The Fratellis - Celebrating 20 years of Costello Music

The Fratellis are playing The Engine Shed on Friday 5 February, as part of their tour celebrating 20 years of Costello Music. The Glasgow alternative rock band first released the album in 2006, and it spent 83 weeks in the UK Top 100, peaking at number two. 'Henrietta', 'Whistle For The Choir' and 'Chelsea Dagger' became indie-disco folklore from those sessions, and they'll be right at the heart of this set.

It's not just a trip back to 2006, though. The tour was postponed when it was because of frontman Jon Fratelli's health issues, and it's coming back as a nine-piece live band, with brass and strings added to the core trio to mirror the sound of their later records. That means the songs from Costello Music will be played with a fuller arrangement than the original recordings.

For a bit of background, the band took their name from the villains in The Goonies by pure coincidence: bassist Barry Fratelli's real surname is Wallace. The core trio is Jon Fratelli (John Lawler), Barry Fratelli (Barry Wallace) and Mince Fratelli (Gordon McRory). They haven't spent the years since Costello Music resting on nostalgia: 2021's Drunk Under a Full Moon reached number three in Scotland, followed by a 2022 deluxe edition with eight previously unheard tracks, and they still play Glastonbury, including a packed Avalon Stage set last summer.

The gig is presented by Crosstown Concerts at The Engine Shed, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS. Doors open at 19:00, and tickets are £42.44.