Lush members have announced details of their first live show in almost twenty years.
Lush members Emma Anderson (vocals/guitar), Miki Berenyi (vocals/guitar), and Phil King(bass) will be playing London’s prestigious Roundhouse venue on Friday May 6th, 2016. This is the first time that the band will have played together since 1996. The group initially stopped recording and touring when their drummer, Chris Acland, killed himself in ’96. They then went and announced an official break up two years later in February. There was talk within the band about a break up before Acland’s death so it was not the sole reason but it had a very heavy influence on the bands final decision to split. According to the Guardian, former Elastica drummer Justin Welch is set to play Acland’s tracks and tour with the group for the reunion.
“The opportunities and practicalities of reforming Lush meant that for 20 years it was an impossible undertaking,” said Miki Berenyi in an article to the Guardian. “But we all loved what we did, and the time is finally right for us to do it again.”
The reunion was something that band members were having trouble keeping a secret by releasing hints through social media outlets. Making statements on where they can find any small Brighton gig venues as a hint to warm up plans before the big show.
Lush was formed in London in 1988 by four childhood friends: Anderson, Berenyi, Acland and originally Steve Rippon. Rippon was replaced by King after he left the band in 1990. The group pioneered a sound that would be called “Shoegaze” and signed with 4AD in ’89, where they would release three full-length albums.
There will be a reissue of the band’s “Best of,” Ciao! By 4AD on November 27th which will be followed by a limited edition box set titled Chorus in early December. According the their press release, “the box is a five-disc set, comprising the early compilation Gala (1990), the three studio albums Spooky (1992), Split (1994) and Lovelife (1996), and the B-sides collection Topolino (the Canadian version, also 1996), plus all manner of rarities (B-sides, radio sessions, remixes and demos, some previously unreleased). The artwork for the boxset is by Chris Bigg, who, alongside design chief Vaughan Oliver, was responsible for the iconic 4AD covers in the Nineties.”