Gossip at Manchester Club Academy 29th May

Beth Ditto and co give Manchester fans an exclusive sneak peek at their new album.

Fronted by an outspoken, overweight lesbian, Gossip’s combination of raucous post-punk beats and political lyrics make them unlikely contenders for chart success.

But when a Soulwax remix of their single Standing In The Way Of Control was used on an advert for hit Channel 4 show Skins, the group were suddenly propelled into the mainstream. Beth Ditto became a role model for women everywhere through her staunch refusal to conform to mainstream ideals. By the end of 2006 Ditto had posed naked on the front cover of NME to celebrate her position at the top of that year’s Cool List and was a regular columnist for The Guardian. The band’s gigs sold out across the country, their single dominated the airwaves and their album was certified gold in the UK.

No city took Gossip to their hearts as enthusiastically as Manchester. As well as selling out every time they played in the city, they also made appearances at the 2006 Manchester Pride and Manchester International Festival. Now the band has announced that they will play an exclusive one-off gig at Manchester Club Academy before the release of their second album, Music For Men. Expect huge tunes, a mad-for-it crowd and Beth Ditto’s trademark vocals to make this an unmissable gig.