo, and represents “a cut and paste diorama of cronyism, cottagecore and window-dressed Toryism,” as cited by lead singer Alex Rice.
Building an ardent loyal fanbase and WhatsApp community, Sports Team will also release a special, limited edition B-sides & Rarities Vinyl, Plant Press, available only at Independent retailers in the UK. Independent retail has been at the heart of Sports Team’s output, having had the biggest vinyl sales for a debut British artist in 2020, and number 1 on official vinyl chart week of release. The six piece have also announced their rescheduled UK tour dates, and will bring the dizzying chaos of their live show to Manchester Academy, SWG3, Rock City, University Stylus, Whelans, SWX, and culminate at O2 Academy Brixton on November 25th, for many nights to remember. See below for the full list of the “Red Hot Rock Show” dates and festival performances.
It will be the band’s first time performing songs from their debut, which battled it out with global superstar Lady Gaga for the number #1 spot in the UK charts last June. It was a chart race which broke Twitter; from fashioning a Lewis Capaldi summoning circle, to Sam Fender & TV fisherman Jeremy Wade, wading in, with the band missed out on the top spot by only 500 sales. Described as “immediate and irresistible” (Stereogum) with “weird-angled guitars” and “crisp, jagged tunes” (Rolling Stone), the record went on to become the biggest selling album of the week in Independent Retail, and was nominated for the prestigious Hyundai Mercury Prize, alongside Dua Lipa, Charli XCX, Laura Marling, and winner Michael Kiwanuka.
For a band on the cusp of stardom, the only venues Sports Team entered in 2020 was their local UK pub The Nags Head, an empty Oval for their Sunday Brunch performance, and an empty Coliseum Theatre, headlining GQ’s virtual Men Of The Year Awards. With touring back and festivals going ahead, this might just be the year we get to be Deep Down Happy.
Upcoming Tour Dates:
FESTIVAL PERFORMANCES:
7/9 – Glasgow, UK @ TRNSMT Festival
7/24 – Oxfordshire, UK @ Truck Festival
8/13 – Leicester, UK @ 110 Above Festival
8/27 – Reading, UK @ Reading Festival
8/28 – Leeds @ Leeds Festival
9/5 – Warrington, UK @ Neighbourhood Weekender
9/25 – Bristol, UK @ Dot to Dot Festival
9/26 – Nottingham, UK @ Dot To Dot Festival
UK HEADLINE TOUR:
10/1 – Liverpool, UK @ O2 Academy
10/2 – Manchester, UK @ Manchester Academy
10/26 – Glasgow, UK @ SWG3
11/17 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
11/18 – Leeds, UK @ Leeds University Stylus
11/21 – Dublin, UK @ Whelan’s
11/23 – Bristol, UK @ SWX Bristol
11/25 – London, UK @ O2 Academy Brixton