CityLife

Mark E Smith to play Salford church

BACK WITH HIS OLD PAL: Mark E Smith

TWO of Salford's most famous musicians are returning to the city to play an intimate homecoming gig.

The Fall's legendary frontman Mark E Smith has teamed up with Salford DJ and former Fall manager Ed Blaney to go on tour after a four-year absence from the stage.

The pair have chosen to make their stage comeback at an intimate gig at St Thomas's CE Church in Pendleton on Friday, February 6, after touring as far afield as Copenhagen.

The performance will feature tracks from the collaboration of the two musicians - an eponymous album called Smith and Blaney.

Smith, who was born in Salford, has teamed up with Salford DJ and former Fall manager Ed Blaney to make a limited edition album and have now decided to tour - taking in exotic cities like Malmo in Sweden, Copenhagen and Cardiff.

But they say the one they are looking forward to the most is the gig in Pendleton.

Pendleton

Ed said: “We are Salford boys through and through so we are looking forward to the Pendleton gig.

“It's really important to us and we feel this is our home.

“The church is an iconic image in Salford and we are really looking forward to playing here.”

The Fall first broke onto the music scene in the post-punk era of the late 1970s and went on to create music over three decades.

Frontman Smith gained a reputation for hiring and firing members of the band but the group gained a cult status and Radio 1 DJ John Peel named them his favourite.

Ed said: “This album has got some really fantastic reviews and people have been very enthusiastic about it and we are really pleased with the album.

“We'll be playing some of the songs on tour, after four years away, so we are both really excited.”

The gig, on February 6, starts at 8pm and doors open at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £8 advance and £10 on the door. They can be bought from Ticketline on: 0161 832 1111, or www.ticketline.co.uk.