I first learned about these guys from listening to BBC Radio 6 Music. More specifically a guest DJ slot one day back in….2016, I think it might have been…? Or maybe 2017? Trying to do some research for this – it could have been as far back as 2015! Anyway, it was being hosted by Paul Smith of Maximo Park and he was highlighting bands and music acts from the North East of England – concentrating on Newcastle and its surrounds, places like Sunderland, Durham – basically all of Tyne and Wear and I think he may have also looked at Teeside as well – Hartlepool, Middlesborough and its surrounds.
Of the acts that he chose to play during that program, Warm Digits stuck out for me. I’m not even sure now what the track was that he played. It might have been ‘A Warm Front, Coming From The North’ (which would have made sense given the subject matter of Smith’s program) – whatever it was, I loved that motorik sound coming from Andy Hodson’s drums. I fell instantly in love and I made it my mission to go and see them live at my soonest opportunity.
If the program I caught had aired in 2015 well, I let some time elapse before I went and saw Warm Digits live. If so, my bad! But boy, have I made amends!
It was at The Lexington in London where I first got to see them. The end of August in 2017. I had never been to The Lexington before and it was a great wee place. Warm Digits were AMAZING that night and I had all my thoughts and feelings about them from that initial exposure to them by Paul Smith, followed by my delving into their catalogue on Spotify confirmed to me that night.
The following year in 2018 I saw them a few times – going to London again, and also to Bristol and Newcastle to go and see them. The Newcastle gig is one of my gig-going highlights of all time! It was the end of June – the weather was INCREDIBLE. It was such a hot weekend. I had been in Edinburgh the day before to see the Rip It Up exhibition at the National Gallery of Scotland and also to see a talk between Vic Galloway, Ian Rankin and Bruce Findlay about the exhibition and the Scottish music scene.
It was my first experience of seeing Warm Digits on home turf. Although both guys hail from different areas of the country, it was in Newcastle that the guys met and started making music together. Newcastle is home to Steve and Andy lives in Lancashire, where he originates from. Newcastle is home turf for Warm Digits – hence seeing them at The Cluny in the summer of 2018 was a “home gig.”
I was travelling alone. I knew nobody in Newcastle and money was REALLY tight. It was so warm and I was really tired from the travelling and sightseeing I’d done in Edinburgh the day before and the early start to get to Newcastle that all I wanted to do was find the venue and chill. I had a long day ahead and I was taking the late night coach back to London straight after the gig.
Steve and Andy arrived mid afternoon to set up and have a soundcheck and all that. The Cluny has quite a relaxed atmosphere. That afternoon I did something I’d have never dreamed of doing before. I could hear them begin the soundcheck and so…I found the side entrance to the auditorium, peeked my head around the door and then sneakily let myself in. When the guys spotted me, they were fine. “Come in, come in.” It was absolutely awesome! In between setting up the stage and after their soundcheck the both came and chatted to me and…I just had the most chilled, relaxing afternoon just hanging out around the bar area of the venue.
The gig was sensational. Steve and Andy were brilliant. And I just have the most wonderful memories of that day.
That year, 2018, had been a big one for the guys. They had released Wireless World in the summer of 2017 and they toured around with that during the late summer 0f 2017 and had more dates touring the UK in the spring and summer of 2018. Wireless World was really well received and the guys were busy. 2019 meant a touring break but they were working away on their next album. They then had a tour set for the spring and summer of 2020 to showcase the new album, Flight Of Ideas, which was set for release in April, 2020.
Then we all know what happened!
Flight Of Ideas was released as scheduled but there was no touring that could take place then.
I did manage to see them in 2020 before things went tits up with Covid. They played here in Glasgow, supporting a band called Polica at Saint Luke’s. I actually have a backstage pass from the show. The only backstage pass I have ever gotten in my life! They played a short set, as support acts tend to do, but I was just sssoooo happy to be able to see them, and to see them in Glasgow and even MORE so given what happened just a few weeks after the gig took place.
Eventually some touring was able to take place in 2021. I was overjoyed as Glasgow was included in the dates! Sadly as time got nearer, the band had to cancel the date. I had a ticket that I had bought for one of the dates they were scheduled to play in Scotland pre-pandemic, for the Stag and Dagger in Edinburgh. I held on to that ticket.
It was a gig that wasn’t the most comfortable of experiences. There were still restrictions and it was a multi venue, multi musical act event. The concept behind the Stag and Dagger is a great one. One ticket gets you into several venues to see any of a list of music acts playing in each venue on the night. A really great thing pre and post pandemic – not so great DURING it. I stayed at the venue Warm Digits were playing at. I didn’t want to be mingling with loads of different people, etc. On the night the guys had sound problems and technical issues and could only perform half of their set. I really didn’t want it to be my last experience seeing them.
They had one last gig for 2021 – back in the hometown at The Cluny a week before Christmas. Of course that meant me travelling down to Newcastle a week before Christmas. Could I do it? It was still very touch and go at the end of 2021. There were still restrictions. Venues had restrictions in place, etc. Just all the precautions you had to be mindful of with travelling, keeping hygienic, mask-wearing, showing you had been vaccinated, etc, etc. All of that was going on then. But I HAD to see them again so I decided to risk the trip to Newcastle and I am so glad I did. It was fantastic! They were fantastic.
This is why I love Warm Digits so much because not only do they make great music and are fantastic to experience live, but Steve and Andy are just the loveliest guys. They really are. I just love them. The music is just so great. I have been listening to them a lot this past week and I just thought this would make the most wonderful Fanatical Friday post. There is no band other than Simple Minds that I am more excited to go and see live than these guys. I experience that same level of joy and euphoria seeing them as I do when I go and see Minds. Their music uplifts me and brings me joy and I love watching Andy bang away on those drums and Steve’s cool stylings on guitar.
Yesterday they announced a gig for Newcastle in early February and I am praying I can go but really I am hoping there will be other gigs through the spring. If nothing else is on the cards, I may just have to try and go see them in February. We’ll see!
The music! Check them out on Spotify or on Bandcamp. I recommend it all.
Favourites from the albums are:
From Keep Warm… with the Warm Digits
Weapons Destruction
One Track Groove
Here Come The Warm Digits (nice nod to Eno with the title!)
From Interchange
The Connected Coast
From Wireless World
Two To Four Degrees
Wireless World
Deluge and Delusion
Fracking Blackpool
The Rumble And The Tremor
(It was tough with this one as the whole album is ssooo good!)
From Flight Of Ideas
I’m OK, You’re OK
Fools Tomorrow
Replication
Everyone Nervous
False Positive
Flight Of Ideas
(Again, really hard to decide on just these)
And for all I was saying on my Minds Music Monday post about Christmas songs…the Warm Digits boys have this. But, as Christmas songs go…I love it and they played it at The Cluny last year and it was wonderful!
Also, if you are interested in reading more about their most recent album, Flight Of Ideas and about them in general, check out my interview with Steve Jefferis HERE
