It’s hard to stick a label on The Lottery Winners.
Of course, there are a few things we know for sure. They are, for instance, a band. They’re from Leigh, near Manchester, and they’ve been together for just over ten years. That, however, is where things stop being so straightforward.
Are they a pop band? Yes. But, are they also a funk, and a rock band, and an indie band? Yes, they are. Hell, are they, at times, a backing band to their frontman’s fledgling stand-up comedy career? For a brief moment at the start of their set at Bristol’s Louisiana, they are. (We’re not joking.)
As a live act, though? Well, that’s where things get interesting.
You see, a The Lottery Winners show is more than just a straightforward indie-pop gig.
For a start, the band are categorically not your run-of-the-mill indie outfit. They journey from unapologetic indie-pop to swaggering Britpop via something that sounds alarmingly like Chic, even finding time for a shit-hot set of Beach Boys-esque harmonies before they launch into Young Love. Their own Thom Rylance, too, seems equally at home when he’s cackling along with the crowd at the expense of himself/the venue/the unfortunately pissed woman in the front row.
So, what are The Lottery Winners?
Well, in no particular order, they are: responsible for some of the best indie-pop bops that we’ve heard all year; stone-cold hilarious; and guaranteed to furnish you with a good night out the next time they roll through your town. Miss out at your own risk.