Inspiral Carpets

Formed in Oldham in the early 80s, Inspiral Carpets carved their place in the Madchester orbit with a lean mix of indie rock, garage grit and psych-pop, all driven by Clint Boon’s unmistakable organ lines. First fronted by Stephen Holt, then by Tom Hingley from 1989, the band honed a direct, melodic sound built on steady, danceable rhythms and sharp choruses. Early EPs like Planecrash and Trainsurfing drew John Peel’s attention and paved the way from their Cow imprint to Mute, followed by a run of albums — Life (1990), The Beast Inside (1991), Revenge of the Goldfish (1992) and Devil Hopping (1994) — that folded sixties-flavoured textures into something tougher. Noel Gallagher even spent a stint as their roadie before Oasis took off. After a split in 1995, the group reformed in the 2000s, reunited with Holt in 2011 and returned with a self-titled album in 2014.

On stage, expect tight hooks, an organ-led pulse and songs that drift from shadowy edges to clear, singable refrains. Inspiral Carpets play O2 Academy Oxford in Oxford on 3 July 2026.