Valentines 2017 LIVE at Club Big, HOME MCR !

It's Our Eighth Birthday

We've come a long way babies!!!



Come and celebrate tomorrow, 14 February 2012at 1pm at Salford University
(building number 4 on this map Allerton Studios)

There'll be some knock off merchandise, a cake and all your favourite pop songs! Watch this space for a video!

A Postcard from Valentine's 2011

Here we are after a busy hour taking your calls and singing our songs. Video and sound clips coming soon!

The Day We Played a Live Session on Marc Riley's Show

Yesterday was a real highlight of our Hotpants Romance experience: we played a session live at the BBC! You can listen here if you missed it. We played old classics such as Stop Escaping and Shake and some of our new hits from our new record, The International Hotpants Romance; as well as a bit of chat with the lovely Marc Riley.

The Making of Our New Video 'Emails'

Here's a behind the scenes snap from the filming of Emails. We are very grateful to K-Fe Internet Cafe in Levenshulme. Video coming VERY soon!!

Reunited with The Lovely Eggs, UK Summer Tour 2010

We spent a week away with The Lovely Eggs in Al's van travelling to some of the jewels in Britain's crown: London, Bristol, Wigan, Lancaster, Manchester, Sheffield, Cardiff and Birmingham. Here are some of our holiday photos. Highlights included, staying on a boat, playing in an old casino, starting a set straight after Spain picked up the World Cup, getting our hair done with Holly's mum, ice cream in Morecambe and chips in Monmouth.

At Baby Honey Club night in London



Al's Boat in London


The Bouncers at Bristol


The World Cup Final in Wigan


The Beehives in Lancaster


Moving in Manchester


Leaving Dan's in Sheffield


The Merchandise in Cardiff


A Sign on the way to Birmingham

Live at Sounds from the Other City

69 Love Songs, a Magnetic Fields Tribute

For The Sixty Nine Love Songs, a Magnetic Fields tribute gig, a day where Manchester bands played all sixty nine songs, in order, in April's basement. We played number eleven, I Think I Need a New Heart. The video can be seen on our videos link on the right.

Annual Valentine's Gig 2010

This year we had a Carriesque prom do at Islington Mill, complete with a balloon net and our dear friends, Maria and the Gay.

Maria and the balloon net.

Shelia's Wheels

We have racked up some interesting gigs all over the world! Here are some of our favourite photos from our scrapbook. A bit closer to home, the Shelia's Wheels Cadillac came to Manchester so we took the opportunity to play in it for Manchester Scenewipe and Museum of Science and Industry. This became our video for new release, OCD!

Hanging out with Eric Cantona! We are not Man United fans but we are Looking For Eric fans. We've found him!

On the Road with The Lovely Eggs, UK Tour 2009

In summer 2009 we got in Andy's van with our friends The Lovely Eggs and played around the country for a week. Nowhere was safe- gigs included a Southampton school, Bournemouth beach, Oxfam in Leeds, Manchester and Southampton and Maggie's Garage in Birmingham. You can see the tour diary on youtube somewhere.

The Southern States

Our dreams really came true in 2008, when we returned to the states to release our first album, It's a Heatwave and tour around Georgia, Tennesse and Florida in a van with Cars Can Be Blue in August. We couldn't believe our luck! Highlights included: swimming in alligator infested water, eating in fifties diners, the snacks at gas stations, the power cut after we played Blow My Fuse and free Southern Comfort shots in candlelight that followed, the sunshine, the beaches in Pensacola.

Blackpool

A behind the scenes snap from the filming of the video for 'Heatwave' in Blackpool. You can see the video on Youtube.

New York with The Nightingales

In 2008 we crossed the Atlantic twice. First we hit the shores of New York for a five day tour that ended up in Boston with The Nightingales and Christy and Emily. We had a good time on the Carosel in Central Park, and can heartily recommend a hotel in the big apple called The Carter; it's tagline was 'all you ever wanted and less', we had a window missing, but at least we had a good view of Times Square.

Kate's Broken Arms

The night before a week long winter tour, Kate broke BOTH her arms. Instead of calling off the gigs, Kate just played the kick drum and Martin, Darren and The Dazzler took it in turns to play the arm bits. Health professionals and fans were in awe of her bravery.

These are Darren's notes for how to learn the drumming to our songs in one day

The Last Ever Killing Fantasy Gig

Funeral themed, it was the last ever Killing Fantasy night and we were asked to play. It was a great monthly night playing the catchiest girl indie music around so we were pleased to have the honour of being part of the closing ceremony. For the occasion, we played a cover of Elton John's 'Candle in the Wind', complete with photocopied hymn books for all the mourners to join in (see below).
Kate dressed as a dead nun, Lowri dressed as an undertaker in hotpants and Laura wore a black t-shirt. RIP
(click to see this bigger it is worth it!)

Levenshulme

In the old days we used to practice in Kate's bedroom in Levenshulme or Stuart's basement in Levenshulme.

The Early Days

This polaroid was taken in 2004, the year before we formed our band. Here we are, in a bedroom filled floor to ceiling with balloons. It was an ordinary, wonderful day.