by Richard Derbyshire

YORKSHIRE stars The Sherlocks will end their first summer as a main stage festival act at Bingley Music Live, three years after their first time at the event.

“It’ll be like coming home, back to one of the places where it all started for us,” says drummer Brandon Crook.

The Bolton upon Dearne band are still flying high a year after their first album Live For The Moment smashed into the official chart at number six, becoming the most successful debut by any group in 2017.

Brandon, his brother, frontman Kiaran, lead guitarist Josh Davidson and his brother, bassist Andy, have since taken their music to America, toured in Europe with Liam Gallagher and sold out UK shows, playing to more than 3,500 fans in Manchester. At festivals like Tramlines in Sheffield and Y Not in Derbyshire, they have proven their place alongside some of music’s biggest names.

Songwriter Kiaran, 22, says the timing of their current success feels right after years of hard work. “We’re no strangers to grafting our way up festival line-ups. We've grown through word of mouth and people seeing us and then bringing their mates along the next time. There’s no reason why an act like us, who began on the smallest stages at festivals, can’t go onto headline them if they have the songs and determination.”

Brandon says playing again at Bingley means coming back to where things began to take off for The Sherlocks.

“Bingley in 2015 was one of the first times we were treated like a proper band at a festival. We were buzzing to get artist catering and a buggy ride from the car park, never mind what we thought about performing our set on stage!

“We’d been at Reading & Leeds a week earlier and we loved it there too. I remember us all thinking we’re onto a winner if all festivals are like these.”

This month they joined Noel Gallagher at Zozomarine Stadium in Tokyo for Summer Sonic weekend, but while the venues are getting bigger, Brandon says the lads have never forgotten their early days in pubs and clubs. “We still get a thrill seeing people turn up to watch us and our experience playing every kind of venue means we know how to put on a gig.”

Brandon says the band is looking forward to sharing the Friday Bingley line-up with The Lightning Seeds and headliners Shed Seven. "Rick Witter’s daughter came to our show in York and we met his son at TRNSMT in Glasgow,” he says. “Also, we both supported Ocean Colour Scene at Leeds Millennium Square in 2016. We have our single Chasing Shadows and they have their song Chasing Rainbows so we’ve something in common already.”

The Sherlocks plan to release their second record as soon as possible. “It’s still early days, there’s one demo I haven’t played to the others yet, but I have a good idea which 12 tracks are going to make it,” says Kiaran.

* The Sherlocks play Bingley Music Live on Friday August 31. Visit bingleymusiclive.com