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Iam Burn finds a band who have come a long way and change a lot over recent years in The Lottery Winners
I first saw The Lottery Winners performing live when supporting Frank Turner in Newcastle in January 2023. I knew they had something about them. They felt fresh. I thought they’d do well. Things have moved on at pace since then. They have had two number one albums and have recently toured Europe supporting Robbie Williams. Has this rapid rise changed them?
They wandered onto the stage to the strains of the famed Venga Bus arriving shortly looking a little more polished. They were coordinated in black. As always, guitarist and singer Robert Lally’s hair was so perfectly coiffured I think it may be AI generated. It is a work of art (as is his beard).
The band ripped through Superpower to warm everyone up in preparation for the wonderfully anthemic Worry. The audience sang and danced along with great gusto, probably making the chippy down the road believe there was an earth tremor. As soon as singer Thom Rylance went off on one of his random flights of fancy, it was clear they are still the same humble folk from Leigh.
A few of their newer tracks followed including their latest single Your Last Song. It is always a good sign when a track which has been out for a week is already a singalong song for the crowd. One of my favourite Lottery Winners track, Sertraline, came next and once again the sell-out crowd were bouncing. Rylance continued to whizz around the stage like an autumn leaf trapped in an updraft, with his infectious cackling laugh making him a shoo-in if anyone wants to remake One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest.
Complete with its own theme tune, Thom’s-bola saw Rylance pick a random track from the band to perform, giving the audience two opportunities to stick or twist. Two twists later, we were serenaded with Headlock from their eponymously named 2020 album. The audience and band combined to create a singalong version of Can’t Take My Eyes Off You (the Andy Williams variation) complete with slurred bits where people couldn’t remember the words. The audience held such a cross-section of ages. This is a band that resonates with many people. Their blend of indie pop/rock seems to have tapped into a rich vein of popularity.
The intro to Letter To Myself brought a chuckle as Rylance aimed a dig at Andrew Windsor’s sexual proclivities. A three song encore brought the evening to an excellent conclusion as Burning House, Turn Around and Start Again had everyone dancing, crooning and making a connection with the band on stage. The night really felt as if everyone was there to have a good time, including The Lottery Winners. It was a truly positive and uplifting evening.
