Buzzcocks will celebrate a 30 year-plus career next year when three of their previous line-ups will perform gigs in Manchester and London, which will include an emotional reunion with founder member Howard Devoto.
“They’ll kick off with new and contemporary material featuring the current line-up of Pete Shelley (vocals / guitar), Steve Diggle (vocals / guitar), Chris Remington (bass guitar) and Danny Farrant (drums),” organisers have said.
“Part two sees Pete and Steve perform the United Artists ‘classic years’ tunes featuring the classic line-up of Shelley / Diggle and Steve Garvey (bass guitar) and John Maher (drums).”
“The evening’s proceedings will be brought to a clamouring close in part three by Pete, Steve, and John being joined on stage for the first time in over 33 years by original co-founder and frontman, Howard Devoto, to close the evening by performing the four tracks featured on the band’s debut Spiral Scratch EP.”
Two gigs have been arranged for May 25th and 26th next year, with the first coming at the Manchester O2 Academy and the last at the Brixton Academy in London.
Shelley and Devoto formed the Buzzcocks in 1976 and, in booking the Sex Pistols for their infamous Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall gig that summer, played a crucial role in the burgeoning punk scene of the time.
After Devoto left the band to form Magazine in 1977, the Shelley-fronted Buzzcocks released their classic single ‘Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t Have)?‘ in September 1978.