Big Special, the post-punk outfit from Birmingham, play The Sugarmill in Hanley with special guests The Joy Hotel and Bradley Taylor.
Big Special play The Sugarmill on Tuesday 24 November, with The Joy Hotel and Bradley Taylor on the bill. It's a full night of music and performance in the heart of Hanley's Cultural Quarter, and the lineup brings together three very different acts on one stage.
Big Special are Midlands heroes from Brum, a post-punk outfit that blends electronica, spoken word and punk with heavy instrumentals. Their songs tackle mental health, working-class hardship and social commentary, and they've cited Tom Waits and IDLES as inspirations. It's that mix of the spoken and the loud that gives them their particular edge.
Opening for them are The Joy Hotel, a six-piece alt-rock band formed in Glasgow's east end back in 2019. They bring a full-band sound to the night, and they're joined by Bradley Taylor, an award-winning poet and performer whom Craig Charles has described as 'a brand new voice and a fresh perspective on the art of poetry and performance'. With a poet on the bill alongside two bands, the evening moves from spoken word to alt-rock and then into Big Special's post-punk.
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The Sugarmill is one of Stoke-on-Trent's most iconic live music venues, open since the mid-1990s and known for showcasing emerging talent alongside established acts. It's played an early role in the careers of several internationally successful artists, and it sits right in the middle of Hanley's Cultural Quarter. Doors open at 19:00, and tickets are £20.
